AuthorTopic: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?  (Read 53334 times)

Offline Mike

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Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

on: January 04, 2009, 04:23:46 am
What perspective is possible to use when you are using a scrolling game?

Offline PypeBros

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #1 on: January 04, 2009, 02:19:24 pm
I'd be tempted to say that parallax is always possible. I have seen all sort of perspective in side-scrolling platformers: from "full flat" (ā la SuperMario), with top-down perspective (Rayman 1) and even angled perspective (Commander Keen : Goodbye Galaxy).

However, the perspective you pick might restrict the depth of objects you show (e.g. if you have an angled perspective, avoid a path that goes from front layer towards horizon, as it will distort oddly).

HTH

Offline Mike

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #2 on: January 04, 2009, 07:53:41 pm
Oh oops now that I read my post again I realize I wasn't being very specific.  What I meant to ask was "What perspective can you use for the very far backdrop, the one that isn't on the play field.?"  I tried to use a 3 point perspective but the farther away I got from the vanishing point the wonkier things got.  So I guess what I'm asking is, is it possible to use real perspective on a scrolling background?

This is what I was going to outline in photoshop...

Offline ndchristie

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #3 on: January 04, 2009, 09:55:08 pm
So I guess what I'm asking is, is it possible to use real perspective on a scrolling background?

the short and final answer is no; if you are changing your point of view then your perspective changes with it and you cannot use a static image.

depending on what you like, you can often change the perspective between shots; that is, insert a large object in front of the background (like a building) and pick up on the other side with a new vanishing point - the space in-between will be 'broken' in perspective, but invisible because of the building.

other methods include the layered approach (where several objects are seen in frontal perspective and recede only in scale, not angle).
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Offline Dusty

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #4 on: January 05, 2009, 12:10:50 am
You could always try some simple 3D rendering for the background.

Offline vierbit

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #5 on: January 05, 2009, 12:28:39 am
What you search for is probably whatīs called "2,5D". Keeping the gameplay 2D and the graphics 3D.
A correct perspective is simply not possible in all cases, as 2d gfx is all about "faking"(thats on reason I love it).
Vanishing points can be used though.
For example, you can use your image here as a background, if the scrolling is very slow. So the image donīt have to
be very wide, therefore avoiding the extreme perspective on the left and right side.

Offline Mike

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #6 on: January 05, 2009, 01:16:25 am
I found this

(I hope I can hotlink this)

Is this how game background art that scrolls is made?  By not using points that converge, and only using points that are parallel?

I know how to do isometric in pixels by using the 26.555 degree angle instead of the 30, but how do you do Bimetric, and Trimetric using pixels?

Offline Dusty

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #7 on: January 05, 2009, 01:43:08 am
The problem is, he wants a dynamic background from a static prospect. Perspective is always changing because of viewpoint, and static images, even with parallax, can not portray that. Because the background is scrolling, but the image is static, it won't reflect that in the 3D viewpoint. Isometric(or any other varieties) is not going to give him the result he's hoping for, either.

Offline shy_dude

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #8 on: January 05, 2009, 02:25:49 am
I've been thinking about this for quite a while,  it's got me really stumped. You need gaps in front of the vanishing points (I think?) so it can loop on and on forever, I've tried 3 point perspective but it always turns into a wonky mess: from a top-down view to whatever is the opposite of a top-down view is, it's all wonky. I don't get it.

2 point perspective seems more manageable but... Nah wait, I'm lost ???.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2009, 02:29:13 am by shy_dude »

Offline Helm

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Re: Scrolling Backdrop perspective?

Reply #9 on: January 05, 2009, 02:44:10 am
shy dude, take your perspective points waaaaaay out of the drawing area. third point needs to be very high, and at least one of the two horison points needs to be far enough so there's not so much camera distortion.