Backgroundblitz 2009.03.07 - 2009.03.21 - Crazy dreams

[jerakeen]

Theme: Crazy Dream

Try to draw a background with that sense of unreality there is in a dream, i mean, when you dream, there are real objects with twisted shapes, and some strange appearance but you belive them as real while are dreaming. the landscape is somethimes unreal, with strange color, with strange water colored, etc.

This can be a dream of your own, or be based on a painting, such as Dali's painting, a fantasy film or something like this.

There are some exmaples:




Restrictions: Only AGS restrictions on size and color depth. Background can be scrollable.

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Voting starts 22th March 2009 (unless more time is requested) and ends two days later.

The voting will be done in these categories:

Idea - The underlying idea to the background. Doesn't
necessarily have to coincide perfectly with the theme of the
week, just strike you as interesting/amusing/inspiring; a place
you'd really enjoy visiting within a game.

Atmosphere - How well the image manages to evoke a certain feeling or mood.

Design - How well the elements in the image are designed,
such as landscapes, buildings, decorations, clouds, doorknobs,
etc.

Composition - How well the elements in the image work
together/are positioned in relation to each other.

Functionality - How well it would work when adding sprites,
including appropriate walking distances, a good angle for
character sprites, clever walkway solutions, easily understood
exits, etc.

Technique - How well the ideas are executed in form of
rendering.


Good luck!

[ThreeOhFour]

This didn't turn out how I initially planned it, but nothing ever does, dang it .

[Ghost]

Hmmm, interesting theme, and here's my entry  Not quite happy about the colours of the "portal" though, but it looks quite nice "in-game", actually. I had a certain Mr. Quixote in the back of my mind while drawing this, thus the title "Chasing Windmills".

320x240 one-screen location, 43 colours.



x2

[nihilyst]

Shit, had no time. Oh, well ...

2x

[jerakeen]

Hey, prety good entries.

Nihilyst you still got time, limit is on 21th March.

[nihilyst]

Yes, but I'll be on vacation tomorrow ^^

[kaputtnik]

Well, it definitely looks like "impossible stairs" is the way to go when crazy dreams are in demand.

[Geratuza]

made up something messy





edit: As a friend of mine did not get the symbolic elements at first (nor at the 2nd) glance I'll try to explain it a bit:
- There's a face in the back, without eyes (black holes instead); a symbol for the sleep/subconsciousnes.
- Yet there are 3 eyes in the foreground which emit light (instead of the physical eye-function of perceiving light). Also a symbol of the dream, in which the (sub)consciousness creates its own (dream-)environment out of fantasy instead of receiving sensual information.
- The path in the top is leading into the 3rd eye; center of the subconsciousness, higher perception and higher understanding.
- To me mirrors (high mirror-wall-like-things to the right) are symbols of the border between the here and the beyond (twilight). Also, they look dirty and don't reflect in a clean way - like the subconsciousness in which the clear, analyzing reason is not given.
- Colourchoice: I just found it eerie and depressing. Like most of my dreams these days.

[bog]

not that functional for an adventure game but whatever

[Theme]

scrollable Isometric castle in deep ocean burning by turtle supporting gas cylinder
based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtles_all_the_way_down



Not enough details as I would want
but it was tiresome to do it

o/

[jerakeen]

Great backgrounds, im glad this topic has so many aceptance.

If someone want still to participate, please hurry up.

mmm, i like this turtle, Exsecratus.

[jerakeen]

did anyone needs more time?

Do we begin voting?

[SpacePaw]

did anyone needs more time?

Do we begin voting?

Not so long ago there was a post about keeping up with the deadlines so I think we all should stick with it

[jerakeen]

ok then sorry to be late.

Then let the voting start

[SpacePaw]

My choice is Geratuza's background It's really dream-like (or nightmare-like) and I just love the noir feel of it I would love to play a game with backgrounds with this feel.

(And congrats for Ben for making something that resembled Another World to me )

EDIT: To make myself clear - I vote for Geratuza in all categories...I know it might sound strange but I REALLY fell in love with that BG

[Matti]

Spacepaw, don't forget the categories.


Idea - Exsecratus

Atmosphere - Geratuza

Design - Geratuza

Composition - nihilyst

Functionality - bog

Technique - Geratuza


It was hard to choose since I really like all the backgrounds. And yes, I'd love to see a game in the style of Geratuza's entry too. And I agree that Ben's image is similar to Another World.

[Ghost]

Idea - Exsecratus

Atmosphere - Geratuza

Design - Geratuza

Composition - nihilyst

Functionality - Geratuza

Technique - Geratuza

Wow, I don't think I ever had such a "weighted" vote-list. I should add that all the entries had something unique and deserve their very own games...

[Theme]

Idea - Ghost

Atmosphere - Geratuza

Design - Ben

Composition - Geratuza

Functionality - Ghost

Technique - Ghost

o/

[Geratuza]

Idea - Exsecratus (it's cool ^^ )

Atmosphere - bog (I can't explain it, but it has something special)

Design - Ghost (good work on details)

Composition - Ghost (a bit symmetrical; but ok considering the topic (dreams can be this way, I think))

Functionality - Ghost (best walking area for a full scaled character with best object interaction possibilities, in my opinion)

Technique - Ghost (I like this painting-technique with few colours and no AA)

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Idea - Exsecratus.  It's certainly the most interesting of the ideas presented.  I mean, an undersea city on fire on the back of a turtle?  It doesn't get much more interesting than that!

Atmosphere - Ben.  Brilliant use of blues here, and the striking resemblance to Out of This World (aka Another World) just adds to it.  I'd love to see the shades of a city somewhere in the distance and some dead trees in the foreground, it would completely sell this for an introduction.

Design - Geratuza.  Visually, his background has the most 'game' potential right now in terms of overall details and presentation, even though it still looks like it's in the sketch phase.  I don't really follow some of the imagery, but I like the overall look.

Composition - Ben.  The curvature of the rock formations and the colors really help me to focus on the path, it's just a shame that it ends at a cave entrance rather than a majestic city or something more eye-catching.

Functionality - Exsecratus.  As far as 'working in a game', there are a few problems with all of these backgrounds:  With Ben's, there's very little actually going on right now to justify it as something you'd have in a game and needs more fleshing out; with nihilyst's you've got a rocky projection in front of a sky, which would work for a cutscene but without more details wouldn't be very useful for much else; then there's Geratuza's, which while full of details is too sketchy and rough; Bog's background might work for a title screen, but so little is going on it would be wasted as a game background; and Ghost's background looks too much like a title screen or menu screen to me as well, with very little walking area for the character.  Of all of these, Exsecratus' background would work (with some animation) as a solid map or exterior view of a character walking to different places.

Technique - This was a tough choice between Ben and nihilyst, and in the end I chose nihilyst because of the wonderful effort on the clouds.  I've always been fascinated by drawing clouds and find them a challenge, so my hat is off to you for your presentation here.