The Art Style and Graphics Discussion

[Juihau]

So, I talked about Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni before and the fantastic illustrations of its environment, so I'ma go ahead and share a few more. Unfortunately, I couldn't get these ones in very good quality (the ones before were ripped directly from the official site), but you should still be able to see just how amazing this island looks.

And while I'm here, I suppose I'll bring up the authorities of the island, the Four Gods, who look pretty cool as well, if a bit...weird.

From left to right, they are Gouzanze, Kongou, Gundari, and Daiitoku, getting their names from four of the Five Wisdom Kings in Buddhism, and appear as a robotic dragon, tortoise, phoenix and tiger, respectively.

And then to top that all off, my personal favorite aspect of the game's design: the weapons. The way they change with each transformation, with parts folding, unfolding, snapping into place with a satisfying ker-chunk. It's not something you often see in games, and I think it's really cool.

 

[Tyaren]

Yeah... People on streams make jokes like "is this a PS2 game!?" About DOA5LR but in actuality its still one of the best looking current gen fighters going atm SFV and Tekken pale in comparison really. They might have better environment graphics though

I'd even dispute the better environment graphics regarding Street Fighter V. :/

Hot Ryu makes it all better though.

No, not even Hot Ryu can make it better. XD I was surprised you are considering getting the game. As long as they didn't put A LOT more content in the game I would strongly advise you not to get it. And even if they put more content in it, don't get it for the PS4 but for PC if you can. It really looks rough on console. You'll know what I mean... The screens I post in here are all the best looking I manage to take.

@Chapstick

So, I talked about Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni before and the fantastic illustrations of its environment, so I'ma go ahead and share a few more. Unfortunately, I couldn't get these ones in very good quality (the ones before were ripped directly from the official site), but you should still be able to see just how amazing this island looks.

They do indeed look good. Kinda in stark contrast to the character designs...
I'm still sad "Uppers" from the same development team was put on hold due to the mediocre demand by gamers. I loved that game's art style and I had hoped it would make it to the PS4 in full HD glory some day. :/

 

[Jadeinchains]

Its strange because the screens you've took do make it look quite good but then I've seen screens that are shamelessly horrible! Back when this game was first announced it looked like it would be my first street fighter game. But it just seems so... Lacking I guess I'd say.

 

[Tyaren]

Its strange because the screens you've took do make it look quite good but then I've seen screens that are shamelessly horrible! Back when this game was first announced it looked like it would be my first street fighter game. But it just seems so... Lacking I guess I'd say.

Honestly, better wait for a while longer. :/ Except you are rich, then you won't miss the 60€ you paid for just a demo.

And here, let me help you out with a another horrible pic:
(View in full size

 

[Jadeinchains]

That kind of looks like a green screen behind them. They look like they aren't really there. Probably because the stage looks so dull and cloudy and yet there colours are still so vibrant! And if its still around £60 then yeah I think I'll wait until its like £30/£20.

 

[Chapstick]

@Chapstick

View attachment 20131

1) it looks like his brow keeps his eyes in his head
2) by the look on Ryu's face I'm wondering what's happening out of frame

I've always been a fan of that unrealistic hyper-masculine body type (as long as it isn't overly veiny or you can see individual muscle fiber strands through the skin bc I prefer not to see people's insides) so Zangief's been a favorite of mine since childhood but god they always make him such a butterface. It'd be nice to get a LITTLE bit of the softness of his Wreck it Ralph face

 

[Tyaren]

1) it looks like his brow keeps his eyes in his head

I've always been a fan of that unrealistic hyper-masculine body type (as long as it isn't overly veiny or you can see individual muscle fiber strands through the skin bc I prefer not to see people's insides) so Zangief's been a favorite of mine since childhood but god they always make him such a butterface. It'd be nice to get a LITTLE bit of the softness of his Wreck it Ralph face

Haha, Zangief always reminds me of:

ಠ___ಠ

Imho the Wreck it Ralph version was drawn much too Disney-soft. He almost looks handsome there. D: In generell Zangief's depiction there was off character. He's also not really a villain.

2) by the look on Ryu's face I'm wondering what's happening out of frame

Lol. Well, this is just a couple of frames earlier:

 

[Juihau]

I'm still sad "Uppers" from the same development team was put on hold due to the mediocre demand by gamers. I loved that game's art style and I had hoped it would make it to the PS4 in full HD glory some day. :/

It's on indefinite hiatus, but they already released a playable demo, so there's still hope.

Spoiler

Unfortunately, having played it myself, the game is...quite frankly, really boring, so I don't know if it'll get a sequel or anything even if it does release. Sorry.

 

[Tyaren]

It's on indefinite hiatus, but they already released a playable demo, so there's still hope.

Spoiler

Unfortunately, having played it myself, the game is...quite frankly, really boring, so I don't know if it'll get a sequel or anything even if it does release. Sorry.

Aww...that's too bad the game actually sucks. :/

The character designer was by the way Hiroaki one of my all time favorite character designers. He's best known for his King of Fighters work when that game still had style:

I wished I would be just half as good as Hiroaki... No, what am I talking? I want to be exactly as good! ಠoಠ

 

[UpSideDownGRUNT]

Is the girl in tne top pic wearing braces with no top/bra? Lol that's just as silly as Leifangs Beach Party "costume"

 

[Kronin]

Faye Valentine is the most famous owner for this fashion and in 18 years I've never heard someone complaining about her xD

PS: By the way in that artwork Vanessa is apparently pictured in the act of dressing/undressing, her main outfit includes a sleeveless shirt.

 

[Argentus]

Is the girl in tne top pic wearing braces with no top/bra? Lol that's just as silly as Leifangs Beach Party "costume"

I think that's just Vanessa being a topless milf for a minute lol.

Its normally suspenders over a white sleeveless office shirt

Actually on the topic of Vanessa, does it bug anyone else that she doesn't look her age?
She was designed explicitly in her 30s to have a milf in contrast to all the teens to college age girls, but all her art and sprites look the same as them anyway.
Literally the only time she's ever actually looked like a milf, to me at least, is this fan art

And I'm talking more the face and hair than physique

 

[Goarmagon]

Hiroaki is his name huh? I love painterly yet highly detailed work like Yoji Shinkawa and Takuji Kawano(?). Do you guys know of any other artists that work that way?

 

[Russian-chiropractic19]

goddamit milf is not a fucking physical trait

 

[Tyaren]

Hiroaki is his name huh? I love painterly yet highly detailed work like Yoji Shinkawa and Takuji Kawano(?). Do you guys know of any other artists that work that way?

His full name is supposed to be Hiroaki Hashimoto but no one actually knows for sure. He usually just goes by Hiroaki. Yeah, his usual work is pretty painterly, colorful and expressive. I also love how attractive all the characters are that he draws. More of his art:

Here's by the way his official blog, where he from time to time shares new sketches and illustrations: http://hiroaki-blog.blogspot.com
Unfortunately he doesn't update it very often... :/

And then, as you mentioned, there's Takuji Kawano who is Soul Calibur's lead designer but who also does work for the Tekken series. His style is less painterly but always still a little rough and with lots of texture. You can often see his original pencil sketch lines underneath his art. He too designs all his characters to be super attractive. Even the "ugly" ones (Cervantes, Rock, Astaroth...) can imho still be considered pretty-ugly. XD

Another more painterly artist is Eisuke Ogura who worked mostly with SNK in the past and did the character design for KOF 12-13. It is a lot cleaner than Hiroaki but it still has a nice texture to it. Some of his work:

To be honest, I usually don't especially like the painterly kind of style. I'm a very clean artist myself (at least that's what people always tell me. ) so I can't really give you many other especially painterly working artists/character designers. :/

 

[Jadeinchains]

I love the SNK artwork so much. The characters are just so amazing looking in them. And ive also always been a fan of the soul calibur characters artwork. And yeah pretty much everyone in soul calibur is super model status.

 

[Argentus]

goddamit milf is not a fucking physical trait

My point was that pic is the only time Vanessa actually looked her age rather than the same as all the teens and early 20s that make up the rest of the cast



On kpf can I just say that the sprites for xii and xiii were fucking hideous? Like Mais face is entirely forehead, terry has no damn neck, wtf is with ioris hair, etc.
One of the main problems I noticed is the sprites just don't show faces half the time. Either it looks like their eyes are way too low on their head, or theres just not enough distinction to make out facial features.

Then there's the pinhead proportions of Clark and Ralph

 

[KasumiLover]

The soul Calibur artist is definitely one of my favorites. It's a shame Sophtitia had to look so cheap in that outfit though, her 2P outfit is way better to me in terms of design.

 

[Tyaren]

On kpf can I just say that the sprites for xii and xiii were fucking hideous?

You are the first one I ever met who thought that... .__. The sprite work looks amazing, technically and stylistically and is probably the best we will ever see or at least for a very long time see. Now that even SNK scrapped it after working and perfecting it for many years. SNK even made an informative anniversary website about their pixel art including a gallery where you can look at all the amazing models with different animations:
http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/info/15th_anniv/2d_dot/index.php
Here right to the model viewer:
http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/info/15th_anniv/2d_dot/gallery/character/index.php

Wow...calling KoF's sprites "hideous", and considering how awful the new 3D models look, this is almost blasphemous! D:

 

[Chapstick]

Haha, Zangief always reminds me of:

ಠ___ಠ

Imho the Wreck it Ralph version was drawn much too Disney-soft. He almost looks handsome there. D: In generell Zangief's depiction there was off character. He's also not really a villain.

That's why I said a little bit. I just want him to look less..SEVERE. That bothered me too, I remember him wanting to inspire kids or something in SFIV's story and then wreck it ralph sticks him in the villain club