Custom graphics with a DM feel

Parallax · Post by **Parallax** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:46 pm

I am trying to make new bitmaps for RTC but, since I have no artistic talent whatsoever, I am using photographs and adapting them to suit my needs. The results look fine by themselves, but their style clashes with the standard wallset. Does anyone have advice on how to make them blend more with their suroundings. The alternative (creating a complete set of floor- wall- and so on items that all goes together) is a tad too daunting for me.

Also, is this the correct section for this post? It was a tossup between 'Creative Endeavors' and this one.

EDIT: Also, I'm using a freeware called 'Ultimate Paint' to modify the pics, because it's free and it suits my needs, but if someone can recommend another good, free piece of paint-type software, I'm listening.

Adamo · Post by **Adamo** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:04 pm

have you used Sophia`s WHACK? It`s a little app for designing custom wallsets for RTC:

http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=25190

Parallax · Post by **Parallax** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:44 pm

I have downloaded it, but not opened it yet. I am starting 'simple', with monsters, but I intend to create wallsets as well at some point. My problem is really one of rendering. Somehow, I can't seem to be able to reproduce the 'coarseness' of the DM graphics. My results are either too realistic or too crude. I was looking for a quick fix, I guess...

Adamo · Post by **Adamo** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:19 pm

BTW for the RTC resolutions (if wallset res doesn`t suit to the objects): you may change it in setup file.

As for the free graphic apps, you can download latest GIMP (it`s totally free and contains a lot of usable functions).

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:27 pm

The best idea would be to take existing bitmaps and convert them, and make sure you don't utilise tricks such as blurring, and certainly don't convert to a jpeg format (which will dither colours)

I've made terrible humanoid figures that have the same courseness by taking, say, a vexirk and stretchign the body to knight length, and also by even takign the head of a character portrait and putting onto a body.... but someone with slightly more patience would probably create images simalr in feel to the DM ones this way

THOM · Post by **THOM** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:30 pm

There are 2 mainindications for the original DM Graphiks:

1 They have only 16 Colours (this palette had been enlarged for DMII)

2 Their raster has a width of 2x2 Pixels

If you pixalize your Photo, the result looks much more like traditional DM Graphiks.

For reducing the colourpalette you have to look how many details you what to save.

I have used GIMP for my Bitmaps, too. And after a short time of understanding this program, it is an enormous help.

THOM

Parallax · Post by **Parallax** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:10 pm

Thank you very much for the help, guys. I'm getting closer to the effect I want. I am going to try out GIMP as well. I'll let you know how it all turns out, hopefully with a custom dungeon at some point...

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:18 pm

Does anyone already have converted the good old Amiga DM2 grafix to a format usable by RTC?