21 replies to this topic

[dunkejudas]

Ok, so this is the environment concept thread. It's purpose is to get a feeling for the world the game takes place in and as a starting point for further 3d, concepts or level design. Concepts, reference images or other inspirational environmental stuff goes here. Feel free to contribute or comment! Let's find out what the world of Grymleif looks like

I started on some environment concepts. Currently I'm just fleshing out some ideas for scenery, mood, colors and weather, so if you find some of it cool, or completly off, let me know!

I've been having a somewhat English/Scottish/nordic scenery in my mind as a base. I think highland'ish envirnonments would look really cool. Also, historically correctness was not my first priority when doing these concepts..









Ok, so that's it for now! I'll be doing some more in-between other tasks

[duke_Qa]

As I said on msn, GET THIS OUT ON THE FORUMS NAOW.

My favorite right now is probably the dock-city, I just love the masonry and the houses.

The one with (I Think) Grymleif looking over a Asterix&Obelix village has a nice mood and colors, all that it misses are some sheep/goats standing next to him or something .

the green field will be very nice reference for a open map, perhaps a in-between villages type map.

The fog concept reminds me of Sleepy hollow for some reason, I feel the fear in those schmucks stuck up in the watchtower. Not a big fan of the bended roof-boards though, the straight ones are better imo. Also, I think the Saxons aren't very fond of fresh grass on top of their houses, Grain-straw is dryer, looks more autumny/repressed and more prone to fire

[dunkejudas]

Cool, thanks

Sheeps/Goats is a great idea! We must definitely include that! (I can already imagine this stupid critter sheep going around, minding it's own businiess )

And I'll ditch the bendy-roof-beams in the future! Grain-straw sounds more correct too!

[Bart]

Nice concepts. Really professional quality art on this game.

I think this project deserves some more exposure. Maybe you could make a site + development blog?

[dunkejudas]

Thanks man

A website/development blog would be cool. We should get one! Maybe it would make recruitment easier and morale better as well?

Anyway, I've been going around with pictures of sheep in my head since you mentioned it, duke. So here's a possible concept for a sheep farm/mountainish village



No more bendy or grassy rooftops!

[duke_Qa]

I'll look into a blog system, nag DLOTS and figure out what is the quickest way to get something okay up and running.

love the sheep, blackheaded are the best imo . Nice doors too, build with what you have and all that.

Grassy roofs aren't bad by themselves, I think they might fit better in a mountainous area than they do in a coastal area: Coasts are wet, which makes the earth on the roofs moist and saggy and more likely to leak/break the house; also, plants grows differently and can be more picky about building up resistant roots to keep the dirt from sliding off in a proper rainstorm. mountains on the other hand have less rain, more resilient plants that can lasts weeks without any proper watering, and looks more the sort

Thatching is good stuff for small villages near coasts with big plains for raw material around. Sod roof/Turf roof is more for foresty/mountainy areas where you have access to birch bark to waterproof the roof below the turf.

Shingle or Shake is good for them semi-elite buildings. Slices of wood/paper/whatever held together with glue of different sorts.

Imbrex and Tegula is more for the high-and-mighty buildings. Clay tiles or other more rare materials. The super elite buildings can have bronze or gilded tiles, which wasn't unheard of back in the day.



Saxon architecture might be more useful in the future, as those are the supposedly bad-guys we have, we probably should look for buildings in that style. The article says they use a lot of thatch, so we are in luck there . I'm imagining as we go deeper into the heart of darkness, we will see more and more big blocky buildings in darker colors than the local architecture.


Sorry for the big post, I just figured adding some research on different roof styles might be relevant for the future

[dunkejudas]

It will most certainly prove relevant
Thanks alot for all the links! Got a lot of ideas from it! And I think its a great idea going from more farmlike wooden vikingish houses to anglo saxon stone houses/towers/churches/castles/whatever as the game progresses!

Thatched roofs coming up!

Edited by dunkejudas, 23 May 2010 - 01:32 PM.

[duke_Qa]

Good stuff, good stuff. I did test out the new brushes in photoshop yesterday on a small enviroment. I'm not pleased at all but at least its training

Might as well upload it here, but it won't steal your thunder



bah, this screen is horrible. better muddy things up a bit to avoid the neons.
Bit better now, can't polish a turd forever as they say. I am going to need to study your concepts more and learn shading a bit better, then colors

Edited by duke_Qa, 23 May 2010 - 03:54 PM.

[dunkejudas]

Really cool!
Great that you're contributing. Cool stones as well. Those could break up the silhouette of background hills (or similar clean terrain) nicely.

And as for shading and stuff, I believe the concepts provide just as much guidance without any fancy shading. I know I've taken alot of inspiration and ideas from your line drawings and sketches on this forum so far!
(and not to derail the topic or anything, but I've made a quick gif with every 5 layers in Photoshop or something of the port-concept.. If you're interested in the workflow or something --> http://i48.tinypic.com/x40vbk.gif)

[Boomerang Python]

Oh crap... I just made some kind of logo for the blog/site thing header using the concept pics on the site... (which are TINY)... i knew i should have looked here first!

Oh well.. It turned out alright anyways, and I too like the dock village one the most!

[Gen.Kenobi]

O.O

Will this piece of art be free?

You guys are doing a super-PRO job... I'm speechless...

[dunkejudas]

Yea, I suppose it'll be free
Thanks..

Ok, so, well, I've been trying to make some more elite saxon buildings made out of stone or the likes.. Sorry for the Monkey Island colors on the second one. Things got out of hand! (but then again it's kinda cool...)





I suppose the buildings are a bit exaggerated, but I thought it would be cool with some somewhat large buildings resembling monasteries or some sort of castle keep. Let me know what you think!

@Boomerang: I have most of the concept pieces in a bit higher resolution on my hard drive if that's needed later on. I'm not sure the images are detailed enough to look good in higher resolution, though.

[duke_Qa]

It is after all a 2d sidescroller we are making, tall buildings are a must for most maps. I don't really mind the colors on the second one, it gives you that evil elite ballroom feeling which should work just fine.

the first one is my favorite though, it really has the right style to it. It has that churchly posture to it, yet is probably what the Saxons would whip together over a night with a few hundred slaves

[Botjer]

wow i really love these pics guys.
exaggeration isnt bad as long as it is in-style

[Gen.Kenobi]

I really love all art you guys have made so far!

[Boomerang Python]

How about some concept of the final boss castle, mate? Would get me some inspiration I think, to get cracking again..

[dunkejudas]

I'm on it!
I think it would look cool to mix up some of the anglo saxon arcitecture we're already closing in on combined with more traditional castles (like this http://steventill.co...over_castle.jpg) to get a somewhat correct, but still badass looking final setting.

However, the crazy overtime at work is back, so It'll go slower than usual.. :(

EDIT: Also, what do you think about the castle's location? I think it'll look cool with a snowy, up-in-the-mountains location or something like that. Suggestions or tips appreciated!

Edited by dunkejudas, 29 May 2010 - 12:26 AM.

[Botjer]

maybe we could put layers in the background where you could glimpse the coming levels?

[Boomerang Python]

Yes, a wintery scenery would be epic, up in some mountains in the highlands, also go for that castle idea sounds coolio.

@botjer I've been thinking about how we're gonna do the backgrounds.. I guess we'd have some sort of several layers of background images with alphas at different distances from the camera to make it feel realistic mixed with random 3d models perhaps, maybe we could have the layer furthest back be a representation of the next level or something..

[duke_Qa]

Ooh, we like those kinda castles on hills, gives potential for Y-dimension funstuff. Winter terrain sounds awesome, makes for some kill-bill esque showdown with the big-bad, full moon blue white snow dark blue masonry, bonfires, purple/green/cyan fires of magical doom, that sort of stuff.