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Its a nice comic - I don't think its funny but it is drawn very well. 

Thank you for the feedback, here is another version:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/9664/clipboard010vt.png

Here is what I've changed according to your advices:
1. Added cloud(s) - I am pretty happy of the way I did them.
2. Changed the tree corona just a bit.
3. Removed light green bushes/hills or whatever those were and replaced them with a "black" bush.
4. Moved the scull just a little.
5. I've tryed making the grass look better but seems I have failed... suggestions are wellcome.
6. Being distracted by the soccer game on the TV behind me I did not notice how the black in the windows and barrels turned dark green... I'd fix it.
I've tryed a stone path leading out of the door but it looked asimetrycal in a way... As I'm writing this now I think a road that goes diagonal would give a more oval shape of the background.

Bigbrother you do have a point but I like the composition and I believe I can find a better way of making the objecs more in place.

I'm working on another game (Lets hope I DO finish this one.) and I need some help with this background.
It started like a short MAGS game but seems I have this horrable urge to make everything absolutely perfect (LOL - seems thats one reason I never finished making a game). I like to get some advices and critic from the rest of ya. What should I add and what should I change... Help!Ã, 

EDIT:

First version:
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/2860/biblos12mh.png
Second version:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/9664/clipboard010vt.png

Latest version:

I might enter if there is an animated trophy at the end.
Seriosly, we'll see if I'm gonna enter. ProgZmax has some high standarts and few are good enough to follow. 

Personally I think the image is extremely well done, the only thing is you say its for a merchant's career.  Does that mean a door-to-door salesman? If it does - you nailed it. And a great ending screen for a delivery boy, a door mechanic and a thief too.

My first game was "The Paparazzi Prince"... A short one with cool graphics and funny story... I even wanted to make a deluxe version or something.Ã, 

I suspect you can't tell good graphics from bad ones. Thats why you think you can draw sprites and you don't listen to advices...

Here is a quick example that would help you understand the difference between good and bad graphics:



"Sooo, mr. Relentless, what are the differences?" you may ask me and I shall tell you:

1.0 Shape (form) of the moon.... Moon is round. I guess you have seen it. Symethrical is a big word and I won't use it.
2.0 I've used shades. Shades can be lighter or darker of your basic colour. Shades are used to make a darker outline of the object you are drawing. They are also used in lighting. Shades are important.
2.5 "Why do I need a darker outline?". Because it makes your sprite look better, ok? There are exeptions, but "Don't try to run, if you can't even walk."
3.0 Lighting: Here is a tip: Get yourself something round (an orange, a ball) and see how light affects the colour. Also, the moon is very bright so I used lighter shades.
4.0 The stars can be brighter or darker in the same sky... You've seen stars too.
5.0 The lighter blue shade is around the moon because the moon glows. I'm sure you've seen the moon and how the sky seems brighter around it.

And lastly the 2 questions you are most likely to ask: "WhyÃ,  is the second picture better than the first?" and "Why should I care?" Answers are: "Because when you see the second picture you know it's a picture of a moon." and "Because when you see the first picture you don't know what it is."

With that the extremly short tutorial about difference between good and bad graphics is over. Now its time to read a basic tutorial wich shows how to draw good sprites instead of bad ones. I hope I was helpfull...and sorry about the bad spelling.

Relentless

[fun]

It is the ugliest game I ever played (or ever created I think.)... BUT I never cared for looks - If it is fun to play I will like it.Ã,  So I downloaded it... And when I started to play I realised looks ARE important. Most of the time I wasn't sure what am I looking at, where am I supposed to be and what is that ugly thing over there. I had no idea what are those things in my inventory. Guessing how you could leave a room just because the background is something awfull was not fun either.

Bottom line is: I don't have fun trying to guess whats that background is supposed to be. And if the game ain't fun, then why would I play it?

I can teach a monkey to draw better sprites than you. Harsh, but true. I'm begging you to try and improve. Listen to the advices given in the critics lounge and look at some goodly drawn adventure games. You can do better than that - I'm sure. Now go and read a tutorial or something!

Ohh and the music is really good.

Thanks . I just wish people would return to these threads. It always seems that when I make the effort, the threadstarters disappear .

ildu, this effords are of great help to some of us. Reading your post helped me alot... I had almost forgoten how important colours and composition are. Thanks for reminding me (and others I'm sure) that in such detailed way. This will improve my backgrounds.

OMG, that mesh thing makes my eyes hurt!  :o
But seriosly: That seems helpfull. I was never good with isometric stuff.

I'm in there somewhere too... I never knew I lived in the middle of nowhere until i added my location. It's amasing you can find a street in some english village, but not a huge city in east europe - seems most of the world is blank. 

Next: 666 Monkeys in a giant toy robot.

The paintover is not the right style for this game. I'm going to add shading later- this is just a "first draft" image.

Style?! Where?! Just spend some time and do the sprites good. Or atleast try. I was going to make a paintover too but I changed my mind - you don't really wanna improve. Anyway sorry if I seem harsh but really: Do some real work.

I had no idea AGS could do this.  :o
Amasing! Now I wanna do a Quest Fighter too... Too bad I can only make sprites. Let's hope one day I'll learn that scripting thing.

That doesn't look like a moustache. Its too low and it looks too much like a mouth. Skurwy drew it pretty good in his paintover.

I need that gold thingy! ... So here is my entry:
75x125 and just 8 colours.



Rork might look like a sweet friendly shark, but don't trust him - sharks are sharks and they allways bite!

Now give me the shiny little gold man!!!

Best idea: biothlebop
best functionality: nihilyst
Best design: Privateer Puddin'
Best technique: Privateer Puddin'

Lovely entries 

I shall do my best to enter this one but I can't promise anything... Let's hope I have the time to do something complete for a change.

I actually downloaded the beta last night and now I'm working on my new game... "Monkey Island Grand Prix"
I decided to use the build-in 3d Vehicle Animation Mashine Plug-in (Also known as VAMP) to make the ultimate racing simulator. You can choose between LeChuck, the 3-headed monkey, Stan and other racers. It will have a race track in every Island that ever apeared in MI. You can choose between 16 vehicles like:  Whoop Cart, Sea Monkey, Sloppy Barber, Voodoo Doodoo and more.
Thanks for making this game possible. AGS never was able to do the stuff I'm doing now. 

A quick paintover. Sorry about the low resolution - it's easier to draw and I only wanted 2 show a bit more normal-looking pose and I changed a few colours.