Help with my spaceport!

[Supahcool]

This is the first time I'm doing pixelart this is the result I got. Something of a space station but I ran out of ideas pretty fast...


Putting this up here for some comments and ideas as I'm really new at this. What would you guys change/add? Is the shading ok?

Reference: http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/36828.htm

[Supahcool]

There must be things wrong with it? I'd really like to know how you choose the palette so you can make it look like it has many levels and still have the shading right (not mix up or run out of colors). Thanks.

[Lizzrd]

It doesn't really look like a spaceport...

[JJ Naas]

Is it a structure that's on the surface of the planet, seen from the above, or does it orbit a planet in space? I like the pixel work, and the clean shapes and shades so far, I just can't figure out what it is.

[Supahcool]

Yeah, it's something stationed in space looked at from directly on top  I can see why it must be difficult to make sense of since there isn't much detail to go with. I tried to make it look like today's space structures, sort of hacked together. I was trying not to follow the Dodonpachi style as it gets really cluttered and difficult to keep track of, but I'd really like to give it some of the detail you get from that style. Still keeping it very simple. Any suggestions? Thanks

[JJ Naas]

Alrighty then. A good non-Dodonpachi -like reference for inspiration might be Uridium. I'm kind of itching to see it against a dark space bacground.

[Supahcool]

Hey thanks, that big ship and the general style is what I was  looking for. I like the simplicity, just have to make it a bit more contemporary looking. Know any more such games? I'll see what I can do about putting it against a space background 

[Supahcool]

Well I made some changes and then put it against space itself! Here's the result:



Still seems off. Any thoughts?

[The Mozack]

Whoa. Are you going for a purely pixel art submission, or a hybrid that uses non-pixel art and pixel art?

Given the non-PA background, the image isn't obviously going to be PNG/GIF-friendly.

[Supahcool]

Hehe, no, it's part of a game. I'm hoping to make the artificial stuff (ships etc.) as pixel art while the rest of the environment (space etc.) is kind of photorealistic. A hybrid, yes. I put it up here for scrutiny regarding whether or not it actually resembles a space station and what kind of changes should be made

[Manupix]

I wouldn't say the station looks like one, but in the context it should be pretty obvious. And it will be more interesting for the originality.
Maybe try to wander further from your ref though?

Your light doesn't read very much as spacelike: light in space is usually of the highest contrast. Shadows are mostly hard black. Check some ISS pictures.

I don't think a too realistic bg would fit, the styles might clash and result in a poor global effect.
I'd suggest to look at pure PA starry skies, like these.

[Supahcool]

I looked at some ISS pics and compared to that mine surely doesn't look like a station. I figured mine would be something in between what we have today and some sleek stations from science fiction 

You're right, the lighting definitely needs to be more extreme. Thanks for pointing out the PA/non-PA problem, there's definitely a style conflict I overlooked. I'm having to redo my whole environment now PA space backgrounds look nice but they're a bit out of my reach at the moment. Stuff like <a href="http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/24756.htm>this[/url]