Interview Dead State Revealed

[Jora]

it's slapped together to approximate concepts with only the faintest idea of what actual kitchens/libraries/fastfood joints look like

Only the faintest idea? What the fuck are you talking about? They look quite realistic.

 

[treave]

Just feels a bit too clean. But maybe this is pre-zombie. I'm sure afterwards there'll be blood and shit all over the place. Also lighting is a big deal when it comes to evoking mood.

I'm waiting to see what the UI will look like, don't see it on the site yet.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You're misunderstanding why people are calling this Sims-like. It's because of sterile environments that evoke memories of interior design software such as Sierra Home Architect, not because you've somehow managed to perfectly capture that elusive slice of suburbia. The Sims were pretty poor in that regard too, it's nothing to be proud of.

If you can't do 3D well, but you can draw, do 2D. If you can't draw, don't bother modeling or making any kind of art assets, they won't look good. If your art assets look like they've been directly taken from one of those 3D model library DVDs, don't bother putting them into your game if you can't find a way to create a passable level of visual cohesion between them, even if you just wing it by clever use of colors and filters.

Plus one.

The art direction, or rather the lack of it, is hideous. Hideously hideous. It's not that the graffix aren't next-gen enough, they just don't seem to be done with any interest in achieving aesthetic appeal; it's slapped together to approximate concepts with only the faintest idea of what actual kitchens/libraries/fastfood joints look like, and the only way it could look passable would be if the player can zoom out really, really, really far.

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

You're misunderstanding why people are calling this Sims-like. It's because of sterile environments that evoke memories of interior design software such as Sierra Home Architect, not because you've somehow managed to perfectly capture that elusive slice of suburbia. The Sims were pretty poor in that regard too, it's nothing to be proud of.

If you can't do 3D well, but you can draw, do 2D. If you can't draw, don't bother modeling or making any kind of art assets, they won't look good. If your art assets look like they've been directly taken from one of those 3D model library DVDs, don't bother putting them into your game if you can't find a way to create a passable level of visual cohesion between them, even if you just wing it by clever use of colors and filters.

Plus one.

The art direction, or rather the lack of it, is hideous. Hideously hideous. It's not that the graffix aren't next-gen enough, they just don't seem to be done with any interest in achieving aesthetic appeal; it's slapped together to approximate concepts with only the faintest idea of what actual kitchens/libraries/fastfood joints look like, and the only way it could look passable would be if the player can zoom out really, really, really far.

Don't be a moron. Just don't.

The only way I will let you off the hook is if you admit to me that you have usually been more of an Adventure fan rather than a CRPG fan. I will understand the wank you carry on with then. Otherwise, there is no other answer; a moron that wants art deco toilets in their CRPG's.

Graphics/Art/Etc should always, ALWAYS be secondary in a CRPG to gameplay and mechanics. In adventure games (at least since the early 90's onwards) it is the other way round; pretty landscapes with modernistic/wanky design over any sort of solid character/party/gameplay mechanics.

 

[Radisshu]

People who bitch about the art direction can go fuck themselves. What did you expect?

 

[Lesifoere]

Butthurt parade. I expected better of you, Codex (though not VD. VD never changes).

All that's been shown are screenshots, not gameplay trailers, so surprisingly enough that's what people are going to comment on. Shock horror.

 

[denizsi]

I think it has more to do with lighting, and maybe with the texture tones too -part the sterility stems from a too unified and somewhat washed out range of tones I think-, than with anything else in those shots, particularly the indoor ones. I might be wrong but there doesn't seem to be much effort put into lighting.

Also, is there some dynamic light sources? Shadows of some of the seemingly static objects have particularly jagged shadows that shouldn't have been outright noticeable in a lightmap in a "modern game" (in before morons crying "LOL go play Crysis"). Anyway, hopefully so; ability to turn on/off or put out lights could be a great element.

We love you too, despite your recent nose-dive decline.

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

Butthurt parade. I expected better of you, Codex (though not VD. VD never changes).

All that's been shown are screenshots, not gameplay trailers, so surprisingly enough that's what people are going to comment on. Shock horror.

Yes, I thought I had hit the nail on the head.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Just feels a bit too clean. But maybe this is pre-zombie. I'm sure afterwards there'll be blood and shit all over the place. Also lighting is a big deal when it comes to evoking mood.

Yeah, it's clean, but there's no reason for blood to spontaneously appear all over the place if people fled long ago. Maybe things should be scattered around since they were in a fucking hurry, but meh.

hilarious stuff

Never change, codex. Premise seems nice, gameplay seems nice, nice this, nice that...OH YEAH THE ART DIRECTION IS SUBPAR AND DOESN'T HAVE AESTHETIC APPEAL.

Jesus Christ. Your Art degree is cool, we get it.

 

[latexmonkeys]

Graphics/Art/Etc should always, ALWAYS be secondary in a CRPG to gameplay and mechanics.

I expressed a similar sentiment in another thread a short while ago.

 

[denizsi]

If they went for a more cartoonish look with higher-contrast colours, these same shots (and the end product if these accurately represent what the game will look like in the end) might have looked much better and actually appealing as well. A little cartoonish vibe with lively colours won't take anything away from the tension.

In fact, now that I think about it, all the TB games that I've played and have had that tension, were pretty cartoonish. X-Com, JA1/2, Silent Storm, uh, some more games I can't remember atm. Silent Storm in particular, for being a 3D game and having a seemingly similar poly-count and still looking awesome for the most part (to me at least). These look utterly non-distinctive, no homo graphicswhore.

 

[latexmonkeys]

Butthurt parade. I expected better of you, Codex (though not VD. VD never changes).

All that's been shown are screenshots, not gameplay trailers, so surprisingly enough that's what people are going to comment on. Shock horror.

Gameplay elements have been discussed, but I'm sure it goes without saying that compelling game mechanics hold little interest for you.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Don't be such a woman, Lesi.

You've claimed that "the art direction, or rather the lack of it, is hideous. Hideously hideous." and that " it's slapped together to approximate concepts with only the faintest idea of what actual kitchens/libraries/fastfood joints look like".

The first statement is an obvious exaggeration aimed to show your edginess and overall coolness. "Look at me. I'm not like other sheeple here who praise the visuals mindlessly. I'm an educated woman with like taste and shit and I know what kitchens look like, mkay?"

The second statement is just plain fucking stupid. Only the faintest idea of what actual kitchens, school libraries, and fast food joints look like? Seriously? Care to explain how did we manage to fuck it up beyond recognition?

It's a fucking school library. What kind of art direction, pray tell, Brian & Co could have applied there? I really want to know. Be a doll and explain.

Now, had you said "Guys, why the fuck am I looking at the screens of fucking kitchens and libraries? Who gives a fuck what a kitchen looks like in the game?", I would have completely agreed with you, but bitching about the kitchen's art direction?

 

[tunguska]

In general I don't care for cartoonish looking games, but you may be right in this case. Only a highly stylized cartoonish look and a whole lot of DOF can save it. Haha. Actually I think WoW had just the right amount of cel-shadedness. Any more than that and we could end up in Final Fantasy land. Thank god this game will not have shiny eye candy. Otherwise it wouldn't give us anything to complain about when talking about this game. And that would be unacceptable.

 

[Freelance Henchman]

This game looks terrible and I hope Brian and Annie get eaten by rabid wolverines for making it. :flipflop:

 

[Clockwork Knight]

"I'm an educated woman with like taste and shit and I know what kitchens look like, mkay?"

Tbh, that's common knowledge for women.

 

[denizsi]

I wasn't suggesting cel-shading or anime-style at all. Likewise, none of my examples had outlines or cel-shading except for object/target selection.

 

[Vault Dweller]

In fact, now that I think about it, all the TB games that I've played and have had that tension, were pretty cartoonish. X-Com, JA1/2, Silent Storm, uh, some more games I can't remember atm. Silent Storm in particular, for being a 3D game and having a seemingly similar poly-count and still looking awesome for the most part (to me at least). These look utterly non-distinctive, no homo graphicswhore.

I wouldn't say that SS was cartoonish.

 

[denizsi]

I would:

Unless your definition of cartoony is exaggerated figures with spiked hair.

 

[Gragt]

That looks bad. Did they have any idea what a military office was supposed to look like? Feel straight out of The Sims, it does.

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

That looks bad. Did they have any idea what a military office was supposed to look like? Feel straight out of The Sims, it does.

Well, I could legitimately step forth about now and say how I personally know what a military office should look like and how hideously hideous it is....

Unfortunately for the artistes however, I prefer being able to play a decent game than stare at the very model of a modern military office.

 

[tunguska]

Those pics don't look intentionally cartoonish to me. Just old gen with low res textures. They don't seem stylized like a hand drawn cartoon would be. Maybe CGI cartoons look like that though. The only CG cartoons I've ever actually seen are anime.

 

[denizsi]

I don't know about the intentions in art direction but I think a great deal of old games were made to look at least a little bit cartoonish by default to, you know, look good.

Anyway, all I'm saying is maybe a little more vibrancy and higher contrast will make it look better for those of us who obviously bitch for the sake of bitching instead simply appreciating the hidden beauty of visual sterility and discussing how compelling the game is.

 

[Vault Dweller]

That looks bad. Did they have any idea what a military office was supposed to look like? Feel straight out of The Sims, it does.

Well, I could legitimately step forth about now and say how I personally know what a military office should look like and how hideously hideous it is....

I don't think you have the faintest idea of what an actual military office - or even a desk for that matter - looks like. I do agree that whatever place this screen shows is hideously hideous.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

RPG Codex: The place to discuss CRPGs, tabletop RPGs, adventure games and hideous furniture.