Menu bg critique

**ingedoom** · 03-14-2013, 12:22 AM

Hi everyone. I've made this main menu background and I would very much like your opinions on it. Please let me know what you find cool about it, and what you think needs improvement.

Spoiler below!

Thanks a lot in advance.

Edit: Linked new improved BG

**CarnivorousJelly** · 03-14-2013, 05:19 AM

I really like the idea you've presented!

I would add a few decals and some particle systems to the area, maybe some fog, dust and dirt in the air. Also, the lighting is slightly bland. Try increasing the contrast between the lit area (near the lantern) and the unlit area (the castle walls) by decreasing the brightness of your ambient light.

That last bit in plain English: make the area nearest the lantern the brightest and make everything else noticeably darker.

Also, there are some lovely dead rose entities in the Justine expansion that you could use to break up the monotony of the orchids. You don't have to though; it still looks really nice as it is!

All that being said, I really like how you hung the lantern on the shovel. I don't think I have ever seen one hung like that before.

Apologies if that didn't entirely make sense; I tend to ramble and stop making sense every now and then. If you want me to clarify what I meant at any point, let me know.

You might be able to get some better (read: more helpful) criticism for this over at the Screenshot Criticism Thread

**ingedoom** · 03-14-2013, 07:36 AM

You made perfect sense! =) Thanks for the good advice! Maybe a spotlight or two would do the trick?

**CarnivorousJelly** · 03-14-2013, 10:56 PM

(03-14-2013, 07:36 AM)ingedoom Wrote: You made perfect sense! =) Thanks for the good advice! Maybe a spotlight or two would do the trick?

A spotlight wouldn't be necessary, but it would cast some really nice shadows and, since this is a menu bg, you can get away with concentrating a lot of detail into one area like that.

**Adrianis** · 03-15-2013, 03:52 PM

See if theres something clever you could do to cover up the mud texture on the left hand side of the grave, it looks quite stretched up close. Sorry I can't elaborate on 'something clever', I'm no great mapper Smile

**ingedoom** · 03-15-2013, 04:02 PM

(03-15-2013, 03:52 PM)Adrianis Wrote: ... cover up the mud texture on the left hand side of the grave, it looks quite stretched up close.

The only thing i can think of would be changing the camera angle, but i would rather. :/ Perhaps i should try it anyway, since i've already given up on most of the background which is what i had the angle for anyway.

**Adrianis** · 03-15-2013, 04:10 PM

If the angle is slightly higher and to the left perhaps you get get some tips of the grass to cover the closer side, or keep this angle and make the lighting more contrasted so there is more focus on the gravestone & areas toward the back and center, so the textures up close draw a little less attention

**ingedoom** · 03-16-2013, 04:32 PM

I've made a lot of changes this time. I added some PS's, changed the angle of the camera, added more decals grass and a few entities. Also i put the menu text further to the lower right and made a point light instead of a bow light.

The question is; how do you like it now?