Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Shade on January 02, 2015, 05:07:30 pm
Title: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Shade on January 02, 2015, 05:07:30 pm
Hello :) I plan on making a game and thought I would try my hand at making the graphics for it as well. This is what I have so far and thought I would post it for C+C incase I am doing something wrong with anything I have made so far. (http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/Hiroshiba1/Graphics-1.png)
The fountain isnt finished yet, and the grey box would be used to overlay and make shadows. Also the blue thing in the top left is supost to be a portal, does it come off as that or do I need to work on it more?
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Decroded on January 02, 2015, 07:02:23 pm
I definitely think you should use Gimp or buy GraphicsGale (pretty cheap, weird to get started with but very powerful for pixel art) though some options need to change for pixel art. I don't use Gimp but you'll get plenty of help for Gale around here.
I like that banner design and I like what you're trying to do. The first issues you have is perspective, the fountain and portal things don't match the res of the scene, also wooden door should be more recessed by moving the bottom up a few pixels and casting more shadow at the top. Sorry I can't link from my phone but I know Cyangmou has some cool beginner tutorials on his deviant art about working in this perspective.
Secondly you need to clearly separate the horizontal and vertical planes. This is done simply by making the whole wall darker than the floor. Make it a good separation with pretty strong difference in value. Once you've done this we also tend to have single pixel highlight lines on edges such as the top of fountain facing us.
Color and texturing would come next. We tend to also void using straight greys by "hue shifting" in some warmer colours where the sun hits and cooler colors in the shadows.
Keep a track of incremental progress as u work by saving new versions of the files or whatever. I find reflecting on progress by comparing the stages helps cement those choices so they become automatic.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: lachrymose on January 02, 2015, 07:13:24 pm
I'm lazing around so I can post the tutorial links.
From my standpoint you need to lower your saturation. You have a lot of eye-burning effects going on right now.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Shade on January 02, 2015, 08:35:39 pm
Thank you for the critique :) here's what I have done so far. I have darkened the walls and adjusted the door. I dont thin I got the portal right yet, but will read the tutorials and get it right :)
I will work the fountain after the portal is right and will try adding a slight warmer tint to the lighter area's and add some highlight lines
Ive also desaturated the grass, vine, and banner. hopfully it doesnt burn anyone elses eyes. (http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/Hiroshiba1/Graphicsv3.png)
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Decroded on January 03, 2015, 01:27:31 am
Already an improvement but u need a but more value contrast between the planes. Once u have a bit more, u can then use hues to separate the planes, the theory being that there is more yellowy light on the ground where the sun is hitting it. Walls would have sparingly few yellowy highlights and some cooler shadows (various ways to do this including blending in blue and/or spikes in desaturation).
Look forward to seeing more progress :y:
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Cyangmou on January 03, 2015, 03:00:14 am
Your main problem is that you are currently focusing on getting detail in your stuff to make it beautiful. You are trying to add detail by using dither everywhere. however this leads to a very grainy and not really detailled impression. All the detail won't help if the base of the drawing isn't well established.
What decroded was talking about was that you have to fix your contrasts.
Focus exactly on what happens between step 1 and 2. Observe what happens with the wall and what happens with the ground. Also observe the relationship of the changes in the "big image" - focus on the whole scene while you are looking at it. If you get a better impression through this, you can focus on step 3 (which is basically adding detail).
1) get rid of all details 2) focus on getting your contrast rights that everything reads good and stands apart 3) add detail, while keeping the overall impression you established in step 2
(http://abload.de/img/2015_1_3_rpgvaluel7sgy.gif)
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Shade on January 03, 2015, 09:59:43 am
I am probably going to tone down the density of the flowers and stones.
EDIT2: Decreased the density of the flowers and stones. I also made the flowers and stones fit into the grid so i could mix and match them better. Made the grass greener, does it look better, or was it better the colour before? was wondering whether it was looking more dried out then tinted by the sun.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Mr. Fahrenheit on January 03, 2015, 07:36:42 pm
This got a lot better quickly, nice job. One thing i have to say though, your grass looks pretty repetitive so maybe try making a variation tile or two that you can intersperse to break up the patterns.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Decroded on January 04, 2015, 04:54:05 am
Getting better. I don't like how the bottom of the bricks has that wiggly line, it's distracting so try flattening it.
The dithering looks horrible, you should remove it all especially the shadow. Instead, simply only use the darker greys in that area. And use logic, if the sun isn't hitting there, when why are there such strong highlights on top of the bricks (in shadow)? You can also add slight shadows behind the banners and vines. Vines shading could really use some work such as by only adding highlights in the curves that catch sunlight instead of that constant single pixel line running down the edge. When working with pixels we reduce down and approximate things as best we can with what we have rather than literally trying to render thin vines as a cylinder.
I think you have to much contrast within the grass. You also don't need to have texture in every bit of grass, u can actually suggest texture. So for example u might have some tiles with only the 2 darkest shades, and another tile with the highlight leaves which u place sparingly around the scene (variation as mentioned). Consider adding either some stepping stones of worn patches of grass where people walk, unlikely flowers would be found there.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Shade on January 04, 2015, 11:58:57 am
I have added dirt, as well as the slabs to help add something to the grass. I have made removed the leaves from a tile, I think it makes it too square where I add it so I was going to make it like the dirt tiles so it fits in better. I removed the shadow and made another wall section and floor section for the area that would be in the shadow. I have changed the differing on the portal to an image, does it look any good? I also toned down the contrast on the grass and still working on the vine.
The building placed together, the wooden planks under the tudor walls are suppost to look like they are going back to meet the stone wall. I am thinking I will have to make a shaded part of the wall as it would be covered from the sun with the extruded part of the building above it. Still need to make windows and other parts so it doesn't look so bland.
I am also going to straighten the wood on the tudor. I was going for it looking like it was cut rough, but its looking more like it was cut drunk :lol:
Made it so I could place the shorter grass without it looking blocky. also made tiles for a pond. Does the water look ok being a single colour or is there any advice on how I could colour it better?
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: BatElite on January 04, 2015, 11:11:48 pm
The dirt looks rather noisy, with the extra shades being unnecessary in my opinion, and the light brown clusters being so jagged.
(http://imgur.com/PRIhQbX.png)
I don't think my edit makes it look like dirt that much, but it looks a bit cleaner. Neither the original or my edit tile very well though.
Title: Re: [WIP] [C+C] RPG tiles
Post by: Shade on January 04, 2015, 11:23:30 pm
Thanks for the critique :)
I agree my dirt doesnt tile well, was drawing inspiration from Seiken Densetsu 3's dirt, though mine hasn't turned out as well. Will work on the dirt to try and make it look cleaner and tile better.
Changed the style of the tiles, I think it looks better, though maybe a bit dark? Thank you alot to those who have given me critique so far, feel like I've been improving. A lot more then I would have without you. :)