AuthorTopic: RPG Pieces  (Read 15624 times)

Offline yrizoud

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 330
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #10 on: March 13, 2011, 02:46:53 pm
In the earlier version, an issue was that the far trees had 'leaves' which were drawn as big as the closest detailed tree: the far tree was made of 5 "leaves" vertically, while the closer one was 14 leaves high.

Offline TheInquisitor

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 50
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Lookin' to Learn
    • View Profile
    • RJanes.co.uk

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #11 on: March 13, 2011, 02:49:51 pm
Yeah, that was a definite problem. I was hoping to convey shade and shape on those distant trees by that method, but it just plain didn't work at all, especially as it did just look like overly large leaves.
Check out my portfolio site:
http://rjanes.co.uk

And my preferred place
http://www.rpg-palace.com

Offline circuscommando

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 55
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #12 on: March 13, 2011, 05:38:50 pm
Just a thought, the scene seems very open. Maybe it should feel more claustrophobic since it's a forest?  I do really like the palette though.  I'd certainly play this game :]
he hobbles and hobbles.

Offline adamisgr8

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #13 on: March 13, 2011, 06:26:49 pm
With the new one, in the background it looks like there is a square of brighter colours. Looks a bit weird to me :- / I like how this is going though.
+1

Offline TheInquisitor

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 50
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Lookin' to Learn
    • View Profile
    • RJanes.co.uk

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #14 on: March 13, 2011, 06:45:24 pm


Yeah, that horizon isn't complete yet, Adam. Might need some tweaking. At the moment I'm not planning to add any more detail - except for grass and little minor things - in the central area as this is where the fighting would presumably take place. I wouldn't want anything to distract from the main focal point.

On this update I've torn the old trees asunder. They were too busy for trees not that close. I'll make the most near trees have that level of detail. I'm still not sure I'm on the right track with these new trees, but I think they're better. I reckon I need more blue highlights in there.

What do you guys think of the grass colour in the focal point of the image?
Check out my portfolio site:
http://rjanes.co.uk

And my preferred place
http://www.rpg-palace.com

Offline TheInquisitor

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 50
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Lookin' to Learn
    • View Profile
    • RJanes.co.uk

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #15 on: March 13, 2011, 11:53:55 pm


More progress. Giving the trees some extra detail now. The front two trees are obviously still in need of some major work. I've started filling in some of the foreground bushes not too. I think they'll really help frame the piece. Still concerned about the palette, especially the central grass colours.
Check out my portfolio site:
http://rjanes.co.uk

And my preferred place
http://www.rpg-palace.com

Offline Dusty

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1107
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #16 on: March 14, 2011, 12:30:07 am
What EvilEye and I were trying to get at is that your current lighting can easily imply it's daylight, even with the sky. Look, here I did a quick swap of the sky with a crappy "daytime" color scheme and nothing looks wrong with it.

I think that's fairly problematic.

Have you tried having the trees fade to a black silhouette? I think it fits more with a night scene, even with the moon, especially since the moon is behind the trees it doesn't make much sense that they're so lit.


EvilEye's blue highlights also help to imply the cool light of the moon, giving more to imply night light when warmer highlights imply sunlight.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2011, 12:41:31 am by Dusty »

Offline Mathias

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1797
  • Karma: +2/-0
  • Goodbye.
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/9542.htm
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #17 on: March 14, 2011, 12:56:15 am
aahh you guys are making me want to start work on an RPG. Always been a thought in the back of my mind. All the RPG art flowing through here lately is very encouraging to do so. And it doesn't help playing through Chrono Trigger again, on emulator (one of, if not thee best RPG's back in the day).

I agree with Dusty's assessment. And evileye's cold moonlit highlights is SPOT-ON.

Love what you got here. It's all about that lighting . . .

Offline EvilEye

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 501
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • Game Developer Extroaordinaire
    • View Profile

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #18 on: March 14, 2011, 04:01:29 am
Dusty is correct the fading to light green makes it look like dusk or something, not night.

I think the dithering was great, bring it back. The old sky background looked fine to me.

Offline TheInquisitor

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 50
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Lookin' to Learn
    • View Profile
    • RJanes.co.uk

Re: Struggling with forest fade

Reply #19 on: March 14, 2011, 06:38:37 pm
Well, the image was supposed to be dusk originally, but I've made the suggested changes so that you can compare. Have a look. All opinions welcome. It'd be good to see which way the majority is leaning.


old

new
Check out my portfolio site:
http://rjanes.co.uk

And my preferred place
http://www.rpg-palace.com