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blackmajik2021
Apr 13, 2011, 04:03 PM
I was thinking about what pso2 may or may not look like, and how one of my favorite things about pso 1,2&3 was the unique, almost dorky art style (see:jumbo feet). I'm going to be a pessimist here and assume that pso2 is going to be awfully generic like psu was (and almost all recent sonic team/sega games), but I've still got a bit of hope. (dimps)...

anyway

what would the perfect pso2 art style be? what are you hoping for?

Ezodagrom
Apr 13, 2011, 04:23 PM
My vote goes for PSU, but I would like a mix between PSU, PSO and new stuff when it comes to art style.
- Character Customization: improved from PSU.
- Clothes: being able to wear whatever we want like in PSU, but with a different style than what PSO and PSU had, something new.
- Environment: improved from PSO.

Kyrith_Ranger_Pso
Apr 13, 2011, 04:34 PM
I loved the art style in pso 1,2, and 3. I don't even know why, but PSUs graphics bored me to death, and PS0's style was decent, but i didn't love it.

Itoshi
Apr 13, 2011, 04:36 PM
I'm a big fan of the art direction from PSO. I'm also a big fan of PSU's customization (but not so much some of the clothes).

My money is on a reboot of classic PSO stuff but eventually being over run by PSU style one-piece items and etc. However, my hope for the game is using PSO style artwork once again, but adding more clothing and armor pieces similar to that art style. Another awesome idea would be an armor permutations system (similar to Cast parts) to make everyone look unique while still keeping the look of whatever class you are playing. For example, if you are playing a Human Hunter, you can wear armor similar to the classic HUmar armor from PSO, but you can change the shoulder pads, colors, length of the pants and etc. It would be pretty cool. A lot to hope for though.

blackmajik2021
Apr 13, 2011, 04:36 PM
I would agree with you that the added customization was great. Its much more fun to play in a world where everyone looks different, however, I felt like I was playing jrpg #1728 with psu.

I think the monster & environment designs paled in comparison to the 1,2,3 stuff. I was watching some videos on youtube yesterday and I think one of the big reasons i felt psu was weaker was that everything is grey/brown/washed out. For some games that can be great (shadow of the colossus, ico) but I dont think pso is the franchise for that style (I know there were lots of neon lights, but it all still felt very "drab".

also, looking through the old art books, I wish they would give us the HUnewm. (this is official pso 1 alpha-era art). I found it interesting that the MAG & axe made it into the game.

http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/hunewm.gif

Nitro Vordex
Apr 13, 2011, 04:58 PM
Oh dear god, that looks like a terrible fan drawing.

I'd like to see the art style of PSO, but I'd be worried about how it's going to be "updated".

blackmajik2021
Apr 13, 2011, 05:10 PM
Oh dear god, that looks like a terrible fan drawing.

I'd like to see the art style of PSO, but I'd be worried about how it's going to be "updated".

all the initial concept art for pso looked like that. It was obviously very early stuff and more about the ideas than the technique of the drawings. I think they're far from "terrible fan drawings". They're done more in the vein of 90's era video game artwork.

If you look at how this sketch translated into the final product, I think its hard to imagine the HUnewm wouldnt have looked awesome.

http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/Settei_FOmar2.gif
http://www.pso-world.com/images/classes/fomar.jpg

NoiseHERO
Apr 13, 2011, 05:54 PM
Anyone else reminding of Tetsuya Nomura's horribly deformed almost amateurish-looking final fantasy 7 style in those old concept arts?

edit: it also looks like the old school phantasy star but shifting into a modern 90's sci-fi like style, makes you wonder how many phases they went through to get to PSO...

Or maybe that Hunewm just looks like Barret with red spikey hair.

/Prefers the Megaman looking PSZ Hunewm >_>;;;

But yeah I voted for PSU's style and customization, typical anime themes can be annoying, but I do prefer it visually, but PSO's environments for sure.

BIG OLAF
Apr 13, 2011, 06:09 PM
[SPOILER-BOX]http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/hunewm.gif[/SPOILER-BOX]

^I am thoroughly convinced that it was from that goofy-looking [for a] Newman concept, that the Beasts were born, many years later.

:heartcookie:

Anyway, PSU's style. Sure, fanboys like to rage that PSU was too "anime" and "Saturday Morning Cartoon"-ish, but I personally liked it.

Broken_L_button
Apr 13, 2011, 06:30 PM
There was no option to vote for this art style:

[SPOILER-BOX]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AObtxYpRzkA/TWH-Vxxp7OI/AAAAAAAAAZw/2PeP9ptPi8A/s1600/megaman1.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Thus, I shall consider your poll biased and utterly broken.

...But, more seriously, I'd prefer something new. Not because I hated the look of the other games -both PSO and PSU's art had their charm for me...ALL HAIL THE CASTS AND ANDROIDS!!-, but because I'd like this game to actually be the breath of fresh air it seems to be promoted as.

Kyrith_Ranger_Pso
Apr 13, 2011, 06:46 PM
http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/hunewm.gif

that HUnewm looks awful, i like PSZs HUnewm A L O T more, that is horrifically awful, probably the worst PS related image i have ever seen...

RenzokukenZ
Apr 13, 2011, 08:21 PM
A newman male with actual male qualities? No wonder it was scrapped.

And I agree with Olaf, this is clearly the inspirational piece that gave birth to Beasts.

Back on topic, the art styles for PSO and PSU, and PSZ for that matter, are all unique in order to better represent the world(s) that those games take place in. And seeing as PSO2 will take place somewhere entirely different, it should follow that trend and go towards its own art direction.

Also, east Asian sounds redundant.

Mike
Apr 13, 2011, 09:27 PM
that HUnewm looks awful, i like PSZs HUnewm A L O T more, that is horrifically awful, probably the worst PS related image i have ever seen...
It's a more Phantasy Star mythology related newman that the newmans in Online or Universe. More bio-monster, less space-elf.

blackmajik2021
Apr 13, 2011, 09:44 PM
Back on topic, the art styles for PSO and PSU, and PSZ for that matter, are all unique in order to better represent the world(s) that those games take place in. And seeing as PSO2 will take place somewhere entirely different, it should follow that trend and go towards its own art direction.


It would be awesome if we played as hunters from pioneer one :-D

NoiseHERO
Apr 13, 2011, 09:51 PM
Weren't newmans and beast technically created the same way? @_@

Bored humans trying to make slaves/superhumans.

yoshiblue
Apr 13, 2011, 10:11 PM
I like the vivid colors PSO had. Makes you feel happy sort of.

Thinking about PSO2's story. It could be before PSO. Like the war that destroyed the planet. Or like said above, the story of Pioneer 1. It could even be after the events of PSŲ.

Zyrusticae
Apr 13, 2011, 10:21 PM
Also, east Asian sounds redundant.
It sounds redundant but it's completely necessary to distinguish the region from, say, the Indian subcontinent or Mongolia/Russia (all of which are a part of Asia but not what people traditionally think of over here when you use the word Asian).

Anyway, I don't give a damn what art style they use so long as the quality of it isn't terrible. Or is good, even. I'd settle for great, actually. Great would be really nice. It's not like they're lacking in artists...

NoiseHERO
Apr 13, 2011, 10:32 PM
I dunno...

I always got the impression that their concept art looked a million times better than it did in game...

Until they got to the PSP and it was more accurate.

blackmajik2021
Apr 13, 2011, 10:43 PM
I dunno...

I always got the impression that their concept art looked a million times better than it did in game...

Until they got to the PSP and it was more accurate.

it was 2000. Games from that era never looked like their concept art. It didn't make them any less awesome.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/469px-MM_Art.jpg

Ezodagrom
Apr 13, 2011, 11:04 PM
fanboys like to rage that PSU was too "anime"
Well, with the exception of PSO (kinda), the art style in the other games in the Phantasy Star series was somewhat based on the anime trends of the time, for example, PS 1 to 4 had a somewhat similar art style to late 80s anime, while PSU kinda has a current anime style.

NoiseHERO
Apr 13, 2011, 11:40 PM
it was 2000. Games from that era never looked like their concept art. It didn't make them any less awesome.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/469px-MM_Art.jpg

I'd say this fit the art and style fine enough for n64.

Aside from PSO being a blocky dreamcast game 8 different art styles in the concept art, didn't exactly cling cling for me. D:

and the same with PSU, it's concept art aside from the ugly 3D art would be all anime style, but aside from the clothes they actually looked more realistic ingame.

But PSP2, the characters look just as anime in game as they did handdrawn.

Niered
Apr 14, 2011, 02:55 PM
PSU's aethetic is downright shamelessly cliche. It doesnt even attempt to differentiate itself from modern anime/future fantasy JRPG's. It could even be simply called a fantasy game at this point, nothing sci-fi about it really. Most fantasy JRPG's have just as much glowing sabers, spaceships, and magical girls as PSU.

PSO and its expansions, while being a decade old game with some clunky mechanics, had a genuinely interesting aesthetic to it. It was utilitarian and mysterious. It was detailed too, and had just enough unique areas to break up the monotony of slogging through half hour-hour long dungeons.

It's environments also felt like, for the most part, they could be real places. The mines and caves exemplified this best in the original game, with the seabeds and jungle being an even better example of this in PSO E1&2. If nothing else, they certainly had character.

The sad thing about PSU is that the lobbies have more character than the environments. The actual areas are so bland and uninspired (with a few decent exceptions) that despite the fact that the dungeons are shorter than PSO's, they aren't even half as memorable.

The only aesthetic decision made in PSU that I would like to see in PSO2 is the same one everybody else seems to like, the more expansive character customization. Just...try to make half the clothes look good this time devs. I don't want to be shoehorned into one of four our of a hundred possible outfits because the other 96 make me look like a drag queen that got lost and drunk in a party supply store.

NoiseHERO
Apr 14, 2011, 03:12 PM
The only aesthetic decision made in PSU that I would like to see in PSO2 is the same one everybody else seems to like, the more expansive character customization. Just...try to make half the clothes look good this time devs. I don't want to be shoehorned into one of four our of a hundred possible outfits because the other 96 make me look like a drag queen that got lost and drunk in a party supply store.

This I can agree with e_e

there may have been hundreds of clothes and outfits, the girls might be able to complain about looky "skimpy" but with the guys it was either wear ugly bulky coats, or wear semi normal looking things that are gay'd up by being too tight and showing your belly button.

I went with the belly button since you can't see it from the back anyway. :0

blackmajik2021
Apr 14, 2011, 04:28 PM
PSO and its expansions, while being a decade old game with some clunky mechanics, had a genuinely interesting aesthetic to it. It was utilitarian and mysterious. It was detailed too, and had just enough unique areas to break up the monotony of slogging through half hour-hour long dungeons.

It's environments also felt like, for the most part, they could be real places. The mines and caves exemplified this best in the original game, with the seabeds and jungle being an even better example of this in PSO E1&2. If nothing else, they certainly had character.

I agree 110% about the mysterious part. There were lots of little one off objects and textures in the levels that added a layer of mystery and character to the world that is simply missing in psu. (I think part of that mystery was also the rocks & lazer gates blocking paths that you could never quite figure out how to open in some levels[caves])

notice how in this screenshot, none of the buildings are the same model or color or use the same texture.

http://www.phantasy-star.net/art/screenshots/pso/pioneer2.jpg

vs this

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/736/736900/phantasy-star-universe-20061002071833354_640w.jpg

Totori
Apr 14, 2011, 05:19 PM
How about forget the damn old crap PSO's Art back then was just horrid. I think the team could aim for something new or more like Star Ocean 4 or Shining Force Cross Raid. Star Ocean did a better job at the future theme, then PS series could ever come close to.

NoiseHERO
Apr 14, 2011, 05:25 PM
I agree 110% about the mysterious part. There were lots of little one off objects and textures in the levels that added a layer of mystery and character to the world that is simply missing in psu. (I think part of that mystery was also the rocks & lazer gates blocking paths that you could never quite figure out how to open in some levels[caves])

notice how in this screenshot, none of the buildings are the same model or color or use the same texture.

http://www.phantasy-star.net/art/screenshots/pso/pioneer2.jpg

vs this

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/736/736900/phantasy-star-universe-20061002071833354_640w.jpg

I like both...

Just that one looks like futurama mixed with back to the future, and the other looks like the 5th element mixed with starwars. :\ (and also PSU has way more backgrounds, and better looking ones at that, don't try to be slick! e_e)

It WOULD be nice however, if instead an interesting looking background, we could actually explore these spacestation/continent sized cities.

But no...this is a dungeon crawler either way.

Nitro Vordex
Apr 14, 2011, 05:30 PM
How about forget the damn old crap PSO's Art back then was just horrid. I think the team could aim for something new or more like Star Ocean 4 or Shining Force Cross Raid. Star Ocean did a better job at the future theme, then PS series could ever come close to.
Yeah, let's make this game look like every other game.

No thank you.

Zyrusticae
Apr 14, 2011, 05:34 PM
Yeah, let's make this game look like every other game.

No thank you.
Outside of a really strong art direction, this game IS going to look like every other Japanese RPG released in the past 10 years. Only, y'know, sci-fi and with laz0rs everywhere.

Just my realistic interpretation of current trends.

yoshiblue
Apr 14, 2011, 06:20 PM
Off topic: All they need to do is make the main lobby a crash starship with some tents around it somewhere. Insta-originality! Make it repair over the course of the story. Have buildings start to pop up over time.

They could also take pioneer 2's city level and expand upon it. Or a underground lab or city and go through tunnels to get to places!


On topic: At least they could make it something new to look at instead of looking at a new age coruscant.

blackmajik2021
Apr 14, 2011, 08:08 PM
I like both...

Just that one looks like futurama mixed with back to the future, and the other looks like the 5th element mixed with starwars. :\ (and also PSU has way more backgrounds, and better looking ones at that, don't try to be slick! e_e)



your references for those screenshots :nono:

blade runner / star wars are much better comparisons for the original games

I guess you could say NEW star wars for the 2nd one, but we all know those movies were awful anyway. The 2nd screenshot looks like NOTHING in the 5th element. 5th looks way more like the 1st image.

as for what you said about psu: quantity =/= quality.

blackmajik2021
Apr 14, 2011, 08:32 PM
How about forget the damn old crap PSO's Art back then was just horrid. I think the team could aim for something new or more like Star Ocean 4 or Shining Force Cross Raid. Star Ocean did a better job at the future theme, then PS series could ever come close to.

http://www.andriasang.com/blog/2010/11/30/psp2i_shining_and_border/images/2132411891_full.jpg
http://www.osmcast.com/images/worldofosm/starocean4.jpg

uhhh....whats new about this? am I missing something?

Broken_L_button
Apr 14, 2011, 08:38 PM
[SPOILER-BOX]I agree 110% about the mysterious part. There were lots of little one off objects and textures in the levels that added a layer of mystery and character to the world that is simply missing in psu. (I think part of that mystery was also the rocks & lazer gates blocking paths that you could never quite figure out how to open in some levels[caves])

notice how in this screenshot, none of the buildings are the same model or color or use the same texture.

http://www.phantasy-star.net/art/screenshots/pso/pioneer2.jpg

vs this

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/736/736900/phantasy-star-universe-20061002071833354_640w.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Now you'll have to be a tad more fair here. Even though both pictures are representing futuristic cities, they're not representing the same thing. Only way to truly assess the worth of both pictures is to see how well they capture what they're depicting.

The first picture is a shot of pironeer 2's city. The city being in a spaceship, space is a major restriction, and thus, everything has to be bunched up together to minimize the space used, while still leaving enough room for movement. And then, you have to take into account the lack of a sky to deviate the sun's rays and affect the lighting.

With the positioning of its buildings, the lighting and the fact that everything is so clustered together in that picture (to the point that it's almost offensive to the eyes), Pioneer 2's city was well depicted in PSO. It showed us that "We need to land on the damn planet before overpopulation sends everything to hell" feeling that was present in the city, and that you could also feel by talking to one of the NPCs occasionally. Also, if you look at PSO's texture files, you'll notice they ARE repeating the same few textures. As if they could make a distinct texture for each building with PSO's memory buffers...Lol.



In the second picture, one of Parum's major cities is shown. If you knew a bit of PSU's story, you'd understand that Parum is ruled by the Casts. And then, you'd understand that Casts are beings who put logic, mathematics and reason above all else. For them, there is no room for artistic sensibility; everything must be efficient in all meanings of the word. Cost-effective, easily produced in large quantities, etc. The overall similar shape of each building as well as the lack of variety in the color palette makes an excellent job at conveying that feeling to the viewer; it's a city made by robots, for robots.

Everything is at its right place, doing what it's supposed to do, like a well-oiled machine, yet, any being capable of having feelings can note that it's also monotonous, for nothing in the design touches the viewer's sensitivity, nor does it stimulate his/her creativity. But, HEY, it was made to do that. Thus, because it conveys the feeling it's supposed to at the time, PSU's art style didn't fail. For that particular Parum area, anyways, can't say anything about the others as I haven't had the time to look at them and analyze them in-depth.

Bottom line, it's not abundance or lack of detail that makes an art style great; it's how well that style shows certain feelings and ideas to the viewer.

NoiseHERO
Apr 14, 2011, 10:14 PM
your references for those screenshots :nono:

blade runner / star wars are much better comparisons for the original games

I guess you could say NEW star wars for the 2nd one, but we all know those movies were awful anyway. The 2nd screenshot looks like NOTHING in the 5th element. 5th looks way more like the 1st image.

as for what you said about psu: quantity =/= quality.

yes, the recent star wars (I'm not a fan of any of the movies anyway) I saw super tall buildings and endless flying cars, it may not have been clumped together or dark but that sounds like 5th element to me.

Everything japanese in sci-fi copied blade runner, so that's a given.

Otherwise;

Excuuuuuuuuusssseeeeee me, princess! >0

RenzokukenZ
Apr 15, 2011, 05:41 AM
[spoiler-box]
Now you'll have to be a tad more fair here. Even though both pictures are representing futuristic cities, they're not representing the same thing. Only way to truly assess the worth of both pictures is to see how well they capture what they're depicting.

The first picture is a shot of pironeer 2's city. The city being in a spaceship, space is a major restriction, and thus, everything has to be bunched up together to minimize the space used, while still leaving enough room for movement. And then, you have to take into account the lack of a sky to deviate the sun's rays and affect the lighting.

With the positioning of its buildings, the lighting and the fact that everything is so clustered together in that picture (to the point that it's almost offensive to the eyes), Pioneer 2's city was well depicted in PSO. It showed us that "We need to land on the damn planet before overpopulation sends everything to hell" feeling that was present in the city, and that you could also feel by talking to one of the NPCs occasionally. Also, if you look at PSO's texture files, you'll notice they ARE repeating the same few textures. As if they could make a distinct texture for each building with PSO's memory buffers...Lol.



In the second picture, one of Parum's major cities is shown. If you knew a bit of PSU's story, you'd understand that Parum is ruled by the Casts. And then, you'd understand that Casts are beings who put logic, mathematics and reason above all else. For them, there is no room for artistic sensibility; everything must be efficient in all meanings of the word. Cost-effective, easily produced in large quantities, etc. The overall similar shape of each building as well as the lack of variety in the color palette makes an excellent job at conveying that feeling to the viewer; it's a city made by robots, for robots.

Everything is at its right place, doing what it's supposed to do, like a well-oiled machine, yet, any being capable of having feelings can note that it's also monotonous, for nothing in the design touches the viewer's sensitivity, nor does it stimulate his/her creativity. But, HEY, it was made to do that. Thus, because it conveys the feeling it's supposed to at the time, PSU's art style didn't fail. For that particular Parum area, anyways, can't say anything about the others as I haven't had the time to look at them and analyze them in-depth.

Bottom line, it's not abundance or lack of detail that makes an art style great; it's how well that style shows certain feelings and ideas to the viewer.
[/spoiler-box]

That's some good, and true, work there. The same can be said about the other cities from the other planets in PSU. Neudaiz has these padogas which of course represent the newman's style, but also distant horizon usually showcases an endless pool of water and a few mountain ranges. While others might see this a bland, this is a true representation of newman culture and their affinity with the natural world.

Moatoob is the same, altough I don't remember much as its been years since I played PSU.

So basically, both those screens of Pioneer2 and Parum succeed in representing the culture and perhaps conflics of said locations. Something that PSO2 will hopefully achieve as well, depending on where the setting is to be, since its not Gurhal or Ragol.

NoiseHERO
Apr 15, 2011, 05:44 AM
^
I actually wished we explored neudaiz's infinite water setting more, we've only ever been on forested islands or some underground asian castle...

Even with parum everything was just a reskin of sealab or a reshape of mad creatures.

lostinseganet
Apr 15, 2011, 09:00 AM
I loved pso episode 1-4's art work, but if I had to choose it would be episode 2. It was the best one.

RemiusTA
Apr 16, 2011, 11:39 PM
This is the thing about Art Direction in these games. PSU INITIALLY had a very, very nice art style going for it. IIRC, it was essentially the same as PSO's with a different twist to it. What happened with the environments and stuff in PSU is the same thing that happened to the whole game. They just got lazy. All the areas could have looked alot better, but they cut corners at almost every chance they got.


Environmentally, PSO was the same as PSU, except they took the time in PSO to make alot more unique rooms in the stages. All of PSU's stages essentially reuse the exact same terrain and add a few trees and shit. PSO reused some rooms, but had lots of rooms that were unique that would not repeat in the stage. I believe PSU failed to do this because there were so many missions in the same area, but they never got artists to make specific terrain for these areas. (Either due to time or laziness. Or money. Whatever, they were delaying PSU for years. It could have been anything.)

If PSU had specific areas per mission, then it would have been a much more interesting game to play. But it didn't, and everywhere looked the same, so...whatever.



As for the art of the characters? I still say PSO looked better. The characters just looked more realistic to me. [spoiler-box]
http://pampi.homelinux.com/games/nintendo_gamecube/images-covers/phantasy_star_online_episode_i_and_ii_front.jpg
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ps/pso/packaging/pso_soundtrack.jpg
[/spoiler-box]
The guys look like fighters, and the females look like they'll likely kick your ass/shoot you in the face if you crossed them. Even if the outfits are just as cheesy as in PSU, the characters just looked more...in place than they did in PSU. They also had more identity in their faces, compared to PSU where everyone important basically had a flawless, young face.

PSU followed this to an extent....
[spoiler-box]http://www.sega-club.com/Archiv/PC/Phantasy_Star_Universe.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

It's mostly just the clothing that makes them look less like fighters. But i always liked how PSU's characters looked.

However, unlike in PSO, there was a much, MUCH lower tolerance for "older" characters in the game. You'd be hard pressed to find a character in PSU that didn't look either 18 or 42. There was absolutely no inbetween. PSO didn't have this issue.


[spoiler-box]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/05/psp.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

This is the last time i think i actually liked PSU's art. Probably because it's clostest to PSO's art style.



But what i HATED was this :

[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zd7XhbH-HRE/Sv3Nda8IPDI/AAAAAAAABP8/z7lDN7GOE0s/s400/phantasy+star+portable+2.jpg
http://www.andriasang.com/blog/2010/08/27/psp2_infinity/2132423816.jpg
http://files.g4tv.com/rimg_606x0/ImageDb3/177942_l/phantasy-star-portable-2.jpg

http://otakugambit.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/3947409873_725b6f8839_o.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Generic. It pisses me off. Note, i never said i hated the CHARACTERS. I really just dislike the faces more than anything. There's nothing wrong with the picture of the new Infinity chick, but she just looks too generic for me be initially drawn to her. Emilia, who was a pretty damn emotionally full character the entire span of the story mode (i actually loved her character, a little smartass), was just this bland piece of shit during any CG scene in the game.


[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XCThoFGvEf0/TBOHAXVuLLI/AAAAAAAAA9s/T3WnLv67emA/s400/000+Booklet+Front.jpg

[/spoiler-box]

A little bit more detail and she doesn't look so bad imo. Honestly, the art styles aren't too much different, but i think how they color the characters is what really determines how the characters look and feel. The PSU main characters wern't really all that bad, but honestly i just wish they'd stray from the 16-18 age range with these faces, and for the love of GOD give me some varied bone structure in the faces (cheeks, eyes, forehead, chin) instead of the same generic 12 year old shovel face or occasional "older" face. Of course, the PSP2 pictures are CG and this one is drawn, but their faces are the same either way.




Might I add, really wasn't all that fond of PSO Ep.3's character art. But the art on the cards was freaking beautiful. It actually added a sense of "Oh shit we're actually fighting LETHAL creatures" to the game play.

Good example of what i want PSO2 to really focus on when it comes to art direction:

[spoiler-box]

Notice these pictures. Right off the bat, it's pretty obvious some are drawn by different people.


But look at what a little bit of detail in the right areas does for the scene.


http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/HALF_ATTACK-WITHBARS.jpg

This chick is swinging to kill something. You can tell by her ferocious killface shes wearing. How do i know it's a killface? Well, because in the drawing, there's a clear distinction of where her lips are, her teeth are, and GASP, she actually has wrinkles on her face to note that shes frowning! Oh, and you can tell she's been fighting all her life because she actually has....wait, what is that?! MUSCLE TONE ON A FEMALE? GTFO NO WAY. Arms, abs, AND titties? No clue that even existed!



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/KNOCK_OUT-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Nothing much here. The machine and the girl is using more "realistic" colors, and therefore this punch looks a bit more serious. She actually might not get up from this. There's no BLOOD, but then again it still looks pretty bad.

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/BIND_KILL-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

This is actually less the enemy or her face and more the color again. Lack of cel shading, once again, makes this look a bit more grim than usual.




http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/CHARGE-WITHBARS.jpg

Obvious here. Detail = fucking awesome looking picture. It'd look alot less cool if his features and the colors were diluted and simple like in PSP2.



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/GIFOIE-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Another great example of color. Nothing special about her face. It's actually pretty generic. But look at how the coloring of the picture has completely altered the look of it. That fire looks pretty damn deadly, and therefore she looks ALOT more deadly being in the middle of it. There's no heatwave, but you can almost see and feel the temperature just by looking at her clothing.

[/spoiler-box]


You know, little stuff like this. Atmosphere doesn't really have to do with the faces or the clothing. Its what you do with it. PSO was literally darker than PSU was. PSU used saturated, light and happy colors. Even in its darkest settings.


A mixture between PSU and PSO would be best IMO. Just make the graphical engine be able to produce nice lighting effects for the characters, enemies and environments. And if not, just make sure you detail the characters more. Thats all im asking.

Tetsaru
Apr 17, 2011, 12:05 AM
^

Well said, man. I knew Ep. III had some of the best music, but I had forgotten how awesome some of the cards looked. I just hope they can somehow translate that style into the actual cut-scene and gameplay character models and environments. I guess they could use Ep. III's comic book style in the cut-scenes, but I'd prefer seeing some mind-blowingly beautiful CG along the lines of some of the newer Final Fantasy stuff.

NoiseHERO
Apr 17, 2011, 03:17 AM
The only thing I didn't like about ep3's artwork is that pso looked nothing like it.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk188/Dreamcastor/pse3w1.jpg

Start drawing like this again, plox.

RemiusTA
Apr 17, 2011, 04:07 AM
PSO ep3 is one of the sexiest games ive ever played.

I dont remember any videogame on earth that actually played tunes as you load it up and while it loads shit.

Too bad, it was one of the first games in the PSO series that really showed PSO's age. The presentation of the menus, cards and artwork simply did NOT match the quality of the graphics of the game itself.


Edit:

^
It'd be my new desktop if it was a bit higher in resolution.

Nitro Vordex
Apr 17, 2011, 05:12 AM
Am I the only one that gets a Magic: The Gathering feel from the cards in Ep. III?

RemiusTA
Apr 17, 2011, 05:18 AM
oh yeah and PSO Ep3's main theme was fucking boss as shit.

thought it sounded terrible until i heard the full version. Also, i loved the forest 2 remix with the piano.


Seriously, the guys who did those songs are just amazing.

Broken_L_button
Apr 17, 2011, 01:12 PM
Darn. Now Remius' post made me want to listen the EP III's OST all over again XD

LK1721
Apr 17, 2011, 01:33 PM
[spoiler-box]This is the thing about Art Direction in these games. PSU INITIALLY had a very, very nice art style going for it. IIRC, it was essentially the same as PSO's with a different twist to it. What happened with the environments and stuff in PSU is the same thing that happened to the whole game. They just got lazy. All the areas could have looked alot better, but they cut corners at almost every chance they got.


Environmentally, PSO was the same as PSU, except they took the time in PSO to make alot more unique rooms in the stages. All of PSU's stages essentially reuse the exact same terrain and add a few trees and shit. PSO reused some rooms, but had lots of rooms that were unique that would not repeat in the stage. I believe PSU failed to do this because there were so many missions in the same area, but they never got artists to make specific terrain for these areas. (Either due to time or laziness. Or money. Whatever, they were delaying PSU for years. It could have been anything.)

If PSU had specific areas per mission, then it would have been a much more interesting game to play. But it didn't, and everywhere looked the same, so...whatever.



As for the art of the characters? I still say PSO looked better. The characters just looked more realistic to me. [spoiler-box]
http://pampi.homelinux.com/games/nintendo_gamecube/images-covers/phantasy_star_online_episode_i_and_ii_front.jpg
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ps/pso/packaging/pso_soundtrack.jpg
[/spoiler-box]
The guys look like fighters, and the females look like they'll likely kick your ass/shoot you in the face if you crossed them. Even if the outfits are just as cheesy as in PSU, the characters just looked more...in place than they did in PSU. They also had more identity in their faces, compared to PSU where everyone important basically had a flawless, young face.

PSU followed this to an extent....
[spoiler-box]http://www.sega-club.com/Archiv/PC/Phantasy_Star_Universe.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

It's mostly just the clothing that makes them look less like fighters. But i always liked how PSU's characters looked.

However, unlike in PSO, there was a much, MUCH lower tolerance for "older" characters in the game. You'd be hard pressed to find a character in PSU that didn't look either 18 or 42. There was absolutely no inbetween. PSO didn't have this issue.


[spoiler-box]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/05/psp.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

This is the last time i think i actually liked PSU's art. Probably because it's clostest to PSO's art style.



But what i HATED was this :

[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zd7XhbH-HRE/Sv3Nda8IPDI/AAAAAAAABP8/z7lDN7GOE0s/s400/phantasy+star+portable+2.jpg
http://www.andriasang.com/blog/2010/08/27/psp2_infinity/2132423816.jpg
http://files.g4tv.com/rimg_606x0/ImageDb3/177942_l/phantasy-star-portable-2.jpg

http://otakugambit.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/3947409873_725b6f8839_o.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Generic. It pisses me off. Note, i never said i hated the CHARACTERS. I really just dislike the faces more than anything. There's nothing wrong with the picture of the new Infinity chick, but she just looks too generic for me be initially drawn to her. Emilia, who was a pretty damn emotionally full character the entire span of the story mode (i actually loved her character, a little smartass), was just this bland piece of shit during any CG scene in the game.


[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XCThoFGvEf0/TBOHAXVuLLI/AAAAAAAAA9s/T3WnLv67emA/s400/000+Booklet+Front.jpg

[/spoiler-box]

A little bit more detail and she doesn't look so bad imo. Honestly, the art styles aren't too much different, but i think how they color the characters is what really determines how the characters look and feel. The PSU main characters wern't really all that bad, but honestly i just wish they'd stray from the 16-18 age range with these faces, and for the love of GOD give me some varied bone structure in the faces (cheeks, eyes, forehead, chin) instead of the same generic 12 year old shovel face or occasional "older" face. Of course, the PSP2 pictures are CG and this one is drawn, but their faces are the same either way.




Might I add, really wasn't all that fond of PSO Ep.3's character art. But the art on the cards was freaking beautiful. It actually added a sense of "Oh shit we're actually fighting LETHAL creatures" to the game play.

Good example of what i want PSO2 to really focus on when it comes to art direction:

[spoiler-box]

Notice these pictures. Right off the bat, it's pretty obvious some are drawn by different people.


But look at what a little bit of detail in the right areas does for the scene.


http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/HALF_ATTACK-WITHBARS.jpg

This chick is swinging to kill something. You can tell by her ferocious killface shes wearing. How do i know it's a killface? Well, because in the drawing, there's a clear distinction of where her lips are, her teeth are, and GASP, she actually has wrinkles on her face to note that shes frowning! Oh, and you can tell she's been fighting all her life because she actually has....wait, what is that?! MUSCLE TONE ON A FEMALE? GTFO NO WAY. Arms, abs, AND titties? No clue that even existed!



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/KNOCK_OUT-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Nothing much here. The machine and the girl is using more "realistic" colors, and therefore this punch looks a bit more serious. She actually might not get up from this. There's no BLOOD, but then again it still looks pretty bad.

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/BIND_KILL-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

This is actually less the enemy or her face and more the color again. Lack of cel shading, once again, makes this look a bit more grim than usual.




http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/CHARGE-WITHBARS.jpg

Obvious here. Detail = fucking awesome looking picture. It'd look alot less cool if his features and the colors were diluted and simple like in PSP2.



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/GIFOIE-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Another great example of color. Nothing special about her face. It's actually pretty generic. But look at how the coloring of the picture has completely altered the look of it. That fire looks pretty damn deadly, and therefore she looks ALOT more deadly being in the middle of it. There's no heatwave, but you can almost see and feel the temperature just by looking at her clothing.

[/spoiler-box]


You know, little stuff like this. Atmosphere doesn't really have to do with the faces or the clothing. Its what you do with it. PSO was literally darker than PSU was. PSU used saturated, light and happy colors. Even in its darkest settings.


A mixture between PSU and PSO would be best IMO. Just make the graphical engine be able to produce nice lighting effects for the characters, enemies and environments. And if not, just make sure you detail the characters more. Thats all im asking.[/spoiler-box]
*Showers with cookies and golden stars*
YOU...said almost exactly what I was thinking.

Since I'm free-er on time now I'll elaborate a bit more on my own opinion:

Yes, I love PSO's style to death. It fits the world and the characters don't look like cookie-cutter people with different hairstyles. But, depending on which way this is bouncing in terms of plot [like if it'll be more akin to PSO than PSU] then different style would fit different ways.

PSO, for example, is a gritty sci-fi style while PSU is the more pastel, happy-time style. If they make it a true-true sequel they could probably blend it and come up with something snazzy. In between. Because PSO's situation was pretty sad and desperate in the plot whereas PSU had a "happier" plot.

I'm under the assumption that since it IS a PSO sequel it might lean a bit more towards the PSO style, but I could be wrong since Sega's been going in the opposite direction since that game.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 02:05 PM
This is the thing about Art Direction in these games. PSU INITIALLY had a very, very nice art style going for it. IIRC, it was essentially the same as PSO's with a different twist to it. What happened with the environments and stuff in PSU is the same thing that happened to the whole game. They just got lazy. All the areas could have looked alot better, but they cut corners at almost every chance they got.


Environmentally, PSO was the same as PSU, except they took the time in PSO to make alot more unique rooms in the stages. All of PSU's stages essentially reuse the exact same terrain and add a few trees and shit. PSO reused some rooms, but had lots of rooms that were unique that would not repeat in the stage. I believe PSU failed to do this because there were so many missions in the same area, but they never got artists to make specific terrain for these areas. (Either due to time or laziness. Or money. Whatever, they were delaying PSU for years. It could have been anything.)

If PSU had specific areas per mission, then it would have been a much more interesting game to play. But it didn't, and everywhere looked the same, so...whatever.



As for the art of the characters? I still say PSO looked better. The characters just looked more realistic to me. [spoiler-box]
http://pampi.homelinux.com/games/nintendo_gamecube/images-covers/phantasy_star_online_episode_i_and_ii_front.jpg
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ps/pso/packaging/pso_soundtrack.jpg
[/spoiler-box]
The guys look like fighters, and the females look like they'll likely kick your ass/shoot you in the face if you crossed them. Even if the outfits are just as cheesy as in PSU, the characters just looked more...in place than they did in PSU. They also had more identity in their faces, compared to PSU where everyone important basically had a flawless, young face.

PSU followed this to an extent....
[spoiler-box]http://www.sega-club.com/Archiv/PC/Phantasy_Star_Universe.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

It's mostly just the clothing that makes them look less like fighters. But i always liked how PSU's characters looked.

However, unlike in PSO, there was a much, MUCH lower tolerance for "older" characters in the game. You'd be hard pressed to find a character in PSU that didn't look either 18 or 42. There was absolutely no inbetween. PSO didn't have this issue.


[spoiler-box]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/05/psp.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

This is the last time i think i actually liked PSU's art. Probably because it's clostest to PSO's art style.



But what i HATED was this :

[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zd7XhbH-HRE/Sv3Nda8IPDI/AAAAAAAABP8/z7lDN7GOE0s/s400/phantasy+star+portable+2.jpg
http://www.andriasang.com/blog/2010/08/27/psp2_infinity/2132423816.jpg
http://files.g4tv.com/rimg_606x0/ImageDb3/177942_l/phantasy-star-portable-2.jpg

http://otakugambit.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/3947409873_725b6f8839_o.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Generic. It pisses me off. Note, i never said i hated the CHARACTERS. I really just dislike the faces more than anything. There's nothing wrong with the picture of the new Infinity chick, but she just looks too generic for me be initially drawn to her. Emilia, who was a pretty damn emotionally full character the entire span of the story mode (i actually loved her character, a little smartass), was just this bland piece of shit during any CG scene in the game.


[spoiler-box]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XCThoFGvEf0/TBOHAXVuLLI/AAAAAAAAA9s/T3WnLv67emA/s400/000+Booklet+Front.jpg

[/spoiler-box]

A little bit more detail and she doesn't look so bad imo. Honestly, the art styles aren't too much different, but i think how they color the characters is what really determines how the characters look and feel. The PSU main characters wern't really all that bad, but honestly i just wish they'd stray from the 16-18 age range with these faces, and for the love of GOD give me some varied bone structure in the faces (cheeks, eyes, forehead, chin) instead of the same generic 12 year old shovel face or occasional "older" face. Of course, the PSP2 pictures are CG and this one is drawn, but their faces are the same either way.




Might I add, really wasn't all that fond of PSO Ep.3's character art. But the art on the cards was freaking beautiful. It actually added a sense of "Oh shit we're actually fighting LETHAL creatures" to the game play.

Good example of what i want PSO2 to really focus on when it comes to art direction:

[spoiler-box]

Notice these pictures. Right off the bat, it's pretty obvious some are drawn by different people.


But look at what a little bit of detail in the right areas does for the scene.


http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/HALF_ATTACK-WITHBARS.jpg

This chick is swinging to kill something. You can tell by her ferocious killface shes wearing. How do i know it's a killface? Well, because in the drawing, there's a clear distinction of where her lips are, her teeth are, and GASP, she actually has wrinkles on her face to note that shes frowning! Oh, and you can tell she's been fighting all her life because she actually has....wait, what is that?! MUSCLE TONE ON A FEMALE? GTFO NO WAY. Arms, abs, AND titties? No clue that even existed!



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/KNOCK_OUT-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Nothing much here. The machine and the girl is using more "realistic" colors, and therefore this punch looks a bit more serious. She actually might not get up from this. There's no BLOOD, but then again it still looks pretty bad.

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/BIND_KILL-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

This is actually less the enemy or her face and more the color again. Lack of cel shading, once again, makes this look a bit more grim than usual.




http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/CHARGE-WITHBARS.jpg

Obvious here. Detail = fucking awesome looking picture. It'd look alot less cool if his features and the colors were diluted and simple like in PSP2.



http://www.pso-world.com/forums/../images/items/GIFOIE-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

Another great example of color. Nothing special about her face. It's actually pretty generic. But look at how the coloring of the picture has completely altered the look of it. That fire looks pretty damn deadly, and therefore she looks ALOT more deadly being in the middle of it. There's no heatwave, but you can almost see and feel the temperature just by looking at her clothing.

[/spoiler-box]


You know, little stuff like this. Atmosphere doesn't really have to do with the faces or the clothing. Its what you do with it. PSO was literally darker than PSU was. PSU used saturated, light and happy colors. Even in its darkest settings.


A mixture between PSU and PSO would be best IMO. Just make the graphical engine be able to produce nice lighting effects for the characters, enemies and environments. And if not, just make sure you detail the characters more. Thats all im asking.

The guy who did the muscle toned female did all of PSO's episode 1 & 2 artwork.The artist name I think is Akikazu Mizuno,and I hope he comes back because he nail's it right everytime.

BIG OLAF
Apr 17, 2011, 02:57 PM
I don't know. The insane-looking, muscle-bound female just doesn't really do it for me. In my opinion, that is not how a female character should look (especially in an anime-styled game, which all Phantasy Star games are. Don't try and argue that fact, please). Way too gritty and burly, and the veins bulging out is quite unappealing. The art itself looks nice, but I'd rather not have PSO2 look like the European Dark Ages with laser pistols and photon sabers.

Saying that PSO2 should have a "darker" art style isn't really justified at this point, since we don't know what the setting or story will be. The art should reflect and complement the other aspects of the game, and vice versa. If PSO2 has a dark backstory like PSO, and has that "sense of loneliness and/or desperation" that PSO had, then, yes, all those PSO art pictures that Remius posted would fit quite well.

If they go for a brighter, friendlier, PSU/P2/i-type theme (which is more likely, as SEGA has been pushing the franchise in that direction for almost 5 years now), then I think that they should stick with the same art style.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 03:51 PM
I don't know. The insane-looking, muscle-bound female just doesn't really do it for me. In my opinion, that is not how a female character should look (especially in an anime-styled game, which all Phantasy Star games are. Don't try and argue that fact, please). Way too gritty and burly, and the veins bulging out is quite unappealing. The art itself looks nice, but I'd rather not have PSO2 look like the European Dark Ages with laser pistols and photon sabers.

Saying that PSO2 should have a "darker" art style isn't really justified at this point, since we don't know what the setting or story will be. The art should reflect and complement the other aspects of the game, and vice versa. If PSO2 has a dark backstory like PSO, and has that "sense of loneliness and/or desperation" that PSO had, then, yes, all those PSO art pictures that Remius posted would fit quite well.

If they go for a brighter, friendlier, PSU/P2/i-type theme (which is more likely, as SEGA has been pushing the franchise in that direction for almost 5 years now), then I think that they should stick with the same art style.

I could do without the generic anime looks and faces,but whatever floats your boat.There's fine line between generic and realism in anime style artwork.The muscle bound female is anime,but has realistic features,and I don't know about you but I find it kinda sexy.:-D Note:I know it's anime,but the tone of the artwork is give's a realistic feel to the character.It's not like,oh hey everybody has a perfect body,or is super fucking young.That's generic to me.The muscle tone,and scar's,wrinkles that really is a huge plus for me.

BIG OLAF
Apr 17, 2011, 04:16 PM
I could do without the generic anime looks and faces,but whatever floats your boat.There's fine line between generic and realism in anime style artwork.The muscle bound female is anime,but has realistic features,and I don't know about you but I find it kinda sexy.:-D Note:I know it's anime,but the tone of the artwork is give's a realistic feel to the character.It's not like,oh hey everybody has a perfect body,or is super fucking young.That's generic to me.The muscle tone,and scar's,wrinkles that really is a huge plus for me.

Don't get me wrong, athletic women are attractive, but the overly-buff, veiny-looking, savage, bloodthirsty Newman lady is just a big no-no in my book, but that's more personal preference than anything. Also, it just doesn't go with the current direction of the franchise. While, yes, back in PSO's heyday, it was great, but SEGA has obviously (like I said before) been pushing Phantasy Star away from the uber-realistic, savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out, darker characters.

Not saying it's impossible for PSO2 to go back to PSO's art style, but it's highly doubtful.

AlexCraig
Apr 17, 2011, 04:22 PM
Bear in mind that that was one picture of her. In most other pics, she is not as buff as that one.

Examples:
[spoiler-box]
http://www.pso-world.com/images/items/SURVIVAL-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

http://www.pso-world.com/downloads/wallpaper/wall38.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Zarode
Apr 17, 2011, 04:49 PM
Muscular women are scary.

Aumi
Apr 17, 2011, 04:54 PM
For the overall art style, I would like to have something PSO-like. PSO has a unique feel to it, I cannot quite describe it. For the character design, I found PSU's very appealing, although I'd rather like PSO's style for clothing/parts. All that with a huge graphical overhaul, and I'd be perfectly satisfied.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 08:50 PM
Bear in mind that that was one picture of her. In most other pics, she is not as buff as that one.

Examples:
[spoiler-box]
http://www.pso-world.com/images/items/SURVIVAL-WITHOUTBARS.jpg

http://www.pso-world.com/downloads/wallpaper/wall38.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Wow that first artwork of her is SEXY.I hope they could find like a mix of that and PSU and everyone will be pleased..probably.Honestly I don't even want CGI anymore,if they could keep that quality like it is in the first picture and just make comic strip's that would be bad ass.

RemiusTA
Apr 17, 2011, 11:16 PM
I don't know. The insane-looking, muscle-bound female just doesn't really do it for me. In my opinion, that is not how a female character should look (especially in an anime-styled game, which all Phantasy Star games are. Don't try and argue that fact, please). Way too gritty and burly, and the veins bulging out is quite unappealing. The art itself looks nice, but I'd rather not have PSO2 look like the European Dark Ages with laser pistols and photon sabers.

Just because a game's artstyle is classified as "ANIME" does not mean all the characters are forced to follow a specific suit. That's almost like that person in your class who doesn't watch anime, looks at Full Metal Alchemist and calls it Dragonball Z.

The reason i picked that picture isn't because I want all the females in the games to have muscles with veins. The reason i picked it is because the picture shows substance. There's just more you can do with an artstyle that has more detail in it. But it seems to me that you're just personally drawn more to the more simplistic artsyle.




Saying that PSO2 should have a "darker" art style isn't really justified at this point, since we don't know what the setting or story will be. The art should reflect and complement the other aspects of the game, and vice versa. If PSO2 has a dark backstory like PSO, and has that "sense of loneliness and/or desperation" that PSO had, then, yes, all those PSO art pictures that Remius posted would fit quite well.Well, its PSO2, so it's only natural to allude to the other title named PSO.



If they go for a brighter, friendlier, PSU/P2/i-type theme (which is more likely, as SEGA has been pushing the franchise in that direction for almost 5 years now), then I think that they should stick with the same art style.Yeah whatever. They've been going with the easiest and most appealing art style. PSP2i was nothing but a huge box of fanservice, dude. PSU was going for the whole "this is an anime in videogame form" (and failed) and PSP2 was just...i dont know what the hell they were thinking aside from lolis, 12 year old boys and bad fashion statements.


Don't get me wrong, athletic women are attractive, but the overly-buff, veiny-looking, savage, bloodthirsty Newman lady is just a big no-no in my book, but that's more personal preference than anything. Also, it just doesn't go with the current direction of the franchise. While, yes, back in PSO's heyday, it was great, but SEGA has obviously (like I said before) been pushing Phantasy Star away from the uber-realistic, savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out, darker characters.

Not saying it's impossible for PSO2 to go back to PSO's art style, but it's highly doubtful. So instead of "savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out and darker" you'd prefer the "generic, featureless, fanservicing, emotionless, depthless, bubblegum jpop lolita desu" spam we have now?

I want you to look at all these adjectives you're pulling from PSO's artstyle off a SINGLE character, just because it was ONE female that DIDNT have a generic model figure, a lifeless face and a skirt on. Oh, and not to mention, that picture was just an extreme example of her features. So what she has muscle tone? She's a fucking killer for gods sake. She fights for a living. Would you be angry if there just so HAPPENED to be a chubby/fat female character in the next PS game too? And did you forget Sil'fer is also a female newman? She wasn't ripped like Rufina, but she wasn't a tiny little toothpick like Urusla, Nagasia or Lumia ended up being. (Lumia gets a pass for being a Force anyway.)

So, what, you'd rather all your female characters to look like Nagisia, who swings around a giant sword with that generic anime "imma badass i dont ever have to try" face on? Or maybe Shizuru, with a bird chest, white spikey hair, ZERO facial features and like 20 swords hanging off his back? Or maybe Emilia, who fights with a group of mercenaries and stands 4'5" off the ground? Or Hyuga, who they basically butchered just to make him look more appealing?

There's nothing wrong with having a few characters break the norms that the mainstream has set. That's exactly what made PSO such a unique game in the first place. You're arguing that they should keep the current artstyle because you dislike characters with flaws and powerhouse females that actually go to the gym. And also, not to mention, PSO invented the Fonewearls. They were lolis in skirts. If we're gonna have little lolis in skirts running around with railguns and 200 pound blades, at LEAST let them balance it out and have some proportionate character designs.


Once again, i have no problem with the current characters, but i have more respect for the ones that are actually CHARACTERS and not advertisements. Which is all PSP2i was. I have no intention of paying to play that game again.

BIG OLAF
Apr 17, 2011, 11:29 PM
Well, its PSO2, so it's only natural to allude to the other title named PSO.

People would really love to think that.


Yeah whatever. They've been going with the easiest and most appealing art style. PSP2i was nothing but a huge box of fanservice, dude. PSU was going for the whole "this is an anime in videogame form" (and failed) and PSP2 was just...i dont know what the hell they were thinking aside from lolis, 12 year old boys and bad fashion statements.

Whatever makes the money, dude. SEGA is a business, you know. Also, don't damn the entirety of PSP2/i just because you didn't like the clothing options. They were/are overall great games. If you can't admit that, then I don't know what to say to you, honestly.


So instead of "savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out and darker" you'd prefer the "generic, featureless, fanservicing, emotionless, depthless, bubblegum jpop lolita desu" spam we have now?

Well, I certainly don't want the dark art style. It's boring and dull to me. Also, when did I say that I ever wanted "J-pop loli desu"? Don't put words in my mouth, mmkay? I said I wanted bright atmosphere. I don't see where you're getting "featureless fanservice" out of that.

Anyway, that's all I feel like responding to, as I'm very tired at the moment. I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was just giving my view. But I forgot that you have a very argumentative nature, and a different opinion from your own sends you on a super-wall-of-text tangent 9/10 times. I'll keep it to myself next time, all right?

NoiseHERO
Apr 17, 2011, 11:29 PM
In the end, just like pso vs psu all over again.

I'd rather have the freedom of making my character a soldier dike business woman, or a typical emo kid with duckbutt hair and skinny jeans within the same game.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 11:30 PM
Just because a game's artstyle is classified as "ANIME" does not mean all the characters are forced to follow a specific suit. That's almost like that person in your class who doesn't watch anime, looks at Full Metal Alchemist and calls it Dragonball Z.

The reason i picked that picture isn't because I want all the females in the games to have muscles with veins. The reason i picked it is because the picture shows substance. There's just more you can do with an artstyle that has more detail in it. But it seems to me that you're just personally drawn more to the more simplistic artsyle.


Well, its PSO2, so it's only natural to allude to the other title named PSO.

Yeah whatever. They've been going with the easiest and most appealing art style. PSP2i was nothing but a huge box of fanservice, dude. PSU was going for the whole "this is an anime in videogame form" (and failed) and PSP2 was just...i dont know what the hell they were thinking aside from lolis, 12 year old boys and bad fashion statements.
So instead of "savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out and darker" you'd prefer the "generic, featureless, fanservicing, emotionless, depthless, bubblegum jpop lolita desu" spam we have now?

I want you to look at all these adjectives you're pulling from PSO's artstyle off a SINGLE character, just because it was ONE female that DIDNT have a generic model figure, a lifeless face and a skirt on. Oh, and not to mention, that picture was just an extreme example of her features. So what she has muscle tone? She's a fucking killer for gods sake. She fights for a living. Would you be angry if there just so HAPPENED to be a chubby/fat female character in the next PS game too?

And did you forget Sil'fer is also a female newman? She wasn't ripped like Rufina, but she wasn't a tiny little toothpick like Urusla, Nagasia or Lumia ended up being. (Lumia gets a pass for being a Force anyway.)

So, what, you'd rather all your female characters to look like Nagisia, who swings around a giant sword with that generic anime "imma badass i dont ever have to try" face on? Or maybe Shizuru, with a bird chest, white spikey hair, ZERO facial features and like 20 swords hanging off his back? Or maybe Emilia, who fights with a group of mercenaries and stands 4'5" off the ground? Or Hyuga, who they basically butchered just to make him look more appealing?

There's nothing wrong with having a few characters break the norms that the mainstream has set. That's exactly what made PSO such a unique game in the first place. You're arguing that they should keep the current artstyle because you dislike characters with flaws and powerhouse females that actually go to the gym. And also, not to mention, PSO invented the Fonewearls. They were lolis in skirts. If we're gonna have little lolis in skirts running around with railguns and 200 pound blades, at LEAST let them balance it out and have some proportionate character designs.


Once again, i have no problem with the current characters, but i have more respect for the ones that are actually CHARACTERS and not advertisements. Which is all PSP2i was. I have no intention of paying to play that game again.

I agree with you 100%.

Slullabys117
Apr 17, 2011, 11:33 PM
Just because a game's artstyle is classified as "ANIME" does not mean all the characters are forced to follow a specific suit. That's almost like that person in your class who doesn't watch anime, looks at Full Metal Alchemist and calls it Dragonball Z.

The reason i picked that picture isn't because I want all the females in the games to have muscles with veins. The reason i picked it is because the picture shows substance. There's just more you can do with an artstyle that has more detail in it. But it seems to me that you're just personally drawn more to the more simplistic artsyle.


Well, its PSO2, so it's only natural to allude to the other title named PSO.

Yeah whatever. They've been going with the easiest and most appealing art style. PSP2i was nothing but a huge box of fanservice, dude. PSU was going for the whole "this is an anime in videogame form" (and failed) and PSP2 was just...i dont know what the hell they were thinking aside from lolis, 12 year old boys and bad fashion statements.
So instead of "savage, desperate, battle-scarred, worn out and darker" you'd prefer the "generic, featureless, fanservicing, emotionless, depthless, bubblegum jpop lolita desu" spam we have now?

I want you to look at all these adjectives you're pulling from PSO's artstyle off a SINGLE character, just because it was ONE female that DIDNT have a generic model figure, a lifeless face and a skirt on. Oh, and not to mention, that picture was just an extreme example of her features. So what she has muscle tone? She's a fucking killer for gods sake. She fights for a living. Would you be angry if there just so HAPPENED to be a chubby/fat female character in the next PS game too?

And did you forget Sil'fer is also a female newman? She wasn't ripped like Rufina, but she wasn't a tiny little toothpick like Urusla, Nagasia or Lumia ended up being. (Lumia gets a pass for being a Force anyway.)

So, what, you'd rather all your female characters to look like Nagisia, who swings around a giant sword with that generic anime "imma badass i dont ever have to try" face on? Or maybe Shizuru, with a bird chest, white spikey hair, ZERO facial features and like 20 swords hanging off his back? Or maybe Emilia, who fights with a group of mercenaries and stands 4'5" off the ground? Or Hyuga, who they basically butchered just to make him look more appealing?

There's nothing wrong with having a few characters break the norms that the mainstream has set. That's exactly what made PSO such a unique game in the first place. You're arguing that they should keep the current artstyle because you dislike characters with flaws and powerhouse females that actually go to the gym. And also, not to mention, PSO invented the Fonewearls. They were lolis in skirts. If we're gonna have little lolis in skirts running around with railguns and 200 pound blades, at LEAST let them balance it out and have some proportionate character designs.


Once again, i have no problem with the current characters, but i have more respect for the ones that are actually CHARACTERS and not advertisements. Which is all PSP2i was. I have no intention of paying to play that game again.

AMEN brotha! Preach it! i totally agree with you man i like more detailed characters not freakin characters with eyes as big as their head lol but yeah i agree none the less

BIG OLAF
Apr 17, 2011, 11:36 PM
In the end, just like pso vs psu all over again.

That's all it ever comes down to with these people. You should know this by now. It's no wonder most regulars on the official PSU forums laugh at these guys every day.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 11:38 PM
That's all it ever comes down to with these people. You should know this by now.

It's a never ending cycle until we get some more new's.Also remember PSU failed,and most of us here don't want to follow PSU's footsteps because we love Phanasty Star.I don't know what's going to happen to PSO2,but this is the last chance that got with me and plenty of others I'm sure.

NoiseHERO
Apr 17, 2011, 11:41 PM
I blame SEGA for making the grave mistake of naming it PSO2, without giving us any definitions of how it'd actually represent the game. :0

As for official PSU forums, they go under the "not touching that with a 10ft pole" category next to /b/.

Ffuzzy-Logik
Apr 17, 2011, 11:43 PM
Hey guys, the faces of the PSP-series characters look boring and featureless because the game is on the PSP. That really isn't a very strong point to be arguing.

BIG OLAF
Apr 17, 2011, 11:44 PM
As for official PSU forums, they go under the "not touching that with a 10ft pole" category next to /b/.

We probably shouldn't touch too much on that subject, as to avoid what moderators would consider "cross-forum flaming", but the official PSU boards aren't bad at all. I don't know why you would group them in with /b/.


Also remember US/EU PSU failed,and most of us here don't want to follow PSU's footsteps because we love Phanasty Star.I don't know what's going to happen to PSO2,but this is the last chance that got with me and plenty of others I'm sure.

^Fixed.

Ffuzzy-Logik
Apr 17, 2011, 11:46 PM
Official forum is terrible (but still a million times better than this place), but it was really cool back during PSOBB.


Also remember PSU failedI'm willing to bet that SEGA is overall satisfied with how PSU performed.

Also, try putting some spaces after your punctuation.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 11:46 PM
I blame SEGA for making the grave mistake of naming it PSO2, without giving us any definitions of how it'd actually represent the game. :0

As for official PSU forums, they go under the "not touching that with a 10ft pole" category next to /b/.

I don't go near that community,but it's fun to watch them complain about update's and stuff. Also the @logic I know it did well over Japan,but over here it did pretty bad,not horrible,but bad.

RemiusTA
Apr 17, 2011, 11:47 PM
People would really love to think that.



Whatever makes the money, dude. SEGA is a business, you know. Also, don't damn the entirety of PSP2/i just because you didn't like the clothing options. They were/are overall great games. If you can't admit that, then I don't know what to say to you, honestly.



Well, I certainly don't want the dark art style. It's boring and dull to me. Also, when did I say that I ever wanted "J-pop loli desu"? Don't put words in my mouth, mmkay? I said I wanted bright atmosphere. I don't see where you're getting "featureless fanservice" out of that.

Anyway, that's all I feel like responding to, as I'm very tired at the moment. I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was just giving my view. But I forgot that you have a very argumentative nature, and a different opinion from your own sends you on a super-wall-of-text tangent 9/10 times. I'll keep it to myself next time, all right?

PSP2 is fun as shit. I have no issue with the gameplay.

And i enjoy my tangents! These are nothing but discussion boards anyway, might as well start something. Not like i cursed you out or anything. Quit crying. : P


And i dont mean to put words in your mouth. But in my personal opinion (like yours of hating women with muscles), PSP2i's art direction is [mostly] just....ugh.



(http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2620636#post2620636) That's all it ever comes down to with these people. You should know this by now.
No.....this has nothing to do with PSO vs PSU. We're talking about the art direction of the games, which happened to go from similar to drastically different in a pretty short amount of time. And like you said, it's really up in the air which direction they'll go at this point.


And Official PSU forums.....last time i was there was when i quit. (e60-whatever error shit with MAG)

I really feel sorry for those guys. It's like looking out your window watching your wife screw your neighbor, just to have her come in the door a few hours later and lie to your face. And unfortunately, you cant punch the bitch because shes intangible. Bad example, but you get the idea.

NoiseHERO
Apr 17, 2011, 11:50 PM
I've only ever looked at the official forums when PSU was first released, and all I ever saw was pure idiocy. I don't know how they changed but...meh I don't care, that's all I gotta say.

Ffuzzy-Logik
Apr 17, 2011, 11:55 PM
Official forum has only steadily gone down hill. Right now, it's actually only slightly less awful than PSOW.

RemiusTA
Apr 17, 2011, 11:55 PM
most depressing community forum on earth. I think they've all accepted that there's no future for them.

Corey Blue
Apr 17, 2011, 11:55 PM
We probably shouldn't touch too much on that subject, as to avoid what moderators would consider "cross-forum flaming", but the official PSU boards aren't bad at all. I don't know why you would group them in with /b/.



^Fixed.

Yeah I already changed it already,looks like you got to it before I did.

Zyrusticae
Apr 18, 2011, 12:04 AM
Hopefully PSO2 gets a lot closer to realizing the concept art with in-game assets.

I look forward to creating a beautifully-rendered reverse-trap. Mmmm...

Gunslinger-08
Apr 18, 2011, 06:45 AM
Give me a hybrid of PSU and PSO's art styles, and I'll be content.

The Red Mirage
Apr 22, 2011, 01:25 AM
I think I'm going to side with a lot of the other posts in this thread and advocate a mixture of PSU and PSO styles, but definitely lean towards PSO since this is a PSO game after all. Also, as someone mentioned earlier, I hate all the faces in PSU, they all look the same and so generic! Variation I say!

BIG OLAF
Apr 23, 2011, 11:54 AM
I think I'm going to side with a lot of the other posts in this thread and advocate a mixture of PSU and PSO styles, but definitely lean towards PSO since this is a PSO game after all. Also, as someone mentioned earlier, I hate all the faces in PSU, they all look the same and so generic! Variation I say!

Only if the player(s) in question don't know shit about making a good looking character...

...which most of them did not/do not.

Zilch
Apr 23, 2011, 11:55 AM
PSO Episode 3 hands down. Personally I found the art style for PSU kind of..too bright and plastic for my taste. On the other hand, original PSO art was a bit weird at times, but I loved the slightly darker (and as someone said blade runner-ish) style. However, over time it developed to be more consistent and I feel they nailed it around Episode 3.

NoiseHERO
Apr 23, 2011, 02:15 PM
Only if the player(s) in question don't know shit about making a good looking character...

...which most of them did not/do not.

while this is extremely true, I also found it felt a little TOO difficult, morphing that pefect face without it making my character look like a powerpuff girl, a 14 year old with a 35 year old's face, or someone with down syndrome.

Then there was body proportions where no matter what body shape you make, your character had a 6-pack. @_@

Other than that, for other people all I saw were midgets with dbz muscles, strippers, giant porn stars, or horribly horribly done replicas that show no sign of artistic of sense of style of over-hyped characters from other games like. KOS-MOS, Haseo, Squall or any FF7 character but Barret.

BIG OLAF
Apr 23, 2011, 02:38 PM
while this is extremely true, I also found it felt a little TOO difficult, morphing that pefect face without it making my character look like a powerpuff girl, a 14 year old with a 35 year old's face, or someone with down syndrome.

Well, I guess it differs from person to person. I really had no trouble at all making my characters look best they can be. They don't look like Powerpuff Girls, or a weird age-hybrid. They look exactly how they should be.

Dongra
Apr 23, 2011, 02:40 PM
I didn't have any trouble making my characters stand out in the crowd. They certainly weren't easy on the eyes but they were unique.

NoiseHERO
Apr 23, 2011, 03:01 PM
Well, I guess it differs from person to person. I really had no trouble at all making my characters look best they can be. They don't look like Powerpuff Girls, or a weird age-hybrid. They look exactly how they should be.

Mine looked fine too, at least to my taste,

Just saying it takes a little skill to avoid looking like a freak, then again I guess extensive character customization separates the creative people from the...

Not so creative? >_>;;;

Seeing how every other game with a non-suck character customization usually ends up with 9 million weirdo-looking players. But I love this a trillion times more than everyone 1:5 looking exactly the same, so I'm not complaining.

BIG OLAF
Apr 23, 2011, 03:04 PM
Mine looked fine too, at least to my taste,

Just saying it takes a little skill to avoid looking like a freak, then again I guess extensive character customization separates the creative people from the...

Not so creative? >_>;;;

Seeing how every other game with a non-suck character customization usually ends up with 9 million weirdo-looking players. But I love this a trillion times more than everyone 1:5 looking exactly the same, so I'm not complaining.

I would agree, definitely. Some characters on PSU are just horrific, and I rally wonder what went though people's heads when they were making them and dressing them.

Vintasticvin
Apr 23, 2011, 03:23 PM
Gannondorf?

http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/hunewm.gif

NoiseHERO
Apr 23, 2011, 04:51 PM
Gannondorf?

http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/pso/hunewm.gif

omfg...

Can Not Un-see.

/mind fucked

Nitro Vordex
Apr 23, 2011, 06:09 PM
I would agree, definitely. Some characters on PSU are just horrific, and I rally wonder what went though people's heads when they were making them and dressing them.
I think I can safely say I was one of the few people on PSU PC that had a character with an afro.

And looked damn good with it.

BIG OLAF
Apr 23, 2011, 09:30 PM
I think I can safely say I was one of the few people on PSU PC that had a character with an afro.

And looked damn good with it.

I believe it, since you're one of the few people that can pull it off IRL, too.

EDIT: This debate is over. PSO2 has gone with a brighter, more flashy (and kind of cel-shaded) art style. It still resembles PSO, in a way, but leans more towards the "anime casual" style of PSU/P2.

Lance813
Apr 24, 2011, 05:43 AM
Dude, Olaf. Why does every debate that you're in always have to go your way? This is an opinion based thread among other this. Hell, this entire section of PSOW in speculation based... Get over the fact that other people have opinions unlike your own. Every post I've read of yours is a counter-statement to someone's opinion. That being said, I have nothing against you and you bring up many valid points.

I think you're mostly alone on this one though... PSU turned into a hell-of-a-lot of fanservice and loli girls. Sure PSO had 'loli' Newman chicks, but that's beside the point. It didn't flaunt it like PSP2i does. I mean, how the hell does a robot's tits jiggle? The whole PSO-PSU debate is stupid, although when comparing the two games and speculating at what PSO2 will be like its inevitable. I'm just over it.

We now see what the art direction is going to be, and I really like it. I'm not too happy about the mid-air fighting but whatever... I can guarantee that this game wont be as light-hearted as PSU just by the fact that it is set as a "Spiritual, and WORTHY successor to EP.3." Those words came from a Sonic Team exec. (The quote is on the Alpha sign-up page) I can't wait...

There are going to be things for the both of us to enjoy in this game, I don't think SEGA can let us down again to be honest... well, I'm sure they can...

I don't know, guys. This game seems really promising for me. I'd really like it to be new altogether, but I like the homage they are showing to PSO ala the HP/PP bar and what looked like a section ID (but is probably the same thing we saw in PSU's PSO costumes... which is absolutely nothing...) I hope they are withholding MAGs and just not telling us. If those little fuckers make a return I can die happy. Haha :wacko:

Wayu
Apr 24, 2011, 05:46 AM
The art - to me - seems like a nice blend of PSU/PSO fashion.

The practical armor of PSO returns but fashion is taken into consideration in its design. It's like taking PSU clothes and making it armor, but retaining the same styles, themes, trends, and motifs of contemporary apparel.

I like it; to me what I see so far is aaaaaaalmost the perfect blend of two flavors.

-Wayu

Lance813
Apr 24, 2011, 05:52 AM
If we look at the HUmar character its almost like ST took the top half from PSO and the legs from PSU. I like the final product, but really guys? Where's the creativity?

I did like how the RAmarl looked. That was a nice blend.

I'm waaay to damn hyped for this game. I was feigning before info was released but now the nurd raeg has overloaded...

Corey Blue
Apr 24, 2011, 06:48 AM
If we look at the HUmar character its almost like ST took the top half from PSO and the legs from PSU. I like the final product, but really guys? Where's the creativity?

I did like how the RAmarl looked. That was a nice blend.

I'm waaay to damn hyped for this game.I was feigning before info was released but now the nurd raeg has overloaded...

If they keep it like this it could turn out good,I wanna see androids and which artist they are sticking with,unless they have one big ass mixture of artist.The graphics are going to improve I'm sure,but other then that I hope they don't rush this game.Also MAGS,it cant be PSO without MAGS.The clothes are a pretty hit and miss there good,and I'm glad they stuck with ARMOR this time and not fucking causal clothes.

Justyn_Darkcrest
Apr 24, 2011, 06:52 AM
If they keep it like this it could turn out good,I wanna see androids and which artist they are sticking with,unless they have one big ass mixture of artist.The graphics are going to improve I'm sure,but other then that I hope they don't rush this game.Also MAGS,it cant be PSO without MAGS.The clothes are a pretty hit and miss there good,and I'm glad they stuck with ARMOR this time and not fucking causal clothes.

I liked how they made the FOmarl's robe look more armor like, makes a lot more sense for when forces take hits. I'm really liking the new changes so far.

NoiseHERO
Apr 24, 2011, 08:02 AM
Yeah, you guys can wear the new pimped out post PSO clothes, they don't look horrible.

But I actually find that since they added way too much unnecessary detail to them, it looks boring and especially doesn't stand out when everything is moving so fast...

Hopefully we keep lineshields or something similar that lets me freely wear whatever outfits they have. e_e

Also now that I think about it, guess they really wanted to show gameplay...But they kind of blew over character customization, if it's not as good as psu's then I don't care if we can jump off walls, 40% of the game's fun is already ripped out for me. e_e

RenzokukenZ
Apr 24, 2011, 08:05 AM
As the drawing for the alpha is a few weeks away, you'll get your answer soon enough sometime during those weeks.

For some reason, PSO2 looks more like Star Ocean to me...

RemiusTA
Apr 24, 2011, 09:30 AM
Yeah i really didn't dig how this game was looking like Star Ocean.....when Star Ocean looked like all they did was walk into PSU's style shop and slightly alter some outfits for their whole character roster. It's like they're copying the guys who copied them first.


Art direction is PSO + PSU. But we all knew it'd end up this way. I just hope they have more tolerance for older characters, characters with facial hair, or characters that aren't 16.


And from my experience anyway, Sega usually parades Gameplay when they're proud of something. They did it with Sonic Unleashed, not TOO much with sonic colors, but they're doing it with Sonic Generations right now.

Must say, i did not expect to get all gameplay and no CG with this game's reveal trailer. That's both a good thing and a bad thing -- on one hand, gameplay is what they're focusing most on. On the offhand, they may not be pumping the right amount of money into this game's development....



but theres also a good chance this early that they just wanted to get some gameplay footage out. Which is completely understandable, because i dont give a shit about the story right now. I dont think anyone does.

BIG OLAF
Apr 24, 2011, 09:34 AM
Dude, Olaf. Why does every debate that you're in always have to go your way? This is an opinion based thread among other this. Hell, this entire section of PSOW in speculation based... Get over the fact that other people have opinions unlike your own. Every post I've read of yours is a counter-statement to someone's opinion. That being said, I have nothing against you and you bring up many valid points.

What are you talking about? All I did was point out the art style direction. Don't really see how I'm trying to steer the debate "my way". It's no one's "way" anymore; the game has been revealed. I was stating fact, nothing more than that. Don't try to give me flak just for the sake of doing so. Thanks.

Also, you act like I'm the only person here that gives counter-points to other people's opinions, which is just silly. There are plenty of people here that are waaay for argumentative and confrontational than me. But, it's a discussion forum. I can post my opinion anywhere and everywhere if I so choose. Others can do the same. If I disagree with them, then that's that. I'm not going to hold my tongue if I don't understand someone else's point. I don't expect others to hold theirs if they disagree with me, either. It's just how this stuff works.

Some people are a bit more "vocal", if you will, in expressing their views. I know I am. I know some others who have also admitted it. Doesn't mean I don't tolerate other people's opinions. Nothing has to go "my way", ever. I was, once again, stating fact. There is no more art style "speculation"; we've seen how the game looks. It's put to rest. We can, however, continue to talk about it until the our fingers fall off from too much typing, though.

RenzokukenZ
Apr 24, 2011, 09:45 AM
Must say, i did not expect to get all gameplay and no CG with this game's reveal trailer. That's both a good thing and a bad thing -- on one hand, gameplay is what they're focusing most on. On the offhand, they may not be pumping the right amount of money into this game's development....



So you prefer they throw money on CG just to see how pretty the faces are going to be ala Square-Enix?

Although, from the way the game look so far, its already close to CG material. Plus, through the gameplay and scenery, the story is easily alluded to take place in some sort of vicious conflict.

Itoshi
Apr 24, 2011, 02:12 PM
I have to say, I'm very pleased with this game is going Art Direction wise. I knew they would fuse the two styles together, but didn't expect actual armor on characters. The UI is also looking really snazzy. They definitely decided to take a more modern MMO approach.

I'm so excited for this now.

Zyrusticae
Apr 24, 2011, 02:33 PM
I do hope they have some less armor-ish designs (if not outright *clothing* options instead), but so far I'm pretty impressed with what's there. Edit: Oh, and I hope they still have pure-laser weapons in the game. The new swords look nifty, but I want more laz0rz!

Also, the cut-ins are WAY better this time around. At first glance I almost thought they were pre-rendered CG (but closer inspection reveals otherwise, of course).

As for the technical side of things, it's pretty obvious this is first-pass lighting and such. Look at how the characters are lit - very flat, rather boring. I have a feeling that's going to change considerably as development continues...

RemiusTA
Apr 24, 2011, 02:50 PM
So you prefer they throw money on CG just to see how pretty the faces are going to be ala Square-Enix?

Although, from the way the game look so far, its already close to CG material. Plus, through the gameplay and scenery, the story is easily alluded to take place in some sort of vicious conflict.


When they want a game to do good, it really doesn't matter how much money they put into the CG. It's going to be good either way. I think it's just sending the message that the gameplay is more important right now.

Either that, or they're earlier in development than we thought.


And this game....is nowhere close to CG material. In fact, even for a 360 game this game's graphics are pretty average at best, in technical terms.

Itoshi
Apr 24, 2011, 07:20 PM
Anyone else getting the feeling that they're going to have actual armor for combat situations, and then actual clothing for lobby stuff? I feel like that would be a nice compromise between the two sides.

Ffuzzy-Logik
Apr 24, 2011, 07:32 PM
Anyone else getting the feeling that they're going to have actual armor for combat situations, and then actual clothing for lobby stuff?
No. Also this would be dumb.

Itoshi
Apr 24, 2011, 07:39 PM
No. Also this would be dumb.

How is that dumb at all? If anything its practical.

The reason I'm saying this because the armor design from what we can see from the trailer as well as screen shots is definitely a step away from the Universe style clothing and more of a step towards PS/PSO style stuff, with a Star Ocean type twist. It's a big change from the Universe style. So why wouldn't it be a decent idea to have other types of clothing visible in lobby areas, that are modeled more in the style of Universe?

I can't say I would want this particularly, but I can't say it isn't plausible for SEGA to choose this route in attempt to please everyone.

Ark22
Apr 24, 2011, 07:41 PM
Star Ocean 4 :P

Ffuzzy-Logik
Apr 24, 2011, 07:47 PM
How is that dumb at all? If anything its practical.I just think it would be silly to have everyone look unique in the lobby, but cookie-cutter identical in missions. Why make a bunch of outfits if they're only used in half the game?


I think you're just jumping to conclusions based on far too little evidence. We've only seen four outfits. That doesn't mean there won't be dozens more.

Ark22
Apr 24, 2011, 07:50 PM
DLC,I mean they could combine armor with new style looks.....like....Star Ocean 4 =D!Plus the Armor outfit looks cool :P

Itoshi
Apr 24, 2011, 07:54 PM
I just think it would be silly to have everyone look unique in the lobby, but cookie-cutter identical in missions. Why make a bunch of outfits if they're only used in half the game?


I think you're just jumping to conclusions based on far too little evidence. We've only seen four outfits. That doesn't mean there won't be dozens more.

I should have clarified I didn't mean that everyone looked the same during missions, but having the armor as another customizable aspect. SEGA has mentioned that they are going to let us customize our characters even further than we already can (which is pretty far). Who knows, maybe actual armor will take the place of shield weave, and our looks will adjust according to the armor we're wearing.

We really don't have any idea, but speculation is fun.

Zyrusticae
Apr 24, 2011, 07:57 PM
I see no reason why they couldn't just let us go fight in a mission in clothing if we want to. It's not like the armor serves an actual *mechanical* purpose.

And if they DO make the armor serve a mechanical purpose I swear I will throttle someone. Preferably whoever is responsible for such a lame decision.

Ark22
Apr 24, 2011, 07:57 PM
They will make sweater armor and jacket armor,bikini armor.Come on dood this is Sega we are talking about,if they can reinvent Sonic with a sword,they can easily manipulate clothing to armor =D

NoiseHERO
Apr 24, 2011, 08:03 PM
I can't understand people complaining about girls looking like...................well how anime girls normally look in a game made by a bunch of 30-60 year old dudes.

Then pull out the argument of not wanting to play as a guy because of whose butt they're looking at...

Ark22
Apr 24, 2011, 08:07 PM
I can understand monster hunter and the Skate Series,but I am pretty sure people will look at the enemies unless they have a fetish for butts.