Roadside diner background [EDIT]

[Erwin_Br]

See my latest edit at post #19!

Hi,

This is a recent background for my game, Bad Timing. It's a roadside diner located on an alien planet. Somehow I feel there's something missing, or that the image isn't really finished. I've spent quite some time on it now, and I can't figure out what it is. Maye you have an idea?

Comments and critique are welcome.Ã, 

Thanks.



--Erwin

[Privateer Puddin']

some of the edes / rock looks like you went a bit crazy with the smudge tool

[hms]

Very nice background!

But as there stands above the smugde tool has gone a lilltel crasy.



I have pin pointed some points thats should be corrected

[Oz]

Excellent! What did you use to draw this? Looks a bit like vector graphics.

[Erwin_Br]

Thanks. No vector graphics, though. Everything is made with Paintshop Pro.

About the smudge tool; the planet is quite a windy one, the strokes of sand on the road are made on purpose. (The roads aren't often used, as we're in a more or less deserted place)



--Erwin

[Daz]

Try doing them by hand, you may find it might look a bit better. nice bg all round though, kinda looney toons.

[Evil]

Wow, this looks really good. Two things bother me. One is the sand smudge on the fork in the road. The other one is the truck. I wouldn't think that a truck that big would three point turn like that. I'd imagine he'd park the truck facing south west.

[Darth Mandarb]

What if the truck could fly/hover?

I think you should get rid of the smudgy effect all together!

The mixture of vector-ish graphics (from PSP) and the smudgy/blurry areas bugs me a little.

I LOVE the way the objects and background look ... it's just the ground in the foreground that bugs me!

Have you tried creating it using the same methods as the other non-smudged items?  I think that would look incredible!

Just my opinion ... I still love your style!

[Neil Dnuma]

It's very good work!

I've picked up a thing or two from the coloring tutorial over at your site, so I really shouldn't criticice your work. However, over-smudging (I do that all the time) can be cured with some detailwork afterwards (which again can be smoothed with very careful smudging if needed). If you look at the photograph, there seems to be some grainy structure everywhere in the sand (which obviously makes sense). Also, it might be a good idea to add some more highlights/brightness to some of it, as some parts (esp to the right) seems a bit too shady. Again, by looking at the photo, the areas where the sand meets the asphalt is not as blurry as in your picture (if it's a windy place, the sandgrains lying far from their sandfamily alone on the asphalt will be blown away in a second).

As for shading, there seems to be a little inconsistency. First, the black and white stick by the road should have a sharper shadow (if it's based on the shadows on the house). Might do that with the sign also. And the back of the truck seems to be floating a little, Two-of-a-Kindesque. I also can't figure out why the top of the fan-thing should be darker (as light hits the wall above it - unless there's a square-shaped bird flying somewhere in the air ).

Khad's looks a little empty today... maybe one could see the contours of furniture inside?

Back to the sand... maybe you've been aiming for a little too much realism - the stuff in the horizon seems to be much more toony. What if you did all of the sand (and the road) in this style? Just a thought... (I love that style).

Apart from all the petty criticism I love your style, it kicks ass. And I really look forward to Bad Timing

[InCreator]

* sand. You could add a bit of graininess look to it.
* sand. Maybe a bit stronger shading wouldn't hurt. I looks like desert night/late evening/early morning/not mid-day and this should mean lot stronger shadows/shading than you used.
* other - stonger shading here too
* lights - add some cool lights to the sign, you already drew the lamps
* lights - everything that casts light, should do it powerfully. Like windows, for example
* road - It's hard to believe that desert planet has so well maintained roads... in middle of nowhere.  cracks and tire tracks would work two ways - fixing it and adding detail

Overall, as you've read my suggestions, you clearly see that there's acutally nothing important to suggest or criticize - you've done a superb job already!

[Erwin_Br]

darth: It's a hover truck indeed. Well spotted

All right, I think I'm going to redraw all of the sand areas. I'll still use the same smudging/pushing/airbrushing technique, although less strongly. I think I went a bit overboard here.

The shadows on the land could also, as pointed out, use more contrast.

I'll post another version as soon as I'm done. Thanks guys

--Erwin

[Necro]

Great BG.

As suggested not so much a pristin road, maybe a road sign, more dead plant life or something... the background, the little things will all add up.

[Nacho]

I see a little of emptyness over the restaurant zone...

[Mats Berglinn]

It's a very cool background. Here's my two cents: Maybe some garbage or spilled out litter would help the cause? Or maybe you could have some packages stand on the backside of the diner?

There's one thing that is bugging me. Since this is an alien world is it delibrate that the name of the diner is in Earthish European alphabet? If not then I suggest that you should write (draw?) Khad's in "Alienish".

[Erwin_Br]

I see a little of emptyness over the restaurant zone...

Exactly. I've thought about adding some kind of windmill thing that provides power, or something. It definately needs something more.

I'm also going to add an old rusty, wrecked car or something. I'll see.

There's one thing that is bugging me. Since this is an alien world is it delibrate that the name of the diner is in Earthish European alphabet? If not then I suggest that you should write (draw?) Khad's in "Alienish".

Well, there are plenty of alien words and letters in other backgrounds of this planet, but the diner is a place where international truckers hang out.

--Erwin

[Kweepa]

I love the work on the diner, the hovertruck, and the skyline.

I think what is "missing" is an interesting layout of the image elements.
Everything is too zoomed out, with big empty areas. It looks more like a map screen. I think you should try to make the diner and truck take up much more of the image, and overlap them somewhat.

Unless of course that doesn't fit the style of the game.

[YOke]

You should, as many people have said before, add some kind of structure (a watertower perhaps?) behind the diner. It should be so big that it would break the upper frame of the scene. I think that would make for a more interesting composition. Besides from that, I'm jealous.

[Khris]

Great background, I really love the style.

Only one thing to add:
The perspective of the door's top seems to be a little off. Try to align it with the slightly angled roof.
Great job, otherwise!

[Cerulean]

I think the smudged sand works just fine, except for the one in the upper right intersection, which points in a direction that doesn't appear to make sense. Also, the big horizontal ridge dividing near from far doesn't look natural. You would be better off trying to make a smooth transition to the horizon.

[Erwin_Br]

My latest edit. Instead of a windmill, I added a solar panel. It's more futuristic, and very logical too considering this planet has three suns!

I also changed the sand, as you can see.

What do you think? Am I on the right way?

--Erwin