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[Thardus]

I'm fairly new to pixel work and have mainly stuck with small stuff up until now, but I'm doing a new title screen for Wizard Tower and need some advice on how to make it look good.

So:
The title itself I consider looking good enough to call it done, but if anyone has comments or problems with it I'll take those into account.

The buttons, ignore those for now. They are the 'old' buttons made by the game's programmer and I haven't modified them yet. I'll be getting around to it later. I don't mind suggestions on how they -should- look though.


The subject here is the background for the title screen. As you can see I have a VERY messy rough in place. Regarding this section,

* The perspective is off. I could play around with it, but if anyone has an easier method for determining the correct arcs other than eyeballing it, it would be helpful.

* Lighting. It feels bland to me right now. I'd like to add some contrast and color to it. I'd also like to have the tower be visible and interesting without so blatantly cheating the lighting direction... Actually, now that I think of it, some torches might add interest.

* How does one generally go about detailing and cleaning up this sort of thing? Are there particular techniques to make it look pixel-art-y? I really haven't done this before.

* Any and all other suggestions are appreciated.

[Inane]

I personally don't think the perspective is a problem.
On the issue side, first, your palette. It's got a lot of colors (86) but most of them come from the buttons so it's not an issue. You're using pure greys a bunch in the night time; the greys should have blue hue to them given the lighting (the lighting on the tower in general is pretty bright, actually, but eh, whatevs). I didn't change the dark greys which was kinda stupid since those would actually be the ones with the least of their own color information.
You should also use a warm yellow instead of a cool yellow for the Wizard's, it'll probably go better with the blue background.

My main problem with the screen is that you're ignoring a lot of things that make night time lighting interesting, like your tower remains evenly lit and visible even when it gets further away. The only lightsource, barring torches, should be the moon. I made it a bit more interesting by making the side not facing the moon fade in to the sky. You could also make the very left side of the tower dark enough to blend in with the trees, for more realism and ambience.

How does one generally go about detailing and cleaning up this sort of thing? Are there particular techniques to make it look pixel-art-y? I really haven't done this before.

This is probably gonna suck. Large object patterned with bricks of differing sizes Just start in one area and spread outward, cleaning up and adding detail. Not sure what you mean by giving it a pixel art look, I guess just use hard edges when you can and some subtle dithering.

Disclaimer: I'm tired so this post might be stupid.

[Thardus]

You're using pure greys a bunch in the night time; the greys should have blue hue to them given the lighting (the lighting on the tower in general is pretty bright, actually, but eh, whatevs). I didn't change the dark greys which was kinda stupid since those would actually be the ones with the least of their own color information.
You should also use a warm yellow instead of a cool yellow for the Wizard's, it'll probably go better with the blue background.

Good points. I've been told again and again that straight grey is a bad thing but for some reason I keep using them anyway. I'll go in and try and recolor it more interesting/natural.

My main problem with the screen is that you're ignoring a lot of things that make night time lighting interesting, like your tower remains evenly lit and visible even when it gets further away. The only lightsource, barring torches, should be the moon. I made it a bit more interesting by making the side not facing the moon fade in to the sky. You could also make the very left side of the tower dark enough to blend in with the trees, for more realism and ambience.

Indeeeed. Darkness and atmospheric perspective, two things I seem to have forgotten. I think I was focusing so much on "THIS IS A TOWER " that I forgot everything I know about proper lighting. I'll try going in, filling black over the tower,and pull the light segments out. It's gotten me better night-style shading in the past and my brain seems to understand it better that way.

This is probably gonna suck. Large object patterned with bricks of differing sizes Just start in one area and spread outward, cleaning up and adding detail. Not sure what you mean by giving it a pixel art look, I guess just use hard edges when you can and some subtle dithering.

I shall do my best! Thankee. The advice is much-appreciated!

[Thardus]

How's about now?

[shig]

much better

[Inane]

one think that I like to do, which isn't a rule of any sort, is using a really dark grey instead of pitch black. I find that it gives any art a really polished touch for some reason.

Disagree! Depends on what you're making but I think avoiding pure black (except in high-key pictures, in which it can still be used to grab attention) makes things duller.

But yeah, I like the newer version, Thardus

[caffeine]

I think you should lower the brightness of the background and up the contrast on that title, since that's the most important part "next to the buttons" on the TITLEscreen.

Something like this maybe?