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Hi everyone,

I am now on my 3rd outdoor background ever, and believe I am starting to get the feel for it.  I wanted some C&C if possible since something on this scene just isn't meshing..

I am not terribly happy with the tree on the right side of the screen, and I am a bit unhappy with how my grass came out. 

The hotel in the background is just the hotel the player is staying in.  This is the screen between the hotel and the warehouse.  As such, I can remove the hotel, as I am afraid it is cluttering the scene (without the hotel, it looks a bit bare).. 

Also, clouds...  Should I put some in?  If so, what is the best method?  Solid white, then blend it out around the edges to make it look a little fluffier?



Thanks,

Bill

One other thing I thought of, which someone suggested to me on my backgrounds a week or 2 ago..  On the pages on the wall and on the doors, it looks like a child scribbled on it with a pencil.  Instead of doing this, use a really small font and actually type something on there.  Even if you can't read it, it will look structured and much better than the current zigzags and lines.

But overall, it is looking much better..  Again, sorry for the comments, I know this isn't the C&C forum, but it was bothering me since its such a quick fix, and it made my background look much better once finished.

-Bill

I am going to create users Doc301, Roc301 and Loc301 to promote my games!

It's the "in" thing to do apparently.

-Bill

Yes, it is better.  My only concern is that with that shadowing, it looks like he peed in his pants.  Might want to change it up a little bit.  Just adding my two cents   I know this isn't the C&C forum, but my first thought when I saw it was that he peed himself.  The second was that it is much better than the other sprite from before.  Good stuff.

-Bill

Updated the main post with info and screenshots reflecting the completely new artwork I am doing for the game.

Thanks,

Bill

Whoa, is the lady with the knife holding a handfull of poop in her left hand?!

-Bill

I can definitely say that I can literally see your artistic ability improving over time as you post screenshot after screenshot.  Keep it up

-Bill

Very glad you enjoyed it!

Episode 2 is out (with a patch to fix a bug or 2 which made it past the beta team), and can be downloaded from the game section here or from my website link in my signature.

Episode 3 is in production, but just got VERY delayed since I am redoing all artwork in custom hand-drawn pixel format.  The graphics were the only thing people didn't really like about the 2nd game, so I am changing it up

Give 'em what they want!

-Bill

Him conforming to society is against the grain of his character (or so I believe from reading the synopsis).  However...  His refusing to conform is a bit cliche.. 

I really liked the idea about nobody noticing he was gone.  Some kind of twist like that gets my vote.

-Bill

Well then back off on the shadows for one.  If it's supposed to be midday with the sun more or less directly overhead, then you probably won't want really long shadows.  As for me I usually calculate my shadows, I never just guess at them, but I suppose you could.

**Forehead Slap**

I can't believe I didn't realize that...  Wow...  I will be scaling it back HUGELY..  Heh, did I mention I am a first timer

The form of the railing, as it goes up on the right...is wrong in shadow.  As it goes up it curves, but in the shadow you have it going across flat connecting to a vertical.  I hope what I'm saying makes sense.

I am a little confused.  Do you mean I have it bending the wrong direction for a shadow?  With the sun directly overhead, it will change drastically now anyway.

The other thing that bothers me here is the brick wall on the left, both sides of the wall...but especially the side on the very left.  I just can't see how that would work, to be honest.  Even after you straighten those bricks out to match the opposite side, you need to fix the perspective.

I used the paint brush pattern in Paint.Net to draw the bricks.  I was hoping to be able to make it look passable, but with straight and 45 degree angle, I am kind of limited.  Maybe drawing by hand will be the best bet..

I'll make a paint over in a while if you need it --- but basically (now I'm talking about the left side closest to the light brown wall) as the bricks come towards the viewer, as they're doing here, they should become slightly larger.   But most of all they should follow the perspective, here's a nice reference to show you what I mean:
http://image60.webshots.com/60/8/55/12/442285512XrRZFT_fs.jpg

Nice looking station though =D Keep at it.

I would very much welcome a paintover to help me see this scene the proper way.  I got comfortable doing interiors over the past few days, but this is a whole other ballpark..

Thanks much!

Bill

The 2 tables in the middle of the room are the Chief's.  One is his computer and file desk, and the other is his writing, phone, paper desk.  Several people I work with have office setups like this, and I rather like it

The table in the foreground is just there for a little somehting extra.  It is used for nothing in the game, and is just taking up space I guess.  Now that you mention it, the scene might be a little cleaner with it gone..

Thanks,

Bill

So for my new game, I am working on the town's police station outside..  I have never done an outdoor scene before, and the shadows and a few other things are kicking my butt, so I figured I would post the current incarnation to get some tips..

The grass and sidewalks are still undone, so that is why there are just solid colors.  Several things also don't have any shading or shadows yet, I am still just beginning on this piece.  Keep that in mind

Things I am having issues with:

The railing shadow.  The shadows from the tree on the ground.  The side of the building on the left and its shadow being cast.  The shadow sequence in the alcove under the front door.  I am afraid with those long shadows it almost looks like it is sunset, but it is not supposed to be.  Its supposed to be midday.



Any advice is appreciated. 

Thanks,

Bill

The railing in the foreground clashes very badly with the blurred background.  Maybe find some way to blend it in better.  Less smudges in the background and more pixels on the railing maybe?

-Bill

Thanks everyone for all the help.  I am now working on my first ever outdoor scene..  A building.  Its a bit different, I am sure I will be posting for help lol

-Bill

Thief Guild:

Spoiler

There is no guild per se in Shapeir.  Raseir though, thats where the organized fun begins.  Although you can break into various places and fence your goods at the moneychanger, there is no guild in the town.  The only way to get to Raseir is to progress in the game.  You can't just travel there when you want.

[close]

And I haven't even played the VGA remake   The old EGA version was my favorite game in the entire world as a kid.  I swear I must've played it 100+ times.

-Bill

Wow Hudders, I can't believe I didn't think of that...

Simply elongating the book case and wall made the room look right, and didn't take as much of the feeling of space away as the one above that I did.

This whole art thing is still really new to me, but I am loving how much I am learning about this.



Thanks,

Bill

Thanks much for the pointers.  I have incorporated all you have said (with the exception of the chair, which I am still considering how I want to do it based upon the char who will be sitting there).

I do think I like it better with the slightly darker colors in the pic below, and it does look very nice.

I agree that this style suits much better then the other one from the first 2 games.  I think my biggest problem was fear.  This is really much easier than I thought it would be.

**Edit: Oh, and PS, the computer monitor has a screenshot of this thread on it



**Edit again: Just added a more stylized exit button in the bottom right corner.

Thanks!

Bill

I didn't think about taking the border down, but that could work..

I just removed it and am posting a new version.  It does help some, but I am afraid it just plain looks bad..

To everyone, do you think I dhould I leave the full version in without the border (below), or put in the smaller room pic with the border, but properly heighted floor (above)?



Dualnames: Thanks for the insight.  I might change the button up.  Maybe a back arrow won't be a bad idea..

Thanks,

Bill

I think it's a good thing, Therma.  Your comments on the sprite pixels and photorealistic backgrounds are one of the reasons I am completely redoing the backgrounds in my episode 3 to use all pixel art.  I thought the review was good, and offered true constructive criticism.

-Bill

Thanks Hudders

Well, there is as detailed above, a HUGE problem with the perspective in the pic.  So in order to resolve it I had to chop off the side of the room with the bookshelf and 1/2 the table at the bottom.

It still looks okay I guess, but the bookshelf is gone (not required for the game, just there for decor).  So I lose nothing except that I make the room look smaller with the proper intersections of the walls.

I appreciate feedback on this, maybe what else I could do.  If I raise the walls on the top part instead of lowering the walls on the left side, I will have to redraw a bunch of stuff... 

Thoughts?



Thanks,

Bill