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Author Topic: Critique my side art!  (Read 5733 times)

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Well Fed Games

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Critique my side art!
« on: January 29, 2015, 04:53:26 pm »
Ok, as many of you know I've been working on my Raiden cab for a... well a really long time (there is a project thread collecting dust somewhere here). Anyway, I think I am pretty close on the side art, which has been my battle for a while now. Attached is a sample, and I would love to hear thoughts... I've looked at this so long I don't know if I am still objective about it. Also I'm partially colorblind and paranoid about color choice (blue/purple and green/yellow... so I tried to steal colors from the original arcade flyers when possible).

Please let me know what you think, what you like, what you don't. Raiden never had a dedicated cabinet so I am trying to do the game justice... and of course the finished project will be freely availiable in case anyone else finds it suitable for a SHMUP cab. Once the side art is nailed down i will work on the bezel, CPO, and marquee, which should be easy in comparison.

A few notes:

1. Tried to take some inspiration from Xevious' art
2. The scene is from the stage 1 boss fight from Raiden (screenshot attached)
3. One side will have a red ship with red highlights on the lightning bolts, the other will have blue
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Malenko

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2015, 04:55:44 pm »
Malenko approved, status: BALLER AS ---fudgesicle---
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yotsuya

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2015, 04:56:09 pm »
That's bold, dude. I like it!  :cheers:
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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2015, 04:56:20 pm »
isn't that raiden gem supposed to look purple and not pink? I forgot. otherwise looks really good :cheers:

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2015, 04:58:02 pm »
dont that raiden gem look purple and not pink? I forgot. otherwise looks really good :cheers:

I thought it was supposed to be the multishot red gem (from the screen shot), not the plasma purple gem from Raiden II
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Well Fed Games

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2015, 07:13:35 pm »
Yeah, I kind of cheated as the red gem (the alien leader? Raiden's plot is not very fleshed out) looks more circular in Raiden but more diamond-ish in Raiden 2. I think it does get purple-ish in later versions.



edit: well at least I think it is red in Raiden I/II. Could be my failure to discern colors.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2015, 07:18:05 pm by Well Fed Games »
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2015, 09:42:45 pm »
I love it. Great start man!

There are only two things I'll point out about it right now (I'll pick it apart a bit more when I get a chance).

- the image needs more (obviously), debris, enemies, perhaps medals, trees, bunkers?
Just more filler, cause even for xevious inspired art it's a bit sparse.

- perhaps thicker lines on the Lightning bolt framing work help make it feel more solid overall.

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2015, 11:35:30 am »
Thanks opt, was hoping you'd see this thread. Yeah I was wondering if it was too sparse, but some of the stuff I've tried to add (shots from the tanks) just didn't look right. I think i might try

1. Detail in the tank "path" on the ground- should have done this before but the perspective is going to make it a PITA

2. Missiles coming from player ship

3. Battle damage/smoke/fire coming from the closer enemy tank. 

Thanks all for the kind words and suggestions.  :cheers: Keep them coming... will post an update when I get some tweaks done.
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2015, 06:20:33 pm »
I think I'd like it better if it were not in the bolt.
Just my preference... but I like it !

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2015, 12:16:52 am »
See, I like the bolt because it's more authentic to the time period he's trying to emulate.
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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2015, 04:33:59 pm »
yeah, the bolt helps out in several ways:

1. A frame means less art to create (because I am lazy!)

2. Helps me emphasize the "thunder and lightning" Japanese meaning of Raiden that got lost in a lot of the original art

3. Should make it more adaptable for different cab sizes, as opposed to some details following the outline of my Atari cab (which was my original thought)

Of course I start my seasonal (tax stuff) job tomorrow so progress will probably slow to a crawl....  >:D
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2015, 03:55:20 am »
I like the basic idea here. Less colors and less details, as it “should” be on an arcade game (IMHO). I.e. mimic the art style that was the result of simple printing techniques (stencils etc) back in the days.

I also second the idea of a frame to limit the needed amount of art, however this is in my opinion also the down side here. In my eyes the angles of the bolt are wrong related to the cabinet outlines. I do realize that it would be hard to change now, but maybe it looks better with another cabinet shape.

I was on a similar track with one of my builds, and then the solution for me was to have the lines endless (going off/outside the cabinet shape). http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,105790.msg1120585.html#msg1120585
Building, collecting and playing arcade machines :)

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2015, 03:39:03 pm »
Just wanted to say that I think this is awesome!

I too would vote for more missiles and destruction.  For my side-art design I'm going to have the ship approaching with guns blazing as if they're shooting out towards the observer while seeing the already devastated/smoldering tanks and such in the background.

Don't get me wrong I think the perspective you have going works, I just think the other way gives more illusion of movement.


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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2015, 08:22:10 pm »
Hey all, just wanted to say I continue to appreciate the feedback. May be awhile until the next draft unfortunately.

For my side-art design I'm going to have the ship approaching with guns blazing as if they're shooting out towards the observer while seeing the already devastated/smoldering tanks and such in the background.

That sounds pretty great! Which cab is that for? I've been neglegent in browsing the project forums lately.
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2015, 10:58:04 am »
still haven't got any artwork designed yet, but here's the thread

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,142400.0.html

Well Fed Games

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2015, 04:16:23 pm »
Awesome, thanks for the link. That looks great!

still haven't got any artwork designed yet, but here's the thread

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,142400.0.html
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2015, 03:44:09 pm »
Ok, I know it doesn't look like much of a change, but I think I am close to the final version. Added fire/smoke to the closer tank, and a bit more detail on the ground. Everything else I try to add (missiles, projectiles) seems to make it too busy. As always, let me know your feedback. Time is rushing by (hard to believe its my daughter's last day of school today!), but I hope to have art to the printers by mid june.
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #17 on: June 13, 2015, 05:29:14 pm »
Marquee. Went simple.

« Last Edit: June 13, 2015, 07:53:08 pm by Well Fed Games »
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2015, 01:26:04 pm »
I love your side art, especially the plane you've traced. Maybe you can add the plane in the marquee? Just a thought.

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #19 on: July 12, 2015, 03:34:01 pm »
make the thunder red??

otherwise marquee looks good too. maybe add a ship on the left side? and id get rid of the company logo. why is it even there lol..

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2015, 08:11:36 pm »
make the thunder red??

otherwise marquee looks good too. maybe add a ship on the left side? and id get rid of the company logo. why is it even there lol..

I agree. Want to see how it looks with the ship on the left side.  :cheers:

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2015, 08:45:21 pm »
I like the company logo. It adds an air of authenticity.
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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #22 on: July 22, 2015, 01:46:38 pm »
Thanks all for the feedback, just got back from summer travels. Got the artwork printed, but need a bit more wood prep before I can apply it (which I am crazy nervous about- the first time I have put art edge-to-edge on a side). As far as the company logo, the theme kind of became, "what if Seibu had somehow released a dedicated Raiden cab instead of the kit stuff distributed by Fabtek?" Hopefully that comes across in the final product. Once I get it applied and show it off I will of course make the files available to those who might want to use them (or mock me for my horrible organization of layers in Illustrator).

On a completely different note, I got connected by a neighbor to a couple "free" cabs in somebody's basement, so there are a couple of those "sounds good but won't believe it until the cabs are in my truck" possible upcoming projects soon.
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #23 on: July 24, 2015, 05:51:17 pm »
 :applaud:

Can't wait to see it on the cab!  Hope my Art (whenever I can save enough to have someone talented design it) comes out as good!

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #24 on: July 24, 2015, 06:04:24 pm »
As far as the company logo, the theme kind of became, "what if Seibu had somehow released a dedicated Raiden cab instead of the kit stuff distributed by Fabtek?"

That's EXACTLY what I did with Macross. I think Fabtek had 3rd graders designing the artwork in their kits.  :cheers:
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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #25 on: July 24, 2015, 09:15:40 pm »
Looks great! Love these original cabs.

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Re: Critique my side art!
« Reply #26 on: July 30, 2015, 05:40:13 pm »
Yeah I love the CPOs that are just the Fabtek logo repeated over and over.

Paint is done! art and t-moulding come next and then I see how much I remember about JAMMA wiring!

As far as the company logo, the theme kind of became, "what if Seibu had somehow released a dedicated Raiden cab instead of the kit stuff distributed by Fabtek?"

That's EXACTLY what I did with Macross. I think Fabtek had 3rd graders designing the artwork in their kits.  :cheers:
Completed projects: Pac bartop (Plug & Play), 30th Anniversary Pac cab (MAME), Point Blank (PS1), Centipede (arcade hardware- light restore), VS. Super Mario Bros (arcade hardware- light restore) Tetris Cocktail (SNES), Arcade Classics upright (60-in-1, then MAME), Multi-Raiden (arcade hardware). Pac Man vs.(Gamecube),

Working on: Pinball Re-theme, Homebrew arcade arena shooter