Sewer trouble. I differ to you, the experts.

[piggybankcowboy 13]

Context: This is the first mini-dungeon you encounter in my game. There will be larger ones later on, in different settings. Originally there were multiple paths, but I axed them because it seemed too crowded. Now I'm thinking about bring them back. I don't know, I'm just dissatisfied with it over-all, and I'm having trouble getting the "feel" down, so I look to you for suggestions. I am using the Futuristic Tile set, but I also have the Modern one, and the two will be mixed through the game (along with others I have not decided on yet). I do plan to use Victor's Lighting Script once I figure out how to use it, so those lamps will be the light sources. I'm also looking into smoggy/gassy effects, but I'm afraid that might be too much. Ladies and gents, I beg your thoughts!

 

 

 

 

Sorry about the second and third shot, the edges got cut off a bit. Missing about 3 tiles on the right of the second shot, and about five on the bottom of the third. I really need to get my hands on a proper graphics program. 

Fire away. 

Edited February 9, 2014 by piggybankcowboy

[gcook725 30]

First thing that gets me: The trashbags and tire and boxes on the first screen LOOKS like its just floating above the water. I would either tweak the graphics to make them look like they're submerged in the water or avoid putting them there.

 

Second: Whenever the water is along the tops of a wall tile (example, just below that trash and tire I just mentioned) IT LOOKS like there is another path there hidden behind the wall because of the edge of the autotile. Use shift-clicking with the water to remove the edge and create the illusion that the water goes to the "base" of the wall because it looks like it goes "behind" it.

 

Most of the rest looks fine. Only thing I might say is that I feel that the stairs look maybe a little wonky. I think you're using them like ladders, but they look way more like rail-less stairs to me. Also the blood spots don't fit so well on the mesh floor in my opinion because it looks like the blood is floating over its holes... however that can easily be overlooked.

[piggybankcowboy 13]

Good points all around, thanks! I keep forgetting about shift-clicking. 

edit: the stairs in the first shot have been removed. Originally there was a waterfall there, but it didn't look right, and I forgot to take away

the stairs. Oops. 

Edited February 10, 2014 by piggybankcowboy

[amerk 1,122]

First thing that gets me: The trashbags and tire and boxes on the first screen LOOKS like its just floating above the water. I would either tweak the graphics to make them look like they're submerged in the water or avoid putting them there. 

 

The other option would be to add an event over the image with a sort of water splash tile. Crude, but would have a better effect of being in the water than what's there.

 

To the OP, this is definitely a nice start, and a pretty decent one at that. Some of the minor details could use some fixing (as gcook pointed out), but I like what I see so far.

[piggybankcowboy 13]

Thanks! I have a bubbling water tile, but it doesn't look right over another graphic, so I removed the trash and just used the one "sewer garbage" event tile instead. Unfortunately the set only comes with one, so I'm limited unless I want to go sifting. I also slapped Victor's Lighting Script on the map, which changes the mood of the map drastically. I'll get some screens up later today. 

[Heartfeltcurse 195]

the graffiti looks like it's floating above the walls because their is no change in the graffiti when it goes from being on the wall to being on the dividers between the walls and floors.

[KayakoChan 318]

I am not exactly an artist but I can do some simple image editing as that. If you want some more variation in your sewer garbage, and graffiti that actually looks like graffity, I'll get that done in a minute~

[Heartfeltcurse 195]

he could just raise the graffiti up a tile couldn't he? i think that would fix it.

[Tsarmina 2,612]

I think it's not just that, but also the faint drop shadow underneath a lot of the graffiti. It might be subtle, but it does trick the eye into an illusion of depth (floating effect).

[KayakoChan 318]

Ah, I did not see exactly what you meant before, but yes, that's an option too, probably a better one. Though slight transparency would do wonders too.

[Tsarmina 2,612]

Agreed ^-^ It'd be nice to see a glimpse of brick under the graffiti~

[piggybankcowboy 13]

@KayakoChan: wow, generous offer that I can't say no to if you want to do it. I'm using the Futuristic Tileset, and I'm horribly disappointed with the lack of blight decoration. I think that's my inner cyberpunk speaking, though, since the tiles set seems to me made more for laboratories and space stations or something. My only concern would be how to repay the favor. 

I did try moving the graffiti up a tile, but it makes it seem too high since I'm using the single-tile character sprites (sorry, I'm no good with terms yet). Thankfully, I'm only needing to create an urban blight look for these sewers and the city above it, since the rest of the game takes place in cleaner and more populated places. 

Here are updated screens with the lighting effects (also fixed the water and trash in some areas off screen)

 

 

 

 

 

Am I going too dark? Also, I'm debating if I should put a light by that "pump control panel" by the dead guy, since realistically that area would be lit up for workers, but I also kinda like the darkness for a murder scene...but yeah, the game is not a murder mystery, so...

edit: as Heartfeltcurse pointed out, yep, I missed a light. Brb, need to change a bulb...

Edited February 12, 2014 by piggybankcowboy

[Heartfeltcurse 195]

that bottom picture has a light source that isn't being well... a light source. just saying

 

and when all else fails, go realistic.

[KayakoChan 318]

Well, I did already offer, at least small changes like making objects blend in better like looking submerged and floating, or making

graffiti transparent so it looks better on the walls, those take a matter of minutes for me. So I don't mind.

 

I of course am nowhere near good enough to make my own tiles from scratch!

[Pokémon Trainer 42]

You can just Photoshop a graffiti of your own if you want it to fit the walls. There are lots of graffiti fonts out there. You could even "Easter Egg" your name there. I'm currently working on a modern tileset of my own. I'll post it here once I've completed it and I'll PM it to you as well.

[piggybankcowboy 13]

Nice, I'll be looking forward to it! I'm leaving the sewer map as is for now. Still not 100% satisfied with it, but it's way better than it was now that the lighting is in place. Lacking a simple ladder is bothering me, but I've been messing with Gimp in hopes of being able to edit the stair graphic I'm using as a pretend ladder. For now though, I've moved on to doing the city above, because I'd like to get the first act of the game playable and have you folks critique it soon. 

[Tsarmina 2,612]

If all your maps are done in this quality style, it's sure to be a great game Good luck!