TF2 Art Style: Africa

[SPHinx]

I've been playing with the idea of putting together an art style image like these:





But for an African TF2 theme. I am not skilled with the pencil and pad (best I could do would be to construct something in Hammer and take a screenshot), so I thought I might throw it out there, hopefully to tempt some of the talented artists here.

I grabbed some source images from around the web, which I will include in a spoiler for anyone interested.

Spoiler: Reveal

Whark's artpass entry, Uriak's koth_persia, and obviously, Egypt, all adopt a style something like what we might call "classical" or "ancient" African (if not simply middle eastern). I guess I'm picturing a style that includes some of those elements, without being so limited to North-Northeast Africa.

[AngryPotato]

So, if I understand correctly, you want two new images like these two on top, but the buildings should be more african, right?
I will think about it if I have some free time, but it will be very hard - making such a small picture that fits the artstyle of game and have some new theme...
Do you have any ideas what should RED and BLU look like? In standard maps red got some barns and farm look while blu are industrial - what about the african version? Should it be like that too? (for example: Red - nomadic tents, small huts made of clay, Blu - palaces, big plain houses) Or maybe something different (for example: Red - train stations, a lof of dust and sand, rails, Blu - shipyards, water, some grassy areas - like Train transport vs Water transport) Or maybe just some architectonic differences while they share same "story" background?

[SPHinx]

So, if I understand correctly, you want two new images like these two on top, but the buildings should be more african, right?

Yup, that's what I had in mind. Although I think the natural environment could play more of a role than it does in those two. As you say, one could be arid, the other lush. Whichever idea inspires you, I'd love to see what you come up with.

[AngryPotato]

I got the RED one, maybe tomorrow I will manage to finish the BLU one

[SPHinx]

I got the RED one, maybe tomorrow I will manage to finish the BLU one

I'm pretty excited to see what you've got.

[AngryPotato]

I have just finished them. I'm afraid it won't be as exciting as you might have expected... For now, I have little experience in digital art and I have never done such an imag, so... you know... I hope it will be at least of some use for you.
It's really hard for me to design some african theme that wouldn't be so "arabic" and now I understand why most such maps look like Persia. Thinking about TF2 architecture you think about 2-3 floors buildings with a lot of doors, windows and stairs. I think South-African theme doesn't really fit it - because most modern buildings look like European ones, but they are just dirtier and may have some strange planks or panels attached - and it's not so interesting I think you might use a lot of standard TF2 architecture for South Africa maps...
On the other hand, there is some "tribal", native architecture - but these houses are generally very flat and have little windows (or no walls) - they're quite interesting, but I can't imagine TF2 fight in such an environment. That's why I decided to make Blue team look North-East African, and tried to make Red somehow different - like Nomadic people living near deserts (buildings made of clay and wood) - it is still quite North African, but there are desserts on the South too ;P I couldn't think of something else that would work with TF2, so here you have what I managed to create, perhaps it will give you some ideas... It was fun to do



After all, I wasn't sure if the backgrounds fit the buildings, so here you have second version with switched backgrounds...

Spoiler: Reveal

[Logan.ps]

awesome work is awesome!

[SPHinx]

awesome work is awesome!

Agreed. Angry, those are amazing.

[Hawk.ps]

Those are awesome!
But TF2 related, I think they need to look a bit more industrial and modern.

RED should look a bit more like this

A lot of cheap, uphill buildings, close together. Maybe some factories where cheap labour is done too. Add the style to your picture of RED and it would look a bit more modern!

BLU is pretty much spot on, it only needs some extra stuff like an oil drills, pumps and things like that.

Add some of these arabic billboards all over the place, and the map should look awesome!

[SPHinx]

Those are awesome!
But TF2 related, I think they need to look a bit more industrial and modern.

RED should look a bit more like this

A lot of cheap, uphill buildings, close together. Maybe some factories where cheap labour is done too. Add the style to your picture of RED and it would look a bit more modern!

BLU is pretty much spot on, it only needs some extra stuff like an oil drills, pumps and things like that.

Add some of these arabic billboards all over the place, and the map should look awesome!

Not to discourage AngryPotato from doing more (which I would certainly love to see), but I think these suggestions could probably be left up to the mapper. That is to say, blending Angry's style with the industrial/spy tech stuff is something to be done within the context of the map itself.

Arabic billboards would be pretty badass though. Does anyone here read/speak arabic?

[AngryPotato]

Also arabic posters might be good - of course it would be a shame to place arabic text you don't understand - because some day map will be played by people understanding it That's a great opportunity to place some Easter Eggs
I think I won't change my pictures, it would require of me a lot of work and redesigning them - let's just say they are meant to be like "natural environment" waiting to be spoiled with spytech/industrial stuff I thought about these cheap buildings, like on this image Hawk posted, but I think they would be hard to implement in TF2 - because they would need a lot of details and different colors to look so "trashy" - although they fit "poor Africa" theme. Like Sphinx said, it's up to him to decide how the map should eventually look

[MacNetron.ps]

for the Arabian posters, just get a font that looks very araby and write backwards

[Post Script.ps]

N1 Angry, excellent stuff!

[Two monkeys from a Tzu..ps]

Angrys first thought with a water based 'African Queen' harbour style for BLU and an arid 'Lion King' style savannah train station for RED immediately clicked with me.

I don't think you need to drastically alter the building style for african themed maps as many of the buildings still standing there are remains of the decolonization phase that takes place at roughly the same time the TF2 storyline is happening.

I think if someone would model iconic african trees like the baobab (ok this this species belongs on Madagascar) and the acacia people would realize quickly where they are.
Also the lion king rocks immediately let us think of africa like youmes Hodoos evoke the american south west.

Also helpful would be cardboard cutouts of the big five game in the style of the 2fort cow.

Posters and company names should also be african themed advertising safaris and cheap blood diamonds ('rose tinted') instead of farming and mining equipment.

Instead of those big trucks you could have safari jeeps or the african queen boat on the map.
Other props may be african weaponry and mounted animal heads.

Locations like hunting lodges and diamond mines could work.
You could also include some african patterns, those can be red or blue tinted.

[AngryPotato]

Excellent remarks, Monkeys. Such props would surely make good map climate and I agree that you don't need then to drastically alter building style.

[SPHinx]

Excellent remarks, Monkeys. Such props would surely make good map climate and I agree that you don't need then to drastically alter building style.

Agreed. I was thinking of putting out such model requests (for baobab, acacia, and the like) once most or all of the maps were nearer to beta. Should I do it sooner than this?

[Logan.ps]

I would. If you can get the modeller interested in the cycle, they're likely to produce better work.

[AngryPotato]

Whark and Alia's asset pack is out, so you may use it for your North-Africa maps now
http://chemicalalia.deviantart.com/#/d2zrodq
http://www.skysilcox.com/dev-blog/20...sets-released/

[SPHinx]

Whark and Alia's asset pack is out, so you may use it for your North-Africa maps now
http://chemicalalia.deviantart.com/#/d2zrodq
http://www.skysilcox.com/dev-blog/20...sets-released/

Snagged. Thanks.

[Two monkeys from a Tzu..ps]

I finished one poster for BLU: