Pixel day and night backdrops
Build matching backgrounds that change atmosphere without moving playable landmarks. Choose and freeze a shared pixel scale, canvas size, palette, anchor point and export naming convention before drawing. PNG transparency; integer scaling with nearest-neighbor display. Example canvas sizes are design choices, not recovered originals.
TECHNICAL NOTES///
Build matching backgrounds that change atmosphere without moving playable landmarks.
GOALRun the first test described in this guide and record the result for pixel day and night backdrops.
PREPARATION / NOTES
Choose and freeze a shared pixel scale, canvas size, palette, anchor point and export naming convention before drawing. PNG transparency; integer scaling with nearest-neighbor display. Example canvas sizes are design choices, not recovered originals.
STEPS
- Lay out horizon, ground and major landmarks on one master composition.
- Create day and night palettes from that layout, preserving collision-related visual positions.
- Separate foreground, middle distance and sky if parallax is desired.
- Test character contrast and any background tiling seams at game scale.
TROUBLESHOOTING
- A dark night palette can hide the player. Background art should not imply platforms that have no collision.
THINGS TO WATCH FOR
A dark night palette can hide the player. Background art should not imply platforms that have no collision.
RESULTSwitching time-of-day preserves navigation and keeps important objects visible.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY///
Imported as an independent manifest record; public copy keeps uncertainty visible.
SPECIFICATION///
RELEASED MATERIAL///
Switching time-of-day preserves navigation and keeps important objects visible.
The record keeps what is known at this revision. Unfinished tests stay unfinished here.