Another BG for critique (New outside)

[The Suitor]

I decided to go with a different style yet again.



I'm not too happy with the peeling walls. I've been trying to work on it a little more to make it creepier, but somethings missing. I was thinking about trying to make it as if it were in a vampire-ish game.

Suggestions, C&C, paintovers,  as usual!

[Ryan Timothy B]

There is nothing creepier than a dark room with dark shadows.  Could use a little darkening.



I lowered the brightness and contrast and darkened the shadows.  Looks a lot less inviting, much more creepy.

[Candall]

Regarding the peeling walls, there are two problems.

The first problem is that there's no visible trauma that would lead to the peeling of the paper.  Maybe if there were water stains around the peeled area it would make more sense that the glue has given way.

The second problem is that the flaps don't match the missing segments.  Look at the peel in the top right corner, for example.  If you were to fold that bit of paper back into its position, it would be far too large and the wrong shape.  If it were too small, we could accept that part of the peeled flap has been torn away, but it doesn't ever make sense for it to be too large.

[The Suitor]

a quick edit from Ryan's edit. I experimented with some grime. I'm at my sister-in-laws, house sitting, or I could do a lot more. So I'm somewhat limited in ease with mspaint.

[pslim]

I like this style and the progress so far has been neat. My only gripe is that I've never seen a hotel room with the sinks outside the bathroom like that. 

[The Suitor]

My only gripe is that I've never seen a hotel room with the sinks outside the bathroom like that. 

Wow, really? I have to agree with you maybe on hotel rooms, but I've stayed in plenty of Motels that have the sinks outside.

On second glance I think I'll remove those ugly lines running down the walls. They were supposed to be the seems in the wallpaper.

[TwinMoon]

Nice work! You're improving, this definitely looks better than those first bg's in the Jack Hurt - WiP thread.

I don't spend a lot of time in hotel rooms, but two sinks? I only see one single bed.

On second glance I think I'll remove those ugly lines running down the walls. They were supposed to be the seems in the wallpaper.

I think the line behind the painting gives the room character. I'd keep that one.

Also, leakage usually only happens at a few spots. Having stains through the whole room looks a bit excessive.

[The Suitor]

Cleaned her up a bit... and one sink does make more sense. 

[JuuJuu]

Although, I think the dark colors are TOO dreary and strainful on the eyes, I really like it. The portrait could use some work, but other then that, it's great!


Also the friend with me (who doesn't play any point and click games noticed..If the room is dark, would there be that many noticeable shadows?)

I'm not really sure about the shadows myself, but I do think the shadows on the bed is great.

[Ryan Timothy B]

but I do think the shadows on the bed is great.

Yeah I was just giving him ideas on crossing objects with shadows to kind of connect the objects in the room, rather than separating them like they were in his first posting.
The darkness of the shadows probably don't look as good since I didn't darken the back wall (the one with the painting) on my edit.  I didn't even darken the shadow from the dresser.



Suitor:
I'm not a big fan of the peeling wallpaper that is on the left wall.  It almost makes the eye believe that the corner of the room is where the vertical line of the peeling wallpaper is.

What I'd seriously do is get rid of that hanging bit of wallpaper on that wall, and replace it with three slices in the wallpaper as if Wolverine slashed it with his 3 knives.  Or something along those lines.  Make the player think something bad may have once happened in this room.

And since JuuJuu mentioned it, I may as well say it too.  I'm not too fond of the picture on the wall.  Too cartoony and distracts the player from the possibly fearful environment this could be.
Perhaps something like this: http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h128/MFX13/oil3__.jpg (googled up 'scary oil painting')

Also that separating line between the wallpaper sheets behind the painting should be very soft and almost unnoticeable.  I keep staring at it. (or just get rid of it completely)

I also like the stain in carpet, perhaps it could be a touch lighter as well.  I'd try it just to see what it looks like.

[Andail]

Too washed out. No need to lose all contrast while adding those shadows. For instance, making the light-bulbs glow would do miracle to this background.

[Alarconte]

I agree with Andail, the simply contrast lowing was a bad change from the first bg, since it really need a change, but a good change, not a simply low contrast modify; Maybe lowing brigthness but Up with contrast (from the first bg), and color edit, maybe more efficient.

In the left wall, maybe needs some objects to do a better perspective, not this broken wallpaper; maybe some little wooden squares with little notes with motel and surrondings telephon number or something like that, something that can give perspective to the wall.

[Ryan Timothy B]

You guys don't think the washed out colors set the mood for a droopy and scary environment?  I thought it did, otherwise I wouldn't have led him into that direction.  Let me know.

I don't know really.  I just saw his first image and figured it was too bright with color like a family Disney cartoon.


Doesn't this look scarier?



I plan on making a horror game eventually; if I'm in the wrong direction perhaps it's better to know now before I start working on it.

[zenassem]

as for the painting on the wall, something from Edvard Munch would do nicely imho. They tend to be spooky and not to difficult to emulate.

www.mnc.net/norway/Edvmunch.htm



or something like this..

http://www.munch.museum.no/images/M0024.jpg

[The Suitor]

I should be home tonight(then i'll have photoshop) and I'll do some more to this one. I want to get it looking right so I'll have somewhat of a reference for the rest of the backgrounds.  For what I'm planning on using this for, I like the washed-out look of the colors, but maybe a little more saturation?


It for (Maybe) an anachronistic, mock-gothic, vampire type thing... or something. Still tossing the vampire idea around, don't know if I'll go that direction.

PC is more-than-likely going to be female. (The ideas are sprouting, but haven't formed yet.)

So, I'll do my best to get the atmosphere in my brain onto the screen.

bless you all for the help! And I'll have another edit soon.

[Questionable]

I think the way that the room was darkened has simply dulled it. You could probably do a better job of darkening it up.

There's nothing more creepy than an ugly wall paper.

The peeling of the wallpaper is badass in that last iteration, but the top left peel feels weird.

The stain is GENIUS! I love it, it makes me just wonder about it... great effect.

The mirror: it sees like you could do more with this. Maybe the whole thing is cracked, like someone punched it.

The sink area works better with two sinks.

The painting feels a little bland.

The grime is a nice touch. I've got two suggestions; remove the line behind the painting and have some of the grime drip down a little more.


I can't wait to see what you do next.

[The Suitor]

Home at last...

Better?

[JuuJuu]

It overall looks better.

But the picture on the wall is pretty messy looking...

[Alarconte]

Lot better!

But yeah, the picture seems weird. Are you sure to use green colors? seems like old fashioned computer graphics. DarkBlue colors with some ligths of yellow or red can do a more scary job, I think, for drawing portraits or the Landscape with a castle, or something.

I see you use my idea of the left wall, but maybe is a lot shining. You don't know yet for what are you going to use the BG? this help a lot to adding the details.

[LGM]

Other than being a tad blurry, I like it. I imagine the blur is from upscaling, though.