Screenshot Critique Thread: Read Rules Before Posting!

[+ Myst88 87]

@MISTER BIG T: Did you mean the two floating white fogs? If so thats what I'm using for enemies on the map. (Trying to avoid random encounters)

 

The changes are decent enough to make me consider the commercial version. But then again I'm a sucker for original artwork.

[Darkanine 116]

@MISTER BIG T

In my honest opinion, I kind of prefer the older artwork, it's more generic looking, yes but the new ones look a bit smudged. They're both good and the new ones do look very unique though.

Everything else looks much nicer, especially the mapping and sprites.

 

@Mirage88

Much nicer, then before, only thing I can see wrong is it might be a bit hard to see the sprite under the large trees. Very nice work.

 

@Bizarre Monkey

Digging that artstyle, very unique and cartoony.

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

A more updated (but not finished) version of the map, showing the Kitchen and parents room as well. I actually couldn't remove the chest due to Parallax issues (I might remake the entire map, this is more of a test). Combined with a YEA message script edit I've been testing out.

[+ Tuomo L 116]

 

@MISTER BIG T: Did you mean the two floating white fogs? If so thats what I'm using for enemies on the map. (Trying to avoid random encounters)

 

The changes are decent enough to make me consider the commercial version. But then again I'm a sucker for original artwork.

 

 

Yeah, I meant that. Wow, it's a neat idea then, sorry about the confusion!

 

 

Thank you, I hope you truly will consider a purchase since I've spent 3 years improving on the commercial version and have spent quite a lot of my personal money to fund it.  This game features monsters animated by an Ex-Disney animator so you know they're going to look wicked awesome. 

 

@MISTER BIG T

In my honest opinion, I kind of prefer the older artwork, it's more generic looking, yes but the new ones look a bit smudged. 

 

The new ones also feature blinking and mouth movement during the dialogues, which is rarely seen in RPG Maker games.

 

 

I feel the handpainted touch adds to the game's cutscenes, this may be just my personal opinion. I think some was lost in the video recording though since these are very high quality paintings. 

 

 

Keep in mind that this is merely fraction, everything has been overhauled from base gameplay, story and music and showcasing every change would make for a very long video.

 

Also your map has several things that stick out to me; you use what looks like streetwalk indoors and it looks really weird. It also looks weird how there's laundry basket in the normal room, I'd imagine that's somewhere like bathroom or something. The oven seems odd when it's pushed a bit more front like that, you should remove the piece of counter behind and put the oven there. The plant is blocking the way to the shelves, you need to change its position as well since no person would want to kick around the plant. You're missing a freezer but have a television and a phone both in kitchen. Why is there only one window in the house and it's located directly over the daughter's bed? 

[Ympker 14]

Well, didn't get to map on my village the last days, however here some feedback for you guys :

 

@Bizarre Monkey : I really fell in love with that art style of yours. Keep the good work up

 

@Darkanine : Looks very clean&good to me Good work!

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Mister Big T: Big fan of your painted art style.  That image above is really telling of the tragic thing that is happening.

@Mirage88: Yes! So pleased someone knows to avoid random encounters, that's a neat way of doing it, too, whilst saving you from working on character sets.

@Darkanine: D'aw, thanks! Hoping I can make the whole game look that way! Loving your Map set up, I think you could get away with extending the floor space of the kitchen up a few tiles unless the house demonstrates from it's exterior that such space is non-existent. Half the fun of making a game is thinking of how it all goes together, how it's all constructed and merged into a world. Though that may be more my thing since I used to make 3D cardboard models of houses and facilities when I was little.

@Ympker: Thanks, I didn't get a whole lot done today, WoW took over again. xD
However, I did begin on optional bosses, here's one you can fight early on, experimenting currently with different text, since bolded arial is very boring.

One for system (menus, etc), one specifically for dialogue.
 

Edited October 18, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[Nicke 151]

@Bizzare Monkey: Looks good but yeah you could change the font I guess.

 

Here is two new screenshots from me...

 

Edited October 19, 2014 by Nicke

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Nicke: Cavern of ice looks weird, what with roof tiles being the floor. Cavern of Fire looks good though.

 

My productivity has been shocking lately. Did start working a little on Perseverance, though.

[+ Tuomo L 116]

@Bizarre Monkey I am sorry but your UI is way too huge, it obstructs part of the map. Do you really need the big ass portrait of the guy? What's the point of the arrow keys and the blood splattered A button? Couldn't this UI be optimized and organized far better and maybe even split the weapon somewhere else on the screen (if you even need to see it at all times)?

 

Also what's with the text in the lower left screen, is that in game? Because if so, you need to change that since I can barely read the pink font text. I also think that the placement of the UI should be at the top where your eyes more naturally are so that you'd be more aware of your health at all times.

 

 

 

 

Lightning for the Ice Cave and footsteps engine test for Save your Mother.

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Mister Big T: The UI only looks bad due to placement in the shots, the maps are designed around it, it's never an obstruction during gameplay.

As for the power up text, there's very few maps in which the font is hard to see. It's also on the top corners of the map.

See? I suppose if I get more complaints about it I can always add a black border to it.

Also the argument of having UI at the top is really pretty much down to preference. DooM95, Iji, and several other games I can think of have all the UI down the bottom, and again is designed around that fact so it's never obstructive.

 

As for your map, I like it, but I have to question if the sprite belongs there, looks out of place.

Oh, right.

Here we go! Bit of an adjustment to the Galaxion entryway. The Obelisks are gonna be replaced with something more fitting for Galaxion healing facilities, probably Plasma-inductors.

 

So as we draw ever closer to the eventual release of Menagerie: Remastered, it'll be more common for animated epics like the one that follows to be on display. Do your best to not be alarmed, it's just picture cutscenes, any amateur can do 'em.

That about 5 days of work goes into ones of this size and scale just means I'm devoted. A special thanks to MoneyMenace for writing the music for not only this cutscene, but for the whole game.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[+ Tuomo L 116]

The sprite is the main character actually. About your screenshot I think the scale is a bit off, is that green thing a spaceship or what? Also that logo on the bottom building or whatever doesn't look good and it's almost out of the building.

 

 

 

Anyway, I did upload this earlier and no screenshot would ever do it justice so

 

[Hoodlum 0]

First post I guess. Hi, guys.

 

@Big T: That boss looks so punchable, in a good way, probably. It somewhat reminds me of a Castle Crashers-ish design, especially with that bellybutton butt, or whatever is hanging out on the front part of the boss (giggle). The only thing I find a bit off is that the boss looks too crisp in contrast to the background. In other words, it seems like two different styles are colliding.

 

 

Here's some shots of my project. The whole game takes place on a train, with unrealistically huge rooms in order to make it playable.

 

 

 

 

I think this is the comfiest room. I animated the kid playing on an ukulele, and recording a chill little tune that he plays to.

 

 

Mirror effect made with eventing.

 

 

 

I don't really like the rightmost plant. Going to fix it when I can.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts?

[+ Tuomo L 116]

@Big T: That boss looks so punchable, in a good way, probably. It somewhat reminds me of a Castle Crashers-ish design, especially with that bellybutton butt, or whatever is hanging out on the front part of the boss (giggle). The only thing I find a bit off is that the boss looks too crisp in contrast to the background. In other words, it seems like two different styles are colliding.

 

It's actually this thing the spider spins its web from, I forget the english name. The background is actually just as crisp, my editing software and youtube just butchered some of the quality. 

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Mister Big T: It's called a Spinneret. Christ that video is morbid but in a sort of way in that I want to witness it firsthand. Also on the note of the map, I do plan to make the logo a bit more blended, as for the ship, it was impractical in a large size, it also clipped through the tileset, so I decided that practicality superceded the need for accurate scale.

@Hoodlum: I agree it does look like a bellybutton. Also as for your screenshots and idea, I love the atmosphere of them, and a game that takes place on a train? Just sign me up. I love trains.

Alright, so no more screenshots for now, but i got this great cutscene here.

I will be swapping the order of the last two panels.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[Ympker 14]

Yo Bizarre Monkey!

I have been quite busy lately, so had no time to map or check the forums, but it is great to see you have made magnificent progress there Keep up the GOOD WORK!

Looking forward to seeing more

Cheers,

Ympker

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

Thanks Ympker! Work has resumed on Menagerie: Remastered full swing! I've been making art consistent across all of it.


Gonna make Gerald a 3/4 angle character later.

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

I hope you butts got insurance cause I'm about to wreck your minds. This video that you are to see, the boss and all of the mechanics, evented... not a single script is used. (Sans for one cosmetic thing.)

Fights of this magnitude can take several days to fully complete.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[+ Tuomo L 116]

It's nice looking battle but I think the background image of the city really clashes with the rest of the sprite stuff and the drawn stuff.

 

 

Testing the high resolution.

 

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

It's nice looking battle but I think the background image of the city really clashes with the rest of the sprite stuff and the drawn stuff.

I guess that's just too bad!

 

 

Testing the high resolution.

snop

Nice! But uh...

 

Will this mean you have to make every map, like, 35x25 tiles big or something?

 

Oh! I've got something to show, hang on lemme dig it up.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[Shuji 8]

@MISTER BIG T: I think that your screen is a bit poor of details. And the trees seems disposed ramdomly xD
@Bizarre Monkey: Your screens are nice, maybe if you add some light/fog effect they will become much better^^ 

Here is mine! I tried the old jrpg style with 16x16 tiles. I did this in a few hours by parallaxing.

 

I really love this style, but I need to get used to it xD

 

EDIT: just to avoid misunderstandings, I used Seiken Densetsu 3 tiles just to try out this new style. I'm not going to use them in a hypotetical game made by me. 

Edited November 12, 2014 by Shuji

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Shuji: That actually looks pretty cool. Not a fan of the undershading, but that's likely personal preference more than a problem. I can't personally stand purple-shading. It looks really weird.

 

The map is very enchanting, so that's a good start!

 

Alright, my turn!

That'll be available to play in about sixteen hours, folks.

[Ronoke 20]

Just an empty room. Will fill it with furniture later.

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Ronoke: So good so far, love the atmosphere present.

 

I'm gonna remind everyone of the big rule of this thread, Jonnie91 made it and i think it's genious, even if you don't post an object for feedback, you need to give feedback.

 

Ron isn't the only offender, and I'm not crassing anyone, just giving a reminder is all.

 

Oh yeah, that trailer for the game there, the game in question was released mere minutes ago, should be in The Gaming Lounge soon.

 

Now with that outta the way, the Iron Horde awaits.

[Bizarre Monkey 42]

@Mister Big T: With a resolution of that size you're gonna need a far more interesting map to convince me that it's even a necessary feature at all.

 

Whew the last cutscene for Menagerie: Remastered (the only one i hadn't done yet, not the last one in the game, shhh!) is basically done.

Now with that all outta the way, all that remains of progressive content is to fix up the flow of Postmartia, which also ties into optional content.

 

Then I can work on Optional content, where the fun never stops.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Bizarre Monkey

[Ympker 14]

@everyone

Sorry, I lack time these days so I'll keep it short and say: Good Job! Keep going

 

@Bizarre Monkey:

As for you, I have personal interest in your project, so here some feedback:

WOW! WOW! And WOW! I was just beibg away for a few weeks and you have mad this much progress! Magnifcently!

I wish I had time to work on my own maps aswell, but very busy with school atm, hence I cant map

Keep up the good work I didnt get to watch all of your videos yet, but the boss surely is awesome!

 

Best regards,

Ympker

[Anderson88 26]

@Bizarre Monkey:

I love the animations! The artwork is refreshing. The whole feel doesn't feel like RPG Maker, in a good way. 1:55 nsfw

 

I've been trying out the highly-acclaimed form of mapping called parallax mapping...

 

 

This is a sort of messed up place in space, where nothing makes sense. It seems to be a dead end, but things are hidden around the corners..