C & C for new Witch's house welcomed

[S]

Hi, everyone
Haven't posted anything for ages since I sort of put my game on ice. Inspiration returned, resulting in me writing an almost complete script for Chapter I of my game and resuming work on backgrounds. The last thing I posted was the house in this topic: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=35177.0
Now, here is a completely redone version. Forgot to check if AGS will scroll upwards, but i assume it does.



Comments, kudos and criticisms will be appreciated!

[Renal Shutdown]

Kudos.

I actually really like this pic, which is rare, especially considering the style you've opted for.  Though I'd suggest some sort of highlights/details for the (right side of the) forestry in the background.  Not a whole lot, just a few bits here and there to break up the large block of blackness.  (Maybe some beams of light coming thru the left).

Some coulds wouldn't go amiss either, possibly with a less pale blue for the sky.  It seems a little washed out at the moment, but I'd not suggest using too intense a blue, as that would throw the rest out.

I'm not so sure about the shading, either.  It looks to me that the right hand side should be darker than it actually is.  Maybe it would look better if the light source was a higher angle, I'm not too sure.

[SpacePirateCaine]

I think it looks splendid. My main concern with this image would be its functionality in-game, unless you intended to draw separate sprites for different angles. Because of the extremely close vanishing points you've got, the resulting fish-eye effect is going to mean that at the bottom of the image (where your path is), is going to need nearly a 'top-down' sprite, where you're going to need a 45 degree or so image when standing near the chair, and a side-on one for the balcony.

Now, if this image is to be used for a cutscene with sprites drawn specifically for the image, it'll look great. All-in-all, I think it's really well composed, and though I agree with Kidney Failure that the image is somewhat 'washed out' color-wise, I honestly don't think it hurts the image at all. Though by and large it's contingent on what kind of mood you're trying to set.

[DutchMarco]

Sir (presuming your gender to be so, otherwise: subsititute Madam), I bow to your abilities. The composition adn angle of view is greatlyconceived, but I agree that there are some pitfalls: you could avodi the perspective-problem by locating the path at the side, or maybe even at the back That'd also pose a perspective problem, but only a small one, automatic scaling might be enough.

If there's one thing which I dislike on this pic it's the trees in the background. They seem a bit too 'scratchy', like a child would draw them with crayons or colouring pencils. It gives an idea of hastiness which doesn't fit with the idea of carefulness, well-thought-outedness of the rest of the pic.

In all, I'd love to play this game.

[S]

The path in the foreground shall not be trod. Click on it and your character will start towards it, but go to the next screen before perspective issues arise.

For some strange reason the image is actually clearer as it is displayed on this forum than it is in Photoshop. So, I've seen a few other annoyances that you haven't mentioned, such as the fuzzyness of the balcony and, as DutchMarco helpfully pointed out, the sketchiness of the background forest. I need to put in some more detail there, but that means I'll have to do it entirely by photoshop, which I honestly suck at (this is a scanned pencil sketch, obviously). Maybe I'll scan some incidental branches and tree trunks and paste them in.

I simply forgot that I had planned to put clouds in the sky. Also, I'll make sure that the overall tonality of the image sits nicely among the other screens I've made for the game.
EDIT: I need to compare it to the older images (that exist on another computer) to fix it: you see, it's not at all supposed to be that pale and washed-out. Somewhat, granted, but not that much.

I'll keep you posted about my progress. Thanks for your advice and kind words.

(oh, and it's mister, by the way)

[Intense Degree]

Like it a lot, neat use of perspective!

Only questionable thing I can see is the rocking chair, the back seems to be at the wrong angle compared to the seat/base.

[rbaleksandar]

Love it but since it's a witch's house some quick suggestions:
*add some cracks and break some of the veranda's planks;
*add broken roof-tiles;
*spider webs underneath the eaves (if there are webs, there should be a spider hanging from somewhere);
*a hole or two in the glass of a window (so that the wind can whistle through the house and make it sound like the moaning of tortured souls );
*some fallen leaves here and there (roof, ground, bushes);
*maybe some sort of nest in the chimney (so cliche but looks awesome omho);
*make it darker like in a spooky enchanted forest full with evil spirits and vicious creatures;
*remove the rocking chair or at least make it broken (a witch lives here not a sweet old grandma that makes awesome cookies during the weekend );
*[optional] add some smoke;

  The list above is only in case you have low-life witch with no pension or any savings, and plans for destruction and some great doze of bad voodoo-junk. If it's an elite sweet ol' witch - leave it that way.

  A question: is there some kind of an opening on the left in the forest? Becaseu the light comes from somewhere a little bit above the horizon.

  Make some shapes in the background. It looks somehow monotonous. But don't add some specific forms (trees and such) because it'll get too crowded if you know what I mean. Clouds would be also nice (as Renal Shutdown suggested).

  So...It's a really adorable house! And that's the problem - it's adorable. Despite the skulls there's nothing that says: "Here lives an old wicked witch that turns every men in a frog, eats children for dinner and likes flying with her broomstick." (which reminds me - it'll be cool if you add a broomstick leaning on the front wall of the house ). If it wasn't supposed to be a witch's house, I'd have given it 5 stars.


PS: Your previous image ( http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/OtherWitchHouse2.png ) looks a lot more like a witch's house. It has the atmosphere. I love those trees. They look so spooky. Maybe add one or two in this image too.

[S]

Hmmm....
Some of the detail you suggest is stuff I planned to add in the end, as animated objects or something like that. Smoke from the chimney for instance.
I will consider some of your other suggestions as well, but I won't do all of them. Less is more sometimes. I mean, the paint is already flaking off, there's moss on the roof, etc. Just because she's a witch doesn't mean she's untidy! Maybe I can use stuff from http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/OtherWitchHouse2.png to make the forest in the background a bit more interesting.

And you are right about the light. I should make the shadows a bit shorter.

[rbaleksandar]

Well, a witch living in the middle of a dark spooky forest (as it's supposed to be such as I see from your previous image) is usually...Untidy Untidyness and destruction show that something evil lives in the house. In my country there is a great difference between an enchantress and a witch. Dunno how it's abroad

  Yes, the smoke should be animated of course. That's why I added "[optional]" to this part since this will be I presume a still background and not an animated one. One more thing to add (that you'll probably skip ) is (a) window shutter(s). Since it's a forest =>lots of broken brunches and stuff will fly in a storm and hit the house. Therefore we need some shutters to protect the windows

  About the light - I'm still asking if there's a opening in the forest on the left. If there is - shadow's not so bad. If there isn't, shadow's wrong, since it's a sunset/sunrise (can't tell because of the sky's color) the sun will illuminate from the left (light comes obviously from there ), but the trees will make long shadows and the house will be covered with them (only the chimney will be in the lightspot. That's because of the fact that all the trees (in the fore- and background) are definitely taller than the house.