Ok, I'll do some fresh critiques for all of these, putting them in order of how well I think they are done. I'll start with the best, and go down to the worse of the bunch:

1) Pagoda- Interior View: This is probably my favorite of all the 2-D backgrounds you have created. Of course, center-stage belongs to the Katanas. Very well done, no stray white pixels and the image quality isn't very bad really. I also liked how you gave all your props shadows, it was a nice touch and something that added realistic value to this BG. Your goal for the back wall I remember was to make it appear to look like redwood, which you succeeded in. The red isn't too bright, and isn't too dark either. But the wall does look a little bland compared with the fancy MK1 pillars. I would say something to make the back wall a little more lively would have been nice. The actual floor is nice, appropriate. Its the Desert's floor, but its been altered somewhat, which is nice because it wouldn't have fit if you hadn't did that. Also, the 'screens' over the windows are good, since you explain the meaning of it. I like this one best as I think you took more time on this one than the others.

2) Medievil Castle Tower: Now, this is your newest one. It isn't so bad, I like it basically, but I don't see where the fighters are supposed to be fighting. The lights in the 'windows' are nice, better than just leaving it plain black. The lighting effects for the torches are good, not overpowering. Its a good soft light and they do appear to be slightly 'latched' on to the overhang, though it could be a bit better. The skeletons are okay for the most part, but I think you may have darkened them a bit much. But I do like how you just didn't put two skeletons that looked exactly alike like some do, the edits you did to the leftmost one were good. The wooden beams are well placed too, all I see missing is the actual floor like I mentioned above.

3) The 'Green' BG: lol, you gave it no name so this is how I will have to address this one. The idea behind it wasn't bad, it sort of reminded me of a Zaterria type background, since it was green and had some shrubs around the pillars. It was just a bit too green for me, I mean the floor, pillars, and the sky were all green. It could have been improved with some color work. I'm not really a fan of the chains that were hanging down, but I did like the ones you hooked on that prop under the pillars. They were rotated, and hung from the skulls and look very realistic to me. I suppose the ceiling is supposed to be rock, and the pillars are holding it up. Like I said, its not a bad idea, cave-like isn't bad. The 'green' was really its one downfall.

4) Frost's Palace: This was your first submitted BG, and it shows. I did EXTREMELY love the 3D renders that followed, but since this is about your 2D work I will stick to that. This stage really doesn't seem 'icy' to me. Its just shaded blue. The only part that may look slightly icy is the beginnings of the doorways. The sky is a liitle dull, I'd expect some snow to be falling as well. Depends on the programs you have, I know some do carry snow/rain effects. The hooks hung from the gargoyles' mouths look a bit out of place to me. The should have been 'dusted' or something, to make them look icy.

All in all, I can tell over the months of submissions you are getting better, as the two I like most are your most recent submissions. Your ideas have always been original for the most part, and I like that most about your backgrounds. The only thing I noticed is you tend to stick with a certain color theme sometimes, like blue, green, and red. But on your newest you don't, and it is wise to avoid making a BG look all one color. Of course, MK has never been about vibrant colors, I don't mean that at all. But some variation is always good, nothing 'neon' or anything of course. Hopefully this helps you out some, keep it up, you seem to be heading in the right direction.

~Crow~ Wrote: Ok, I'll do some fresh critiques for all of these, putting them in order of how well I think they are done. I'll start with the best, and go down to the worse of the bunch: 1) Pagoda- Interior View: This is probably my favorite of all the 2-D backgrounds you have created. Of course, center-stage belongs to the Katanas. Very well done, no stray white pixels and the image quality isn't very bad really. I also liked how you gave all your props shadows, it was a nice touch and something that added realistic value to this BG. Your goal for the back wall I remember was to make it appear to look like redwood, which you succeeded in. The red isn't too bright, and isn't too dark either. But the wall does look a little bland compared with the fancy MK1 pillars. I would say something to make the back wall a little more lively would have been nice. The actual floor is nice, appropriate. Its the Desert's floor, but its been altered somewhat, which is nice because it wouldn't have fit if you hadn't did that. Also, the 'screens' over the windows are good, since you explain the meaning of it. I like this one best as I think you took more time on this one than the others. 2) Medievil Castle Tower: Now, this is your newest one. It isn't so bad, I like it basically, but I don't see where the fighters are supposed to be fighting. The lights in the 'windows' are nice, better than just leaving it plain black. The lighting effects for the torches are good, not overpowering. Its a good soft light and they do appear to be slightly 'latched' on to the overhang, though it could be a bit better. The skeletons are okay for the most part, but I think you may have darkened them a bit much. But I do like how you just didn't put two skeletons that looked exactly alike like some do, the edits you did to the leftmost one were good. The wooden beams are well placed too, all I see missing is the actual floor like I mentioned above. 3) The 'Green' BG: lol, you gave it no name so this is how I will have to address this one. The idea behind it wasn't bad, it sort of reminded me of a Zaterria type background, since it was green and had some shrubs around the pillars. It was just a bit too green for me, I mean the floor, pillars, and the sky were all green. It could have been improved with some color work. I'm not really a fan of the chains that were hanging down, but I did like the ones you hooked on that prop under the pillars. They were rotated, and hung from the skulls and look very realistic to me. I suppose the ceiling is supposed to be rock, and the pillars are holding it up. Like I said, its not a bad idea, cave-like isn't bad. The 'green' was really its one downfall. 4) Frost's Palace: This was your first submitted BG, and it shows. I did EXTREMELY love the 3D renders that followed, but since this is about your 2D work I will stick to that. This stage really doesn't seem 'icy' to me. Its just shaded blue. The only part that may look slightly icy is the beginnings of the doorways. The sky is a liitle dull, I'd expect some snow to be falling as well. Depends on the programs you have, I know some do carry snow/rain effects. The hooks hung from the gargoyles' mouths look a bit out of place to me. The should have been 'dusted' or something, to make them look icy. All in all, I can tell over the months of submissions you are getting better, as the two I like most are your most recent submissions. Your ideas have always been original for the most part, and I like that most about your backgrounds. The only thing I noticed is you tend to stick with a certain color theme sometimes, like blue, green, and red. But on your newest you don't, and it is wise to avoid making a BG look all one color. Of course, MK has never been about vibrant colors, I don't mean that at all. But some variation is always good, nothing 'neon' or anything of course. Hopefully this helps you out some, keep it up, you seem to be heading in the right direction.

thanks ~crow~. you as well as tim have always been very honest with your critiques. i forgot just one background, the ice shard's bridge. it is the one that i did the frostburn fatality on. but oh well thanks for pointing out the flaws as well as the high points. i am also in the middle of making a new one that will be better than the rest. it is going to be another pagoda one but this time in the training room. with all the weapons. just wait....

hey give me some weapon ideas while i am at it. tell me some that will go in here.

They were all equally unsatisfying to me. Well, maybe I liked the tower one less, because of how incredibly boring and repetitive it is.
But meh, I dunno.

Zentile do you ever have anything nice to say?

i like the tower the only problem i have with is that the stage is small.

I've always thought highly of Kama, they have a very cool and sleek look to them. And if I am not mistaken, I believe stick-type weapons would be popular in the type of background you are talking about. And of course swords and such as well, maybe you could use more diversity in the swords, different lengths and types.

i actually like kama's too. tell me which would be better:

1: a stack of katana or A Katana, wakizashi, and a kodachi
2: a spear or a zanbatou
3: stars or shuriken
4: mats or plain floor
5: wood dummys or none

more to come...

sandspider Wrote: Zentile do you ever have anything nice to say?

If people like you ever stop getting angry at others because of their honest views on what you showed off to get honest reviews in the first place, I'll have many nice things to say.
Piss off.