Background up for grabs

[bardsmanship]

Some of you here may remember the topics I made a while ago about filtering photos to make them more like backgrounds found in anime/dating sims. I've made a bit of progress since then, and here are some examples :







Comments, suggestions and critiques are welcome!

On a side note, I've been thinking of making more backgrounds like these and hosting them on a site, because I know I'll probably never get the patience to sit down and make a complete game myself, so they're pretty much useless floating around on my hard disk. Does anyone know of a good, free webhost with at least 100mb space that they can recommend for this purpose?

Thanks!

[PyTom]

Wow, those are really nice. Could you document your method, and the changes since the last time you posted? This may be a nail in the coffin of edge-detection backgrounds.

As for hosting, what about some of the photo-hosting services, like flickr? While I could donate space for a free-to-use background hosting service, it strikes me that using a pre-made service will be less hassle for everyone.

[Otaku Dash]

Hey those are pretty good! I gotta agree with PyTom... those look great.

That idea Is really good PyTom... It would help a lot of members in terms of Background gathering and Organization (like me, wich I haven't been able to get any backgrounds for my game :S)

Yet again those are great... keep them up! It would be great to see more of your work.

[mikey]

Hmmm, how much is appropriate? I mean for a set.
For instance: "FreetimePark" - 10 images.
Will 10 be enough? I'd say so.
Second, do you want the images to be already processed?

[bookie]

I'd check out photobucket for what you need. They're pretty useful.

I like these backgrounds a lot better than the ones you did before. The first ones sort of lost clarity the more artistic they got, but these manage to be both abstract but very sharp. Much love.

If you make a lot of these, I'm half tempted to use them as a basis of my next game, since the biggest problem with the one I'm on is graphics.

[Yang Sei Fu]

I'd love to see your INDOOR backgrounds...that's where the real kungfu lies

[mikey]

This may be a nail in the coffin of edge-detection backgrounds.

Well, currently we're experimenting with a new technique.
It's being made especially for the new Misa game, I wanted to have it a bit colorful.
For other projects, I don't know.
Somehow it all comes out too cartoonish and sometimes more photolike BGs work much better.



We used the provided pictures, could be slightly better if we had originals, but not too much.
Oh just in case: It's using 10 (I think) different filters with custom settings and 5 different programs (not necessarily graphics).
So it's not a one-filter wonder, but there's no actual line drawn by hand.

[Chuck]

Wow, those are really nice. Could you document your method, and the changes since the last time you posted? This may be a nail in the coffin of edge-detection backgrounds.

As for hosting, what about some of the photo-hosting services, like flickr? While I could donate space for a free-to-use background hosting service, it strikes me that using a pre-made service will be less hassle for everyone.

Well if you or someone else that knows php and mySQL writes a script that allows the user to upload images to a server (much like how we can upload using the browse button and the file comment in the Add an Attachment box) and then just put those images in a simple gallery like advanced anime (or much simpler like maybe oop-ack) then that would work and be fairly simple.

[bardsmanship]

I think I prefer a full-fledged website, but thanks for all the suggestions! I'll probably make the site when I get some free time. Meanwhile, I've decided to post updates in this thread (the first post).

Yang Sei Fu : Yes, indoor backgrounds are far harder, possibly because the photo itself needs to have the right colour combination to even remotely resemble anything from an anime. I've added the best looking one I've got so far to my first post.

PyTom : I'll document my method eventually, most likely in the site when I get it done and find a good host. Right now time is something I don't have on my hands.

Thanks for all the replies and comments

[Alessio]

It's using 10 (I think) different filters with custom settings and 5 different programs (not necessarily graphics).
So it's not a one-filter wonder, but there's no actual line drawn by hand.

I like the brush-stroke kind of style. Very good indeed. Found quite a nice processing path myself, but the end result is actually completely different. Maybe I should post my backgrounds as well.

IMHO we should use existing services for storing the backgrounds, otherwise it would be a bit like re-inventing the wheel. Apart from flickr there's also http://www.morguefile.com and http://www.sxc.hu. (Downloadable backgrounds should be unprocessed anyway, since probably every artist will want to have his own style.)

[Iaman]

Well, I decided "Hey, maybe I should show off some of my skills!"

... And then I thought "What skills?"

And then I said to myself, "Aw hell, I'll just show these anyways!"

So, without further ado, here are some of the backgrounds that I've worked on in the past few months!













Personally, I like the last one, the chinese building, the gate, and the beachview the best... The street one could use a LOT more work, and so could the castle one.

BTW, these are all from photos taken at Disney World in Florida, they're about the only pictures my family has... XD

[bardsmanship]

An update!



What do you guys think of this one?

[Yang Sei Fu]

All the backgrounds needs to be re-enhanced with brighter highlights. Otherwise it's going to look too flat and too processed.

[mikey]

bardsmanship>> you know, that technique of yours goes in the direction of 3D-like images - edge detection usually flattens everything, but this seems to remove the "natural" textures of materials and give it a plasticky-kind of look - it's a very interesting style, especially the last picture

Iaman>> Nr. 1 and 4 look interesting, maybe bigger versions could give a better impression - it's kind of washed out in terms of colors, but that's nothing a good designer can't use to his/her advantage.

[Iaman]

Well, mikey, I can put the bigger versions up here as attachments, just for you! Don't you feel special now?