Help with graphics/design

Game Play & Game Design
#1

Hi I’m currently working on a small platform game mainly for a bit of fun, but I’m at the stage where I actually need to start thinking about graphics (</3). So I thought why not ask the community here for some help in improving my graphics, the game is going to be called ‘Robo-Escape’ and is set in a prison, I’m trying to go for a futuristic style theme with robots lasers etc.

My current background and block tiles:

In my opinion, the fully grey colour scheme is quite dull, but I’m in need of ideas of how to change either the background or blocks, or both to make the graphics more appealing. Any help is much appreciated.

#2

pop into photoshop or something and at some decay to the bricks and textures to the walls. Then give them some age. Rust, moss if there is living things, and maybe darken the theme a little. To much bright gray. Try doing some dark, desaturated blues or greens.

#3

If this is Slick2D I can give more specific suggestions; so please inform me and I will adjust my post as needed.

Here are some tools I use.
Fonts: http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts.php?fontauthor=2761

Arts: http://opengameart.org/

Arts Program (Free): Paint.Net, link ->http://www.getpaint.net/

  • Add a logo to your game. (It will replace the LWJGL logo on the top left corner)
  • Have that red laser being emitted from the robot extend to the whole screen but fade with transparency.
  • Replace the wooden doors with slick sliding metal doors.
  • Do not just copy past the same tile over and over, have them differ.
  • Replace the wooden sign for a digital screen.
  • The color of the text on the bottom left is hard to read.
  • Perhaps replace the key with something more futuristic like an ID card that has to get swiped through doors.
  • Add a transparent layer of black that goes over the background but behind the player, tiles, and doors so that the background looks further away.

Nice work so far :D.

#4

Personally, I prefer http://www.gimp.org/.

But yeah… personally

#5

I just did some quick research, GIMP is more powerful but harder to use than Paint.Net. This is more of what I need, thanks for pointing it out.

#6

It is slick 2D, I’ll try adding most of those, it’s just I’m crap at art in real life, and almost as bad with computer graphics. I currently use paint.NET I’m just not that good… Thanks for all the different tips though!

Is there an easy way to add moss etc, or would I need to do it pixel by pixel using the pencil? I don’t have photoshop, and the only way I’d get it would be a cracker free version:/

Thanks to both of you though!

#7

There are free painting tools too … GIMP is often mentioned, but simple things like Paint.Net might do the job as well. I’m sure once you ask you get at least a dozen of suggestions.

If I work on graphics I usually choose one of three methods:

  • Pixel it.
  • Take a photo of something that looks similar and modify that.
  • Model it in 3D, render and postprocess.

Usually this way I get acceptable graphics quality. Beyond the actual painting skills your understanding for lighting, color and blending, and surface structures will make the difference between dull and cool graphics.

Edit:

Warning - I was a technician most of my life, and struggled long to at least achieve mediocre painting skills. So real artists might be able to give you better advice.

Edit 2:

Your bricks need less straight edges, try adding a small crack or hole here and there. Damaged corners. Try different shades of gray, bricks are not 100% identically colored.

Try some variation for the mortar color. if you assume yellow light, give the dar areas a bit of a bluesh stain if they are clean, or brown if they are supposed to be dirty.

Moss was already mentioned, it really likes to gro in such gaps. Stains from water might be good too, if you can do larger overlays.

Try bricks of different sizes. A pattern of two sizes might look fine.

You can check my isometric floors, ther are two tiled variants that might give ideas for bricks:

http://heanet.dl.sourceforge.net/project/varkagraphics/semi-realistic/isometric/floors_64x32_index.png

But now a real artist must jump in and help :smiley: