Wow. Blue Elves with horns who have Dragon blood within them!
THIS IS SO SOLD TO ME!
*throws money at the screen*
(Note: I created a blue skinned half dragon / half elf long ago, as a sort of my trademark character, being a drawer and all.)
SIDENOTE: I designed my character YEARS before "Avatar", and I dearsay blue skinned Elves existed in games also quite some time ago. So I fail to see why all are yelling "oh Avatar copy". And besides: there is only ONE Avatar, and he is the Avatar of the Eight Sacred Virtues of Britannia. PERIOD. PARAGRAPH. So stop you stealing the Avatar title, dagnabit! ^^
You don't see the connection? Really? Why are you so focused on the blue aspect? It's not the color, it's the eye shape, nose bridge, ears, hair braid.
It is a sort of a generic type; the movie "Avatar" didn't invent it. That's all I am saying.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Originally posted by Naral I don't actually mind the models overmuch. But...wtf is with the horns? Can we have one evil race without f-ing horns please?!?!
*rolls eyes* Silly Westerners, why do you always connect evil with horns? In other eras and cultures hors are signs of virility or spirituality. Besides, as I read the lore the Dark Elves got horns from mingling with Dragons. (Assuming Dragons can shapeshift into humanoid form, presumably.) AND the Teir'dal aka Dark Elves are NOT evil. Or at least that's what I got from the new lore, they are not evil in EQN anymore. Which is fine by me, since I always found the idea to brand entire races as evil as racist thinking and aburd. No race is evil. People are.
And what IS evil? IS social darwinism evil? Says who? For a social darwinist our pampering of everyone is evil. Evil is a point of view!
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Look, the bottom line is this. Whether the art concept is good or bad is irrelevant. It is pretty evident that a good majority of the player base do not find it appealing.
78.42% of all publicized statistics are made up on the spot. See what i did there?
I'm 100% sure I do not like the art style for EQ Lion King/Avatar/Snow white and the seven dwarfs.
The concept art looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing how much customization is available. (Not to mention seeing how the finished ideas are rendered in the gaming engine; complete with lighting and animations). I never played much EQ before, so if female dwarves had beards then, they should have the option for them now.
The stylized nature of the designs is pleasing, and a proven success in many media already. The fact that these characters will be permitted to have a wide array of facial expressions makes the stylization almost a necessity. I imagine many of the expressions used on a photo-realistic toon would either be too subtle to pick up visually... or come off as very forced and distracting if pumped up beyond what is considered realistic just to be noticed, AKA "overacting".
Looking forward to seeing more. Thanks for sharing OP.
Don't get me wrong, the Dark Elf is iffy, but I don't care about the elf. The Dwarfs, while stylized look rather appealing to me. I just hope that when they are rendered their faces don't end up too thin, like the Kerra.
As I was slowly scrolling down I say the female Dwarfs first and nearly had an aneurysm, beard was too small, body was too thin, whew! Though the females look gruff enough in themselves, I have always been of the mind where you couldn't tell one from another in full battle rattle.
The males, they look gruff enough, I'm not down to say rugged yet, as they are looking a little "clean" at the moment, but I'm not disappointed.
To be honest the way the Dwarf races looked was really going to weigh heavily on if I was to give the title a try. The Kerra really threw me off, and while I understand the want/need for this style of design, it has some downfalls. It appears as if the Dwarf art doesn't suffer from any of those. The hands look appropriate and the shoulder armor isn't crushing the space where their heads should be.
All in all I'm relatively happy with the art, and am excited to see a finished Dwarf.
I'm rather fond, overall, of the art style they've chosen. I think the dark elf looks well done but do hope they allow a good amount of customization to make them a little more menacing looking. The dwarf concept art looks really interesting and can't wait to see the rendered models.
Originally posted by Naral I don't actually mind the models overmuch. But...wtf is with the horns? Can we have one evil race without f-ing horns please?!?!
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
I dont have to be a farmer to know i dont like squash.
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
I dont have to be a farmer to know i dont like squash.
I am pretty sure the point was that you should try the squash before dismissing it. Who knows you may like Pumpkin.
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
I'm amazed people seem to think they'll be limited to one single look. Every single mmorpg that I've played (Including EQ) has had terrible faces-bodies-hairstyles, etc that I would never play with. Doesn't mean others don't love them. That is the whole point to customization. Options...
Aion, GW2, Rift, even EQ2 have pretty detailed options to how you want to look (obviously some more than others).
Don't want to look like a Na'vi, then don't. Pretty simple. They are just showing ONE example. Just like the Kerran. They showed the Lion version when there will be multiple types of big cats that all look completely different.
A few very small touches to the DE face shown can turn it into an evil looking badass, even though DE in EQN are not "evil." Assuming the same can be done with Gnomes and Humans and whatever other races will be in. Probably can have a "good" looking Ogre as well that doesn't look like it eats small children. It's up to you.
Dave just said on Twitter that the DE is a work in progress as well. They obviously a ways off from anything, but even if the DE shown is the final overall feel of the race, creation/customization should be a quick and easy way to look however we please.
What of it? Is there some reason their minds would change? It has nothing to do with gameplay, after all. They're entitled to like what they like and dislike everything else. Honestly, you could crap in your hand and come up with better graphics than the other EQ games, so I don't see the big deal, but you seem to think there's something that happened that should make absolutely everyone interested in the art style. I just want to know what it is.
Dave just said on Twitter that the DE is a work in progress as well. They obviously a ways off from anything, but even if the DE shown is the final overall feel of the race, creation/customization should be a quick and easy way to look however we please.
Notice they keep saying that, that's because they are getting mixed reactions with these character models they're showing, they're taking some heat. So sure, they can keep saying "a work in progress" but yet they continue to show these lame character models. I'm sorry but until I see something that actually wow's me, I don't believe in their "work in progress" line. There's a reason why so far now we're seeing these things, and they're showing them this way. They try to make things look better by showing the concept arts...CONCEPT arts. It's like talking about the game, when it's all in concept talks, with not much to show for.
Everything good so far in this game belongs in the "concept" it seems. The concept art for characters look good, heck the dark elves concept art looked pretty good, I thought they couldn't mess that up. It was quite shocking when I saw the real dark elf ingame character, it looks nothing like the concept art. Then there are all those talks about ingame mechanics and how they want to do this and that and hope things will work out this and that way. Again, all the good and interesting stuff so far are all concept talks.
I'm still waiting for them to wow me with some ingame character graphics, and some real actual ingame mechanics that have been tested and work out well with hundreds and thousands of people playing. Right now, so far, the more ingame stuff they show, the less I'm interested.
It was quite shocking when I saw the real dark elf ingame character, it looks nothing like the concept art.
I do not think that was an in game model, not saying it won't be directly put in the game soon but I do believe that was just a render of the 3d model...not a functioning in game unit.
edit: I base this off of the static light and pose, which one would expect in a 3d program like Poser if you were just moving the camera around to look at a still model at various perspectives. Notice the light and Eyes are the exact same in all three shots, this is very hard to do in the game with idle movements. Even the light source looks to be a nearby "spot light" type lighting not the kind you see in MMO environmental lighting.....
I don't mind cell shading but, christ, can they make them NOT GENERIC please?
That dwarf and drow are indestinguishable from other games and art.
EQ tradition, it seems. Then again, I only see a few models here, the real test is the character creator and its level of variety.
If it was EQ tradition then they would look like EQ dwarves. They don't. They look like generic browser MMO or WoW characters.
EQ had a distinctly realistic art style.
It most certainly did not. You either never played it or your rose tinted glasses have completely blinded you.
EQ was very cartoony. Very much so. Even the art director, who is also the art director working on EQN, has clearly stated that EQ was stylised and that the decision to do so had nothing to do with technical limitations at the time.
If you prefer realistic graphics, that's fine, just say so, but stop making up lies about EQ1 to try and make a false argument.
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
I dont have to be a farmer to know i dont like squash.
I am pretty sure the point was that you should try the squash before dismissing it. Who knows you may like Pumpkin.
Correct. I absolutely do not like the cartoon direction they have taken this game.
Many games over the years have been lost on me due to this. I haven't watched Saturday morning cartoons for many years. What I have seen so far from EQNext is exactly that. Specifically, I don't care for exaggerated body parts, facial features, buildings, weapons, movement or anything else for that matter. I do like attempts at realistic no matter how feeble the end result. That's just me. Is it my problem? Absolutely ......
Comments
It is a sort of a generic type; the movie "Avatar" didn't invent it. That's all I am saying.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
*rolls eyes* Silly Westerners, why do you always connect evil with horns? In other eras and cultures hors are signs of virility or spirituality. Besides, as I read the lore the Dark Elves got horns from mingling with Dragons. (Assuming Dragons can shapeshift into humanoid form, presumably.) AND the Teir'dal aka Dark Elves are NOT evil. Or at least that's what I got from the new lore, they are not evil in EQN anymore. Which is fine by me, since I always found the idea to brand entire races as evil as racist thinking and aburd. No race is evil. People are.
And what IS evil? IS social darwinism evil? Says who? For a social darwinist our pampering of everyone is evil. Evil is a point of view!
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I'm 100% sure I do not like the art style for EQ Lion King/Avatar/Snow white and the seven dwarfs.
The concept art looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing how much customization is available. (Not to mention seeing how the finished ideas are rendered in the gaming engine; complete with lighting and animations). I never played much EQ before, so if female dwarves had beards then, they should have the option for them now.
The stylized nature of the designs is pleasing, and a proven success in many media already. The fact that these characters will be permitted to have a wide array of facial expressions makes the stylization almost a necessity. I imagine many of the expressions used on a photo-realistic toon would either be too subtle to pick up visually... or come off as very forced and distracting if pumped up beyond what is considered realistic just to be noticed, AKA "overacting".
Looking forward to seeing more. Thanks for sharing OP.
What a relief.
Don't get me wrong, the Dark Elf is iffy, but I don't care about the elf. The Dwarfs, while stylized look rather appealing to me. I just hope that when they are rendered their faces don't end up too thin, like the Kerra.
As I was slowly scrolling down I say the female Dwarfs first and nearly had an aneurysm, beard was too small, body was too thin, whew! Though the females look gruff enough in themselves, I have always been of the mind where you couldn't tell one from another in full battle rattle.
The males, they look gruff enough, I'm not down to say rugged yet, as they are looking a little "clean" at the moment, but I'm not disappointed.
To be honest the way the Dwarf races looked was really going to weigh heavily on if I was to give the title a try. The Kerra really threw me off, and while I understand the want/need for this style of design, it has some downfalls. It appears as if the Dwarf art doesn't suffer from any of those. The hands look appropriate and the shoulder armor isn't crushing the space where their heads should be.
All in all I'm relatively happy with the art, and am excited to see a finished Dwarf.
-Dwarf Enthusiast
So let me get this straight...
Some people STILL don't like the art direction!?
ogres?
EQ2 fan sites
Yeah apparently the people who want to express their very well thought out and considered dislike for such artwork, based on their experience in art, design, programming or just simply years upon years of MMO gaming...also don't seem to have the 1st clue about such things as different character models, options for things like head shape, eye shape, height weight, mouth, neck, nose, skin colour, skin texture, adornments, tattoo's, optional sliders...you know, things that have been in MMO's since the start.
I'm indifferent to the dark elf.
The male dwarfs look ok.
But the female dwarfs look awful to me. They look like toddlers with big wigs on their heads.
I dont have to be a farmer to know i dont like squash.
I am pretty sure the point was that you should try the squash before dismissing it. Who knows you may like Pumpkin.
I don't mind cell shading but, christ, can they make them NOT GENERIC please?
That dwarf and drow are indestinguishable from other games and art.
Wind Waker I could pick out from a crowd of thousands. Not this though.
I'm amazed people seem to think they'll be limited to one single look. Every single mmorpg that I've played (Including EQ) has had terrible faces-bodies-hairstyles, etc that I would never play with. Doesn't mean others don't love them. That is the whole point to customization. Options...
Aion, GW2, Rift, even EQ2 have pretty detailed options to how you want to look (obviously some more than others).
Don't want to look like a Na'vi, then don't. Pretty simple. They are just showing ONE example. Just like the Kerran. They showed the Lion version when there will be multiple types of big cats that all look completely different.
A few very small touches to the DE face shown can turn it into an evil looking badass, even though DE in EQN are not "evil." Assuming the same can be done with Gnomes and Humans and whatever other races will be in. Probably can have a "good" looking Ogre as well that doesn't look like it eats small children. It's up to you.
Dave just said on Twitter that the DE is a work in progress as well. They obviously a ways off from anything, but even if the DE shown is the final overall feel of the race, creation/customization should be a quick and easy way to look however we please.
What of it? Is there some reason their minds would change? It has nothing to do with gameplay, after all. They're entitled to like what they like and dislike everything else. Honestly, you could crap in your hand and come up with better graphics than the other EQ games, so I don't see the big deal, but you seem to think there's something that happened that should make absolutely everyone interested in the art style. I just want to know what it is.
EQ tradition, it seems. Then again, I only see a few models here, the real test is the character creator and its level of variety.
If it was EQ tradition then they would look like EQ dwarves. They don't. They look like generic browser MMO or WoW characters.
EQ had a distinctly realistic art style.
Notice they keep saying that, that's because they are getting mixed reactions with these character models they're showing, they're taking some heat. So sure, they can keep saying "a work in progress" but yet they continue to show these lame character models. I'm sorry but until I see something that actually wow's me, I don't believe in their "work in progress" line. There's a reason why so far now we're seeing these things, and they're showing them this way. They try to make things look better by showing the concept arts...CONCEPT arts. It's like talking about the game, when it's all in concept talks, with not much to show for.
Everything good so far in this game belongs in the "concept" it seems. The concept art for characters look good, heck the dark elves concept art looked pretty good, I thought they couldn't mess that up. It was quite shocking when I saw the real dark elf ingame character, it looks nothing like the concept art. Then there are all those talks about ingame mechanics and how they want to do this and that and hope things will work out this and that way. Again, all the good and interesting stuff so far are all concept talks.
I'm still waiting for them to wow me with some ingame character graphics, and some real actual ingame mechanics that have been tested and work out well with hundreds and thousands of people playing. Right now, so far, the more ingame stuff they show, the less I'm interested.
EQ1-AC1-DAOC-FFXI-L2-EQ2-WoW-DDO-GW-LoTR-VG-WAR-GW2-ESO
I do not think that was an in game model, not saying it won't be directly put in the game soon but I do believe that was just a render of the 3d model...not a functioning in game unit.
edit: I base this off of the static light and pose, which one would expect in a 3d program like Poser if you were just moving the camera around to look at a still model at various perspectives. Notice the light and Eyes are the exact same in all three shots, this is very hard to do in the game with idle movements. Even the light source looks to be a nearby "spot light" type lighting not the kind you see in MMO environmental lighting.....
It most certainly did not. You either never played it or your rose tinted glasses have completely blinded you.
EQ was very cartoony. Very much so. Even the art director, who is also the art director working on EQN, has clearly stated that EQ was stylised and that the decision to do so had nothing to do with technical limitations at the time.
If you prefer realistic graphics, that's fine, just say so, but stop making up lies about EQ1 to try and make a false argument.
No i dont believe that what his point.
Correct. I absolutely do not like the cartoon direction they have taken this game.
Many games over the years have been lost on me due to this. I haven't watched Saturday morning cartoons for many years. What I have seen so far from EQNext is exactly that. Specifically, I don't care for exaggerated body parts, facial features, buildings, weapons, movement or anything else for that matter. I do like attempts at realistic no matter how feeble the end result. That's just me. Is it my problem? Absolutely ......
I really wish it did look something like Avatar.
~Hairysun
http://www.straightdope.com/