Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Pixel Art Feature Chest => Topic started by: AlexHW on August 25, 2012, 12:14:09 am

Title: GR#110 - Flake - Game Environment & Tiles
Post by: AlexHW on August 25, 2012, 12:14:09 am
Set on a planet made of gold. Encapsulated by a giant machine in the sky.
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet01.png)
Basically been working on a new game concept I've been thinking about lately. This is what I have so far with the graphics- basically just trying to develop a look to it. It's not much right now. :ouch:
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: DungeonDan on August 25, 2012, 02:44:58 am
I like its cant wait to see more :)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 25, 2012, 04:50:22 am
I like its cant wait to see more :)
here's a little bit more..
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet02.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Ryumaru on August 25, 2012, 05:19:59 am
Keep at it, very interesting so far.

If you have any wish in actually making it into a game, I would recommend switching to a tile based environment at some point. You could always have " landmarks" that use this beautiful, freeform creation; but I can see it to be very taxing to do it for an entire project.

hope to see more.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 25, 2012, 09:16:43 am
thanks.. yeah, I'll have to tilemize(just made a new word) it eventually. freeform can be liberating though, helps get a feel for the overall picture/style.. but yea..
here's some more:
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet03.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 26, 2012, 06:58:58 am
not much difference- but kinda feeling like a world now.
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet04.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Ryumaru on August 26, 2012, 08:41:34 am
Now that you've got everything sketched out it would be nice to see you totally render some areas- I'm looking at that cliff.
Seems like a crazy awesome world to experience and has a very unique atmosphere and aesthetic to it.

Some of your shapes seem very odd and unappealing (imo) the tree example has a lovely flow to it that is halted by the sketched out vertical growth. The tree could go to that, but I think it needs to be a bit more gradual, and perhaps have that particular curve repeated in the branches of the tree so it appears as a complete design within itself.

Keep it up!
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: spacepaw on August 26, 2012, 04:35:39 pm
Have you tried adding some white-ish shine/speculars onto the objects? It could add some nice metallic feel to the scene.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Lachie Dazdarian on August 26, 2012, 08:13:41 pm
Very interesting. I like the outlines of the giant machine in the sky so far. More rocky than metallic. I approve. .)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Dr D on August 26, 2012, 09:01:22 pm
Not sure if that's supposed to be a machine or more of an abstract rendering of the sky, but it is very nicely pixelled and pleasing.

I get that it's supposed to be gold, but I feel like some of the stuff is too bright/contrasty. Are you planning on turning this into a game?
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Kazuya Mochu on August 26, 2012, 10:33:45 pm
wow that image loaded on my screen and I was like flooded with light! I like it a lot.
are you turning it into a tileset or is this an art piece?
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Dusty on August 27, 2012, 02:31:23 am
Monotony seems like it's going to be a very tough obstacle.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 27, 2012, 11:23:05 am
Now that you've got everything sketched out it would be nice to see you totally render some areas- I'm looking at that cliff.
Seems like a crazy awesome world to experience and has a very unique atmosphere and aesthetic to it.

Some of your shapes seem very odd and unappealing (imo) the tree example has a lovely flow to it that is halted by the sketched out vertical growth. The tree could go to that, but I think it needs to be a bit more gradual, and perhaps have that particular curve repeated in the branches of the tree so it appears as a complete design within itself.

Keep it up!
thanks, yea well the world isn't entirely natural, so the odd shapes help make it feel more alien. I love the way the trees juts up, and I want to make some leaves that shoot out the top like a cluster of pinetrees or something like that.. I'm still mulling over it.

Have you tried adding some white-ish shine/speculars onto the objects? It could add some nice metallic feel to the scene.
I tried a bit at the beginning of the process but I felt it began to give it too much of a cream feel. I like the yellow ambiance and adding white kind of dilutes it. Maybe I can explore it again when everything is more complete.

Very interesting. I like the outlines of the giant machine in the sky so far. More rocky than metallic. I approve. .)
thanks, still wip. it will fill whole sky.

Not sure if that's supposed to be a machine or more of an abstract rendering of the sky, but it is very nicely pixelled and pleasing.

I get that it's supposed to be gold, but I feel like some of the stuff is too bright/contrasty. Are you planning on turning this into a game?
The machine surrounds the planet and fills up all? of outer-space, Its still wip.
yes, a game is the idea. I'll be mixing a few genres.

wow that image loaded on my screen and I was like flooded with light! I like it a lot.
are you turning it into a tileset or is this an art piece?

tileset eventually.

Monotony seems like it's going to be a very tough obstacle.
not really, there will be plenty of opportunity for a variety of settings and colors/details. Just because there is a lot of gold doesn't mean there is little of other things.

here is update:
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet05.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Mathias on August 27, 2012, 01:37:00 pm
Well well well what do we have here?

The whole gold thing . . . can you explain that a little? You've established an odd concept from which you're basing your world on. Do you have it figured what is why? Is it just a random concept to switch things up a little? Infuse some originality? My problem is that it seems like an afterthought so far - the only difference I see manifested between the typical pixel platformer landscape and yours is that your tree objects are bright yellow.


And the stratosmachinery thing, too. What's that all about?

And the moon being mankind's final resting place (eternally?) . . . what's going on here.


When I initially read 'a world made of gold' I thought wow here could be some interesting things . . . but everything's just . . . normal. You got typical green organic flora, etc. Feels like squandered potential. Come on use that strange mind and doing something really far out. Your pixel tech is nice, as usual, but the subject matter is cliché.





Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 27, 2012, 02:29:35 pm
Well well well what do we have here?

The whole gold thing . . . can you explain that a little? You've established an odd concept from which you're basing your world on. Do you have it figured what is why? Is it just a random concept to switch things up a little? Infuse some originality? My problem is that it seems like an afterthought so far - the only difference I see manifested between the typical pixel platformer landscape and yours is that your tree objects are bright yellow.


And the stratosmachinery thing, too. What's that all about?

And the moon being mankind's final resting place (eternally?) . . . what's going on here.


When I initially read 'a world made of gold' I thought wow here could be some interesting things . . . but everything's just . . . normal. You got typical green organic flora, etc. Feels like squandered potential. Come on use that strange mind and doing something really far out. Your pixel tech is nice, as usual, but the subject matter is cliché.
The whole game won't fit on one screen.. I'm adding more but it takes time.
Everything has a reason/meaning/purpose, and it will all be revealed in the game.
I prefer to call the moon a tombstone.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Elk on August 27, 2012, 05:35:57 pm
Very awesome depth created with the sky, would even go further and bring more perspective in it

Somehow the whole thing reminds me of Lion King xD
Colors are nice too

The tree seems to be a little too outlined
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Friend on August 28, 2012, 01:14:15 am
You have a really interesting mind and aren't afraid to let it shine.  Plus you're very artistically gifted.  While I think it's already very original, I think you could take it a bit further not necessarily with the aesthetics, but with the overall universe you're creating.  What I mean is yes you have trees and foliage, but should they have the same connotations, significance etc. as Earthly trees and foliage?  You have a very intriguing universe going on with the moon and the sky.  Keep adding ideas like that I think.  Though in the end all you can really do is follow your own vision. 
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on August 28, 2012, 09:59:43 am
Somehow the whole thing reminds me of Lion King xD

Surprisingly, I had the same random thought before you mentioned that. weird, maybe I ought to watch the movie sometime.

You have a really interesting mind and aren't afraid to let it shine.  Plus you're very artistically gifted.  While I think it's already very original, I think you could take it a bit further not necessarily with the aesthetics, but with the overall universe you're creating.  What I mean is yes you have trees and foliage, but should they have the same connotations, significance etc. as Earthly trees and foliage?  You have a very intriguing universe going on with the moon and the sky.  Keep adding ideas like that I think.  Though in the end all you can really do is follow your own vision. 
hm.. you're suggestions are intriguing. I'll need to think about this, thanks.

here's update:
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/sheet06.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Garreth on August 29, 2012, 11:46:48 am
I'm really interested in this project too. I love how it's turning out.

I was going to point out that it was starting to seem more like a yellowy hot desert (hence Lion King) but after you started adding all the greenery it's brought out the gold of the trees and such. Just try and keep the gold looking shiny rather than shined on. You're definitely bringing this to life though man, can't wait to see more! (I've always loved the idea of depth being slowly exposed in games.)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Juninho on August 30, 2012, 03:02:04 pm
that's really great ! The colors are really powerful .  :D
 
I just think the leaves on the tree like a lot of christmas tree.
And if you need to made a gold planet , why do you use the green?  :-X
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Danik on August 31, 2012, 07:38:44 am
That golden gnarly tree trunk looks amazing, and I think the green vegetation is a nice contrast to the gold. It will be interesting to see where you take it.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on September 04, 2012, 10:06:24 pm
And if you need to made a gold planet , why do you use the green?  :-X
Because without it, it would just be a gold planet.

here's some tiles for a puzzle game.. trying to do metalic/mechanical feel but i tend to suck at that.. :ouch:
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/tiles01.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: LeshrotArt on September 05, 2012, 12:33:48 am
It should be better with more contrast (metal).
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Pizza Tom on September 05, 2012, 05:49:09 am
I dunno, I kind of like the duller look on parts of the metal. Given that the plants are bursting out of it the way they are, it would make sense that the pipes (?) aren't all shiny and new. I really like the contrast between the plants and metal also, it's nice.

One thing about your mechanical things that might be detracting is the floaty feeling I get from them. The parts all attach to each other, but there's too much open space in between, so it doesn't seem efficiently engineered. What you have is nice, but I'd recommend adding a bit more variation in the "grate" pieces (maybe a knob or valve) and filling in some of that empty space with pipes or wires or somesuch.
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on September 05, 2012, 06:52:20 am
good point Regulus.. I was kinda having the same thought as you, but since you mentioned it I went and tried to fill in the gaps to see how it would look.. also made the pillar things above thicker.
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/tiles02.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: Kazuya Mochu on September 05, 2012, 01:23:11 pm
I like it! I would go for cold colors on the metal to contrast with non metal parts. and low saturation.
otherwise it looks really nice! good work
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: AlexHW on September 12, 2012, 06:25:54 am
thanks..
here is an update:
(http://www.alexhw.com/art/tiles03.png)
Title: Re: Flake
Post by: PypeBros on September 12, 2012, 08:58:41 am
That one is more appealing to me, but I still fail to decide whether I'm seeing a side-view (platformer) or a top-down (maze) tileset  ???