[E-122-Psi]

The GG colors don't seem that hard on the eyes to me, especially since they're near identical to the brighter shades on the Master System pallette..

[vladikcomper]

Glitch, on 03 June 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

I'm working on the MJZ palette at the moment. Any thoughts on this before/after pic? I think it looks better with a darker background.

I prefer the right one. The left seems and the sky looks odd when surrounded by these colors, I couldn't even understand it was sky before I looked at the right picture. The place where the green jungle BG is changed by brown wooden looks a bit off as well.
The right one is really good, the BG looks something more realistic. Though it seems a bit too dark.
It would be so good to put there a color that is middle between the left and right pictures. I know it's not possible due to SMS palette limitations, but what if you make a palette cycle that swaps between brighter and darker green every frame to create another color shade? Just a random thought =P

Quote

The GG colors don't seem that hard on the eyes to me, especially since they're near identical to the brighter shades on the Master System pallette..

In fact, GG had much more colors than SMS. GG's palette allowed 4096 color shades, while Master System had only 64.

This post has been edited by vladikcomper: 03 June 2012 - 10:38 AM

[dsrb]

vladikcomper, on 03 June 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

It would be so good to put there a color that is middle between the left and right pictures. I know it's not possible due to SMS palette limitations, but what if you make a palette cycle that swaps between brighter and darker green every frame to create another color shade? Just a random thought =P

Wouldn't that look hideous?

[vladikcomper]

dsrb, on 03 June 2012 - 10:38 AM, said:

vladikcomper, on 03 June 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

It would be so good to put there a color that is middle between the left and right pictures. I know it's not possible due to SMS palette limitations, but what if you make a palette cycle that swaps between brighter and darker green every frame to create another color shade? Just a random thought =P

Wouldn't that look hideous?

Sometimes it doesn't as the screen updates fast enough.
Check out Sik's 'Project MD' for example, he uses a similar trick almost everywhere and this creates some great raster effects. Many old games used sprite flickering for fake transparency effect, some of them did it for the colors as well.

[Black Squirrel]

Jayextee, on 03 June 2012 - 09:28 AM, said:

Go for clarity over accuracy; the darker green is clearer against the foreground.

The right one is arguably more accurate too

This post has been edited by Black Squirrel: 03 June 2012 - 11:39 AM

[muteKi]

The one on the right also looks much better compared with the caved sections, which end up looking too dark in the left one, IMO.

[Knucklez]

The one on the right gives it a better ambiance; lively, but also subtle. It's just better off not being saturated in green.

[Sik]

vladikcomper, on 03 June 2012 - 10:43 AM, said:

Check out Sik's 'Project MD' for example, he uses a similar trick almost everywhere and this creates some great raster effects.

In conjuction with a checkerboard pattern, which completely hides the flickering since the dots are too small and both colors are always shown at the same time... Here we're talking about huge pieces of a solid color and the blinking would be very noticeable. It wouldn't be a good idea to do without modifying the artwork.

[Cooljerk]

Oh man, as I told you before, Glitch, I got a dude making me this cart right now. I'm actually about to send him an Afterburner cart tomorrow for him to use as a donor. If you can, please post any updates you make as soon as you make them. I'd love for this guy to use the latest version.

vladikcomper, on 03 June 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

It would be so good to put there a color that is middle between the left and right pictures. I know it's not possible due to SMS palette limitations, but what if you make a palette cycle that swaps between brighter and darker green every frame to create another color shade? Just a random thought =P

A smarter alternative, but one that would require substantially more work, would be to change the background in those areas to a tile that is a dither of the two colors. If that's not possible, choosing the darker green and dithering it with a white shade would also be appropriate, or taking the lighter shade and dithering it with a black shade. When viewed on a CRT tv as the master system was supposed to be, it would appear as an inbetween shade.

I know that's not really likely to happen given that this is a port, not necessarily a conversion, but that would be the smart way to get around the SMS color palette.

[Master Emerald]

You could just use the new sky color on the holes on the lighter green! Dark is too dark still even if the only option. I made an option to the lighter pallet using this:

This post has been edited by Master Emerald: 03 June 2012 - 11:12 PM

[Glitch]

Since the general consensus seems to be that the darker background is better, I've gone with the right-hand image. Here's a new build with the current changes & bug fixes. I've been trying to work on the GTZ palette but I'm not having much luck. The art will probably need editing. This zip contains the level's layout, tile art & palettes. I've included both the GG and converted SMS palettes. If anyone could give me a hand it would be appreciated .

This project is turning out to be a full disassembly...


Edit: by the way, you can use PAR code 000064:05 to skip the title screen and enable the level select.

This post has been edited by Glitch: 04 June 2012 - 04:57 AM

[MoDule]

Glitch, on 04 June 2012 - 04:56 AM, said:

Since the general consensus seems to be that the darker background is better, I've gone with the right-hand image.

Only problem I see now, is that the mud/quicksand is now indistinguishable from the background. You might have to edit the tiles for that.

Quote

I've been trying to work on the GTZ palette but I'm not having much luck. The art will probably need editing. This zip contains the level's layout, tile art & palettes. I've included both the GG and converted SMS palettes. If anyone could give me a hand it would be appreciated .

Hows this?
Left is old, right is new. The contrast is a lot higher, but at least it feels more natural. The sky is the closest I could manage without making it too bright.
On the subject of palettes, the chaos emeralds load the wrong colors. Are they still using GG palettes?
Also, the two brightest oranges on the player palette are reversed. This is painfully obvious on Tails' sprites.

[Glitch]

I like the sky colours. That's much better than what I had. I toyed with those two greens but I think it makes the trees look a bit odd.

[E-122-Psi]

The right one does look a lot better, less colors merged into one flat blob. The tree looks a bit florescent but the compromise is far better off than how the scenery looks on the left..

[muteKi]

Eh, it was good enough for Green Hill Zone. I think it works all right here.
I'd be more tempted to somehow recolor the art for the tree trunks, instead, to make them look a little brighter.

This post has been edited by muteKi: 04 June 2012 - 12:17 PM