Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Pixelnick on March 07, 2016, 06:35:22 pm

Title: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 07, 2016, 06:35:22 pm
To set the scene: I am a programmer, not an artist. I am trying to draw "programmer art" which is good enough to present the game on Kickstarter with the intention to raise funds for a real artist. Any feedback would be massively valuable for me.

In this image, please focus only only the foreground tiles and tree, ignoring the direction of lighting from the lantern. I have included a fully rendered image with the lighting system also.

(http://pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/1/tiles.png)

(http://pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/1/plain.png)

(http://pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/1/normals.png)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: DevilBlackDeath on March 07, 2016, 08:12:13 pm
Wow ! Well I do like the general feeling a lot. You have a pretty good basis to be an artist  IMHO. Personally I'd add more texture to the border of the tree, the solid patches of color on its border look a bit out of place. And also maybe add a bit of texture to the inside of the dirt and make it black altogether, depending on how you feel about it. However I do realize how hard texturing dirt correctly is, and can't do it myself at all so that's mostly an advice I couldn't apply myself eheh
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 07, 2016, 08:48:30 pm
Thanks - I'd like to make the centre black, that would also help the game flow from area to area (Metroid style) but I really struggle to make it blend well in the simplistic style I'm using.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: DevilBlackDeath on March 08, 2016, 10:59:31 am
Thanks - I'd like to make the centre black, that would also help the game flow from area to area (Metroid style) but I really struggle to make it blend well in the simplistic style I'm using.

Well as far as I've seen in 2D games, both modern and recents there are multiple options I can remember :
-Make a gradient : The problem with that is that if you go overboard with your gradient (too may tones) it won't look good with the limited palette of pixel art
-Make a border : Make a border just like the actual border you already have for the side around the edges
-Add detail and lessen it : Add just a little bit of texture to the brown, and you can go with less and less detail until the details fade to black, that's hard to actually explain, but it's mostly used for stone anyway

Also, I'd say that a black tile center shouldn't be black but really more greyish (probably dark pale blue).

Maybe some tiling experts will be able to determine which is better for your case ;)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 09, 2016, 11:50:13 am
I've gone for the black central section and a substantially different style. Comments and critique on the foreground tiles is very much appreciated.

(http://www.pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/2/screenshot.png)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: kilenc on March 09, 2016, 08:16:26 pm
I think the brown you're using is too dark on those tiles, it draws our eye away from the main character. a lighter, more neutrally saturated brown would command less attention, i think
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 09, 2016, 08:35:47 pm
To be honest, I shouldnt've posted the tiles in context, many of the surrounding graphics will change. Do you think the rock colours are too bold in general?
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 10, 2016, 10:26:27 pm
Any critique welcome. This screenshot includes a lighting shader.

(http://www.pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/3/eagle.png)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: MysteryMeat on March 11, 2016, 02:09:44 am
I'm not sure how to say this right, but it feels like the tiles are too "complex" now?
They're certainly good tiles, don't get me wrong on that, but the original tileset, as simple as it was, kept the eye focused on the player character through that simplicity, and it feels like the more complex tileset might have lost that a bit.

Might be helpful to see it in motion though, before any big changes are made.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Atnas on March 11, 2016, 06:49:00 am
Hmm, in my opinion the shader wasn't working until just now. It always felt out of place, like too high detail lighting with too low detail art assets. Now they are beginning to match up. Just offering a differing opinion.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Gil on March 11, 2016, 10:34:14 am
That latest screenshot is really good, if this is not taking you too long to make, I'd love to see you do the graphics for the game yourself. It's a unique take on it and I'd hate for your talent to go to waste. You might want to work with someone to advise you on the aesthetic to double check that the visual flow in the entire game is good.

I also agree with Atnas that the latest screenshot is the first one that's starting to work for me.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 11, 2016, 12:30:14 pm
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm certainly going to have a stab at the graphics, I have found drawing these tiles easier than I expected, using lots of references online. I will be stuck with character animation, though. The human character you see in the screenshots is not mine. The simple mushroom enemy in the first pictures is mine, I found that relatively simple to draw and animate well.

Any critique welcome.

(http://www.pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/3/mushroom.gif)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: rocifier on March 14, 2016, 08:36:17 am
Hi PixelNick I really want to follow your project. I saw you were advertising for an artist as well, have you found one? The main problem you are having in all versions is good separation between foreground and background. On a game style like this it's critical to get right. Just my 2 cents. EDIT: here is a super quick photoshop tweak to show an example of what I mean (the latest one was too difficult to isolate):

(http://www.pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/2/screenshot.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/jjHQ1rj.png)

Because the new one is so different, here is a quick way to check your separation. Hue will help slightly but the most important way is with value. To check that convert the scene to greyscale:

(http://i.imgur.com/6gsKT5f.png)

Notice how the different layers contain large amounts of the same value. This is confusing and makes the eye really work at what it is seeing. You want people to relax and enjoy the game, knowing where they can jump to safety without having to "find" the land. The foreground, mid, and background should be receding fairly dramatically in lightness overall.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 14, 2016, 11:46:56 am
Thanks rocifier, that's a massive help, I hadn't though of checking it like that.

Artistically, should the background be lighter in an outside area, and darker in an inside (cave) area?
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: rocifier on March 15, 2016, 02:36:24 am
99% of the time the sky is lighter, even in night scenes. Just look at some night photography to see this. A cave may well be an exception but I would be tempted to light the back walls anyway unless you have a way to swap some of the sprites for that particular scene.
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 22, 2016, 10:10:31 pm
Any critique welcome. The game has a lighting shader modifying some sprite colours.

(http://pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/4/eag1.png)
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: rocifier on March 23, 2016, 01:14:16 am
Any critique welcome. The game has a lighting shader modifying some sprite colours.

(http://pixelnick.net/other/pixelation/4/eag1.png)

I think there still isn't enough value difference between foreground and background. It looks really good on the right side where there is a light, the foreground is popping. Maybe it needs more lights through this section of the level?
Title: Re: Platform game tiles
Post by: Pixelnick on March 23, 2016, 09:49:27 am
Thanks rocifier, I'll give that a go but it might be tricky - the game is randomly generated each time you play.