Background critics: "Shadow of the Comet"-esque Beach

Monsieur OUXX · Fri 04/02/2011 09:25:08

Hi,

Please let me know what you think.

I don't like that it's all "waxy" but I'm not good enough to make details (especially cliffs and grass) look sharper.
I think there's a good contrast and the colors are not dull despite the gloomy atmosphere.

My dream would be to animate the waves but I'm also too bad for that. I'll just leave it still. The whole game is very static anyway.

Dualnames · Fri 04/02/2011 09:40:29

You sir can draw like an ultra-awesome dude!! I'm serious this is really great, I really like the style. I hope for a tutorial or some tips from your side, eh!

The cave entrance strikes a bit odd if anything. I'd also place the lighthouse a little more to the right, but that's a personal preference.

movti · Fri 04/02/2011 10:03:14

the only thing i find looks strange is the big cloud. at first glance i thought there was a very big mountain. maybe the transition is a tad to hard.

the lighthouse is supposed to be a little bit further away right? not right on top of the cliff we are seeing. then it's ok. otherwise i think it would be too small since the bay doesn't look that huge.

i would be interessted in kind of a tutorial for this kind of background aswell. especially how you go about resolution, antialiasing and colours.

the ripples in the sand are awesome btw.

Monsieur OUXX · Fri 04/02/2011 10:52:54

Quote from: Dualnames on Fri 04/02/2011 09:40:29
I hope for a tutorial or some tips from your side, eh!

Funny that you say that, because I just DID write a tutorial for Technocrat, so that he can enhance his already-awesome-looking scenes.

Quote from: Dualnames on Fri 04/02/2011 09:40:29
- The cave entrance strikes a bit odd if anything.
- I'd also place the lighthouse a little more to the right

Quote from: movti date=1296812429
- the only thing i find looks strange is the big cloud.
- the lighthouse is supposed to be a little bit further away right?

Noted.

Quote from: movti date=1296812429
the ripples in the sand are awesome btw.

You're not the first person to say that, and the irony of it is that it's the only part that I drew without really knowing where I was going, experimenting, and ready to erase them at any time

Snarky · Fri 04/02/2011 11:40:37

Awesome background!

The green stuff reads to my eye as trees, while I think you mean it to be grass. Reduce the vertical lines in the texture, and maybe add some closer-up cues showing straws to make it clear. The foreground is very open and bare; that's not necessarily a bad thing, but consider if you want something (say tufts of grass) to frame it. I'm not clear on what the walkable area is, and if there are any exits other than the path and the cave.

And yes, definitely break up the cloud line a little, so it's not just two straight lines. And I think the bit where it "bounces off" the top edge forms an unfortunate bad tangent. Maybe add another cloud behind the one we see, as well. (Ideally you could even animate them by having them slowly slide across each other.)

I'm sure you could get someone to help you animate the water, and the screen would be a lot better for it.

Monsieur OUXX · Fri 04/02/2011 11:52:28

Quote from: Snarky on Fri 04/02/2011 11:40:37
- The green stuff reads to my eye as trees, while I think you mean it to be grass. Reduce the vertical lines in the texture, and maybe add some closer-up cues showing straws to make it clear.
- The foreground is very open and bare; that's not necessarily a bad thing, but consider if you want something (say tufts of grass) to frame it.
- I'm not clear on what the walkable area is, and if there are any exits other than the path and the cave.
- definitely break up the cloud line a little, so it's not just two straight lines.
- I think the bit where it "bounces off" the top edge forms an unfortunate bad tangent.
- Maybe add another cloud behind the one we see, as well.
- Ideally you could even animate them by having them slowly slide across each other.

Noted. Thanks! These clouds are really bugging me

Quote from: Dualnames
I hope for a tutorial or some tips from your side, eh!

Done! http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=42783.0

Dualnames · Fri 04/02/2011 11:58:27

That's awesome! Thanks a lot MonsieurOUXX.

quo_sp · Sat 05/02/2011 18:43:39

I think is a awesome BG, very good, the only think is that when you talk about grass to me seams forest too.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sun 06/02/2011 00:40:45

I like everything but the sky, which looks like a big grey-blue curtain (or an arched cliff in the background). scrapping the 'god rays' and the same-colored cloud blob along the top would go a long way towards correcting it. Another option is to really work on the difference between light and dark; if it's light beyond the clouds, make the cloud rays bright and shiny. Right now everything in the sky is too muted so I can't tell what time of day it's meant to be.

homelightgames · Fri 11/02/2011 21:02:14

Hey. I thought I'd try my hand at animating the ocean. It's a six frame animation that should be ping-pong (forward and then backward) to make twelve frames at 6 frames a second.

I hope that works okay for you.

visionmind

Monsieur OUXX · Mon 14/02/2011 11:14:09

AWESOME!
I can't wait to test it....

Just. AWESOME.

Don't be offended if I use only the animation for the sea in the background, but not the animation for the little waves that hit the foreground rock. => If you've ever been on such Atlantic beaches, then you'll understand that the water flowing around that rock is actually some sort of spring coming from the left. It's not salt-water coming from the right.

However the temptation to animate everything is huge. Ah, screw realism, I'll just use them all.

WHAM · Mon 14/02/2011 11:25:56

I know I'm not being "constructive" or helpful here, but:

*inhales*

YOU ROCK, MAN! These backgrounds ROCK! WOOOooooOOOoooOOO!!!

*calms down*

That is all, have a good day sir.

Unai · Mon 14/02/2011 14:07:50

Quote from: WHAM on Mon 14/02/2011 11:25:56
I know I'm not being "constructive" or helpful here, but:

*inhales*

YOU ROCK, MAN! These backgrounds ROCK! WOOOooooOOOoooOOO!!!

*calms down*

That is all, have a good day sir.

I'd say that's a pretty ego-constructive post, just saying...

Monsieur OUXX · Mon 14/02/2011 14:20:22

Quote
I'd say that's a pretty ego-constructive post, just saying...

I have two accounts on this forum. WHAM is actually me.

cianty · Mon 14/02/2011 17:15:39

He he... and WHAM is absolutely right. This background (and the one in the other thread) is mind-blowingly awesome. Love it!!

WHAM · Mon 14/02/2011 18:01:00

Quote from: Ouxxey_games on Mon 14/02/2011 14:20:22
I have two accounts on this forum. WHAM is actually me.

Foolishness! I am the real one and Ouxxey is actually my more artistic alter ego that surfaces when I forget to take my pills!

Uhfgood · Tue 15/02/2011 01:21:22

Your background looks like a giant tidal wave or tsunami is about to hit shore. I'd take some green out of that to contrast with the actual ocean color.

Monsieur OUXX · Tue 15/02/2011 12:32:37

Quote from: Uhfgood on Tue 15/02/2011 01:21:22
Your background looks like a giant tidal wave or tsunami is about to hit shore. I'd take some green out of that to contrast with the actual ocean color.

Yeah nobody likes this sky.
Working on it.

PS: The sky told me to tell all of you it hates you too and feels rejected.

Matti · Wed 16/02/2011 10:48:03

Quote from: Ouxxey_games on Tue 15/02/2011 12:32:37
PS: The sky told me to tell all of you it hates you too and feels rejected.

I like the sky

Well, except for the cloud that is. Other than that this is a great BG, a bit surreal, but great!

hedgefield · Thu 17/02/2011 23:49:58

I love these backgrounds, they look great and really evoke a mood. Looking forward to seeing them ingame!