(C+C) Another Platform Game Mockup with a Cave and a Robot

[trough]

Here is a rather incoherent mockup for a platform game I'm planning. I used Arne's 16 color palette, because I wanted it to look as if it was a game for some imaginary restricted 8-bit system. Currently the sprites are 3 colors only: the main color, transparent color, and a special outline color which is only visible on top of backgrounds with low contrast to the sprite. I will probably post quite a few updates, I plan on spending a lot of time on this to get it looking good.



It's meant to be viewed at least at 2x magnification. How do you think this could be improved? Do you like the 'style' or think it just looks amateurish/boring? Are the sprites readable? All comments and critiques are very much appreciated!

Thanks a lot,
trough

[st0ven]

i really enjoy where youre  going with the shaded triangles approach to creating your fauna. the 'tufts' on the ground are looking a little 'pyramid'ish though, maybe just have half a triangle instead of two symmetric triangles forming a pyramid.

I think it woul dbe interesting ifyou were to continue that theme into your rendering of other textures in the game, like a rock texture to complement the other foreground elements. The farther back you go i think flatter is fine, but the backgrounds are looking rather rudimentary at this point.

i say render out the foreground textores more in your cave settings. doesnt have to be overdone, but enough so that your character work stands out as 'purposefully' simple, rather than having it all just look 'simple' all around.

[Gamer36]

I love the tree, the players and the background are a bit robust, but looking good.

[PypeBros]

really lovely. I wanted to suggest some details in the caves, and the palette reminded me of Eric Chahi's Another world as a potential reference, but all I can find is screenshot of the anniversary edition >_<.

[trough]

@st0ven I see what you mean, the rest of it looks rather plain compared to the tree. By foreground, you mean the black ground area right? I don't know how to detail that because the black is the darkest color and the cave background is the second darkest color. Here's the palette I'm using:

Since I can't add a shadow to black, I'll have to detail it with highlights, but I'm afraid highlights would make the ground look too close to the background color? I kind of wanted to keep the ground cross-section area black, because the cross section would not be visible at all to the character.

Or maybe you meant I should leave the cross-section black, but detail the top green area? (I should change that to blue, no grass in a dark cave ) I might try adding stalactites and stalagmites made of triangular tiles.

@Gamer36  Thanks

@PypeBros I'm afraid I've never played that game. Although now that I think about it, I did use a photo of a park ranger and a photo of a chain link fence for reference.

[PypeBros]

@PypeBros I'm afraid I've never played that game. Although now that I think about it, I did use a photo of a park ranger and a photo of a chain link fence for reference.

I wouldn't quite suggesting that "you should have mentioned your references" but rather "since Another world use a similar palette and polygonal look and has caves, it could worth a look to have ideas for bringing some variation to your background.

[trough]

Oh, I see. Well then I will definitely take a look at that. Thanks PypeBros