2D Artist needed

[ZuluBoy]

Hi,

I am looking for a 2D artist who can create about 40 character faces like the one on this screenshot:

http://kayokomputers.com/e-nkap/games/heartbreakers/w32/screenshots/screen3.jpg.

if interested, send me a price quote either in PM or by email: silakayo AT yahoo D0T com

[DayDream]

Zuluboy... now this is confusing... You are looking for a 2D artist but show a 3D rendered ( Poser ? ) image as reference...

Looking at your screenshots I would advice looking for a 2D artist to do some GUI design.

[ZuluBoy]

Zuluboy... now this is confusing... You are looking for a 2D artist but show a 3D rendered ( Poser ? ) image as reference...
Sorry for the confusion. Just to clarify, it does not matter if it is 2D or 3D rendered, all I want is 2D images of character faces.


Looking at your screenshots I would advice looking for a 2D artist to do some GUI design.
Thanks for your advice, but if you really want to be helpful, can you please give more details about what you think need to be changed in the UI ?

[Karja]

Some things that I noted about the GUI:

* The fonts are dull; for the information text it works, but the other GUI elements look very home-made due to this. Also, using a serifed font for "Client File" looks very strange - especially since BACK/NEXT is sans serif.
* The bottom buttons look a bit weird. IMHO the soft gradient makes them look plastic, which I automatically associate with buttons that should be a bit rounded.
* The frames around the pic and the information text blocks just looks plain bad. The colour is ill-suited, the gradient looks like a cheap attempt at making the frames more interesting, and finally there's no outer/inner border to the frames. For the buttons and the transparent part you use a thin black line; something similar might improve the gradient frames. But preferably it ought to be something more elaborate.

Not sure if this is what others think - it's just my coder-with-half-or-maybe-three-quarter-assed-graphics-skills opinion. Hey, I recommend that you have a look at The Non-Designer's Design Book. It's pretty nifty.

[DayDream]

Here you go...
As it's a lot easier for me to explain something in images than with words (probably due to being an artist rather than writer) I have made two quick mocks to explain the need for GUI changes.

Karja pointed out some of the main issues already... To me the main problem (not just yours but with a lot of indie games) is the lack of atmosphere and consistency in the graphics.

I just grabbed two screen - one being the main menu:

http://spriteattack.cator.de/tuts/PlayDetectives_1a.png

I tried to get something matching in there reflecting the detective theme - instead of using different styles and photos that didn't really match.
Also the blue background looks too much like a old windows computer screen and that's nothing I (or hopefully most computer users) want to be reminded of.
The idea would be to add more detail to this image (which due to a lack of time I did not) e.g. a magnifying glass, a part of a street map, car keys, a computer disc, more photos, etc. This will make the image more visually appealing and still leave the menu intact.

The current menu looks too much like plastic, cheap website templates and simply doesn't offer much visually to make me want to play the game.

I know I am playing "PlayDetective" but the logo is missing on the main screen which to me is more important than a splash screen showing the name (it's an attempt to tie the name with the game experience - for future sequels).

The next screen is the sample you showed in this thread - the client file:

http://spriteattack.cator.de/tuts/PlayDetectives_2a.png

Okay... where do I start... This screen sums up typical coder art and layout - nice and square. It's simply not creating any feelings or atmosphere.
Black boxes with white text are something we had in Spectrum and C64 - due to technical limitations.

Let's start by using the metaphor of a "client file" and make it a paper file - keeping the colour sheme and background of the menu. Next step is loosing all the straight lines and right angles. I turned the client photo by 10 degrees - seeing it's an image it shouldn't make a difference to your code (it might enlarge the file size a tiny bit due to "unneeded" edges).

Even with the text aligned normally the border around it could be slightly off (in this case 5 degrees) to add visual diversity.

The technical font has been changed to something closer to handwriting (a free font I found online).

Finally I replaced the buttons with something matching the look and feel.

[ZuluBoy]

Thanks a lot Karja and DayDream for taking time to explain.

DayDream check your PM inbox, I have sent you a message.

[jankoM]

I am once again totally impressed with these "mock-ups". This time even more because I saw the programmer art (which is a lot like mine would be probably, minimalistic (in not good sense this time) and plain) and now artists art... the contrast is huge... and it makes me rethink some things...

btw DayDream, your website isnt working for few days nowas you probably know.

best wishes to both of you.

Janko

[lakibuk]

Yes, DayDream's mockups really rock!

[DayDream]

Thanks guys... making games look good is my job... :)

and yes... the website is down and annoying me at the moment... Provider changed computers and my domain seems to have fallen through the cracks... got to look into it again...

[doinferno]

Great discussion on the UI. Things can really get better there!

Now, back to the faces, if you want it 2D i would love to work on this project!

Please, take a look at my gallery and let me know if i can help you.

Carlos Ranna
www.carlosranna.com.br