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[QQNwizard]

~TL;DR with pics at the bottom, because this is a long post~

"I can confirm that we're doing a lot of work on the Dragon Age engine, and doing a lot of stuff to pump it -- to make it visually super hot."
                -BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk


If by "super hot" you mean cartoonish and cutesy, then kudos Bioware, you've delivered.

In all seriousness though, the artwork for DA2 so far seems far too bright and tacky for my tastes. I know a lot of people bash DAO's poor graphics, but in my opinion, what the original Dragon Age lacked in sophisticated graphics and character modeling it made up for with its distinctive style of artwork. 

To me, graphics don't matter nearly as much as art style. And yes, I do distinguish between the two. Graphics to me means pixel count, and it is what changes when you switch a game between low, medium, and ultra video settings (Take a look at the trees and shrubbery in any game when switching settings and you'll see what I mean).

Art style, however, stays the same and it is what creates the atmosphere of the game and lends to it its uniqueness. Look across all the genres of games and here too you'll quickly see what I mean. Everything from rugged FPS's like Call of Duty to the elegant Final Fantasy games. A game of note that premiered at E3 was Kirby's Epic Yarn, and it received lavish praise for its innovative art style. But I digress. 

My point is, despite DAO's poor graphics, it more than made up for it with its art style - that is, dark and ominous. In a world where a blight of darkspawn threatened to take over the entire continent, ravaging the land with pure evil, the art style fit perfectly the story being told. The environment was bleak, somber, and quite devoid of hope. A veritable Dark Ages, if you will. 

Now, what Bioware's done to make the game "visually super hot" is cartoonize it, essentially stripping it of all its dark and dreary elements. I hate to pull the WoW card, but yes, it looks very much like World of Warcraft, a game that's very hard to take seriously with its infantile style and casual design. If these are your plans for DA2, Bioware, then please reconsider what you're doing. If you're going to change the graphics, change them so they look better, improved; don't change them simply for the sake of change, so that you can say we spoke and you listened and did something. The new art style completely removes the defining element of the world of Ferelden for me, which is to say, it no longer is the epic medieval world I pictured anymore. Instead, it looks like something a child being read a story about dragons and knights would dream up. 

TL;DR: What was good about the old graphics in DAO, that dark yet realistic art style, is being thrown out in favor of a new, cartoonish one worthy of praise from the art creators of games such as World of Warcraft and the like.

Pictures for comparison: 
Ogres in DAO

Ogres in DA2

Dragons in DAO

Dragons in DA2

Modifié par QQNwizard, 01 août 2010 - 12:27 .

[Vash3283]

I like the dragons, but I have to agree with you, when it comes to the ogre, I'm sure Bioware will stun us anyways, when it is out, they always have.

[Elessara]

Hmm the dragon in DA2 is not so bad to me but the ogre? Ew ... the original was much better.

[TheMadCat]

While I hesitate to call Origins art style dark yet realistic I certainly do find it to be much better then what has been presented so far for DA2. Have yet to really be impressed so far in their strides to be "different."

[Vash3283]

The new Ogre looks sad, lol.

[Majspuffen]

I agree with you, however, the game is still in development. Meaning, what we see in those pictures may not be final. However, I'm really disappointed in what we've seen of the Darkspawn so far. Considering the first game, and the books... can they really just change how the darkspawn looks like? Take the teeth for example. Darkspawn have fangs, not teeth, no? Bleeding eyes, sure, awesome. But their flesh did not look very decaying, in fact, those creatures we've seen on the pictures so far do not look very... well, how should we put it... sick? contagious? tainted?



Not to mention the new armour and such. I really hope it only looks like this because the game is still in development. I really liked the art they had in the first game and I see no reason why they should shy away from it.

[naledgeborn]

For sure. I agree with the op. The thing that's kept me a loyal Bdubb fan since Kotor however is their story telling. They're the best hands down (except for the ME2 plot chasms). I'm willing to overlook the cartoonish, edgy approach as long as the story has moral complexity, is intriguing, and keeps me guessing.

[10 Steps Back]

The originals were much better. Though the dragon is easier to stomach it still reminds me of a cheesy comic book villain.

[Valente11]

wow, I completely disagree with you. You see, in my eyes, the original Dragon Age forgot art style and put emphasis on graphics and realism, giving us a boring drab world with dull character models. At least DA2 is different, it's fresh, and with the art style, the graphics(as in pixel count) aren't as important. Sorry, but just like you hate the new art style, there are just as many, if not more, that hated the old art style and welcome the new one.

[TheMadCat]

Valente11 wrote...

wow, I completely disagree with you. You see, in my eyes, the original Dragon Age forgot art style and put emphasis on graphics and realism, giving us a boring drab world with dull character models. At least DA2 is different, it's fresh, and with the art style, the graphics(as in pixel count) aren't as important. Sorry, but just like you hate the new art style, there are just as many, if not more, that hated the old art style and welcome the new one.

Origins was indeed boring and drab, may I ask what makes this one more vibrant? What makes it so fresh and different.

[QQNwizard]

Valente11 wrote...

wow, I completely disagree with you. You see, in my eyes, the original Dragon Age forgot art style and put emphasis on graphics and realism, giving us a boring drab world with dull character models. At least DA2 is different, it's fresh, and with the art style, the graphics(as in pixel count) aren't as important. Sorry, but just like you hate the new art style, there are just as many, if not more, that hated the old art style and welcome the new one.

Drabness is the soul of realism, I'm afraid. There's nothing particularly outstanding about real life after all.

And Dragon Age WAS touted as a "dark fantasy roleplaying game" at launch. 

[TheMadCat]

QQNwizard wrote...

Valente11 wrote...

wow, I completely disagree with you. You see, in my eyes, the original Dragon Age forgot art style and put emphasis on graphics and realism, giving us a boring drab world with dull character models. At least DA2 is different, it's fresh, and with the art style, the graphics(as in pixel count) aren't as important. Sorry, but just like you hate the new art style, there are just as many, if not more, that hated the old art style and welcome the new one.

Drabness is the soul of realism, I'm afraid. There's nothing particularly outstanding about real life after all.

And Dragon Age WAS touted as a "dark fantasy roleplaying game" at launch. 

Not true at all, in real life the world is virbrant and full with a wide range of hues (Unless in a city then yes, it is drab and dull). In Origins it was all a shade of brown with a mix of dark colors.

[QQNwizard]

TheMadCat wrote...

QQNwizard wrote...

Valente11 wrote...

wow, I completely disagree with you. You see, in my eyes, the original Dragon Age forgot art style and put emphasis on graphics and realism, giving us a boring drab world with dull character models. At least DA2 is different, it's fresh, and with the art style, the graphics(as in pixel count) aren't as important. Sorry, but just like you hate the new art style, there are just as many, if not more, that hated the old art style and welcome the new one.

Drabness is the soul of realism, I'm afraid. There's nothing particularly outstanding about real life after all.

And Dragon Age WAS touted as a "dark fantasy roleplaying game" at launch. 

Not true at all, in real life the world is virbrant and full with a wide range of hues (Unless in a city then yes, it is drab and dull). In Origins it was all a shade of brown with a mix of dark colors.

Well, I suspect medieval times really were rather rustic and dull, what with brown dirt roads and houses made out of stone and rock, which can resemble the gray buildings of a city as well.

Even as it were, though, DAO is meant to be dark and gloomy. Real life, if a bit boring, is fairly bright and happy, though that may be too strong an assessment. 

[TheMadCat]

QQNwizard wrote...

Well, I suspect medieval times really were rather rustic and dull, what with brown dirt roads and houses made out of stone and rock, which can resemble the gray buildings of a city as well.

Even as it were, though, DAO is meant to be dark and gloomy. Real life, if a bit boring, is fairly bright and happy, though that may be too strong an assessment. 

Oh sure, I'm not saying the entire world needs to be like that, villages and towns especially should have that dark and dreary look. My problem was the entire game held that dark and dreary look and feel and ultimately that makes the world dull. You need contrast because ultimately contrast is what gives the atmosphere life, it gives it a feeling of realism and gives you a sense of attachment. One doesn't need to paint the world bleak in order to give the feeling of bleakness upon the world.

Modifié par TheMadCat, 01 août 2010 - 01:31 .

[SirGladiator]

Looking at the pictures I think both dragon pictures were pretty good, hard to find a criticism of either one, and I can't really say which one is better, seems like more a matter of personal taste than anything. However the ogres, no doubt the original definitely looks better than the 'new' one, mercy that is a really bad change. Hopefully they'll realize that and improve it, they've certainly got plenty of time to do so!

[NugWrangler]

I think I need to see more before I can feel strongly one way or another. We have only seen a few screen shots. How the game looks in motion is what really counts. When it's all put together it will probably have a much greater impact than just looking at a few stills. Hopefully the trailer will help make some people feel better about the new art direction.

[Khayness]

I don't understand the DA:O graphics bashing. The elven ruins and the frozen temple at Haven (not to mention the view from the top of Haven, forests, mountains, fjords!) makes me tip my hat to the developers, the visuals are simply breathtaking.

This new "cowboys and samurai" stuff just don't cut it yet.

[Hanayaka]

I agree about BPearl's post. I want to see more of what they have in store before I fully decide to dislike the way they took the art style. I will agree that the ogre looks worse worse than the original but I also want to think of it as a different kind of darkspawn, much like how awakening had the archivist and the crazy broodmother. I can also just say its me getting my hopes up =P but I have faith in what Bioware has planned.

[Fishy]

It's Flemeth



So they decided to give Flemeth in dragon form a unique appearance..Good.

[Arkynomicon]

The original design for DA:O was not really all that interesting and couldn't have looked much more generic. The DA:O graphics they where pretty poor with low quality textures all over the place. As for the new look of the Darkspawns I rather like the idea they have and the Ogre looks fine to me. While the pale skin is nice it wouldn't hurt to make them look more filthy (Darkspawns doesn't seem like the kind that takes a bath before going to battle).



As for if it felt dark and oppressive I thought it was pretty tame and simply around the same level as LOTR. Now if you want truly dark and oppressive atmosphere go take a look at Demon's Souls.

[Riona45]

QQNwizard wrote...



Drabness is the soul of realism, I'm afraid. There's nothing particularly outstanding about real life after all.

And Dragon Age WAS touted as a "dark fantasy roleplaying game" at launch. 

I don't think the term "dark fantasy" necessarily implies realism.

PS: I also have to vehemently disagree with you that real life is "drab." 

Modifié par Riona45, 01 août 2010 - 02:09 .

[Arkynomicon]

Actually, I'm pretty sure that low fantasy is the realistic fantasy genera, and there is way to much magic and legions of doom for Dragon Age to even come near that category.

[Riona45]

Isabelle Mortello wrote...


I doubt that...elsewise they wouldn't be playing it or complaining.

It's possible to dislike an aspect of a game without disliking it enough to not play it, or hang out on the game's messageboard to give their opinion.