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Swimming Under Clouds official thread of hopes and 2D art

O

orioto

Good Art™
GameLogo.jpg

Well, i won't wait for someone to do it for me after all, it's more honest to do it myself !

We (me and Yacine Salmi, former Havoc dev) unveiled the game today.


Sketch_01bp.jpg
02p.jpg
01P.jpg

03P.jpg
05p.jpg


2D plateformer with physical engine and puzzle elements.

Uk Preview at beefjack.com
Interview about the game

Trailer here with ingame footage!!

Twitter of Piece of Pie (the studio name) : popstudios

It's really really early yet, but it's moving really fast. It should have made a good way in some weeks already :) You'll see a difference.

UPDATE: new trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rd1Hr3IzNE
 
G

Ghost Leviathan

Banned
Jesus that game is beautiful. Looks like it would be lovely to play too. A bit too arty with the music (I expected an old French guy to start doing a voice over) though otherwise stunning work.
 
C

Corto

Member
I'm completely in love with the autumnal melancholic feeling of the art... I read in your interview that you can't say for now in wich platforms the game will be released... but when do you think that you could disclose that info?
 
B

batbeg

Member
Looks okay, I guess. It's no touched up Sonic wallpaper though ;)

Joking, of course, it looks awesome. So happy you're putting work in this and that we get to see it now :)
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
Thx guys :)

Some little answers :

_ZephyrFate, you mean i'm better than Leonardo da Vinci :D

But seriously, no publisher yet, so it's developed on pc for now. We aim at HD consoles obviously, and downloadable plateforms. But we need hype, it will help us find some money to finish the project, hopefully.

The quality you see in the vid is far from the game, as a lot of little things are moving in hd, at 60 fps for now, and this particular world will be a lot more alive with some particle effect and all that.

And with that, we are really demanding with gameplay. I don't want it to be one of those pretty but short or light games. I want a good Yoshi Island meets Uniracer meets Toki Tori game:lol
 
C

Corto

Member
Thanks Orioto! Hope you get the financial support that you guys need. You can count on my small contribution of buying the game when it launchs. hehehehe I will keep a heads-up to your project, that's for sure... Good luck.
 
Z

ZephyrFate

Banned
personally, yes, I like you better than leonardo da vinci art-wise. but i could just be biased as I prefer modern art over classical
 
C

cuyahoga

Dudebro, My Shit is Fucked Up So I Got to Shoot/Slice You II: It's Straight-Up Dawg Time
Absolutely gorgeous. If you don't leave IGF with something close to a publishing deal, there is no justice in the world.
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
Thx again Guys ! This is really encouraging

cuyahoga said:
Absolutely gorgeous. If you don't leave IGF with something close to a publishing deal, there is no justice in the world.
Click to expand...

The demo we sent was somewhat rushed in term of level design, but we're going to have a better version really soon.

Even the graphics have improved a lot since the demo and the trailer lol.
 
S

SecretBonusPoint

Banned
I think the contrast between backgrounds and foreground needs editing a fair amount. On these shots and videos its just all the same shade of yellow, and its really hard on the eyes.

I think this is a common problem when a team sets out to make their first 2d game from just making static artwork before. The result is a lack of perceived depth to the game area and the action harder to follow because theres no clear foreground definition compared to whats behind it.
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
SecretBonusPoint said:
I think this is a common problem when a team sets out to make their first 2d game from just making static artwork before. The result is a lack of perceived depth to the game area and the action harder to follow because theres no clear foreground definition compared to whats behind it.
Click to expand...

Please look at my pictures from older games and you'll see that if i want the background to be more contrasted compared the the foreground, i know how to do it ;) It's actually an artistic choice, and maybe it won't please everyone. The new version tend to contrast it a little more actually, but the "it's a common mistake" comment is a little easy lol.

But sometimes, things are done with some thoughts behind it and have a reason. It's also a goal to kick some old video games traditions in the ass. Everything must be clear, everything must be blue and red, etc... People can go beyond those little things and video game can evolve a little maybe...

And go tell KOF XII dev that. They clearly didn't give a fuck about character merging with background colors, and in this case it's a REAL problem. In my case, don't worry, you clearly see the platforms!
 
S

SecretBonusPoint

Banned
Some "games traditions" are there for a reason. Sorry dude, I know you have depth and stuff in your art pieces, but I look at that and all I see is the same shade of yellow and I don't feel I can appreciate any of the background art because it just blurs into one.

I found this to be a common problem with The Behemoth's games, with everything shaded in the same opacity no matter if it was background or foreground. While obviously this game won't be as hard to follow with bullets and whatever flying around and impossible to see, it's a little headache inducing instead. Hopefully the newer stuff youve done does contrast better.

A game similar to this perhaps is Night Game for WiiWare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0i8Wxp0wZA
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
SecretBonusPoint said:
Some "games traditions" are there for a reason. Sorry dude, I know you have depth and stuff in your art pieces, but I look at that and all I see is the same shade of yellow and I don't feel I can appreciate any of the background art because it just blurs into one.

I found this to be a common problem with The Behemoth's games, with everything shaded in the same opacity no matter if it was background or foreground. While obviously this game won't be as hard to follow with bullets and whatever flying around and impossible to see, it's a little headache inducing instead. Hopefully the newer stuff youve done does contrast better.

A game similar to this perhaps is Night Game for WiiWare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0i8Wxp0wZA
Click to expand...

Wait i'm not sure i understand. You're talking about the background merging into a really little contrast, but the result of that would be that the playable plan is more visible... no ? In the wiiware game it's actually ultra contrasted...
 
C

Cromulent_Word

Member
Awesome - saw this in the IGF entrants and was immediately drawn to it. Had no idea you were the artist until i saw it pop up all over the interwebs. Looks fantastically gorgeous.

also, check ur pm.
 
J

Jocchan

Ὁ μεμβερος -ου
Really, really nice, Orioto :)
I have to agree with SecretBonusPoint (if I got what he meant, lol), though: the walkable platforms seem to blend a bit too much with the background, and distinguishing them doesn't look easy. You can do it, of course, but you need to focus and this usually isn't good (and this is the reason why the foreground layer is usually more contrasted - or even uses a different color palette - in 2D games).
Take this screenshot of Braid as an example (the closest I could find):
in603t.jpg

Of course your style is much different, but in this screen you can see at first glance where you're supposed to walk and what's, instead, in the background. And this, trust me, helps a lot during gameplay.
Besides this small detail, the game looks interesting and artsy, and I can't wait to hear more news :)
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
Jocchan >> And this is why, in all modesty, i was disappointed with Braid, artistically speaking. It promises impressionism and abstraction (wonderful title screen) and in the end, everything is so organized and tiled...

But to come back to Swimming under clouds, here is the reasoning behind it. Let's say i like to de-construct the videogame usual visuals, BUT you can be sure of one thing. Gameplay is our major concern. I enjoy more conceptualizing and making level design than doing graphics actually.

This said, in this case, i quickly decided that the majority of the platforming was going to be on platforms, and the game levels are actually based on vertical construction more than horizontal. That's exactly why i can allow myself to do this not really defined ground for example. Cause there isn't gameplay issues there. This is my philosophie. Everywhere where player is not in some challenge or in needs of clarity, i can break the rule.

But it's really saturated and compressed in the video. In HD, you'll see perfectly what has to be seen.
 
J

Jocchan

Ὁ μεμβερος -ου
I understand it, and my post was mostly aimed to stress a detail that could have gotten past your radar. I can't wait to see some HD footage :)
 
B

Brobzoid

how do I slip unnoticed out of a gloryhole booth?
Reminds me a little of Gish. Which is nice. There isn't enough Gish in this world.
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
Jocchan said:
I understand it, and my post was mostly aimed to stress a detail that could have gotten past your radar. I can't wait to see some HD footage :)
Click to expand...

No prob, i don't want to sound cocky or anything !
 
J

Jocchan

Ὁ μεμβερος -ου
orioto said:
No prob, i don't want to sound cocky or anything !
Click to expand...
Nah, you're not. You've replied to my (hopefully) constructive criticism by explaining the reasoning behind your choices. I see nothing cocky in that.
 
W

wrowa

Member
SecretBonusPoint said:
Some "games traditions" are there for a reason. Sorry dude, I know you have depth and stuff in your art pieces, but I look at that and all I see is the same shade of yellow and I don't feel I can appreciate any of the background art because it just blurs into one.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I thought, too. I love Orioto's designs, but I can't say that I'm too impressed by this game. Looking at the screens I have problems to recognize anything. It seems like everything is just bright without any contrast. It's hard to distinguish anything, and actually I doubt that it's comfortable to look at for a long time. At least I have the feeling that my eyes get tired fast when looking at the screens. :/
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
wrowa said:
That's pretty much what I thought, too. I love Orioto's designs, but I can't say that I'm too impressed by this game. Looking at the screens I have problems to recognize anything. It seems like everything is just bright without any contrast. It's hard to distinguish anything, and actually I doubt that it's comfortable to look at for a long time. At least I have the feeling that my eyes get tired fast when looking at the screens. :/
Click to expand...

Hm i think it must be really different depending on your screen setting, but indeed, that's a matter we'll have to address :D
 
N

Noogy

Member
SecretBonusPoint said:
Some "games traditions" are there for a reason. Sorry dude, I know you have depth and stuff in your art pieces, but I look at that and all I see is the same shade of yellow and I don't feel I can appreciate any of the background art because it just blurs into one.
Click to expand...
I'm going to have to agree here. Contrast is necessary. I've viewed your trailer on two different devices, and on one there was so little contrast you couldn't see anything.

I like the artwork, but it's a bit much to think you are going to "kick some old video games traditions in the ass". Those aren't so much game traditions as they are good design choices. There's a reason why we artists don't always have the final word when it comes to art design.
 
O

orioto

Good Art™
Noogy said:
I'm going to have to agree here. Contrast is necessary. I've viewed your trailer on two different devices, and on one there was so little contrast you couldn't see anything.

I like the artwork, but it's a bit much to think you are going to "kick some old video games traditions in the ass". Those aren't so much game traditions as they are good design choices. There's a reason why we artists don't always have the final word when it comes to art design.
Click to expand...

I think we all understood now thx :p
it seems the contrast is a problem for some screen setup. i'll have to see that, as i don't have 10 screens to test it at home, sorry.
 
bengraven

bengraven

Member
Beautiful! I would have bought it without knowing it was a GAFfer.

Proud of you Ori! :D

Edit: Just saw the trailer! Brilliant! I remain sincere when I say I would buy it without having knowing it was GAFfer. The art is so stylistic, I didn't realize you had that much range.
 
D

Danthrax

Batteries the CRISIS!
In response to the contrast discussion, it looks fine on my laptop. I could tell where the fish was supposed to go in that trailer. I even watched it a second time after reading the above criticisms, but it still looks okay to me. Yes, the world is very yellow and could probably do with a little more color variation, (yellow is the new brown!) but I'm nonetheless able to distinguish the platforms from the background.

I think the art looks good. The platforming physics look a little like Sonic's, especially at the end of the trailer when the fish appears to roll up a ramp and curves in mid-air to a platform on the right. If the physics really are Sonic-esque, this could be the best platforming game since Sonic and Knuckles =P
 
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