Screenshot Critique Thread: Read Rules Before Posting!

[Darkfortesx 0]

Hello there um. I am now making an RPG in Vx Ace and I need a little help with it. I plan on making it a Parallax Map after finishing the basic sketch of the Overworld in Maker Vx Ace.

 

 

http://fortesalex.deviantart.com/art/RPG-Maker-VX-Ace-Overworld-Map-346570745

 

*Sorry the image was to big..

[+ EraYachi 180]

@Joey: Very nice use of Celiana's tileset. Seeing her bakery stuff always makes me hungry and I have a sudden craving for bread. Only thing I have to say about it is...do you have candlesticks on your wall? You know, the kind that stands in a lamp, on a table? Not that it's not allowed, just funny to see them used that way.

 

@Darkfortesx: As per the rules of the screenshot critique thread, please give critique of someone else's screenshot before posting yours. That said, very much like the layout, volcanoes and the watefalls,definitely adds to the atmosphere of certain regions. If you're going to go parallax, you should look into Celianna's stuff, just google it and it's easy to find. You can just shrink the parallax tiles she's made to make them more comfortable for a world map. Experiment with different brushes in GIMP (or Photoshop) to get different hues and textures on the grass/sand/dirt/snow. You've got a looooooong job ahead of you if you're going to make a detailed parallax world map.

[Darkfortesx 0]

@EraYachi: Thx for replying and i did read the rules but had problems while writing the topic and stuff and completly forgot to crtique thread before sorry.

[RetroExcellent 369]

@Darkfortesx - Everyone gets one, don't fret it too much. As far as your world map goes, it's very well thought out from what I can see, which is the primary importance on a world map. Parallaxing a world map can be a tedious process, the biggest one I've made was 50x50 and I almost didn't complete it because of the massive amount of work to do.

 

The advantage of that is that you can use brushes to adjust things as you need, I'm very interested in seeing some up close view of your work.

[Sana 6]

@Maindric Heh, thanks, but I didn't make the crater, I picked it up from Ezra's Bungalow, then put the pillars on it myself. That guy made some seriously good stuff.

@Joey The kitchen looks pretty well done, good job on that, but the oven could be moved down a pixel or two, since it looks like it's a part of the wall, also thanks as well.

@Darkfortesx Personally, I think world map's shouldn't be parallaxed unless you really know what you're doing, and know how to draw really well(to make something professional-like). Not that it isn't something worth trying, just that it's a lot easier to create a world map solely through tile-based mapping.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Sana

[Jonnie91 1,149]

@EraYachi: 

Please don't backseat moderate. Instead report the post. Thanks

[Darkfortesx 0]

@Shaddow & @Sana - Thanks for your opinion i'll finish the whole map in Rpg maker first and if i like the way it ends i will leave it like that, if not i will just make minor changes with the parallax.

[Joey 9]

@DarkFortesx Looks neat. Looking forward to finished product. Personally

parallax a world map takes too much time. I just stick to world map tiles.

 

Well here's a library I made. Tell me what you think

 

 

 

[pxlgraphic 16]

I know you can walk behind the bookcases, but it still looks like there aren't any rows between bookshelves or the rows are two small. Other than that it's a nice map but a shelf is covering part of a painting.

[Shablo5 8]

@DarkFortesx Looks neat. Looking forward to finished product. Personally

parallax a world map takes too much time. I just stick to world map tiles.

 

Well here's a library I made. Tell me what you think

 

 

 

Bulletin board looks weird as fuck. Two different bookcases too, looks weird. 

[RetroExcellent 369]

@Joey - I agree with Shablo, the bulletin board looks out of place, it's obviously meant for out doors, if I were you I'd stick some posters ont he wall for the same effect. Additionally, why the box and random bags in the corner, they make no sense and feel like they are just filler. It's a generic, but nice library aside from the oddities.

[Joey 9]

@Kilozapit Nice use of tint really looks good.

 

Alright thanks for the feedback. I fixed anything that looked odd.

 

Well here's another map. Tell me what you think.

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2013 by Joey

[Jonnie91 1,149]

@Joey 

 

Please post feedback on a previous screenshot, even if it's a different one. You need to leave additional feedback on another post before posting your own

[Tharis 212]

@Joey - I like your indoor maps I think they look clean and well done. A problem I see in the outdoor map that you posted was that it felt like there were no physics in your world it didnt seem like there was a lot of topagraphical rightness to it. One thing that I also see and this is in my maps as well is that the out doors tends to get way over cluttlered with stuff. And thats a hard one to balance because you want variety as well as a wild untamed look to the outdoors but at the same time it gets all suphocated.

 

here is an example of how I felt I went a little overboard with stuff trying to fill the map with detail this is an RTP map I have photoshopped some of Celianna's trees together to make clusters and then put them into a tileset together for RTP mapping.

 

[pxlgraphic 16]

@Joey: The table is too bright of a white, and the plates don't make it better. Other than that it's a good map, but maybe you should add something in that empty space at the bottom.

[Tow 6]

@Tharis: I like it. But maybe you should add alternative ways.

 

Here is another screen of mine.

[CompassNL 4]

Nice screenshot! The road looks a bit to straight forward.

 

Maybe add a tint screen effect ? (bleuish screen) or a weather snow effect ?
Of course that depends on wich feeling you want this map to have.

 

---------------------------

 

Currently working on my first project with RPG maker VX Ace

This is going to be medusa's lair It's going to be really difficult finding the entrance

to her lair!

 

[Tow 6]

Nice, nice. Maybe you should make the floor and walls look more ancient. I don't think that Medusa gets visitors every day.^^

[+ EraYachi 180]

@Compass: Nice, nice. It seems a tad too dark, perhaps lighten it up by a fraction. Also, while not 100% necessary, have you considered adding some statues to the room? I think it'd be great if you took some of the RTP character sets, desaturated them in GIMP or Photoshop so that they're completely greyscale, then import them and use them as random statues placed around the room. Very foreboding. >

 

(it's a Medusa reference for those who don't get it)

Edited January 6, 2013 by EraYachi

[Tow 6]

EraYachi is right. Statues are IMPORTANT!

[CompassNL 4]

Thanks for the tips! I've added some stone statues

[kayden997 84]

@Tharis
I love the results so far. And from the looks of it, a lot of time when into it.

One thing I should mention is that, for a forest, the ground is a bit bare.

Then again, it boils down to personal preference on how much ground decoration should be used. To me, I feel the upper areas need more definition.
Still, great map.

@Tow

In this map, the levels are odd. For instance, there's no clear ending at the bottoms of the cliffs (they don't round off as they should with the tile set).
I may also add that some shadows at the edges of the cliffs are floating and don't belong there.

And to keep consistency, you might want to add a shadow extension on the hill where the towers are.

Simple map, but very effective. Great work.

 

@CompassNL

I'm pretty sure these are sectioned off, so I'll just start from top to bottom.

For the first map, I feel it's a wee-bit to dark where the arrows are. I know the arrows, being a bright green, are suppose to shine to the player, but the darkness covers up the middle entrance; a bit to much in my opinion.

For the second, I really like the atmosphere. Those precious moments where the boss is just a few walking spaces away... Really gotta capture that feel in a short amount of time. A minor thing I did notice was the celling connecting to the pillars. Not really necessary but logically one would expect the wall to extend out instead of the pillars being connected loosely. Simply fix it up by making it straight like the other celling parts. Another small thing I would like to suggest is the ground variation. If possible, place some destroyed floor bricks to make this place more... Ancient.

Not much for the third one... Although, the darkness around could contain glowing eyes of enemies (to which they attack the player from a distance/appear). Oooooo, the possibilities you get to play with!

 

--EDIT--

 

@CompassNL

Wow, indeed that statue is realistic.

On a side note, it that a level up from the player, then how did that lantern get there?

Not much else to critique

Edited January 6, 2013 by kayden997

[CompassNL 4]

Thanks alot! Really good feedback

 

the lantern needs to be placed in another spot. The statue actually slides to the left when you enter this dungeon. It creates the feeling of being trapped.

It is dark in there because you use the lantern to find the path.

[Tow 6]

@kayden997

And to keep consistency, you might want to add a shadow extension on the hill where the towers are.

 

What do you exactly mean?

[pxlgraphic 16]

I really like it, Compass. It reminds me of the temple I'm currently working on for Wake. Maybe add some cracks in the floor or use some other statue tilesets to be more realistic.