“[LPC Revised] 4-Season Terrain” Sample Image — by Eliza Wyatt (DeathsDarling), Lanea Zimmerman (Sharm), Hyptosis, Stephen Challener (Redshrike), and Demetrius. Accessed from OpenGameArt Accessed from OpenGameArt. OGA-BY 3.0.
“Soliloquy” — by Matthew Pablo. Accessed from OpenGameArt. CC-BY 3.0.
my brain is addled today, and so is my body. i wanted to think of relaxation. i imagined water flowing over me, a gentle song that is open to both rest and exploration.
i’ve used opengameart for public domain assets in my games before, so i was drawn to look there. as a note: their ‘OGA’ license is an adaptation of the equivalent CC license that makes it easier to use in video games and other technological media.
Hi Ella! To me the image you chose makes me feel as though I am about to play a cozy, farming game. When combined with the music, it feels slightly more epic, as though I am about to begin a quest, yet still cozy which I believe is exactly what you were going for. Another idea I could think of is a more creepy audio if you wanted bigger contrast between the sound and image. Then it would feel as if you were about to play a horror game. I also learned something new from your post! I’d never browsed opengameart, but it looks like a great resource! And good to know about the OGA license being equivalent.
Thank you for sharing your post! To me the image you selected reminds me of opening areas of pixel art games similar to the early Legend of Zelda games. It makes me feel like I will soon be embarking on a new quest or story. The music has some really epic swells and almost sounds triumphant to me. So, when combined, I get a similar feeling of returning to beginning sections of a game after defeating the main quest.
I think if I were to think of alternate audio ideas, I would look for music that sounds a bit more retro, or that emulates that style, the same way the pixel art emulates retro graphics, to instead emphasize the nostalgia of older games.
On the technical side of things, your image is a little on the small size when compared to the text, but that being said it doesn’t seem like you lost any details of the image due to the size, I just think it might look a bit better with the text wrapped and the image to one side or the other.
When I first looked at your image, I immediately thought of my favorite cozy farming game. It definitely gives off that peaceful feeling you were looking for. Paired with the audio, it changed that perspective a bit and made me feel like I was playing more of an epic fantasy game, perhaps at the emotional cusp of the game’s story. All your technical aspects on your post look great! I had no prior knowledge of opengameart before reading your post, so thank you for sharing that resource!
The pixel-art image immediately feels nostalgic to me, like an 80s or early adventure game, which I find oddly soothing. There is something calming about the simplicity of retro-style landscapes. On its own, the image feels peaceful and inviting. The music is also soothing, with a gentle, reflective tone that complements the visual rather than overpowering it. Together, they create a comforting atmosphere that makes sense given your description of wanting rest for an “addled” mind. It feels like a small, safe world to retreat into. Technically, everything works smoothly, though slightly enlarging the image could strengthen the layout.