Backgrounds

[ED]

Well I should start up a topic asking basicly how would I go creating a good looking background for a game I was thinking of making. I can draw fairly good backgrounds on paper and then scan them but my biggest problem is when it comes to colouring them and making the lighting look right anyone get any tips? On the computer I mean not on paper.

[AnxiousApe]

Well, it depends on what you use. You'd need a package like Paint Shop Pro if you don't already have one. I know that has a lighting effect becuase I use it

[Joshi]

Depends on the kind of backgrounds you want. remember, you'll need a certain style for your game. Think about Monkey island, MI1 and 2 had a very different style to COMI

 

think about colour style and where the light is actually coming from. if it's a scene outdoors, then is there a sun, or moon, if not, then create one, you'd be surprised how much one would help. if it's indoors, then any lamps, candles, lights. where would the shadows go. This is where layers come in handy so your best tool would be PSP or photoshop. It also depends on if you want a contrast from light to dark or not in which case contrasting colours come in handy. have a look at this pic.

 

look at where part of the fort blocks out the light and casts a shadow.there is a direct contrast between the light portion of the wall and the shadow, blue, and yellow. also remember that this take place at night and there is a definate difference in the colour of the whole picture to if it was in daylight. you can see that most of it is blue and this creates the idea of night time. if in day light, there would be a lot more varied colours, like here.

 

 

here, there are a lot warnmer colours, lots of reds and oranges and yellow. see even where it sems to be green, thereis a hint of red, that's how to make a scene warmer (don't spend too much time looking at guybrush, in a game, it is difficult to change the colour tone of a person or object depending on where he is).

 

 

now take a look of this. i brought your attention to this because of the idea of depth, things are a lot more clearer closer up and so if you look at the mountains in the background, they get lighter the father away they go. this is always a good effect to use.

 

hope this helps.

 

for more of my pics, go here.