A thought on PE's graphics

[Posbi]

Finding out about Project Eternity and pledging for the Kickstarter on day one really got me back in the mood to go back and replay the old Infinity engine games. Now, my original 4 CD version of Planescape: Torment was no longer up to the task, but thankfully there's GOG.com.

 

Reinstalling it and the conveniently linked mods to beef up the game's resolution I soon came to a somewhat surprising conclusion: Even though the game is now almost thirteen years old it still looks stunning. Really, get your copy on GOG.com and load it up with the mod for higher resolutions. It's beautiful. Quite frankly, even though so much time has passed and graphics engines are so much powerful today I really wouldn't mind a game that looks like Torment because the art quality is astonishing. All it needs are tweaks to the character models and the inclusion of animations to the 2D background itself: licking flames, curtains moving in the wind, stuff like that. But other than that? Give me game that looks like the 13 year old Torment and I'll be happy!

[Karranthain]

Definitely. Eternity will be using 2D backgrounds as well, which I find great. Some examples from other games :

 

 

 

[The Sharmat]

I'm excited about this very fact. There's a tendency with older games, where often the people that say "graphics don't matter to me" can only say that because they grew up with an earlier generation of graphics. Younger gamers can understandably be put off by truly antiquated graphics.

 

But...

 

Pre-rendered 2d back grounds age better than pretty much any graphical style, since a painting can never be obsolete. Older 3d models and 2d sprites might look terrible by modern standards, but with proper art direction there are pre 21st century games that still have gorgeous scenery. This can mean that Project Eternity can be very visually interesting without spending a ton of money on an expensive engine and tons of artists and modellers just to handle all the models and textures for every object in the game.

 

Plus, this way it can probably run even on my antiquated desktop.

[kirottu]

Definitely. Eternity will be using 2D backgrounds as well, which I find great.

 

Actually this isn't confirmed anywhere. Isometric refers to certain fixed camera angle not if it's 2D or 3D.

[The Sharmat]

I thought there was an interview where 2d backgrounds came up specifically?

[Elerond]

Feargus: On top of Josh Sawyer, Tim Cain, Chris Avellone, and Adam Brennecke, we have a few other people working on technology and an entirely new rendering method that should surprise everyone when we are able to show it off. The ultimate size of the development team is going to be dependent on how the Kickstarter campaign goes – the more money we get in, the more people we are going to bring over onto the team.

 

http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/109456-project-eternity-interview.html

 

I don't personally care which they use (prerendered or actively rendered backgrounds), because great artist with good engine can make both look absolute fantastic. But what I would like to know is what is that entirely new rendering method that Feargus metioned on his interview with Game Banshee.

[Sensuki]

Yeah they said a mix of 2D and 3D backgrounds

[The Sharmat]

I'll be very interested to see what they come up with then. It sounds rather unique.

[Karranthain]

I'm fairly sure I

Yeah they said a mix of 2D and 3D backgrounds

 

Yeah, I distinctly remember that, but can't find the relevant interview. But it seems they have a surprise for us, interesting.

[RosesandAshes]

Definitely. Eternity will be using 2D backgrounds as well, which I find great. Some examples from other games :

 

 

 

 

 

Where is this screenshot from? It looks really, really awesome!

[Zed]

Definitely. Eternity will be using 2D backgrounds as well, which I find great. Some examples from other games :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is this screenshot from? It looks really, really awesome!

temple of elemental evil

[Karranthain]

Yeah, one more :

 

[Arkan]

Definitely. Eternity will be using 2D backgrounds as well, which I find great. Some examples from other games :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is this screenshot from? It looks really, really awesome!

temple of elemental evil

 

Wow. I forgot all about that game.

[Entropious]

As I have repeated so many times before, a perfect game (and there are quite a few) is first and foremost a work of art, an expression of all the longings and emotions sleeping within the designers' hearts and souls. Until a 3D model can become as beautiful as a lovingly hand-crafted picture, I'll stick to 2D, thank you.

[KenThomas]

This was from Lands of Lore, a 1992 game that ran in MS-DOS. It was 640x400 pixels and was designed to run on a 386. 2D backgrounds really do hold up well considering the severe limitions they were working with.

[Karranthain]

Don't kill me for posting such a large picture, but I simply had to :

That's pure artistry.

 

 

That's Wyrm's Tooth, an area from Icewind Dale. Here's hoping we'll be seeing such amazing vistas in PE too.

The level of detail is quite amazing, have a look at the enlarged version.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Karranthain

[NerdBoner]

its just so impossible to get gorgeous and detailed environments with modern 3d environs without spending as much as you would to make a hollywood summer blockbuster...

 

frankly i think Obsidian should go no higher than Dragon age origins in terms of their 3D implementation...but in all honesty i'd rather they take that old IE hand painted look and just update it to have more enviromental interactivity.

 

For exampLe if i launch a massive fireball spell in a beautifully decorated room (such as the one a few posts above) i'd like for that room to show a bit of damage...or for curtains to sway a bit if the window is open, water to pour from faucets...little touches like that to make it not only beautiful but lifelike.

 

its been 13-14 years since IE, i'm sure todays tech can do wonders with that old style even on a shoestring budget.

Edited September 21, 2012 by NerdBoner

[Karranthain]

It's been 12 years since Icewind Dale was released and the graphics haven't aged one bit, as evidenced by that marvelously detailed background.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Karranthain

[Oerwinde]

I reinstalled BG2 last night and loaded up the widescreen mod and it holds up extremely well. The character graphics, animations, and interface really show their age, but the environments are still beautiful. Having 3d characters and a modern interface would basically wipe out the major gripes. Also, after seeing the mock ups of the new Shadowrun, it definitely shows how beautiful handmade backgrounds can be.

[NerdBoner]

It's been 12 years since Icewind Dale was released and the graphics haven't aged one bit, as evidenced by that marvelously detailed background.

agreed...but a kinda want my cloaks to flow a bit in the wind and a few added things of that nature to bring it to life.

[Karranthain]

agreed...but a kinda want my cloaks to flow a bit in the wind and a few added things of that nature to bring it to life.

 

Temple of Elemental Evil had that and it's 9 years old. I think it's very possible.

[sesobebo]

It's been 12 years since Icewind Dale was released and the graphics haven't aged one bit, as evidenced by that marvelously detailed background.

agreed...but a kinda want my cloaks to flow a bit in the wind and a few added things of that nature to bring it to life.

but that has nothing to do with background and more to do with character models - which, as far as i know, will be 3d modeled, animated and rendered.

(and it has even more to do with how much time someone wants to spend implementing physics, correcting collisions, etc. with afore mentioned cloaks. i'd totally like to see them flapping in the wind, but it's not my decision to make q: )

[IchigoRXC]

The painted 2d background are to die for. As mentioned before they stand the test of time superbly. There will be limitations of reactivity I am sure, like swaying curtains and blast damage, but I am sure they could be minimal with such talent on board for this project. I have faith.