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Game News SKALD: Against the Black Priory Teaser Trailer

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
12,867
Bobble heads. I still plan on picking up that entire game +DLC but it is different imho. I can play text, asci, vector art, pixels and modern and all in between. Getting your pink & purple polka-dot pikachu plushie panties wadded in a bunch because you don't like the art of pixel games is pretty retarded imho. To each their own i guess.
 
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jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
I can play old/ugly games too. Prefer not to though. It's not about that. It's about the praise, like I said. Like watching people praising some kickstarter cashgrab as numanuma or something.
 

Viata

Arcane
Joined
Nov 11, 2014
Messages
9,885
Location
Water Play Catarinense
Get some standarts, people. It's not 80s out there anymore. luj1 you especially, friendo. Falling for shit just because it has resemblance with something from youth or whatever. At least be honest with yourself and others while you're at it. Fucking disgrace.

Here's another reference - that scamware, Stoneshard. Now that game project has some reeeeally juicy pixel art, compare it to this.
ss_564bcfdeb7509223009a669b5264cbf077880067.1920x1080.jpg

ss_26c9e27e7f2669ef89523fc889c60d3279473eab.1920x1080.jpg

ss_85d83b92a3e4b8d972a5611ee6452b20277c1789.1920x1080.jpg


Nice art. But the characters are really weird.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
12,867
Ah. Yeah, too much praise and no constructive criticism can definitely be an issue.
 

Mortmal

Arcane
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
9,158
I can play old/ugly games too. Prefer not to though. It's not about that. It's about the praise, like I said. Like watching people praising some kickstarter cashgrab as numanuma or something.
I am not super fan fan of faux retro pixel art either, those games were in fact looking much better in the 80s on our crt screens. The gameplay of this one as shown in the demo is decent , writing and setting seems good too, feels like some tabletop rpg, which is rare enough to mention and worthy of a little praise.
 

nlfortier

Esturia Games
Developer
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Messages
128
Some people seem to hold the belief that as new visual styles become possible in gaming, older visual styles should be retired, but I don't think that's the right way to look at it. Good pixel art remains aesthetically pleasing and I still enjoy playing modern games made in these older styles. I don't think it's simply nostalgia either, as indicated by the large number of young people who enjoy playing games like Caves of Qud and Rift Wizard. Doing away with 8-bit pixel art now that we have modern graphics is like telling people to stop painting with water color because we have access to digital art tools.
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
I am not super fan fan of faux retro pixel art either, those games were in fact looking much better in the 80s on our crt screens. The gameplay of this one as shown in the demo is decent , writing and setting seems good too, feels like some tabletop rpg, which is rare enough to mention and worthy of a little praise.
Yeah I know, same for mm6 and many other games from that time (in mm6 the clash of different styles of UI elements was jarring even then though) but this is actually being produced for modern systems and therefore displays. The pixels looked differently, simply put. But I didn't even start to talk about anything aside visuals; like I said, the game might be still good overall.
young people who enjoy playing games like Caves of Qud and Rift Wizard
Somehow I'm sure they enjoy it not because of the graphixx, otherwise they should be all checked at the nearest psychiatrist.
Doing away with 8-bit pixel art now that we have modern graphics is like telling people to stop painting with water color because we have access to digital art tools.
I think this is a false analogy. Water color is the tool, exactly. If you try hard you can create something with the digital art tools what would looked as water color painting. But here we have a situation when with modern tools (I assume) people create something with retro look. As if trying to do somthing say in the impressionism style, again with modern digital art tools as if nothing happened. Quite depraved idea if you ask me (if you've been born recently then don't fuck around and explore post-modernism or try to find something new if you dare. don't fucking try to go back, that's pointless).
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
As if trying to do somthing say in the impressionism style, again with modern digital art tools as if nothing happened. Quite depraved idea if you ask me.
Digital Impressionism is actually an art style that is currently practiced by many artists around the world, which kind of proves my point.
Not the same. They can call it however they want, it's all essentially post-modernism. Imagine if some scottish guys would use electronic bagpipes in attempt to create some new scottish folklore music for it. How would that make sense? The world has changed and the culture with it. That said, I don't mind using any "old" elements of it (again, post-modernism is almost all about that) but you cannot step into the same river twice. That Caves of Qud example of yours: yes, it does use 8bit graphix but to the best of my knowledge gameplay there is rather innovative, no? Plus I heared it has become woke beyond any measures - rather new urm trend, don't you think?
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
What we see here as the dev is saving on visuals while at the same time sells it to hipsters as retro stuff. Brilliant move to be honest.
 

Rincewind

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down under
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Water color is the tool, exactly. If you try hard you can create something with the digital art tools what would looked as water color painting.

And people do that all the time, and it's perfectly fine, of course. No, it's more than fine — mixing old and new techniques often lead to exciting new results and styles, in art, in music, everywhere. Lots of painting software can emulate various brushes and even how blotches of watercolour get mixed together, etc.



Imagine if some scottish guys would use electronic bagpipes in attempt to create some new scottish folklore music for it. How would that make sense?

I imagined it, and yeah, why not? What "sense" are you talking about? If it's cool, people enjoy it, then go for it. There is no "authority" on creativity. Have you heard of electric violins and double-basses?

Then how about this? They mix the ancient with the contemporary (e.g. there's lots of digital DSP processing on the live audio if you pay attention), and while it's a bit gimmicky at times, I quite like it when I'm in the mood.



But here we have a situation when with modern tools (I assume) people create something with retro look.

How can you know how the artist exactly created the art? Do you know them personally and they told you? Were you standing behind their shoulders the whole time? In fact, many artists still use Deluxe Paint or similar pixel art software on the Amiga/C64/PC/whatever to do pixel art. Have you heard of PixelJoint? Or Grafx2, a new(ish) pixel art tool inspired by Deluxe Paint?

I guess I'm just getting worked up because you don't simply say "I don't like it" (which is perfectly valid), but instead start talking about what XYZ should and shouldn't do, and how things *are*...

Artists can do whatever, then you either like the result, or you don't.
 

Lord Rocket

Erudite
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
1,089
some thoughts. what follows are real facts and not just, like, my opinions, man

skald looks great (in terms of the grafx, haven't really been keeping up with any gameplay related announcements)
qfg3 looks like shit. the disconnect between the sprites and the painted backdrops = ew gross. 256!!! COLOUR!!! VGA!!!! was truly the bloom/chromatic aberration/etc. of it's day. I thought so back in 2001ish when I first played it and I think so now, because even dipshit teenage me was a fuckin genius who is always right
on a related note, qfg2 looked amazing then and looks amazing now. fuckin decline of sierra
that other game posted looks very generic too. oh boy MORE desaturated pixels in that weird jarpug projection, never seen that before. I wonder how many frames of animation each sprite has (billions), I'm sure it won't look unnaturally smooth or anything
conversely skald still looks pretty fresh simply because the OG Ultima grafx style hasn't really been aped to death (yet)
I didn't play MM6 etc. back in the day and I'm not going to now because it's ugly. 90s three dee sucks lol, MM2 was the graphical peak of the series

ok hopefully there's something in here to blast every butt. if not please let me know and I'll tell you why a game you like is bad. or not, tbqh I prefer to drive by post and rarely read let alone respond to replies (not gonna pretend I have anything better to do but arguing on the net is still a big gay waste of time)
 

Rincewind

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qfg3 looks like shit. the disconnect between the sprites and the painted backdrops = ew gross. 256!!! COLOUR!!! VGA!!!! was truly the bloom/chromatic aberration/etc. of it's day. I thought so back in 2001ish when I first played it and I think so now, because even dipshit teenage me was a fuckin genius who is always right
I never quite liked painted backgrounds either, that was a marked decline from pixel art like you said. There were a few exceptions, e.g. Monkey Island 2 still looked very good with the painted and scanned backgrounds.
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
If it's cool, people enjoy it, then go for it. There is no "authority" on creativity.
"People enjoy all kinds of shit" - that's your argument, seriously? I agree in a sense I'm not advocating for censorship here but in turn
Artists can do whatever, then you either like the result, or you don't.
it's our job to tell that his creation is shit (if it is). Even talented artists produce shit from time to time let alone various hacks. Look around, it's never ever been easier to create art and at the same time people with no taste whatsoever guzzle it.

Ideally we must reform our education systems to adapt (to educate musically literate, with developed aesthetic taste people in the first place) but at least to confront the trend somehow, otherwise we'll drown in shit tomorrow. Oh right, I forgot that you can't, you think Skald looks awesome.
MM2 was the graphical peak of the series
I see.
 

Rincewind

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it's our job to tell that his creation is shit (if it is). Even talented artists produce shit from time to time let alone various hacks. Look around, it's never ever been easier to create art and at the same time people with no taste whatsoever guzzle it.

Ideally we must reform our education systems to adapt (to educate musically literate, with developed aesthetic taste people in the first place) but at least to confront the trend somehow, otherwise we'll drown in shit tomorrow.
I don't necessarily disagree with that, but there's still the question of taste and your background. What is shit and what isn't is often in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? There no "single refined taste" either; people who have more refined (in other words, broader) tastes still don't agree on everything. And why should they? And what if they did? Would the world be a "better" place then? Or if all others like what I like, then what? I don't see the value in "agreeing" on what is "good" art and what isn't. There's not really an objective criteria for art like it is (more or less) for something practical and utilitarian, for example a pair of shoes (should keep your feet warm, should last for a long time) or a ladder or lightbulb or something.

I grew up with the C64 and the Amiga, I even produced pixel art when I was young. So I love it, I just feel good when I look at pixel gfx, and many others here do too for similar reasons. Sure, 99% of it is not Michelangelo level, but I still like it.

You don't, because you most likely didn't grow up in the 80s staring at those chunky pixels on the Commodore 64, and that's fine.
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
Would the world be a "better" place then?
Absolutely, yes. Especially now with globalization. Relatively speaking, it's up to you and me what to expect to listen in a random cafe, what to look at a new district (it's about architecture too of course) just as "what to see in a new game" after merciless critique of an old one etc etc. And of course you cannot agree on everything but that's not needed. At least not to consume mindlessly and not to walk away with "eh, someone might like it I guess". And of course it's about background but working on one's taste is an endless process.
I grew up with the C64 and the Amiga, I even produced pixel art when I was young. So I love it, I just feel good when I look at pixel gfx, and many others here do too for similar reasons. Sure, 99% of it is not Michelangelo level, but I still like it.
Yeah I figured that and so is the dev obviously when he was evaluating his target audience but is it impossible to look through bias? Like I said, I grew up with mm6, can't stop me from calling it ugly (for comparison, homm2 still looks fantastic).
 

Darkozric

Arbiter
Edgy
Joined
Jun 3, 2018
Messages
1,651
Both of you have valid points, the truth is somewhere in the middle. If everyone (both educated or not) would agree in everything that deals with art, life would be boring.

Personal taste plays a big role but I can't disagree that a better education system is required to appreciate art in any form.
Especially for music education, the majority of people have 0 basic music education and the results are devastating. Most of young people in my country have terrible taste and this is mirrored in their personal life too.

In the end this is a balance problem, call Josh Sawyer to fix it.

(BTW this looks better than the Death Trash abomination)
 

Skdursh

Savant
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
734
Location
Slavlandia
Anyone who thinks this game is ugly is the type of dude to unironically wear shirts like this:

You-Cant-Scare-Me-Im-A-Gay-I-Was-Born-In-November-Shirt.jpg


Game could end up shit for a thousand other reasons, but the art direction is completely on point.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
12,867
I also considered getting Death Trash.

I still love MM1 (c64, appleII, DOS) and think a lot of its gfx are a little more appealing than MM2. That tiled floor did intrigue the hell out of me.
FpGUtba.jpg

And sky. I perpetually thought in the c64 it was forever darkness in MM1.
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/might-and-magic-ii/

Damn, i really need to get that Mac, pc88/98 and msx emulators working.
 
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