Criticism of the concept art shown so far

[AGX-17]

I haven't particularly cared for any of the character design art save the original dwarf ranger character illustration and the later illustration of the revealed companion characters. Not that it matters since they're all going to be little isometric blobs anyway.

 

Better than Borderlands/2's concept art, at least. I'll give them that much.

Edited December 10, 2012 by AGX-17

[obsidiansquid]

I'm not willing to make any sort of judgments about concept art yet. Development is still on-going and this is early on. I don't know how many games I've played where the finished product looks substantially different from the beginning concept art.

[Mandragore]

Leaving aside those arguing that the Aumaua should look outlandish or conversely that they should look almost human, who here just thinks that what we've seen of the concept so far (look, not fluff) is crap?

Edited December 10, 2012 by Mandragore

[jezz555]

We already know he's hiding some secret. This was told to us by the devs.

Edair is a man who does not want to draw attention to himself.

 

False, Bilbo Baggins, didn't want to draw attention to himself and he wasn't hiding anything(besides a pair of giant feet and a crippling pipe-weed addiction). He may just not want to draw attention to himself because he doesn't want to be bothered, doesn't mean he has a secret

[GhoulishVisage]

Leaving aside those arguing that the Aumaua should look outlandish or conversely that they should look almost human, who here just thinks that what we've seen of the concept so far (look, not fluff) is crap?

 

I'm a bit iffy about the armor and clothing designs I've seen so far. It looks so... regular.

I feel like I could flip open my DnD 3.5 and find a picture that looks almost exactly like the Aumaua shown there.

What they've shown so far looks like any standard fantasy game. Nothing there to differentiate, stand out or make an impression.

There's nothing there that says "Project Eternity by Obsidian Entertainment" to me.

It just seems bland.

 

But then again, it's super early in the development, they've shown only a few uncoloured pictures and they probably haven't nailed down exactly what aesthetic they want to go for yet, so my judgement may be a bit harsh and unwarranted.

Edited December 10, 2012 by GhoulishVisage

[Umberlin]

I'm sure if, some of you, don't like the current direction you can send in your giant shoulder pad art . . . to get them right on whatever it is your minds perceive to be a track . . .

[GhoulishVisage]

I'm sure if, some of you, don't like the current direction you can send in your giant shoulder pad art . . . to get them right on whatever it is your minds perceive to be a track . . .

 

So because I find the designs in the recent art bland means I must just adore the cartoonish exaggerations of World of Warcraft, right?

You're attacking a straw man here.

 

Of all of the concepts so far I've really liked Sagani's design.

It differentiates itself from the norm whilst still looking damned good (I do prefer her with the facepaint from the colour pic) and achieving the "grounded" feeling that I think Obsidian is going for.

Another thing I like the visual look of is the appearance of Aloth's magic, It's visually unique and looks good.

It looks like something that belongs to Project Eternity.

 

[FlintlockJazz]

Regarding Edair, I like that he doesn't seem ultra cool badass with a highly developed appearance to make him look memorable and show off who he is (how many of us wear truly memorable clothing ourselves?). Its the rampant insistence that everyone be awesome cool that has put me off Bioware games, and those kind of characters just all blur together for me now, Edair seems more like the kind of bloke I'd have a drink with down the pub and would trust to watch my back. I like him.

[Adhin]

I like the concept art and considering they said large humans for there description that lived on and near the coast.. I.. excepted large humans. Not sure why everyone was expecting giant fish-lizard men to be honest. Either way I've liked the concept art quite a lot. Also I didn't get 'bad LARP' vibe from any of it soo... im sorry yall got that I guess? Opinions and all that.

[Amentep]

I like the concept art and considering they said large humans for there description that lived on and near the coast.. I.. excepted large humans. Not sure why everyone was expecting giant fish-lizard men to be honest. Either way I've liked the concept art quite a lot. Also I didn't get 'bad LARP' vibe from any of it soo... i

 

Yeah I didn't have a problem with the concept art either, and don't get the LARPing stuff either (other than its "kewl" to compare things to LARPing apparently as a sign of "bad" in rpgs.)

[FlintlockJazz]

I like the concept art and considering they said large humans for there description that lived on and near the coast.. I.. excepted large humans. Not sure why everyone was expecting giant fish-lizard men to be honest. Either way I've liked the concept art quite a lot. Also I didn't get 'bad LARP' vibe from any of it soo... i

 

Yeah I didn't have a problem with the concept art either, and don't get the LARPing stuff either (other than its "kewl" to compare things to LARPing apparently as a sign of "bad" in rpgs.)

 

Yeah I have to say as a LARPer it disappoints me somewhat the way larp is viewed by some here. You'd think that with the way roleplaying in general is looked down upon as it is there'd be less contempt towards different roleplayers but apparently not.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm sure if, some of you, don't like the current direction you can send in your giant shoulder pad art . . . to get them right on whatever it is your minds perceive to be a track . . .

 

Fan-girl or half-wit? You choose!

[brownypoints]

Yeah , I have to give a shout out to Aloth's magic too. Its dark, sneaky and a bit disgusting. I love the look.

Hopefully the other wizard will be a serial womanizer with a secret snuff addiction to round out his character and give him some edge.

[SophosTheWise]

I like the concept art and considering they said large humans for there description that lived on and near the coast.. I.. excepted large humans. Not sure why everyone was expecting giant fish-lizard men to be honest. Either way I've liked the concept art quite a lot. Also I didn't get 'bad LARP' vibe from any of it soo... i

 

Yeah I didn't have a problem with the concept art either, and don't get the LARPing stuff either (other than its "kewl" to compare things to LARPing apparently as a sign of "bad" in rpgs.)

 

Yeah I have to say as a LARPer it disappoints me somewhat the way larp is viewed by some here. You'd think that with the way roleplaying in general is looked down upon as it is there'd be less contempt towards different roleplayers but apparently not.

 

As a European LARPer, I'm given to understand that US LARPers are mostly interested in bashing each other on the head with taped weapons while wearing their grandma's dress as a cape. Maybe that's why bad designs get associated with LARP. I mean, look at the LARP subreddit. It's ridiculous. One of the most commented and upvoted posts is an orc that everyone in Europe would laugh at.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

Yeah , I have to give a shout out to Aloth's magic too. Its dark, sneaky and a bit disgusting. I love the look.

 

 

On the other hand, it doesn't look very functional. I mean, what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes? Throw them at your enemy? Use them as whips? Light your way in the darkness? I like dark/weird fantasy-inspired magic, but this just looks... dumb.

[Sacred_Path]

On the other hand, it doesn't look very functional. I mean, what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes? Throw them at your enemy? Use them as whips? Light your way in the darkness? I like dark/weird fantasy-inspired magic, but this just looks... dumb.

 

I was under the impression it's more of a party trick, personally.

[Jotra]

Yeah , I have to give a shout out to Aloth's magic too. Its dark, sneaky and a bit disgusting. I love the look.

 

 

On the other hand, it doesn't look very functional. I mean, what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes? Throw them at your enemy? Use them as whips? Light your way in the darkness? I like dark/weird fantasy-inspired magic, but this just looks... dumb.

 

I see what you mean but thats concept art, they could go anywhere with it. Eg. maybe spell casting animations in PE don't look "clean" like circles, starts, etc. in IE games but rather like something that is bursting to get out, or maybe whats pictured is momentary lapse of concentration where he is about lose control over the spell, etc. In the end though it's concept art and I really doubt whoever made that spent much thought on game mechanics.

 

I have to say that I personally like probably the best out of all art we have seen so far. Kinda makes the magic of PE seem raw and dangerous. Overall I have to agree what the people have been saying in this thread. Those aumaua don't really live up to the standards of some other races like dwarfs eg. which seem awesome in the concept art, really like the native vibe they are going for.

 

Edit: I should say though that I'm pretty much never a bif fan of animal(istic) races. They almost always just look silly to me so maybe I'm not in the target audience here.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Jotra

[GhoulishVisage]

On the other hand, it doesn't look very functional. I mean, what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes? Throw them at your enemy? Use them as whips? Light your way in the darkness? I like dark/weird fantasy-inspired magic, but this just looks... dumb.

 

It's possibly just a physical representation of his power.

It might be what appears as he's summoning up a poisonous miasma, or when he's casting a spell that makes the parties' weapons poisonous.

Alternatively, it could just appear when he's making a summon or some other spell that doesn't involve some sort of ballistic.

 

The snakes having a direct impact on what the spell does seem a bit literal.

Although that said I'm definitely open to some cool eldritch snake-based spells.

Edited December 11, 2012 by GhoulishVisage

[Sacred_Path]

Fan-girl or half-wit? You choose!

 

Are the two mutually exclusive?

 

I hope fan-girl. It's about time Josh or MCA got their rockstar potential recognized.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes?

 

It's possibly just a physical representation of his power.

 

Or, even better, his soul. Like the wizard's sigil in Ars Magica and M:tAw, this may be somehow representative of his personality... can't wait to have him in my world-domination-plotting, backstabbing, scheming party

Edited December 11, 2012 by aluminiumtrioxid

[FlintlockJazz]

As a European LARPer, I'm given to understand that US LARPers are mostly interested in bashing each other on the head with taped weapons while wearing their grandma's dress as a cape. Maybe that's why bad designs get associated with LARP. I mean, look at the LARP subreddit. It's ridiculous. One of the most commented and upvoted posts is an orc that everyone in Europe would laugh at.

 

You mean the film Role Models was actually right in regards to US larp?? I thought they were just exaggerating, bloody hell! And here I was thinking that larp here in the UK was bad compared to the rest of the world... Still, guess they do what they enjoy I suppose, I'd still have expected some more understanding between the types of roleplayers but then I am hopelessly naive. :D It does explain some of the stuff I hear being thrown around here in regards to larp.

Edited December 11, 2012 by FlintlockJazz

[Monte Carlo]

Is Sophos a LARPer or a re-enactor? Two totally separate things.

[Amentep]

On the other hand, it doesn't look very functional. I mean, what can you do with a handful of purple-glowing snakes? Throw them at your enemy? Use them as whips? Light your way in the darkness? I like dark/weird fantasy-inspired magic, but this just looks... dumb.

 

It's possibly just a physical representation of his power.

 

Aloth: "Hey everyone! Tremble at the physical representation of my power!"

 

Barmaid: "Let me get this straight, your physical representation of power is to hold a snake in your hand"

 

Aloth: "Yeah, a glowy purple snake that enlarges as I channel my power in it."

 

Barmaid: "Could your representation of power be any more phallic?"

Edited December 11, 2012 by Amentep

[FlintlockJazz]

Is Sophos a LARPer or a re-enactor? Two totally separate things.

 

A lot of people I know are both, and I've been looking to get into re-enacting myself.

[LadyCrimson]

A bit off topic, but every time I see "Aloth" I keep thinking "A lot of what?"

 

...and I'd personally like an actual tossing snakes spell. Where he send it out and there's a bunch of little snakes who attack/poison people, like temp. minions. I can see the "snakes on this MF'ing...." jokes now...