Topics

Hey everybody!
So after a preeeetty long break (3 years?) I decided to rediscover the wonderful world of adventure game making, and especially the art of pixel pushing.
I picked up where I left of, working on a one room game where I focus on the stuff that I enjoy the most; story, mood and graphics.
Anyway, the main character, believe it or not, walks, so I've been working on his walk cycle. He's a bit tense, shy, slim and around 19 years old, and I want to try to make the cycle reflect that. I've put a lot of time on the cycle, and it's a whopping 16 frames (I wanted him to walk kinda slow). I think it looks alright, but you know how it is when you put a lot of work on something: you get a bit blind looking at it. You push somewhere to fix something, and something else pulls out and makes it look even weirder, and suddenly you've gone all crazy. I still feel like his moonwalking/sliding a bit in game, but I'm not sure how to fix that, and perhaps I'll just have to live with it.
But I'd really love for this animation to look top-notch, perfa-derf, spick-and-span etc. So any critique, suggestions, paintovers or whatever is more than welcome!

Here's the cycle:


Here he is standing:
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/dZN8jJA.png[/imgzoom]

And here's a concept sketch of him:

Ok, so maybe the title was a bit dramatic, but I need help with pushing some pixels.
I'm working on a photograph:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/EdDYkR0.png[/imgzoom]

It's still a work in progress, and I like how the guy turned out, so I have no real problems with him, it's the girl that's causing me a headache.
Some things are apparent to me now after reworking this a couple of times: her head is too small. Also both arms look a bit weird, and especially the right one. Which also perhaps is a bit too long? Her posture makes it hard for me too decide, maybe it's just a question of refining and shading. Anyway, my biggest problem is her FACE! That bloody nose, those bloody eyes and that bloody mouth. I'm no pixel expert, and the angle of the head makes it real hard for me to make it look good. She's supposed to be around 16-ish, perhaps with a more round face then I managed, cute/attractive I guess but not with a lot of make up, and happy. I'd though of her doing some kind of crazy face - sticking out her tongue or grinning, but I can't make that look good. I like her hair, it feels like I got that covered. Overall I also have problems make her face the same style as his. She could be looking into the camera or at the guy. Either way is fine. 
Anyway, so this is what I need help with to accomplish. Any tips and tricks, especially regarding the face with features are most welcome!
/Lasca

So, I'm not very used to doing portraits, and the angle of this head is giving me some problems. I'd be happy to get suggestions on how to improve the structure of the face; the placement of the eyes, size of them, the construction of the lips, the angle of the nose, the overall structure of the head. Is there too much forehead? To little?
Anyway, this is still in the early stages, so my focus right now is making her look less punched in the face
Actually the thing I've found the hardest is to construct her eyes in this angle.
So please, give me all you got



edit 14:39

ok so already made an edit of my own:

I just wanted to recommend this great series of croquis sessions on youtube: Croquis Café
Great models, good lightning and good intervals. I've used them to polish up my people-drawing-skills, and I've done about 30 in 2 months and I can really see the improvement.
And there's lots of nudity!

So, I've found a couple of other topics regarding this, but non that completely solves my problems. That could either be because me 'ead 'urts when I read too much code, or because I'm doing something wrong

Anyway, here's the problem.
In the room I'm working on there's a couple of photographs on the wall. When the player clicks these photos I want them to appear on screen zoomed in, taking up a piece of the screen but not all of it (so, they will not be a whole new room). I've so far done them as GUIs. Then I want the player to be able to examine these photos with cursor and interact with them, so I've placed invisible buttons on the photo GUI's. So far so good. No my trouble's begin. I'm using SSHs Description Module, and I want the buttons on the GUI photos to be described in the same way as all other objects and hotspots. I've managed to get the description to work, but that made the buttons become "un-pressable". So basicly, I want areas on my GUIs to behave the same way as hotspot. With description and handling events.
I would ask this in the module thread, but the same question has previously been asked there but without answer. Any ideas?
Also, there's no absolute need for me to keep the photos as GUIs. If there's any other way to accomplish the same thing I'm all up for it.
Thanks in advance!
Pascal

Hi everyone!
I'm working on a social-realistic/poetic one room game called "Seabird". The game's has been under production for a while and will probably (hopefully) be done in may. Now I'm looking for a skilled acoustic guitarist to re-record an already existing track badly recorded and played by yours truly. The structure and key of the track has to be the same (I will probably try to do a transition from the crappy recording to your crisp and beautiful one, in-game), but there's definitely room for improvisation. If this sounds interesting please contact me via this thread or pm, with a sample of your work. If there's more question about the game or anything else, feel free to ask! Note that I can't offer you anything for your work other than credits in the finished game (which will be free).
/Lasca

So, it feels like I should know this, but I guess I don't. I've also tried finding answer on the forum, but without any luck.

Why does, regardless of color depth of image or game, my bg look like this in photshop:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/z3oeVaa.png[/imgzoom]

But like this in AGS:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/5ry6NlQ.png[/imgzoom]

Is there a way to solve this or do I have to redo the bg with fewer colors?

Allright!
So, I don't that much pixel art, so perhaps someone can give me some pointers!
I've been working with this:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/p8bLlrL.png[/imgzoom]

I'm starting to like it, but I'm having some trouble getting the legs and shoes looking alright. Either stuf looks too straight or to bent. These damn pixels! Jsut so you know, he supposed to be slim (but jackets always give a little shoulder), tall, and have a little hunching posture. Anyways, all manners of critique, pointers, paintovers and tips would be most welcome! Thanks!
/Lasca

Just wanted to share the joy of seeing 3 AGS games in swedish pc gamer this month.
They've done a list of the 30 best adventure games of all time and Gemini Rue is on place 29 and Blackwell Legacy on place 17 (with "I have no mouth..." on 18, Broken Sword 1 on 19, KQ 6 on 21 and BaSS on 25, so good result!). The magazine also has a full page article on the Samaritan Paradox.
Sooooon, the world will be ours! Muahaha!

I was just wondering what happened with the panel ratings (has nothing to do with my own game, and I resent the accusation!).
I noticed there have been almost no ratings since january. Honestly, just curious.
/Lasca

So, I'm currently working on a high res movie intro for my next game, and could really use some input on a bg.


This is sthill a sketch, but what I'm working on and would like some input on is first of all, the composition. Are there to many empty spaces? Is the right side of the image too crowded? Would you want a cloud on that sky? etc?
Secondly, I'd love some opinions on the values (the final image will be in colour, doing it in b&w is just my way of working out the values).
Also, if theres anything else, please let me know. I'm having a hard time deciding on the amount of detail to put on the "grass". On one hand, I kind of really like having the big, even surfaces, on the other hand I like the amount of detail on the house, and maybe that clashes with having no detail on the ground. And what about the forest in the background?
Anyways, like I said, still a sketch, but really appreciate any input.
Thanks!
/Lasca

Hi guys!
I'm currently working on some concept art for a new game, and could use some feed back on my main character.
Here she is:



I would very much appreciate assistance with the three following things:

1. Who is she?
    Well, I know who she is, but who do you think this character is just by looking at the image? Is she a jedi-knight? Or does she belong to the dark side? You tell me! (And oh yeah, the things in her hand could use a liiiittle more work. Kinda forgot about those)

2. Who do you want her to be?
    That is, what would you change? Are you thinking "Her hair looks like a frickin' helmet! She'd look much better with a mohawk!"? Then please let me know.

3. How did I do?
    technically, did I screw something up? Is her head too small (is it? I'm not sure...)? Hands should have more/less fingers? I didn't know, honestly, so please enlighten me!

Other then this, just tell me whatever you want. This is actually my first nonpixel-all-tablet drawing, so I could use any feedback.

Cheers!
/Lasca

-edit-
And yeah, it's the same girl as the avatar, but I was half a year less experienced and she's half a year older.

Alzo, what I'm wondering is:

If I make an animated video sequence to use in my game, that's in (for example) 320 x 200 resolution, can my video sequence be in another resolution? If I make it in another resolution, what consequences will it have and do I need to maintain the same proportions etc.?

I've searched the forums for a topic resembling this, but haven't really found any. Could be because the answer is self evident and I'm just to analogue.
Grateful for any help!

/Lasca

[Featuring:]

SOG games proudly presents:



Peter wakes up in an unknown IKEA bed. Where the **** is he? Where's his ******* clothes?
And why does his mouth taste like ******* pavement mixed with tuesdays carbonara?
Find out, and get out, in 'What the **** happened!?'

Featuring:
640 x 400 resolution!
6 rooms, in colour!
Absolutly GREAT soundtrack by Problem!
Almost male nudity!
Unnecessarily foul language!
Combining of two or more items for completing puzzles!
Story with elements and dramaturgy previously seen in several films of varied quality!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Problem's soundtrack

A Let's Play of it, by Marshall Dyer (if you don't feel like doing it yourself)


Authors note (How unorthodox!):

This makes me proud.
This game has taught me coding. It has taught me animating. And most importantly,
it has taught me the pleasure of crating 2 dimensional images, both digitally and on paper,
and it's now something I do everyday, as often as I can. The power of computer games my friends!
This game more or less follows my evolution. It gets only better and better the more you play it!
It's a real thrill to finally release this game, but it actually does not compare to the thrill,
joy and satisfaction of creating it. But I guess that is the nature of creation.
Finishing it feels like saying goodbye to it.
This is a great forum, with a bunch of great people roaming it, and I hope you will enjoy this
game. Please, feel free to share any criticism, opinions, thoughts, or whatever with me.
However, I beg of you, with the words of Yeats:
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

/Lasca

Update 1/1.14
Got all the help I need! Thanks!
-------------------------------------

I could really use a couple of testers for this game: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=47100.0


If you have previous experience of testing it would be preferable, but any help is welcome! Send me a pm and we'll work the rest out.
/Lasca

Hey guys!
Im working on this picture as a christmas present for a friend. It's her face and Trinitys (from the Matrix) clothes. Anyways, I was never very good with faces, and I'm wondering about the proportions, and something about it feels a bit strange, so perhaps you could give me som input before I put any ink on it. Thanks!



/Lasca

So I think there's something wrong with the perspective in this image, but I'm not really sure what or how to fix it. Is it the numbers? The basic shape of the clock? The fm-band? I'd be most grateful if you could show me/ tell me what's wrong and what I should do to make it right. If it's not all in my head.
Thanks a bunch!

Hello everybody!
I was getting sick of pushing pixels and animating flying shoes, so I took a break by starting to work on something without real practical use for my game. a promotional poster (for this game: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=47100.msg632973#msg632973)!
I do however need some help!
I'm going for a comic combined with 70's poster style (eventhough the 70's part isn't really showing yet) but I have some decisions to make, and I'd really like your help making them!
First of all, should I go for a more subtle lighting like this:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ppbQvPL.png?1[/imgzoom]

Or a more dramatical one like this (not so well done, but whatever):
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/11VC334.png?1[/imgzoom]

These are both sketches. I've yet to work on any detail like the briefs, the hair, the beard etc. The man has no nipples for god sake!
I'd also like some tips and tricks for working with light and shading in practice. I know the theory (choosing a light source and direction, putting shades and highlights accordingly), but if theres any neat tricks for how to implement this better then I'm doing at the moment, I'd be thankfull!
Keep in mind though, that in this image, I'm trying to keep down the number of colours, to maintain a comic book feeling.

Also, I could use some help with the anatomy. Specially the arms and hands look a bit... off, i think, and I could really use some pointers on how to make them look better. And if those pointers would help me the next time I wanted to draw hands- even better!
So anyways, all opinions and criticism and pointers are most welcome, but keep it constructive please! And remember that it's work in progress. Thanks!

Hey guys. I'm working on a character design and I'm having some trouble. I like the face forward, put for some reason I really can't get the profile version to match the forward one. I just doesn't feel like the same person. Here you have 'em:



It feels like it's the nose. And the cheeks. And the hair. The ear. Oh my.
Anyways, this was the best of too many resketches and I need some new input. Feel free to redraw, reposition, whatever. But remeber it's the one on the right I want to change, I like the look of the left one (although feel free to comment on it).
Thanks a bunch!
Lasca

Update 31/12-13
I got all the testers I need for the moment! Thanks a bunch everyone!

Update 22/12 -13
So, right in time for christmas, some... eeeh... 'time', after I begun this project, I have a beta ready, and it could REALLY use some testing! There's still some sounds missing, and some graphics I probably need to polish, but it should be playable. So if you're up for it, and preferably have previous experience of testing (I have none), send me a message and we'll get this party started! Merry x-mas! /Lasca

Update 22/8 -13



Update 18/12
Music for the game is being done by Problem! Hurray!

Story:
Peter wakes up in an unknown IKEA bed. Where the **** is he? Where's his ******* clothes?
And why does his mouth taste like ******* pavement mixed with tuesdays carbonara?
Find out, and get out, in 'What the **** happened!?'





Featuring:
640 x 400 resolution!
6 rooms, in colour!
Almost male nudity!
Unnecessarily foul language!
Combining of two or more items for completing puzzles!
Story with elements and dramaturgy previously seen in several films of varied quality!




Also featuring!
Beautiful animations, like these ones:

                 





Backgrounds: 100 %
Story: 100 %
Animation: 100 %
Scripting: 100 %
Music and Sound: 85 %



I'd put up more bg's, put since the game only consist of 6 rooms, I don't want to spoil all the fun.

About:
This game, as many others I guess, started out as my attempt at learning AGS.
However, the more I enjoyed it the larger it grew, etc etc. The game is being created pretty much chronologically,
which also shows in the art. Not only have I been learning about ags, but also about perspective, lighting and what not.
Anyways, hopefully it will be done soon and hopefully someone will enjoy it.
Oh, and yes, note that it will contain profanity and men in underwear.

/Lasca