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Creative Production => Competitions & Activities => Topic started by: GreenBeams on Thu 26/02/2015 23:02:10

Title: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: GreenBeams on Thu 26/02/2015 23:02:10
WEEEEELLLLLLLL that was an incredibly close run race! Oozing talent like some kind of.... erm.... septic.. genius...?

Bad vocabulary aside, what a belter of a competition. Thank you for actually all turning up to my first hosting gig and please feel free to help yourselves to curly meat paste sandwiches and little hot dogs on stick. We have cheese on sticks for the vegetarians and pineapple chunks on sticks for the vegans!

I've counted the votes and the winners are as follows:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/Award_Third.png) goes to...

Spoiler
Congratulations, Loominous!
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/VOTING/FullSIZE/loominous.png)
[close]

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/Award_Second.png) goes to...

Spoiler
Another cracking entry for 304!
[imgzoom]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/VOTING/304.png[/imgzoom]
[close]

And the
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/Award_First.png) tortured mind of dungeon madness is...

Spoiler
Fantastic job, WRK!!!
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/107389340/AGS/BG_Blitz/Dungeon/VOTING/FullSIZE/wrk.gif)
[close]

Well done and thank you to everyone who entered!! The standard was exceptionally high in all of the voting categories and there's not a background here i couldn't see in a good game! I may be devaluing the exclamation mark by using it so much for everything but i don't care - you all deserve a round of applause...!

I can't wait to see what the next Background Blitz turns out :-D



Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Fri 27/02/2015 19:27:55
I had a good time entering the last blitz so I thought I'd have another go! Here's mine!

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/S0T4dLv.png[/imgzoom]

(big thanks to Ilyich who gave me a super easy tip to fix the balance issues!)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Andail on Fri 27/02/2015 21:17:26
Great theme, I'll definitely enter!
... it's just that Ben immediately raised the bar to inferiority-complex-inducing levels... but hey, I'll give it a go.

I'm really curious about that balance issue, btw, and how it was resolved!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Fri 27/02/2015 21:25:28
The original version is here: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-39_6gUIAA1unL.png (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-39_6gUIAA1unL.png)

I showed it to Ilyich and commented that I felt the mushrooms had thrown it out of balance, but I wanted them in there to add some colour. He agreed that it was the mushrooms that threw the balance right off, and suggested I put some red on the other side of the image. As soon as I blobbed the red banner in (the only change here) I could instantly see that the balance issue was fixed. I consider it a valuable learning experience!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Grundislav on Sat 28/02/2015 00:31:44
I also had fun last time, so here is my entry!

(http://i.imgur.com/01UIT9O.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Sat 28/02/2015 10:37:45
Bally heck fire! Kicking off with the complex-inducing bigguns, indeed!

Marvellous stuff, 304! Just the simple addition to of the red banner has really grounded the piece out. It also does really well in the "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here" department!

Ah, Grundislav, loving the water and the whole feel to this! Sort of like the prisoner could be locked in the cage on the ramparts and forced to watch the rescue attempts thwarted form cannon fire. Or could it be that the player is actually being stolen away in the night from their castle home to be imprisoned on a slaver ship? So much to wonder about!   
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: selmiak on Sat 28/02/2015 20:05:55
the prison of the future is your brain. it is just frozen for you while tubes regulate your body functions...

[imgzoom]http://selmiak.bplaced.net/stuff/trapped.png[/imgzoom]


I have no idea if this is even a background or more of a painting. But after reading this theme I had to get this picture out of my imprisoned own brain and I always wanted to do a piece with someone stuck to some tubes in a more or less sterile room.
Could work gameplaywise as a rescue mission background :P

Note to self: practise painting faces, I cannot always cheat with cheap helmets ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Creamy on Sun 01/03/2015 19:20:04
Very strong entries once again.
Neat use of the wires, Selmiak.

I don't know if my picture qualifies as a background either :

(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2015/060/a/2/prison_by_jaipurna-d8k0ntl.png)

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 02/03/2015 16:19:56
Hey Grundislav, did you change your entry? I feel like the contrast is much better. Or is it because I'm watching with a different screen? Anyway: sudden quality boost! :)

I really want to enter this. I just have very little time, with my new job.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Cassiebsg on Mon 02/03/2015 16:26:00
I guess I could take the challenge and do the Galactica brig or some other scene that I might could use on my BSG game... but am currently focusing my time elsewhere, so I'll probably not enter this one.
Good luck everyone! :)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Grundislav on Tue 03/03/2015 21:15:41
Monsieur OUXX: Yeah, I went back and made the ocean darker. Made a world of difference!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Wed 04/03/2015 12:19:57
@selmiak - nice twist on the theme, there =D
@Creamy - Yeah, i'd say this is a viable background. You've got interaction points, a way in and out of the scene. The guards may be better off as animated characters and not part of the background unless you're looking through a CCTV camera - If that's the case then they could be static while the camera pans round. Nice style, too!
@MonsieurOUXX - New job, yay! Congratu-ma-lations!

Quick personal aside - I'm at the end of a long visa/emigration process and am finally moving/flying out this friday (6th March). I won't have a computer straight away but i'll do my best to get online as soon as i can! Oh, and the trophies have been added now so that's that donesies!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 05/03/2015 14:18:06
I've just found my background ;)
I'll start drawing this weekend.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Sat 07/03/2015 01:06:50
Here's my contribution :) (Not very satisfied with the lamp though...oh well) :D

(http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Alcotrash_79/prison.png) (http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/Alcotrash_79/media/prison.png.html)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sat 07/03/2015 18:37:40
All the entries are really cool and full of personality so far!

Here's my very first wip

(http://40.media.tumblr.com/5866fb3fb58405a09c7dbcac37815491/tumblr_nkuubrYo5S1tsfksfo1_1280.png)

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Tue 10/03/2015 23:14:19
Go easy on me people but I thought I'd use this months challenge to test my artistic ability for a game idea I have. Integral to it will be creating underwater environments so hence my choice.

This is still very much a work in progress (there should probably be a toilet in there at least)... I'll update as much as possible before the deadline but at least I have something nestled in among your masterpieces.

And yes monsieur, I have created a small replica of your figurine - useful for judging the scale :)

Update: It's not great, my perspective needs definite work and the layout is a little cramped, but I made a start on the cell interior. After being dumped into the ocean, the pod anchors to the bottom. It is then connected to the surface - complete with pneumatic tube delivery system to ensure our prisoner doesn't run out of food and also has somewhere to dispose of their bodily deposits (multifunctional). The tube also provides soft tube lighting. Air vent at the top ensures steady supply of oxygen... could it also offer an escape route? Who knows?

See latest post for entry
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sat 14/03/2015 16:12:23
Interesting! That's certainly emprisonment! ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Sat 14/03/2015 19:33:32
Aaaaaand finally landed but still without a painty computer so here i am on the laptop:

@Mouth for war - very realistic... and kinda creepy. Nice =)
@OUXX - I do so love the buildup of your pieces. keep going!
@Haggis - An other-world-y, underwater-y feel to it. Nice use of the vegetation/kelp stuff for the foreground, too =)

Still time to get an entry in; there're 9 days left :-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Sat 14/03/2015 23:25:38
Thanks guys. This is a new style of art for me, my previous style had rough outlines around everything (in brown and black) but I wanted to move away from that and at least produce something easy on the eye. This is why it's taking me a while to come up with a better way of adding detail to the prison 'bubble' - you guys make it look so easy!

@Greenbeams - are you saying you don't painstakingly create each masterpiece with a touch-pad laptop? Only way to roll! Glad to hear you made it!

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Sun 15/03/2015 00:49:40
Thanks! Glad it's appreciated :D :D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: [delete} on Sun 15/03/2015 19:48:10
Once again, glorious showcase of art pieces, looking forward to comment and vote!

@OUXX:  Hm, not sure if that little red fellow is handsomely named Mathieu...  :tongue:  But it better is at least Marcus or even Henry, I excitedly waited for years just to see a character (I once was rejected to draw... :cry: )
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 16/03/2015 13:22:22
Quote from: Amélie on Sun 15/03/2015 19:48:10
@OUXX:  Hm, not sure if that little red fellow is handsomely named Mathieu...  :tongue:  But it better is at least Marcus or even Henry, I excitedly waited for years just to see a character (I once was rejected to draw... :cry: )
Don't cry, we settled with ProgZMax's sprite, who is (once again) ten times better than all other sprites. Which doesn't mean that the other sprites were bad! Far from it.
His name is indeed Henry... Henry Jones Jr. to be accurate ;)
Also, one is not "handsomely named Mathieu". One is "named Mathieu and handsome" ;) Oh wait, is it too late for the flirt trophy? haha.


For a moment there I thought I had missed the deadline. I really, really REALLY want to finish this background.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Mon 16/03/2015 14:54:56
Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 16/03/2015 13:22:22I really, really REALLY want to finish this background.
A common dilemma, less flirting more blitzing!!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Thu 19/03/2015 20:32:38
OK - I think this is my entry finished - really need to get back to working on my own game!

Bit of background: After being dumped into the ocean, the pod anchors to the bottom. It is then connected to the surface - complete with pneumatic tube delivery system to ensure our prisoner doesn't run out of food and also has somewhere to dispose of their bodily deposits (multifunctional). The tube also provides soft tube lighting. Air vent at the top ensures steady supply of oxygen... could it also offer an escape route? Who knows? It's not great, my level of detail needs work, plus it looks too nice to be a cell... I think I'd happily live there (toilet situation aside).

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4uO9Ts8IPuM/VQsxqIfcgdI/AAAAAAAABdk/QtienLYNxyc/s1600/Imprisoned_haggis2.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Fri 20/03/2015 13:42:24
Nice!
Oh god oh god oh god only 3 days left. Actually two, since I have to work on Sunday. Oh god.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sun 22/03/2015 12:36:22
Hey is it possible to have a few more days? Pretty please.

(https://40.media.tumblr.com/ac6098e7890bc59d4bbd5c617e6d454d/tumblr_nlm3dxDCgo1tsfksfo1_400.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Sun 22/03/2015 17:25:23
BOOO you had time from feb 26 to make a bg ;D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sun 22/03/2015 21:14:42
Quote from: Mouth for war on Sun 22/03/2015 17:25:23
BOOO you had time from feb 26 to make a bg ;D

I've been trying but I never had time :(
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Sun 22/03/2015 22:49:39
Yeah I know how it is :) Real life reminds you that you must do stuff hehe
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Misj' on Sun 22/03/2015 23:37:44
QuoteThis month's theme is IMPRISONMENT!!!!
...
...
Just make it a background where the player will be quite rightly wetting themselves with the heebies before being slammed by a whopping great serving of jeebies!
Or...we could go an entirely different route, and draw a place that is actually quite pleasant. It's still a prison, it's just neither heebish nor jeebish. That being said, when you're in there, chances are you're going to be in there for a few thousand years.

Inside the Genie's Lamp:
(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa412/misj1270/BB_20152303_GeniesPrison_zpst3egrgbm.png)

-- click here for a version without animated elements (http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa412/misj1270/BB_20152303_GeniesPrison_clear_zpsftl9aeax.png) --


ps. I thought this was a great concept for an asymmetrical composition. I like how it turned out.
pps. I didn't have time to draw the genie; but you already met her in a recent SpriteJam (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=51686.msg636507214#msg636507214), so today you get to meet her friends and home.
ppps. Yes, I like cats.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 23/03/2015 08:21:38
Quote from: Misj' on Sun 22/03/2015 23:37:44
when you're in there, chances are you're going to be in there for a few thousand years.

Interesting idea ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Mon 23/03/2015 10:14:07
I love your artwork Misj' :D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Mon 23/03/2015 15:12:23
@Haggis - Nice work there =)
@Misj - Aw, that's lovely! Nice way to think outside the box... or should that be "inside the lamp"?
@Monsieur OUXX - How long would you need, monsieur? I must confess to being a sucker for a good old lasr-death-chair!


Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Stupot on Tue 24/03/2015 00:32:12
Nice stuff, peeps.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Tue 24/03/2015 09:00:17
Quote from: GreenBeams on Mon 23/03/2015 15:12:23
@Monsieur OUXX - How long would you need, monsieur? I must confess to being a sucker for a good old lasr-death-chair!

I don't know. Until the end of the week would be OK? Don't want to frustrate the other contestants though, or anyone who'd think that's an unfair request.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Tue 24/03/2015 14:10:30
@OUXX - ok, I'm making an executive decision and extending the deadline up to and including Friday 27th March; voting to begin on Saturday 28th.

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Tue 24/03/2015 15:15:44
I support this! Looking forward to seeing your entry OUXX.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Tue 24/03/2015 16:13:24
Same here, the more entries the merrier!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Tue 24/03/2015 22:16:44
Quote from: GreenBeams on Tue 24/03/2015 14:10:30
@OUXX - ok, I'm making an executive decision and extending the deadline up to and including Friday 27th March; voting to begin on Saturday 28th.


Cool, thanks mister executor!
See, I'm working, I'm working :
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/a757d100f4c1daff4fadbf246adde637/tumblr_nlqlskl2vb1tsfksfo1_400.gif)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Wed 25/03/2015 23:00:53
More evidence that I'm working ;)

(https://41.media.tumblr.com/f25acc535507b58fb73a858a58c5550a/tumblr_nlsij7U3A81tsfksfo1_400.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mandle on Thu 26/03/2015 02:31:27
Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Wed 25/03/2015 23:00:53
More evidence that I'm working ;)

(https://41.media.tumblr.com/f25acc535507b58fb73a858a58c5550a/tumblr_nlsij7U3A81tsfksfo1_400.png)

ARRRRGGGHH!!! STOP SHOWING AWESOME STUFF IN TINY CHUNKS!!!

I wanna see the full pic all at once and have my head explode from sheer awesomeness!!!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 26/03/2015 09:35:33
Dammit I work with a monitor that has terrible, terrible contrast.
Every evening, I work on it and I'm happy, but then every morning I look at my drawing at work and I realize it's all black.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Thu 26/03/2015 09:40:23
That's how I felt about my entry - if you look at it during the day it's pretty dark and murky. Look at it at night and it's much clearer!

Your entry is coming along very nicely - mystic stone figures and nazi flags. Ominous.

As usual the quality of entries this month is staggering.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Thu 26/03/2015 09:56:21
Get a better light! I work with a ceiling light and a lamp, and also an LED light behind my monitor that shines on the wall and lights the wall up. That way my lighting conditions for drawing are always as consistent as possible.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 26/03/2015 12:05:59
Quote from: ThreeOhFour on Thu 26/03/2015 09:56:21
Get a better light! I work with a ceiling light and a lamp, and also an LED light behind my monitor that shines on the wall and lights the wall up. That way my lighting conditions for drawing are always as consistent as possible.

Thanks for the tips, but it's not a matter of consistency in that specific case. It's my laptop's screen that is really terrible. IT's very unnecessarily bright while having a terrible contrast. It gives me a headache after 1 hour. You can't see the whole image at the same time (the contrast is significantly different at the top and at the bottom of the screen). I have to move my head up and down... >:( Terrible, terrible screen. Thank god it will be replaced soon.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Snarky on Thu 26/03/2015 13:03:58
My laptop (an old MacBook Pro) is a bit banged up, and has the peculiar feature that any black parts of the screen get filled with green snow, like some shitty version of the matrix, unless i press down on the case in certain specific spots. And sometimes there's pink static in white regions, but not as much. I don't use it for drawing, but it makes it quite annoying to watch movies on.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: WRK on Thu 26/03/2015 14:00:52
(http://i.imgur.com/2bpknYt.gif)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 26/03/2015 14:03:08
Oooooooooooow!!!!!! That is gorgeous! The other ones were gorgeous too, but that's my type of pixel art!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Thu 26/03/2015 14:04:24
Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 26/03/2015 09:35:33
Dammit I work with a monitor that has terrible, terrible contrast.
Every evening, I work on it and I'm happy, but then every morning I look at my drawing at work and I realize it's all black.

Hmmm, just thought i'd weigh in on this one too - when i view it on the laptop, i get the detail (a little dark but i'd have to see the whole picture to tell if that shadow is justified given the light source) However, when i view it on the ipad it's mostly just solid black. with no detail whatsoever. i've no real clue as to why this is the case though =(

What i can see of it on the laptop looks typically excellent and up to your usual high standards! :-D

And, @WRK, that's some mighty, puurdy fine work! Lovely stuff ;-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Thu 26/03/2015 14:08:35
@WRK - yet more beautiful pixel art from your bad self! Stunning. Love all the little details. How does one pick a winner from all these magnificent works?

@MonsieurOUXX - it's not even finished yet and I know it's going to be another masterpiece! For info - to get around the fact the image is very very dark I stuck your image in photoshop and ramped up the contrast / brightness so I could make it out.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: selmiak on Thu 26/03/2015 17:22:59
@WRK: WOW! :-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Creamy on Thu 26/03/2015 18:44:17
@ Misj': it's funny that your personal  text is "Too lazy to add an avatar" when you keep coming up with amazing art.

@ MonsieurOUXX: the contrast is good on my monitor. So far, the background looks like it could fit in your own Indy game :smiley:

@ WRK : so many details with so few pixels! The colours are spot-on too.

@ Haggis : simple yet effective. Is it a second pod in the distance? 
QuoteI think I'd happily live there
(wtf)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Thu 26/03/2015 18:55:44
@Creamy - thanks! I was planning to add some text or some markings to the exterior of the pod but I just couldn't achieve it in a way I was happy with within the timescales.

QuoteIs it a second pod in the distance?

Correct! I was going for full on isolation but Cassie gave me the idea to subtly hint at the existence of other pods out there.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: loominous on Thu 26/03/2015 19:45:09
Blimey, it's been more than four years since my last entry. Cool to see the standard being so high these days!

(http://marcus.krupa.se/AGS/bb_150326_v01.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Thu 26/03/2015 20:32:52
@loominous - Holy! Sheep! I think one of my eyes just fell off! 8-0

So glad OUXX asked for that extension  :-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Misj' on Thu 26/03/2015 20:48:56
Quote from: GreenBeams on Thu 26/03/2015 20:32:52So glad OUXX asked for that extension  :-D
I'm not...all these will make my voting-choices a lot harder. :-D

ps. good to see you're back in the race Loominous...
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 26/03/2015 23:40:21
Holy mother of farping Jesus, what's going on? Are you all becoming insane? Next thing I'll know is that CJ will come back to life just to join this contest.


Still a work in progress:
[imgzoom]https://40.media.tumblr.com/b859841493bdb993330a297842814c04/tumblr_nluf2hy5Yr1tsfksfo1_1280.png[/imgzoom]

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mouth for war on Thu 26/03/2015 23:59:00
Wow! EVERY entry is very nice for this competition indeed!!!! Good work people :)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Fri 27/03/2015 09:16:30
More great entries. Awesome to see loominous entering again!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: AprilSkies on Fri 27/03/2015 11:07:01
Awesome works guys!!!
all entries are soo good ... WRK and M.OUXX ONES are STUNNING!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Fri 27/03/2015 14:00:12
Quote from: AprilSkies on Fri 27/03/2015 11:07:01
WRK and M.OUXX ONES are STUNNING!
Really? I was worried after Mandle complained that I was showing my chunk. (roll) <-- this pun. (wrong)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: AprilSkies on Fri 27/03/2015 15:20:18
Hahahah
btw, Yeah really! I wish it was a game to play!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Cassiebsg on Fri 27/03/2015 15:28:54
Quote from: AprilSkies on Fri 27/03/2015 15:20:18
Hahahah
btw, Yeah really! I wish it was a game to play!

I'm sure it will. ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sat 28/03/2015 10:41:08
If I just... Could... Have... A few more hours.... MUST... FINISH... BACKGROUAAAARH
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: selmiak on Sat 28/03/2015 15:36:34
@Ouxx: it's insane, these 2 transformator boxes to the left of the chair look so much like minions :-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: GreenBeams on Sat 28/03/2015 21:27:00
OK, i'm not sure how much time you need, OUXX.

I'd like to ask the community if we're ok to wait, or, would you rather press on as it's well into "Voting Day".

What say you all? Are you happy to wait or will there be pitchforks and firebrands thrust at me for not cracking the whip? :P
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Misj' on Sat 28/03/2015 22:47:51
Quote from: GreenBeams on Sat 28/03/2015 21:27:00I'd like to ask the community if we're ok to wait
Please vote before even more pieces are entered and there is just too much competition :-D


(Nah, just give him a bit more time...it'll give me more time to decide whom to vote for; which will be a hard choice considering the quality in this Blitz)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sun 29/03/2015 12:27:54
OK I promise I'll finish tonight. If I'm not done, I'll forfeit (I swear I'm not being lazy, but I only have bits of one hour to draw)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sun 29/03/2015 21:19:04
With a little animation:
[imgzoom]http://38.media.tumblr.com/e0349a150f1eef9f6a9d5fd694642569/tumblr_nlzpoirSCk1tsfksfo1_400.gif[/imgzoom]


My official entry :
(http://40.media.tumblr.com/255d1dcf605eb3ae2df8ad113e6a0fb4/tumblr_nlzr1fILfK1tsfksfo1_1280.png)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: AprilSkies on Sun 29/03/2015 21:47:36
Oh WOW OUXX!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Haggis on Sun 29/03/2015 22:35:18
Teach me. Teach me the ways of the pixel.

Incredible scene and well worth the wait. I can't help but imagine the two generators at the back as little robot faces looking on with fear at what is going on in front of them!

Such an array of fantastic backgrounds... each deserving of victory.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment
Post by: Mandle on Mon 30/03/2015 00:12:40
Holy crap, Mr. OUXX!!!

/me 's head explodes!!!

That's some beautifully done textures and lighting! I have been following your WIPs since that Lost Cities comp and I know you don't use a 3D modeller for your scenes, which is un-frickin-believable when looking at how spot-on the perspective is!

I assume that when the laser fires up its coils glow and shit? Otherwise it's a tad dark against the backgroud, but if it's planned to light up and draw attention to itself upon activation then this may have been a concious choice on your part I'm thinking...

/me goes off to find the pieces of his head...
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: GreenBeams on Mon 30/03/2015 03:58:59
Wowsers trousers, OUXX! Lovely stuff as we've come to expect from you :-D

OK, Voting is now OPEN and will remain so until Friday 3rd April whereupon the winners shall receive their hard-earned shiny shinies and bragging rights!!

Good luck and i apologise for any funky formatting that may be happening in the first post now on different devices. I'm not a handy man (laugh)

Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 10:26:53
IMPORTANT: all entries are in the first post AND you can enlarge them by clicking on the name of the artist.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 10:39:00
My votes :

(please note: This time it would have been really unfair to vote for just one person each time, considering that there is no entry that stands out, and they're all very good. So I took the libert of voting for more than one person where it seemed appropriate)

artistic: 304 and WRK *
playable: WRK and Haggis
concept: Loominous and Grundislav

(updated my votes in a subsequent post)

* (Misj and Selmiak, you did great too)

Grundislav I loved how eery you entry is, but there doesn't seem to be much to do in the scene, that's why you didn't get more votes from me.
WRK I can clearly see all the intermediate puzzles that could lead to an escape. I can see the game! ;)
304 I love your excellent drawings, but my heart belongs to crispy pixel art (hat's totally arbitrary), sometimes too much digital painting repells me (yet, you did get my vote) ;)
Loominous, excellent drawing -- maybe a bit sketchy compared to your former entries. But I understand it takes a lot of time. That's already amazing.
Creamy, nice entry, I feel sorry that I didn't give you any vote! unfortunately it wasn't excellent in any of the fields : the special perspective doesn't make it very playable, etc.
Selmiak you almost got a vote for the concept because of the sentence countdown.
Mouth of war : You entry would certainly be very atmospheric with some scenaristic building up coming before, but not just by itslef.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Misj' on Mon 30/03/2015 12:29:57
Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 10:26:53... you can enlarge them by clicking on the name of the rtist.
Clicking on Haggis doesn't show his full-sized entry (but the scaled-down version), and clicking on mine doesn't show anything at all.

my votes:

IDEA/CONCEPT: Loominous - There were several nice ideas, but this one was the most creative. It's definitely not your regular imprisonment (plus it's just a fun concept).
PLAYABLE: Grundislav - I think the piece could do with some clearer focal-points and I'm not the biggest fan its two-tone design...however, when it comes to playability this piece stood out for me. There's a decent amount of walking-area with some nice objects to interact with without it becoming too cluttered (or too empty).
ARTISTIC EXECUTION: Wrk - I don't like pixel-art. But I don't like to look at this subject from the point of my taste (because I feel that is unfair), but how well I feel a piece was executed within the chosen style. As such, this piece stood out for me. It's interesting, stuff is happening I think it captures the mood, and there's an excellent use of blacks (which is not that simple).





ps. OUXX, I'm counting your votes as only half points (and I urge GreenBeams to do the same ;) ). I think that part of the voting-process is to actually make that hard decision where you have to say: 'ok, I hate not to give him points for this, but...' - There are several entries that I wish I could have given votes to, but alas*.

* If I were to pick my top-three backgrounds looking at them as a whole (so not within the context of the three parameters) then my votes would have been different. And I hate to not necessarily being able to give my vote a piece that I think is overall the best.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Mouth for war on Mon 30/03/2015 13:24:33
I agree totally monsieur ouxx. It was a rushed piece and i should have treated it better but thank you for commenting. :-) i have a hard time voring because everyone has done a fantastic job. And i mean EVERYONE!!!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 13:29:00
Quote from: Misj' on Mon 30/03/2015 12:29:57
I think that part of the voting-process is to actually make that hard decision where you have to say: 'ok, I hate not to give him points for this, but...'

You're totally right. I just couldn't.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: selmiak on Mon 30/03/2015 14:50:45
IDEA/CONCEPT: Haggis
PLAYABLE: WRK
ARTISTIC EXECUTION: WRK


*slaps ouxx with a crowbar*
why do you start voting twice? There can only be one!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: GreenBeams on Mon 30/03/2015 15:04:36
Quote from: Misj' on Mon 30/03/2015 12:29:57
Clicking on Haggis doesn't show his full-sized entry (but the scaled-down version), and clicking on mine doesn't show anything at all.
Very sorry about that! I've fixed it now although your entry will be shown without the characters in as i kept getting errors by 'saving image as' for your entry proper. Hope that's ok. :-[

Quote from: Misj' on Mon 30/03/2015 12:29:57
ps. OUXX, I'm counting your votes as only half points (and I urge GreenBeams to do the same ;) )...

* If I were to pick my top-three backgrounds looking at them as a whole (so not within the context of the three parameters) then my votes would have been different. And I hate to not necessarily being able to give my vote a piece that I think is overall the best.

I agree with this but i have to insist that MONSIEUR OUXX choose just one entry per category. Sorry for being a hard ass but this opens the door to decimalising votes. The way i see it, this categorical kind of voting allows more recognition to the artists than the conventional first, second and third places. This is inkeeping with the fun, friendly and growing experience of producing any kind of art for AGS competitions. However, from now on we could add the category of "People's Choice/Vox Populi" or something similar which would incorporate things like "i don't know why, i just like it the best" kind of votes. I'd be willing to paint another award for that.

I'd like to know what people think about that idea and whether or not it'd be something worth trialling?
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: cat on Mon 30/03/2015 15:35:22
Best IDEA/CONCEPT piece  MISJ with LOOMINOUS as runner-up
Most PLAYABLE piece  GRUNDISLAV closely followed by 304
Best ARTISTIC EXECUTION  WRK's magnificent piece is just a few pixel ahead of 304
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Grundislav on Mon 30/03/2015 15:46:22
My votes:
Best idea/concept - Haggis I love the idea of being imprisoned in both a bathysphere as well as the crushing deep of the ocean. Double horror!
Playability - WRK Seeing the characters in the scene really helps get a feel for how the game would play. I can imagine solving puzzles to try and escape here.
Artistic Execution - ThreeOhFour What can I say, I'm a sucker for that turquoise lighting on the rocks.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 15:58:57
Quote from: GreenBeams on Mon 30/03/2015 15:04:36
i have to insist that MONSIEUR OUXX choose just one entry per category.

OK, OK. I don't want to be slapped with a crow bar. Have you noticed I didn't vote in the previous competitions? That's why. I just can't choose. ;)


artistic: 304
playable: WRK
concept: Loominous
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: [delete} on Mon 30/03/2015 19:09:07
artistic: Misj' - Lovely Arabian fantasy inside an oil lamp, the mood relaxed and unhurried - well, you have hundreds of years time.
playable: Haggis - Can't wait to see a figur inside and curious fishes outside that cozy deepsea bell jar.
concept: loominous - In warm sunlight, a both cute and clever arranged prison - I wonder who's kept there...
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Mouth for war on Mon 30/03/2015 20:21:23
Haggis, For really doing imprisonment deluxe...No way to get out of there :D
304, for doing such beautiful art and I can easily see that be a part in a game
Misj, for doing INCREDIBLE art. As I wrote to you in a PM (To which you DIDN'T RESPOND!!!!!!! You ungrateful son of a.... ;) :D )

Those are my 3 votes, this was really difficult phew!. I think everybody deserves to win in this competition!!!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 30/03/2015 20:40:54
Damn, I'm getting my ass spanked.

@Amelie: Regarding your forums picture... Please do keep searching ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Misj' on Mon 30/03/2015 21:53:25
Quote from: Mouth for war on Mon 30/03/2015 20:21:23Misj, for doing INCREDIBLE art. As I wrote to you in a PM (To which you DIDN'T RESPOND!!!!!!! You ungrateful son of a.... ;) :D )
I think that most people - especially my wife - can attest to the fact that I am an ungrateful human being. And those people who do not attest to this mostly doubt the human being part and not the ungrateful part. But despite that, I will now make you this promise*: the next PM you** send me I will respond*** to (possibly in an ungrateful manner) :D



* I do retain the right to forget this promise.
** The 'you' in this post specifically refers to 'Mouth of war' with the notable exceptions of 'Mouth of pestilence', 'Mouth of famine', and 'Mouth of death' or any other 'Mouth of the Apocalypse'. Ok, Mouth now starts to sound like Mouse with a lisp...which makes the apocalypse suddenly a whole lot more scary.
*** If - for technical reasons, early onset dementia, or any reason yet unforeseen - I forget to press the send button, then herewith it should be known that I cannot be held accountable (or responsible) for that.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Mouth for war on Mon 30/03/2015 22:49:54
Hahahaha that sounds fair :D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Haggis on Mon 30/03/2015 23:02:43
Congratulations to everyone who took part. The voting process is almost as challenging as making the background... and I thought that before the deadline was extended! All of them are superb in their own way and I wish I could vote for them all.

IDEA/CONCEPT: Loominous lovely twist on the concept, introducing warmth and innocence.
PLAYABLE: MonsieurOUXX but on a flip of a coin with WRK. Both are such outstanding examples of pixel majesty.
ARTISTIC EXECUTION: 304 - When I first saw this it captured and imprisoned my vote in this category. Simply beautiful use of colour and depth. Something about it reminds me a lot of my time in Skyrim.

@Grundislav - BATHYSPHERE!! My new favourite word (and thing)!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Mandle on Tue 31/03/2015 02:11:47
BEST IDEA/CONCEPT:
Haggis
Lovin' that underwater concept, and the art style looks like something from "Out Of This World", a game I love lookin' at and hate playing!

MOST PLAYABLE:
WRK
A well-defined walkable area and nicely balanced (potential) multiple escape routes make this the choice for me. Also WRK actually has me trapped in that pit so I gotta vote for him (strangely no pendulum though...I really kinda expected one...)

BEST ARTISTIC:
MR. OUXX
This one was almost impossible to decide on so I went with the picture that kept drawing my eye to it the most, making me want to look over all the details one more time. In fact I looked it over so much that I noticed one of the swastikas is backwards, turning it into a Buddhist symbol (you might want to fix that to avoid offending anyone).
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: loominous on Tue 31/03/2015 09:00:14
A. Best IDEA/CONCEPT piece

Grundislav - I like how it's nothing fancy or out of the box, but still an interesting little cage, in a neat environment where you could see stuff taking place.

B. Most PLAYABLE piece

Ben304 - I think playability needs to be judged with the difficulty of the scene in mind. A simple angle and a simple layout makes for easy playability, but requires little skill to accomplish. Ben's piece is on the flatter side, but still has a rather complex layout, which still nicely confines the player.

C. Best ARTISTIC EXECUTION

Ben304 - Just solid craftsmanship. Designwise I think Misj's piece is a contender, though the inconsistent values and saturation (guessing due to burn/dodge tool usage) makes it seem cut and pasty, otherwise it might've gotten the vote. (The rock texture in WRK's piece does deserve a best texture award).
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Tue 31/03/2015 09:44:18
Quote from: Mandle on Tue 31/03/2015 02:11:47
I noticed one of the swastikas is backwards, turning it into a Buddhist symbol (you might want to fix that to avoid offending anyone).

I know! :-D Greenbeams already told me. It's a matter of flipped copy-and-paste. So far I've been too lazy to fix it, but I'll do it in the final drawing, obviously. Until then I think it's funny, it reminds us of the good old days when 50% of background elements were duplicated, as in Lucasarts' Last Crusade's Brünwald rooms.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Misj' on Tue 31/03/2015 10:45:28
Quote from: loominous on Tue 31/03/2015 09:00:14Designwise I think Misj's piece is a contender, though the inconsistent values and saturation (guessing due to burn/dodge tool usage) makes it seem cut and pasty, otherwise it might've gotten the vote. (The rock texture in WRK's piece does deserve a best texture award).
You guessed wrong :) - I haven't touched the burn/dodge tool in years; all colors were specifically chosen and painted (lot of color-picking to get smooth transitions). So, nope: can't blame some automated tools, it's all my personal decision/design. Personally I don't mind the values and saturation (because they were mostly intentional)...but I will take your remark with me next time I experiment with this rendering style.

I do hate that some of the edges feel/are very rushed (which is what I think makes some parts feel cut and pasty or moved around, although none of it is). Unfortunately this was due to me wanting to make the original deadline, and deciding that I would not fix anything after I submitted the piece.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: ThreeOhFour on Fri 03/04/2015 00:45:34
Very hard choice again, many superb entries this round.

BEST IDEA/CONCEPT: Misj' - this is the interpretation of the theme that seemed the most creative to me.

MOST PLAYABLE: Grundislav - The simplicity helps the playability, but also the various elements feel like they'd play well in a scene together.

ARTISTIC EXECUTION: loominous - It's inspiring to see strong principles applied to the layout of a piece without it feeling rigid, and to see such an "ordinary" location given such interesting forms.
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Cassiebsg on Fri 03/04/2015 12:01:03
A. Best IDEA/CONCEPT piece: HAGGIS, I just love the idea of dropping the worse scum of society at the bottom of the ocean... (laugh)

B. Most PLAYABLE piece:  WRK, there's just so much to interact with in there... :)

C. Best ARTISTIC EXECUTION: 304, but really, this one is for me the hardest to choose, cause they are all so good, that I would put 5 on the top... so guess I'll flip a 5 side coin... ;)
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: WRK on Fri 03/04/2015 18:59:33
I agree with everything that was said before. It was really
hard to pick the best ones (cause they're all awesome),
real Kobayashi Maru test, but here we go:

Idea/concept: Loominous
Playability: 304
Artistic Execution: Monsieur OUXX
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Lasca on Fri 03/04/2015 20:18:57
Wow! The standard of the blitzes are so high these days!
very tough decisions!

concept: loominous
Playability: WRK
Artistic Execution: 304 (this was almost impossible, because so many submissions are brilliantly executed. So this is more a vote of preferred style.)

Once again, I'm really, really impressed by EVERYONE. Everybody's a winner! horray!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - VOTING OPEN TO 3rd April
Post by: Creamy on Fri 03/04/2015 22:53:45
Concept : Selmiak
Artistic exécution : Ben
Playability : WRK
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: GreenBeams on Sat 04/04/2015 01:04:46
OK, lads and lasses! The winners have been announced in the first post.

Thanks all so much for being part of a great month :-D
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: Haggis on Sat 04/04/2015 15:52:43
Congratulations to everyone who took part - I can't believe the standard that this competition produces month on month. The hardest part for me was probably choosing my winners!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: selmiak on Sat 04/04/2015 16:51:06
yay, I even got a vote!

Thanks for this interesting contest and congrats to all the winners!
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: Gilbert on Sat 04/04/2015 17:17:32
Aww well...

Adding the results to the first post is fine, but next time please keep the original contents intact, like rules and the dates, especially the dates. It's now impossible to make out what it's really about and it's a pain for archival (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=22522.msg306105#msg306105)... :tongue:
Title: Re: Background Blitz - Imprisonment - WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Sat 04/04/2015 23:55:14
Cool competition. Thanks a lot for the fun! Next theme better be as awesome (and fit in my backgrounds todo list ;) )