sidescroller scene mockup.
thinking to add some more layers of rocky outcrop.
any thoughts on colours and such?
less detail in background rocks perhaps to avoid drawing the eye there?

Pretty sweet program.
A few things I'd like to know if anyone can help:

1) Perform layer operations across multiple frames? Things such as renaming, moving content etc. If perhaps there is a mode where I always have the same layers across all frames so this might work? Currently I have to do the same small thing many times for each frame.

2) Shortcut the transparency colour? In Photoshop I have E for Eraser.

3) Reduce opacity of Custom Grid?


Thanks 

Some bits are still a bit rough and background isn't done but crits appreciated as always.

Tried tightening up the composition but don't really like how it came out.


Probably need to try some colour variations now.
I don't think the shirt colour is helping with the association.
And someone told me the skin was too orange

Sorry if these images are too big, I'm trying to give myself a large canvas to mess around in.
The game screen is 320x240 scrolling.

Here's someone's tile set which obviously needs help:


I want to add a smoother, more painterly style to the Zelda tiles in use here.
There are many other tile sets and sprites and I'm waiting for a copy of the full 256 palette which I will rework to remove all the wasted similar colours to free up some space.
For now I'm sticking mostly to the existing limited colours palette (only added 3 dark red/oranges) but there is still plenty of room to add/replace some colours.


Here's where I'm at now:

This started out by fixing the nasty stairs but I couldn't stand those unnatural looking railings and all the noisy texture so I've just started redoing the whole thing...

Firstly I've spent a few hours redoing the cave wall and doorway tiles (top).
I didn't intend for this texture of completely random chunks but thats what I've ended up with.
I hoped the bottom would look less like hanging down into the lava and more like rocks protuding upwards, hopefully I can fix it.

Secondly I've tried to smooth out the lava texture to be less noisy and repetitive by adding a flat red with patches of texture and points of interest such like bubbles (to be animated).

Now I'm moving onto the more challenging (for me) task of the ground tiles.
Right now I've made a mess and expirementing with textures and this is mainly where I'm after some advice/edits.
The bottom of the U is where I'm working now.
You can fall off all these ledges and I think I haven't clearly marked the edge of the play area yet.
I wonder what a professional would do here.
I'm thinking 2 separate colour ramps and textures, one sharp chunks of rock around the edge and one for patches of smoother rock with cracks or something.
I'm trying to do this now but I suck at it so any help is appreciated.
Also any tips on efficient tiling that still prevents too many straight lines and grid effect.

Thanks. 

UPDATE:
Maybe something along these lines (bottom mid section)?
Do you think I would be better off not trying to recycle these colours and just create new ramps?


UPDATE:
Gave up on the palette. Feels like I'm moving slowly in the right direction.
Don't know what to do about the colour of the flatter inner area of the ground.
It kind of looks like dirt but this seems wrong for somewhere so volcanic...