Screenshot Critique Thread: Read Rules Before Posting!

[HumanNinja 144]

@Chaos17: I like the originality of the type/location of the farm. It's very unique and lots of nice colors. One of my votes in the contest went to you BTW. The only thing I would maybe change about the map is to add some dirt patches around the paths that the people would be walking on the most (for instance, I think dirt patches would look better than the boards on the path to the well). Very nice looking map though.

 

 

This first pic is of the temple/fortress of the League of Elements in my game. I used some tiles by Celianna and some stuff from XP and VXAce.

 

This next pic is of the same place but further up the map. Forgive the blue line across the screen. The screenshot apparently captured a text box as it was closing. I created the stained glass windows myself but added a modified version of the angel battler in the middle one. The five statues are XP sprites that I changed a bit.

 

In these two pics, can you notice the mirror image of the glass on the floors? I tried to create the effect of sunlight coming through. I also plan to use a lighting script to make some subtle changes as well.

 

Also, do the images seem to match the DS sprite in color and art style? I tried to give everything a pastel color/hue.

[Lihinel 21]

@HumanNinja: I don't really see the mirror image.

Some might say, that the maps are too big/empty.

Peronally I think they are okay, but I tend to get that kind of critisism myself, so my opinion might be biased.

Though if you want to fill some space, maybe move the armors from the small corridors on the left/right to the middle and place them one tile away from the wall.

 

@Topic: Giving my early stuff a makeover, my world/land map in this case:

 

Old versions:

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2014 by Lihinel

[+ Brackev 66]

@HumanNinja I don't see the mirror image as well. Are we missing on overlay for these images? On the first pic, consider making the left-right halls one more tile bigger so we can see the stone down from the inlay. Also, no shadow for the archway is needed because the light source is coming from below it. I think the color and style matches the DS well.

[Tsarmina 2,612]

@HumanNinja: I see the mirror image! It's really faint, but I can see it. In your first map, the shadow of the arch is nice, but it's a little awkward since the chandelier doesn't have a shadow, and neither do the flag/tapestry/thingies. Unless they're ghosts. :S

[Chaos17 31]

@YummyTiger : I always try to be carefull when I do parallax that you can move freely around and play it.

 

 

@HumanNinja : thanks for the idea and your support but I think my map was too cluttered to the taste of people in general

I mean that I fear that if I add too much details (like your idea) people may dislike me more.

 

Though, when I can I usually try to make a path like in this village that I'm working on : http://puu.sh/5Xu0h.png

I wanted to try a different style of mapping for the contest, that why I didn't not do the same that I usually do.

I gues, I was wrong.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Chaos17

[HumanNinja 144]

@Lihinal: I fixed the window reflection to pop more. The big empty space is intentional. This area will be filled with NPCs in-game (it's sort of a guild headquarters).  On another note, I like your newer versions better. It all seems to meld together well. I would change the icon type images on the bottom map though, they look plain compared to the ones on the top map.

 

 

@HumanNinja I don't see the mirror image as well. Are we missing on overlay for these images? On the first pic, consider making the left-right halls one more tile bigger so we can see the stone down from the inlay. Also, no shadow for the archway is needed because the light source is coming from below it. I think the color and style matches the DS well.

 @Brackev: I'm not quite sure what you mean about the inlay. If you mean the ceiling tiles overlapping the wall it's because it overlaps the characters as well to add some depth. If that's not what you're talking about, could you elaborate please?

 

@Tsarmina and Brackev: I fixed the shadow for the archway. I added a light source there at a later point and completely spaced about that shadow, thanks for pointing it out.

 

@Chaos17: Let the haters hate! Nice looking town map though. That's exactly what I was talking about with the dirt paths.

 

New versions of the temple/fortress screenies; I've added the light effects to the map now. The entire room is just a bit darker than normal. The light effects on the window panes are static. The hint of yellow between the window and it's reflection is part of the overlay.

 

 

On this map, the lights flicker just a tad to simulate torch/candle light. (The torches also are on stepping to make the flames move).

[+ Brackev 66]

@HumanNinja You have a black pathway over dark-brown stone. I wanted to see the brown stone on both sides of it.

[Luchino 7]

@HumanNinja: I would suggest adding a faint lighting overlay to give the effect that sunlight is streaming through the windows as well. Right now, it just looks like a mirror image on the floor but with no real definite lighting source. But keep the effect subtle. Nothing kills a map more than overdone lighting effects.

 

I've always liked posting in the Screenshot thread. You'll get to know me soon enough. =)

 

Here's one of mine. I'm an editor mapper.

[Cecillia 652]

@Luchino

Seems plentiful and not empty, but I kinda find it strange to see the diverse amount of tree types in an area like that. Especially the palm trees. It's just me, but it kinda feels out of place, but I'm unaware of the context of the story/world. Nevertheless, it feels great and the rustic ambience is pretty.

[Chaos17 31]

@HumanNinja : try to make smaller room, easier to make a shape of them and put details. Big maps are hard to handle because you will need to work on the floor so much so it won't feel empty. I know that I said that people disliked cluttered map but look at the lovely Luchino map and other populars maps, they've alaways a lot of details in them.

 

Youhouu Luchinooo~

I like your mapping whenever you use tilisets or parallax

Edited April 3, 2014 by Chaos17

[HumanNinja 144]

So I've made some more changes due to advice/comments from some people.

 

 

On this one, I added some light beams coming from the windows and down onto the stained glass reflections. I also added a bunch of the npc events. This room is wide open because it's a common room/lobby for the guild. There will probably always be one or two npcs here but there will be specific plot scenes that take place here as well. It's big and empty for this purpose.

 

 

 

On this part of the map, I've removed the marble/carpet part because I've been convinced it was not needed. I made some changes to the arches as well. I also made a way for the two npcs to be able to leave their desks. I'm probably gonna add some suits of armor along both sides of the vertical hallway as well.

 

Any feedback on these is appreciated. I'm trying to figure out how to do my indoor maps and I will carry the tips/tricks I get for these with me while creating the rest of my indoor maps.

[Cecillia 652]

@HumanNinja Looks great! I personally would make the light window/parallax thing a bit brighter or higher opacity personally so I can see pretty details/lights, but I have a feeling it might make the ambience weird, but just something to test out

[HumanNinja 144]

I think I'm going to do away with the reflections except for over the water. And I'll try tweaking the brightness of the sunlight a bit.

[+ Myst88 87]

@Luchino

As usual a beautiful map, though I agree with Cecillia, the palm trees look outta place.

 

Some maps I'm currently working on.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Mirage88

[Cecillia 652]

@Mirage

Really liking the tinted ambience and sunlight. It looks really pleasant!

This is just a personal pet peeve of mine, but with lighting like that, I'd parallax the shadows instead of leaving the auto-shadows.

[+ Myst88 87]

I'll try experimenting with shadows.

For some reason it just never occurred to me to do the shadows myself :/

[+ Tuomo L 116]

@Human Ninja

 

I get what you're trying to do with the first screenshot, however I don't think it really works as intended. The glass reflection would be colorful but not exactly like that and it just looks really weird.

 

In your second screenshot, I think the lightning creates a really odd perspective issue with the arcs since they seem to hang lower than the arcs, yet the light cross over the arc. I also think the upper light is a bit too down from the light souce (the upper chandier)

 

 

Testing the lightning for the tavern.

[Tsarmina 2,612]

@Mr Big T: The lighting effects are pretty faint, which I guess is expected of torches like that. Throwing a little reflection on the curved rock walls around the torches would give it a more luminous quality, if that's what you like.

[+ Brackev 66]

@Mr Big T: The darkness is just at the point where things become visable. I find myself leaning in to try to make out basic details, which isn't a good sign for me. You can still get the feeling that it's dimly lit if it's a little (just a touch) brighter.

[_elvenheart 11]

@Mr Big T: Your mapping style is good! But I guess for a tavern, it is too dark. Adding some candles on the tables will help.  

 

 

Airship port from my game : 

 

 

 

 

 

The pillars below them holds the ships above the ground. Haha.

[J0pac 20]

@_elvenheart::OOOOOOO Best airship port I've seen so far ,though I haven't seen many but still...

Did you make those little propellers yourself?Anyway It looks awesome and using the pillars to make ships stand above ground was very clever,I'll definitely steal that for my airship port if I'll ever make one

As for improvement,the only thing I can think of are adding some grass and flowers on cliffs behind the house but that's not really necessary.Oh and maybe some tree shadows.

 

So I've made two battle huds for my game and I can't decide which one to use.

 

 

 

The red pulse on characters faces is AT bar

 

 

Think I like this one a bit more,but I don't know where to put the AT bar.

 

So which one do you think is better?

 

 

[+ Myst88 87]

@J0pac

Both are pretty cool but I prefer the 2nd one personally. As for the AT bar maybe do the same as what you did in the first one?

[Tsarmina 2,612]

I prefer the second one in terms of practicality (alignment of numbers and such) but I also like the first one design-wise. In the second one, I think those boxes (for status effects, I'm guessing) kind of interrupt the fluid flow of what you have so far.

[+ DarthVollis 59]

@J0pac

 

I really like the second one the most. The first one is hard to see and does not feel quite right for a game that I would enjoy.

 

I decided to post a screenshot of my finished HUD for my project and see what everyone thinks.

 

 

Little Note: Below the hearts (hearts to increase as you progress through the game) is a magic bar. Right now it is not activated.

[_elvenheart 11]

@J0pac: Haha. Yeah, those propellers are mine. And the pillar thing? It is suggested by my little brother, he said that the propellers might get damaged if I let the airship on the ground.

And for the HUD... In my opinion, the second one is better. I dunno, but it really caught my eye, and it really fits the turn-based battle system. Good work!

Edited April 13, 2014 by _elvenheart