Black and White?

[Dylan_Bain]

Hey guys!

I had a question I have been meaning to ask someone but never have. So now I am asking someone. I now have.

Anyways, I was wondering if I would be able to make a black and white game. I really, really want to. My game hasn't really got a cheery atmosphere so I feel this would work.

I was wanting to ask if being black and white would dull your interest for playing the game. I was going to highlight maybe certain areas in colour, like they did in sin city.

Thanks!

[Queex]

Monochrome would definitely remind people of manga. I'd say go for it, if you think it fits. It'd be something different about the game. I'm a sucker for high-contrast inked work.

You could use colour super sparingly, to suggest particular themes (Schindler's List style). Or tint the entire scene with a particular colour (that could be done with translucent solid images very easily, and could dynamically respond to the game state).

[trooper6]

Can you make a game in black and white? Yes you can. People have done it before, heck, I'm doing it right now.

Will other people like it? Who knows. You should be creating what is in your artistic vision to the best of your ability rather than trying to make a game based on what everybody else says they want.

[fleet]

I concur with trooper6.
If you think monochrome art works with your game, go for it. I made a detective visual novel (Sam Spillane, PI) with black and white graphics.
As in all cases, some people will play your visual novel, some won't.

[SundownKid]

Well, I am certainly trying to do a partially black and white game. So yes, I probably wouldn't mind a game being black and white at all, as long as it's interesting.

[Tempus]

I agree with trooper6. I'd simply add that you don't need to ask permission to create something a certain way nor should you be too worried about what people are going to think.

Though it may be useful to be aware of how black & white visuals have been used for artistic purposes (rather than as a technological concession) in other works. In addition to Sin City and the works of those who've posted above, the movies Pleasantville and Schlindler's List, as well as the games The Unfinished Swan, Fallout 3 (Tranquillity Lane quest), White Night, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Ganon's Tower) have used black & white palettes either through all of the work or in part of it to various effects. Both movies listed use colour to highlight thematically important things, though for different reasons.

[Juno]

I wouldn't mind the game being in black and white, especially if is obviously done for stylistic effect and the game is really polished in general.

[truefaiterman]

I don't see why not making it: if the design and compositions are good enough, that can be pretty attractive.