The Art Style and Graphics Discussion

[Tyaren]

Graphics aren't super important to me and I do still think the game looks great, I'm more just confused as to what happened in these screens to make it look not as good.

I have no clue... :/ Maybe these pics were taken in a w.i.p. environment...? They do this all the time after all... But why would you send these out to the public as new promotional screens like in this case? Normally developers send out nice looking images. They usually would even trick you with so called bullshots and would even go as far as photoshoping them as Team Ninja obviously always does.
It's not as if these screens are just unappealing, they are really horrid looking. x__X' Even open world PS3 games like GTA5 or Dead Red Redemption look way better than this.
And this is just the technical aspect of all of this. As Chapstick said, what is with those mundane and uninspired landscapes? Just look at what Xenobalde X manages on the WiiU.
This is a desert environment too, there's no vegetation to speak of and the textures are blurry and there no antialiasing whatsoever. These shots are also quite compressed. But look at how the art design elevates these images into still absolutely gorgeous views:

And now the Final Fantasy XV desert:

:/

 

[Jadeinchains]

Yeah just yesterday I think I was saying I was looking forward to seeing the desert for if its some fantasy Mecca or something but they couldn't have picked a more bland place to take the picture. I'm still holding and am sure there must be a cool place in the desert like an oasis city or something. It needs something to make it exciting. I think these pictures were just kinda bad and the actual game will still be beautiful but who knows.

Also what's a w.i.p location?

Edit: wait does it mean like "work in progress"?

 

[Tyaren]

Yep, it means work in progress.

I'm holding out too. Maybe the marketing/promotional team of FFXV is just completely inept. You can make any game look like shit.
In the concept art the desert/canyon looks pretty cool after all:

 

[Jadeinchains]

Yeah from the concept art I really think they must still be working on it are like you said inept because otherwise I think they would have taken a picture of the areas with giant pillars etc. We'll just have to wait I guess until more pictures or gameplay comes out though. I need to get more on top of where they reveal all this stuff.

 

[Tyaren]

Well, the next time is in exactly 5 days! After Taipei Game Show there will be another Action Time Report. It will focus on the battle system (that's why we got those pics I guess) and the Niflheim Empire.

 

[Jadeinchains]

Well that's good that at least we won't have to wait long until we can see if the graphics are good again. And we'll get to know more about the antagonists of the game. I'll have to make sure I don't miss it bring streamed.

 

[Tyaren]

@Chapstick, I might be mistaken...but is does look as if they have at least dropped (or at least greatly reduced) that ugly, dark vignette around the screen. Seems all much brighter and more vivid in colors now.

Who thinks something like this around the screen looks good in the first place? x__X

 

[Jadeinchains]

Recently I tried playing final fantasy 12 again. Ive been forever trapped in an airship and never being able to get past. So my main fear for this game is that I'll really want to get into it but it will be to hard or the battle system will be to complex. Is it an easy to play game or does it have like some gambit system?

Also to make this kind of on topic I don't like blurry edges but I think the worst thing games do is make the screen go dark red when your at critical health. I'm already almost dead and now I can barely see.

 

[Tyaren]

I don't think you need to be worried about it being too complex. On the contrary, many people are right now concerned it's too shallow and limited. We didn't really see it in full action so far though. In Duscae we were only able to play a slimmed down version of the actual battle system, missing one of it's most important parts: magic! On Sunday we will learn more about that because then they apparently want to finally reveal the complete battle system.
They also confirmed there will be several difficulty settings, so you really shouldn't worry about it being too difficult either. There also will be no such thing as a gambit system. Managing your party will be pretty limited as it looks. Overall the battle system is direct, fast paced and action oriented and many people claim it's closest to Kingdom Hearts' battle system if that tells you something. I never played a Kingdom Hearts so I wouldn't know.

To also stay on topic:
Recently I learned here on the forum about a new fighting game "Uppers" for the PSVita by Marvelous (yes, the Senran Kagura makers! XD). I find the art for this game amazing. *__* It's totally my kind of style, maybe because I'm working on something similar too. Here's some of the art:

The two badass looking main characters:

Here's a trailer with some more impressions. There are also some really cute ladies in there:

Unfortunately the amazing art style and character design (I really would love to know who the artist behind this is! :/) doesn't translate well at all into 3D graphics. Pretty much all of it's charm is lost:

I wonder if a PS4 version would have helped to make it look a little better. What do you think?

 

[Russian-chiropractic19]

too much shit on the screen for me to even tell whats going on.

 

[Juihau]

Recently I learned here on the forum about a new fighting game "Uppers" for the PSVita by Marvelous (yes, the Senran Kagura makers! XD).

I'ma just point out that it being a game by Marvelous shouldn't be a huge surprise. They make a variety of games, including Harvest Moon and Soul Sacrifice (which has been mentioned here before). What's more surprising is that it was actually conceptualized by the same producer as Senran Kagura, Kenichiro Takaki, and his influence can definitely be seen in places.

 

[UpSideDownGRUNT]

Marvellous definitely love the Vita x.x graphically they are disserving themselves

 

[Jadeinchains]

I was with it until they started motor boating the girls. It does look fun though if not a little eye straining with the art style.

 

[KasumiLover]

....What's motorboating??

 

[Jadeinchains]

...*dead*...

With how many risque things you've said thats the thing you don't know?

Anyway getting off topic. Not that I have anything to post like some final fantasy 15 concept art. Speaking of I'm actually about to play final fantasy 13 for the first time. And from the opening cut scene it has to be one of the most gorgeous games I've ever played. Especially knowing now that its not got a remarkable amount of polygons. Which actually makes me appreciate it more. I know from what people have said that its linear and not one of the best but regardless I just want to try it and see if its fun. I got it for £3.00 so it wasn't a massive investment anyway.

 

[Chapstick]

@Chapstick, I might be mistaken...but is does look as if they have at least dropped (or at least greatly reduced) that ugly, dark vignette around the screen. Seems all much brighter and more vivid in colors now.

Who thinks something like this around the screen looks good in the first place? x__X

Been quite a while since I played the demo but I didn't even remember this. ._. Odd choice

As for the battle system at this point it's basic as hell and I'm disappointed they're using it for FFVII. Hopefully they add more to it.

...*dead*...

With how many risque things you've said thats the thing you don't know?

Anyway getting off topic. Not that I have anything to post like some final fantasy 15 concept art. Speaking of I'm actually about to play final fantasy 13 for the first time. And from the opening cut scene it has to be one of the most gorgeous games I've ever played. Especially knowing now that its not got a remarkable amount of polygons. Which actually makes me appreciate it more. I know from what people have said that its linear and not one of the best but regardless I just want to try it and see if its fun. I got it for £3.00 so it wasn't a massive investment anyway.

I really enjoyed it enough to platinum it. The game takes a while to open up but I liked it.

 

[Tyaren]

I was with it until they started motor boating the girls. It does look fun though if not a little eye straining with the art style.

The exact same for me. I was like:

After that I lost all interest. I might get the art book of the game though. If I can find it anywhere that is...

With how many risque things you've said thats the thing you don't know?

KasumiLover is still pretty young and as I noticed innocent.

Been quite a while since I played the demo but I didn't even remember this. ._. Odd choice.

Huh? I might mistake you for someone else but I thought you were the one complaining Duscae was so dark and dull in color. That ugly vignette was a big part of that problem. That's why Duscae's sky never really seemed bright and azure blue and the ground felt of a dark, desaturated green. Many people have complained to Tabata about it and it was even mentioned in one of the Active Time reports that they are looking into it... Which they apparently ultimately have. Thank GOD! XD

 

[UpSideDownGRUNT]

...*dead*...

With how many risque things you've said thats the thing you don't know?

Anyway getting off topic. Not that I have anything to post like some final fantasy 15 concept art. Speaking of I'm actually about to play final fantasy 13 for the first time. And from the opening cut scene it has to be one of the most gorgeous games I've ever played. Especially knowing now that its not got a remarkable amount of polygons. Which actually makes me appreciate it more. I know from what people have said that its linear and not one of the best but regardless I just want to try it and see if its fun. I got it for £3.00 so it wasn't a massive investment anyway.

I reccomend playing Lightning Returns its the only good game of the three lol

 

[KasumiLover]

Oh guys, Nina Williams was just announced for T7, and her main outfit appears to be a somewhat torn wedding dress with a hidden holster, and a veil on her hair....and her ponytail is curled and she wears earrings. Whenever Yellowmotion makes a comparison chart about her, I'll post it to see what everyone thinks about her new graphical update.

EDIT: This isn't an in game image, but here's how it looks:

If you guys want to see the whole ensemble in action, the video should be in the recent media section, Project Bokuho posted it minutes ago.

 

[Tyaren]

Oh guys, Nina Williams was just announced for T7, and her main outfit appears to be a somewhat torn wedding dress with a hidden holster, and a veil on her hair....and her ponytail is curled and she wears earrings.

She looks good. For exampe in these smaller gifs. But if you take a closer look at her, her character model is still kinda low polygon (her shoulders, breasts, the hair and veil). I doubt she exceeds for example Nyotengu's polygon count (comparable because of her flowing hair and kimono). For a PS4 game that's still kinda lame... But it looks as if Nina is one of the few characters of Tekken 7 that actually got a complete character model overhaul. Her face looks nothing like before. Much prettier also.