Hello There!!!!

[Shishkahoobin]

HELLO!!!!!

My name is Matt, but you can call me Shishkahoobin!!!

Im new to AGS, i recently found myself playing the 4 Trilby Games (wasnt a fan of The art of theft)

And iv delved deep into Croshaw's work and found this.

And i would like to start working on one of my own, BUT then i found out you need art...

And well i dont have a spect of art in my whole body.

So is there like a place you can go to get a bunch of premade pictures to use? i already have the plot of my game down pat, i just need to learn from here.

Well its nice to meet all you fine folk if anyone has a chance i could use some help

Thank You

[Tuomas]

Nice to meet you too, my good man. We've got a newbies thread too, but no-one reads that anyway

If you wanted art, you'd just have to go take a look at the critics lounge, there's a thread for hiring partners. A lot of people here are great artists and help... That is, if you really have a good idea or are good at coding a game.

Also, and correct me if I'm wrong, but if you scroll down the forum main page, you'll find the RoN forums. You can start by making a game using characters and art that's already been in a game or two. Afaik they're there for everyone to use.

[Shishkahoobin]

Well i could tell you my idea over a PM, iv been thinking about it for a long time, i was REALLY inspired by 5 days a stranger ect.

Its basically the same concepts (evil mass murderer, your trapped in house looking for way out, must solve complex riddles, you know the drill)

im more of a "ideas" person, im only 17 and are new to programming, my older brother got me started with AGS because he told me its a neat way to learn this kind of thing, iv always been interested with computers and games and such so he thinks its a good idea getting me into this.

So ya basically all i need to do is keep the tutorial handy and get some good portraits to use.

im going for a evil old mansion kind of thing, the kind of house that you would typically find a bunch of old rotted bodies and a wierd retard mass murderer wielding a knife or something.

But anyway any help is very much appreciated.

Thank you

[GreenBoy]

These videos are an excellent resource for learning the AGS engine. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=21DB402CB4DAEAEF

I'm sure you will find them very useful, also good luck with your game.

[Shishkahoobin]

AH thank you for replying, really im looking for someone who knows about making sprites and backrounds.

I dont really know anything about making sprites, and i am in no way a artistic person, so in the backrounds and sprites department, i will need some help, and i always put anyone who helps me in the credits.

If anyone out there could help me with my backrounds, i would be very grateful.

Thank you

[Chicky]

All of the sprites and backgrounds here are free to use if you keep within the bounds of the RON backstory.

[Shishkahoobin]

So does that mean i cannot use these backrounds and sprites on my game if i have my own plot?

[tzachs]

You can use the Insta-Game pack which as far as I understand provide free sprites & bgs to use for your game.

[Shishkahoobin]

Yes but what i need for my game is somewere around 30 rooms, there are 7 characters and about 40 items to use.

Which is why i need a comitted artist to help me.

But i will not ask for more than what they are willing to give.

[Wonkyth]

As long as you mostly what it is that you want, and you're not overly seeking perfection(some people find it tiresome), I'm sure that there are many people who would happily do all the art for your game, just make sure you can describe your thoughts well.
Alternatively, I think you could surprise yourself and try making some of the art yourself, as unless you're looking for a specific style(which it seems you're not, as you description of your lack of arty skills seems to say that you've not thought of that side), just do some scribbles. Even the lamest artist can get some surprisingly mediocre results(in a good way) with a little whittling.

[Scarab]

I don't know Wonkyth, I've never heard of people "happily doing the art" for someone else's game for no reason.

Shishkahoobin, if you want people to help you out, you really have to have more to offer than just an idea, and a 30 room game is no small task (although it depends on how detailed you want the backgrounds to be).

I suggest you learn coding (densming's videos are an excellent resource) and slap together some programmer art for a demo, and use that for recruiting purposes. I don't think anyone will have a problem with you using RON or InstaGame sprites as templates and painting over them to get your characters. For backgrounds you can use photos as references or look online for tutorials.

Alternately, hire an artist. That's pretty much the best way I can think of to assure you get an artist who is fully committed to your project. The only catch is having a lighter wallet

That being said, I hope you find someone.
Good luck with your game! 

[Shishkahoobin]

Well idk about hiring, i dont make that much money, and a game is always changeable while in development.

I just wish there was someone to help me, i tryed making one and i believe a 4 year old could do better

[Wonkyth]

Then show us what you've got, and more importantly what you've not got, and that is something people Absolutely love giving: Criticism!
Really all you need to get help is to show an interest in what you're doing, be consistent, and be ready to be completely open.

[Shishkahoobin]

Right now, i have the story and a compiled list of every room/item/person i will need.

I need to get the backrounds and such before i can start making the game.

unless there is something i dont know then please fill me in but according to the tutorials i watched/read i need the backrounds before i can start.

I wish there was more i could do and less i have to ask for.

I feel bad.

[Khris]

Here's a screen from a popular AGS classic:



It won five awards in 2001, including Best Game.

[Shishkahoobin]

thats still better detail that i can come up with, is there a specific paint program you use that can make this kind of detail?

i just tryed using paint.

[Khris]

Oh my, the paint program has NOTHING to do with it.

There's a stickie in the Critics Lounge with tons of links to paint programs and tutorials.

You need some dedication and practice, and maybe GIMP or GraphicsGale.
(They are more comfortable to use than paint and also free, but you still won't automatically create great backgrounds if you failed to do so in paint.)

Browse the Critics Lounge, look at the backgrounds of other people. Look at your surroundings, grab a pen and paper and practice. Everybody can create cheap programmer's art.

[Babar]

You don't really NEED to have the BGs done before starting coding on the game. You can look over some of the tutorials in the stickie that Khris is talking about, then just draw some sketchy or programmer art. Use that to finish coding your game, then you can probably get someone to help you out by doing the BGs, or you could yourself work bit by bit improving it.

Alternatively, you could just go around photographing your house (or someone else's house), or even search up in google images using the "labelled for reuse" or "labelled for reuse with modifcation" license option, and make a sort of first-person-view game (where the player character isn't visible, you see the world through their eyes).

[Mr Flibble]

I'd also recommend doing the graphics last, and building the whole game with place-holders instead. This way you can avoid the situation where you've done a lot of artwork already, but want to change the plot of the same in a way that renders all those things useless. This will pretty much always happen anyway, but if you do the graphics last, you can diminish the effects.

It's also very encouraging to have a "finished" game that you can play through, and will help avoid getting stuck in development hell.

The Secret of Monkey Island was made in this way, and it allowed them to do gameplay testing and cut out some sections of the game without having wasted time on the assets for those parts of the game.

[Shishkahoobin]

You don't really NEED to have the BGs done before starting coding on the game. You can look over some of the tutorials in the stickie that Khris is talking about, then just draw some sketchy or programmer art. Use that to finish coding your game, then you can probably get someone to help you out by doing the BGs, or you could yourself work bit by bit improving it.

Alternatively, you could just go around photographing your house (or someone else's house), or even search up in google images using the "labelled for reuse" or "labelled for reuse with modifcation" license option, and make a sort of first-person-view game (where the player character isn't visible, you see the world through their eyes).

My god thats a good idea, but im lookign for more of a Broken down dead kind of building, my house is vibrant and alive...

This is going to be something like resident evil but less about zombies and more about a killer.

If anyone wants to hear the whole game plot i can type it up, not much trouble.