Bit Blot Forum

Aquaria => General => Topic started by: MarcMegavoid on March 14, 2009, 03:59:15 pm

Title: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 14, 2009, 03:59:15 pm
Here it is the very first Amary Case Cover Inlay.
I hope nobody will have to use the phrase, "It's better than it looks like!", too often.
(http://www.bild-hoster.de/images/Rahzel/geraquadvdc.jpg)
(http://www.bild-hoster.de/images/Rahzel/imgp1739.jpg)
So far I'm thinking it serves it's purpose very well.
If you always wanted to give away "Aquaria" as a birthday suprise, but have hesitated because of the lack of a decent packing, you now could do it^^

Derek and Alec you two really did something very touching, in sound and paint with Aquaria. I can't remember a game that was more thrilling. And I hope, Alec, your next project, will reach the same level of pathetic story telling. As well as you will find a nice way how the puppet will get a dynamicly way of motion, as Naija, when she travel throughout the waters.
I would recommend in case, you want to have the Inlay look like "on screen", go to your next copyshop that has an inkjet printer with at least 6 colors.
If anyone is uprised that the text is actually german, I tried to get a decent translation, in two language forums, but there were no replies...
In the case you can translate just that text in a sophisticated way, what I can't, hand me the translation and I will make the english Inlay Cover available.

full resolution Download here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FWBS065P (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FWBS065P)
Cut it at the crop mark!
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 14, 2009, 06:27:12 pm
Very well done, MarcMegavoid. You should post your work in this thread. (http://www.bit-blot.com/forum/index.php?topic=187.0) (Original Picture) (http://www.suddenlink.net/pages/the_redstar_swl/aqudvdcoverJPG.jpg)
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Alphasoldier on March 14, 2009, 09:11:51 pm
Both links are to the same location, Chibi, the picture.
 Either way, that's a very nice cover Marc. The only downside I see is with the rock that has the symbols on it, on the front side. Seeing that's certainly nowhere in the game (the rock I mean, not the symbols).
Nonetheless, again, very nice, I certainly like the back.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 14, 2009, 09:40:29 pm
Thanks for the heads-up, Alpha. I can see why the rock would be a problem - players would waste hours searching for it in vain. ^^
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Align on March 14, 2009, 11:40:29 pm
The front bothers me. In-game graphics look prettier.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 12:13:07 am
Well, digital painting really isn't my domain...but it's not possible to bring ingame images up to a decent quality to cover a whole DVD case front!
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 15, 2009, 12:30:02 am
Well, digital painting really isn't my domain...but it's not possible to bring ingame images up to a decent quality to cover a whole DVD case front!
See my first post. :D
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 12:33:16 am
Yeah, I saw it....see my last comment!....
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 15, 2009, 12:43:37 am
That's not up to your standards, I guess. *shrugs*  ;) With version 1.1.1, it is possible  - if you switch the x and y of the in-game resolution.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 01:13:43 am
Yeah hmm, that would at least allow me to widen the view.
To increase the resolution wouldn't bring me much cuz my TFT is only able to display 1280x1024.
Since the zoom-in, I think, is part of the mipmap functionality, I would guess the original resolution of the drawn doesn't exceeds the 1400x1050.
So I guess I would end up with a Naija image that's about 8% bigger. Doesn't make the difference.

The only thing that would help me is, to get to know how the mipmap in-game is suppose to do the scaling and if, as you said, it is now possible to set the screen resolution for the game - then I would need another TFT  8)

But the Naija character wouldn't get bigger than the 8% I mentioned.
Take a look at the screenshots I made, especially the one in the upper right corner, Naija would grow ~8%, still not much of mentionable difference...
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 15, 2009, 01:59:59 am
If you wait for a while, the window zooms onto Naija - that increases her size threefold. I've no knowledge of the technicalities involved in changing the settings, but other forum members will probably be able to help you.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 02:12:28 am
Hmmm, well the thing is, Naija is pixel art, that means we wouldn't get her bigger than 400pixels high, anyway.
So there isn't much that can be optimized...
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Chibi on March 15, 2009, 04:38:27 am
Naija isn't pixel art unless you define "pixel art" as art displayed on a computer screen.  :) Pixel art is something entirely different - like this (http://lonelypinkelephants.com/media/pixelart.png) or this. (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2008/11/cave.jpg) As for the size, the fan art on the Bit-Blot page is the best resource for large pictures.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Alphasoldier on March 15, 2009, 07:59:21 am
It's just small, not pixel art, like Chibi said.
Aquaria does have high anti aliasing, so Naija still looks good when zoomed in pretty close. You could also bring finishing touches to it with Photoshop.

Also, if you make your own mod, you could make your own surroundings, making a perfect 'neighbourhood' for your  front. You can also put down nodes and name them "zoom 1.5" or 2, this'll make it zoom in automatically.

Eventually, if you want spots from the game, I suggest downloading the Native mod, so that you can edit small parts if necessary and add your zoom nodes.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 12:29:33 pm
@Alpha
Brining in Photoshop with a Naija that has only dimensions of not even 200pixels height would be cruel and look so.

But maybe you can tell me what the standard zoom factor is?
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Align on March 15, 2009, 02:35:55 pm
Wait. Why would you want a closeup of the main character in the first place?
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 02:45:24 pm
Well, at the moment you can barely see Naija in any screenshot...
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Alphasoldier on March 15, 2009, 03:27:54 pm
I never said he SHOULD put the in game Naija graphic on front, I only said what would be the best way. I personally like normal art over gameplay being on the box, it's pretty much how EVERY game is.

Like... see it in front of you, Naija just swimming there, Li/mysterious diver in the right side of background working on the submarine. Naija having a pet (prolly nautilus) with her, while enemies, and maybe such Creator statue is on the left side. Pretty much like what Marc made, instead of Naija, have Li. And instead of The Stone, Naija. I think that would be very nice box art.

Also, I'm not saying your box art looks bad, Marc (before I get blamed for that), It's just... the rock, it's not in there. Further it looks brilliant.

But all in all, I'd say Derek should make it either way, if the game ever gets there.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: MarcMegavoid on March 15, 2009, 03:49:27 pm
I agree Alpha, but the thing I really liked about Aquaria was that at first I had no idea what kind of game it would be and what I was suppose to do, I actually had to THINK what to do next, which is extremely rare in games. Most of the time gaming is more about doing than about actually thinking. The video that Alec made also didn't give a part of the story away even he is showing the different transformations.
For that reason I would have never ever tried to draw a part of the coming story.
So instead I chose a symbol that would increase the mysterious tone of the storyline.


But I really would like to know what the cummon setting or the zoom ingame is...
If the thoughts are right we have continued to follow we possibly could end up with an image of Naija that would at least fill about 1/10 - 1/6 of the height of a DVD cover. I neither like it that Naija is barely to see.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Xiagan on March 15, 2009, 05:06:21 pm
I like the front cover choice. The intended effect works. :)
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Zoko on March 15, 2009, 08:46:03 pm
Naija isn't pixel art unless you define "pixel art" as art displayed on a computer screen.  :) Pixel art is something entirely different - like this (http://lonelypinkelephants.com/media/pixelart.png) or this. (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2008/11/cave.jpg) As for the size, the fan art on the Bit-Blot page is the best resource for large pictures.

See my avatar.  ;)

A thought I had was to have Naija lying on the rock with songwheel on it. That way you could still have the songwheel included in some way without torturing players with things that are not included in the game.
Title: Re: late 1st anniversary suprise
Post by: Alphasoldier on March 15, 2009, 10:14:31 pm
But I really would like to know what the cummon setting or the zoom ingame is...
I honestly have no clue, I'd guess it's zoom 2.0, I tried it out myself and the size seems to be correct and I can't spot any pixels either.
But if you're talking about the default zoom... for me it's around 0.52
But this all also might be dependant on your resolution, I'm certainly not sure of that.

Of course, if needed, you could always just grab the original graphic files and do something with that, but I don't think that would look as nice, or be as easy.

I'm also liking Zoko's idea.
But to fall back on my argument, it's only a mere opinion, I get frustrated myself when I see stuff on the game box and can't find it in the game *coughIhateyouEAcough*. But it's a simple rock, with the notes on them which you will be using about.. 20 to 80% of the game. So I guess, after reconsidering, it could fit with the game, even if it's not in it.