Serious question. How would you all feel about static (non moving) backgrounds in a 2D side scrolling plat former? Why am I asking this? Because unfortunately I have to announce that "D-Resonate, Sonata of the Phantasm" will not have many if any very active backgrounds. This is because animating highly detailed trees among other things in the background of stages like "Waking Forest" and "Chime Palace" is beyond my abilities.

Here's a list of stages that will have at least a some what lively background and what will be animated in them:
"Waking Forest" Trees will be static but the clouds and wild life won't. mostly just birds and spirits.

"Insomniac Furnace" Mostly gears, machinery, and fire pillars.

"Transit Trance" Other trains passing by in the Background.

"Jazzy Gardens" Same as "Waking Forest", Waterfalls will be animated. No nothing will be hidden in them... that would be too meta.

"Chime Palace" (formally Allegro Chime) mainly clouds and bells.

"Black Towers" Clouds and spirits/phantasms.

"Storm Ruins" Rain, occasional lighting, wind.

And here's a list of stages that will have static Backgrounds.

"Crystal Symphony" aside from snow fall. and I probably won't have it snowing.

"Distortion Vault" nothing

"Lucid Lights" nothing but the buildings of a moon lit city.

"Gateway to Somnus" aside from clouds, and spirits/phantasms, nothing.

"Fatal Cadenza" Given that this is intended to be a hard stage, it's for the better.

"Final Waltz" secret till after release

Of course of the Backgrounds in each stage will be split into layers for parallax scrolling.

For anyone hoping for lively backgrounds, sorry but that's too much for one guy.