Graphics Level design approach/orientation

I

Ian

Guest



Here are 2 different ways that I could approach level sprites (art/detail is not the subject but the style). I dunno what the 2nd form is called but which do you guys prefer. 2nd one gives more depth and in levels that might be handy for better illustration of the environment for the player but the 1st one still looks nice and is alittle less costly.
 
T

The Green Dev

Guest
You should do the 2nd one so that you can see more of the level and the houses and stuff
 
I

Ian

Guest
You should do the 2nd one so that you can see more of the level and the houses and stuff
yeah it definitely gives it an eye perspective on the level instead of straight 2D


Heres some barrels, still on the fence on the style.
 

RangerX

Member
The second picture can work of course but there are perspective errors in it that currently makes it look bad. You need to choose what is your desired perspective point to be and then respect it from A to Z with all your graphics after that.
Perspective in 2D is, most of the time, either a flat cut/slice of a 3D something or an orthopedic view showing one or 2 sides of a 3D something but flatened. Imagine like flatening a carton box if you wish.

Let's take your house as the example and let me point out the errors on it. Imagine the house is a flatened box if you want:

- If you see the front with the door, you don't see the back end. Therefore the wooden beam that comes out in the front shouldn't be seen coming out from the back (unless its ridiculously long -- which is probably not the case).
- If you see the right side of the house, you have to see the right side of the chimney too, both are rectangular prisms.
- Same perspective error happens with your stairs at the door. But I suspect its not just finished drawing.
 
I

Ian

Guest
The second picture can work of course but there are perspective errors in it that currently makes it look bad. You need to choose what is your desired perspective point to be and then respect it from A to Z with all your graphics after that.
Perspective in 2D is, most of the time, either a flat cut/slice of a 3D something or an orthopedic view showing one or 2 sides of a 3D something but flatened. Imagine like flatening a carton box if you wish.

Let's take your house as the example and let me point out the errors on it. Imagine the house is a flatened box if you want:

- If you see the front with the door, you don't see the back end. Therefore the wooden beam that comes out in the front shouldn't be seen coming out from the back (unless its ridiculously long -- which is probably not the case).
- If you see the right side of the house, you have to see the right side of the chimney too, both are rectangular prisms.
- Same perspective error happens with your stairs at the door. But I suspect its not just finished drawing.
"(art/detail is not the subject but the style)"
Thanks for your input, 5 min mock-up of a building/barrels. The concept was the point but good advice.
 
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HayManMarc

Member
I understand the concept. The problem I see with the second choice is the perspective not shifting as the building goes by. I think it would end up giving the buildings and other background things a weird, angled look. It's hard to say for sure, tho, without the actual, better-drawn art in place.

I suggest getting some placeholder art of similar things and plopping them in to see how it looks. If it feels right, and the extra detail is something you think you need, then you may want to use the second style.
 
I

Ian

Guest
I understand the concept. The problem I see with the second choice is the perspective not shifting as the building goes by. I think it would end up giving the buildings and other background things a weird, angled look. It's hard to say for sure, tho, without the actual, better-drawn art in place.

I suggest getting some placeholder art of similar things and plopping them in to see how it looks. If it feels right, and the extra detail is something you think you need, then you may want to use the second style.
Yeah good point. You can check out something like castle crashers, it uses perspective 2D. To keep the perspective dynamic it would probably have to be 2.5D

another lil example of perspective:
(Windmill only for visual BG)


(Bridge, gives more of a 'feel'/illustration of walking on a bridge)
 
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I

Ian

Guest
I understand the concept. The problem I see with the second choice is the perspective not shifting as the building goes by. I think it would end up giving the buildings and other background things a weird, angled look. It's hard to say for sure, tho, without the actual, better-drawn art in place.

I suggest getting some placeholder art of similar things and plopping them in to see how it looks. If it feels right, and the extra detail is something you think you need, then you may want to use the second style.
The second picture can work of course but there are perspective errors in it that currently makes it look bad. You need to choose what is your desired perspective point to be and then respect it from A to Z with all your graphics after that.
Perspective in 2D is, most of the time, either a flat cut/slice of a 3D something or an orthopedic view showing one or 2 sides of a 3D something but flatened. Imagine like flatening a carton box if you wish.

Let's take your house as the example and let me point out the errors on it. Imagine the house is a flatened box if you want:

- If you see the front with the door, you don't see the back end. Therefore the wooden beam that comes out in the front shouldn't be seen coming out from the back (unless its ridiculously long -- which is probably not the case).
- If you see the right side of the house, you have to see the right side of the chimney too, both are rectangular prisms.
- Same perspective error happens with your stairs at the door. But I suspect its not just finished drawing.
You should do the 2nd one so that you can see more of the level and the houses and stuff
Decided to do perspective but isnt why im posting on the thread. (still on topic)


*Practice sprites in the debug room*

So im more familiar with Unity's sprite importation than GM's so is the practice of scaling up some sprites (e.g. x2 scale,x4 scale) ok? In the screen cap the things scaled up is the bridge,nest,ground,wood 'spike' wall, and BG's. Barrels, barricade/gun, player are kept to scale. Im not sure I like the pixel ratio difference between the nest and the things kept to scale. Opinions? What do you guys do? What do you recommend?

More Info

Sprite Dimensions: w x h
Barrel - 52 x 30
Barricade - 73 x 46
Nest - 151 x 248 (scaled x2 - 302 x 496)
Bridge - 349 x 68 (scaled x3 - 1047 x 204)
Nest - 151 x 248 (scaled x2 - 302 x 496)
Wood 'spike' wall - 88 x 108 (scaled x2 - 176 x 216)
Ground - 100 - 62 (scaled x4 - 400 x 248)
 
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HayManMarc

Member
Using different scale factors results in uneven non-uniformity and will make it look amateurish.

I usually make my graphics all in the same scale. Then if I need to, I scale the view of the entire game. Doing so, however, you must take into consideration of pixel graphics while scaling or end up with weird sized pixels that will actually change the look of the graphic slightly.
 
I

Ian

Guest
Using different scale factors results in uneven non-uniformity and will make it look amateurish.

I usually make my graphics all in the same scale. Then if I need to, I scale the view of the entire game. Doing so, however, you must take into consideration of pixel graphics while scaling or end up with weird sized pixels that will actually change the look of the graphic slightly.
Yeah i got you, not a fan of different pixel ratios it is kinda elementary.

Updated the nest by scaling up in GraphicsGale then updating the zigzags roughly (except for the ones on the platform & flag > nothing else was updated)

There's something you can compare to, too lazy to add detail so feel free to use your imagination

EDIT

Looking at em side by side i dont know which I prefer. Im obviously not going for realistic hi-def graphics.
 
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