r/graffhelp • u/RavencroftStudios • 23h ago
Video game Graffiti
Ravencroft Studios is an indie small team studio looking for advice on including in game graffiti. The world we’re building is important to us and we want to get this right.
Some early discussion was had around taking photos of graffiti to use but we decided this seemed sleazy and wanted to take a different approach.
Should we solicit for artists who want to have their work included in a game with credit to the artists? Should we select our most artistic individuals and have them start the process of learning the basics? We wanted to include the actual members of graffiti communities in these discussions as a sign of respect for the artistry. Please let us know your thoughts.
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u/Royal_Net5138 23h ago
I’d involve graffiti artists from the start, not just as consultants after the style is decided. Let them shape the visual language, explain the culture, and review how their work is represented. Credit is important, but genuine collaboration and fair compensation matter too.
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u/RavencroftStudios 23h ago
We’d have to find artists willing to contract for revenue share as our budget is extremely limited at the moment. Not sure how many would be on board for such a gig?
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u/Old_Hamster1264 22h ago
Some will be happy just to be in a game, others will want payment to use their work.
Thankfully you have social media nowadays so contacting alot of writers will be easy.
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u/Idontknowbroske 15h ago
Do whatever. If you guys do the graffiti any writer who know what they are doing is gunna think it’s bad. If you find people for graffiti anyone who never did it will never tell the difference.
I wouldn’t use people work without their permission. I also wouldn’t pay anyone on here to do it for you, most kids on here are trash and having their work in a game is enough of a pay day. Do your research if you are willing to pay someone for it
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u/Wagerizm 23h ago
Yeah for sure you should ask the artists themselves. I’m not sure the basis of your game, but if it were something involving freight graffiti then I’d inquire about who the big names were in that scene or Los Angeles graffiti or Europe graff, etc.
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u/-some-dude-online 17h ago
Whatever world you are building the graffiti has to be period and location correct.
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u/Warm-Pint 19h ago
Skate 3 didn’t ask for graff they used, even on the cover artwork. Battlefield 6 got some Gent48 and Ziner featured in the game, not sure if they were asked or not, but the exact piece is on their instagram.
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_BUTT_PICZ 15h ago
Reach out to the guys in LA. There's tons of up and coming artists from all kinds of the big crews who would kill to have their name up in a video game. That would be the ultimate flex, un-buffable. If you really care about having a solid understanding reach out to dudes in MSK, SABER and RISK are guys who have done plenty of collabs and they're from one of the most respected graffiti crews in Los Angeles. They're easily reachable and will certainly point you in the right direction.
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u/_riiicky 17h ago
I recommend heading over to r/blackbookgraffiti to seek artists if you’re looking for writers. Lots of talented writers and old timers are doing their work in the books. Mods might take the post down but reach out individually to artists and network with them if they do.
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u/HalfEconomy874 22h ago
Hire one Artist who understands letter forms and has varried styles, You really just need one solid graff writer who works in graphic design tbh, dont listen to old mate saying an artist will be just happy to be in a game.
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u/Old_Hamster1264 21h ago edited 21h ago
Plenty of famous writers will be cool with their tags & pieces being used in someone's game, some will want paying like i said..
If you want to implement graffiti into your game & solicit artists for their work like OP said it has to be from known writers, not some random toy that does graphic design.
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u/HalfEconomy874 21h ago
Mate they don't want YOUR name up all up in their game ffs smh, they are looking someone who can help lend creative on realistic graff to make the world they are building more believable. If they wanted chicken scratcher toys to give them free bogus work im sure they would just us AI.
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u/Old_Hamster1264 21h ago edited 21h ago
Did you even read their post?
What are you talking about chicken scratcher toys? I said famous graffiti writers.. Known writers in the game is what makes it authentic, thats why rockstar & neversoft paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for real writers work to be in their games, Cope2 alone got $35,000 from GTA4, and he got another deal on GTA5.
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u/HalfEconomy874 21h ago
Yeah i did mate lol and straight up i'm just telling them that it sounds like a nightmare logistically + logically + creatively to pool free talent together and expect it too have cohesion. It's cheaper and easier too just hire a singular old head writer than to outsource. Ravencroft arent rockstar mate.
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u/Old_Hamster1264 21h ago edited 20h ago
What are you talking about? I think you're stuck on 1 part of OPs post, read it again, specifically the part where they say "Should we solicit for artists who want to have their work included in the game".
It used to be a nightmare logistically to get rights to use a writers work, now it's easy as DMing them on Instagram. Yes ravencroft isn't rockstar thats why I said some would do it for free, rockstar wouldn't need that advice.
I see you play SKATE on your profile, look at this post a few days ago 🤣... People want authencity when it comes to graff in games.
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u/Glum_Collection_6067 19h ago
Bruh u didnt read fk all... they said they want advice on including graffiti into their game and if they should get real writers for the art and to credit them or get current employees to learn graffiti..
U talkin bout writers getting together n coding a game or sum sht? wat
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u/GASMASK_SOLDIER 11h ago
Mark Ecko's Getting Up was a cool game about scaling heights to tag for the PS2 back in the day. I like it but needed a little work.
In my opinion, for a graf video game, bring in actual artists that can explain the culture and to see how their world looks like. That's the world I would like to explore, subways, train yards, city bridges etc.. As for gameplay, I would prefer a free roaming with elements of parkour, like GTA meets Prince of Persia, but Main theme is getting the most fame from tagging. Include a mini MS Paint to create bubbles and throwies so when your character goes out into the city he can leave a copy on a monument or city hall columns. Also include a warning on the box saying vandalism is bad kids.🙂
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u/Economy-Spinach946 3h ago
I'm sure lots of different artists would share work just for credit. Giving you legit graffiti for free, everyone wins.
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u/jeepsies 17h ago
I would be willing to do some work for you guys if you are interested. Join VR graffiti groups on discord and you will find some good artists looking for work. Dm me i can help.
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u/xChoke1x 23h ago
Just play Gettin Up and make that. But better. Fuck the stupid “futuristic super cops.” Just make a reality based game where you have to get up. You can run into problems normal writers run into. Yard beef, cops, shit like that.
You have a chance to make something awesome man. Use Getting Up as inspiration because that game was fucking amazing for us real writers. lol
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u/TheMilkmanRidesAgain 22h ago
Brother they didn’t ask what kind of game to make lol just how to include real graffiti. This could be virtual pachinko for all you know
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u/Old_Hamster1264 23h ago
Id look into how games like Marc Eckos, GTA & Tony Hawk approached this early on. They worked with alot of famous writers over the years, back then they had no social media either they had to network in the streets to find the writers.
Money talks, good luck.