Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: pgil on October 26, 2009, 12:35:29 am
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Made for the Assemblee (http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=8751.0) competition over at TIGsource. Crits welcome!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_tiles_stonehouse_OCT25b.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/mockup_tiles_stonehouse2.png)
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There's pretty serious contrast inconsistency. The tree and the house furthest to the right look out of place because of their low contrast.
Also, the ground is the most detailed part and has the most contrast. In a game, this will be distracting and make it harder to focus on the important things.
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Actually the contrast is correct: the more distant objects are lower contrast and lighter. It gives a very good sense of atmosphere. Although I agree that the whole thing is probably a bit too noisy if you were going to use this in a game. Sometimes large areas of texture are best summarized with a carefully few placed patches of detail rather than showing every single rock and pebble, brick and leaf. That way, as Emtch said, you will be able to direct the player's attention to the most important things on the screen.
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Yeah, I agree it's a case of texture overload. Simplify the texture and add emphasis to shading. This will add visual pop and greatly help readability. I say implement the tree as a sprite rather than tiles; you'll have more control over its shading.
Nice setting and mood, though.
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Latest update:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_tiles_stonehouse_OCT30-1.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/mockup_pix_0002.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/mockup_pix_0001.png)
A bit quick and dirty, but I've softened the texture on the stone and dirt tiles. Also messed around with the shading on the tree tiles (though looking at it now, I can already see some things I could improve...) I know using sprites for trees would look better, but I'm looking for versitility in terms of level design. I won't be using this tileset in a game myself. It's for a competition where it will be made available for anyone to use.
While I'm here, I might as well share some characters using the same palette:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_girlthief_stand.png) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_girlthief_run.gif) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_girlthief_stand_jump_fall.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_littlescientist_run.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_bat_fly.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_thwomps.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_zapbolt.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_chest.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_item_coin.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_keys_locks_16x16.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_potions_16x16.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_font_hud_12x12.png)
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In that bottom picture, it's really hard for me to tell what's background and what's platform. For instance, I can't tell if that gap in the bottom middle of the picture is the bottom platform of the level or if it's a bottomless pit of death.
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Better?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/mockup_pix_0003.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/smind/pgil_tiles_stonehouse_OCT30-2.png)
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Try using temperature more, especially when you want to have brights in your background (the windows, etc.):
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z212/gastrop0d/edits/mockup_pix_0003_ed.png)
Even if you have a bright value in the background, if you tint it cool and keep the foreground warm (or vice versa) you'll still achieve a (hopefully) clear readability.