72 réponses à ce sujet

[Majspuffen]

Hello everyone. Made a blog about this topic, but I thought I'd share my thoughts on these forums as well.

So far Dragon Age 2 has been looking good. The one thing that really bumps me is the new design for Darkspawn. I fail to see why they would change the current model, why change something that is already epic? Seems like they're taking a step back there. The old model of Darkspawn was nasty, which is great! They fit in with the taint we saw in the deep roads, and touching a darkspawn actually looked like it could get you tainted and killed. Their fanged grins and big milky eyes and scarred flesh, real terror

The new model, however, do not give me the same impression at all. These new darkspawn look like they actually belong on the surface, some kind of berserker race that is not tainted at all... what's with their new teeth? After reading the book "The Calling", I got the impression that the Darkspawn does not eat? Doesn't have to eat, anyway. And their skin is not scarred nor decayed, they look rather.. healthy, for lack of a better word. And their armaments does not look as primitive as the old Darkspawns.

Compare for yourselves, here's a darkspawn from dragon age: Origins. And here's some from Dragon Age 2.

The new one got bleeding eyes, oh the horror. The old model looks a thousand times more unique, and fits with the Darkspawn lore. Why change something that is already epic and unique?

Those are my thoughts, anyway.

[EmperorSahlertz]

Perhaps the Architect's plans came true and the Darkspawn evolved.

[The Hardest Thing In The World]

Oh just noticed they are crying red tears, poor Darkspawn?

[Befit]

u know with the other races they are trying to make them seem less human but the darkspawn seem to look more human. Just fix the eyes and give them some lips!

[ankuu]

I usually do not complain and i am not doing it now either....BUT i really liked the old look of the darkspawn. Still these are early concepts, so they might end up looking a lot better. Now they are fish-faces xD

[Majspuffen]

EmperorSahlertz wrote...

Perhaps the Architect's plans came true and the Darkspawn evolved.

lol  if this is the case, he must have been working really fast!

ankuu wrote...

I usually do not complain and i am not doing it now either....BUT i really liked the old look of the darkspawn. Still these are early concepts, so they might end up looking a lot better. Now they are fish-faces xD

Well, that's the only trust I have right now, that they are early concepts. So far they look nothing like the darkspawn should look like! I hope that Bioware will go back to the old models, at least when it comes to darkspawn.

[fchopin]

Yep, darkspawn look very bad , hope they improve them or make sure we don’t see them again after Lothering.

[NugWrangler]

The only thing that really throws me off about the new design are the teeth. They should be jagged and uneven like a shark or crocodile. These guys look like they are wearing dentures.

[Elanareon]

I agree if they are darkspawns (is it confirmed that they are? Im not really sure...) they look lame. The previous ones were better!

[Majspuffen]

Elanareon wrote...

I agree if they are darkspawns (is it confirmed that they are? Im not really sure...) they look lame. The previous ones were better!

I'm not 100% that those are actually darkspawn, but if you check the thread "what we know so far", there are other pictures where those guys fight Hawke alongside an ogre... and the ogre itself isn't blue, one of the key-things about ogres, is it not?

[wicked_being]

Well those skeleton mouths are spot on I say. If you've read The Calling, there's a bit about "having a permanent skeletal grimace." It wasn't directly describing a darkspawn (those who read it know what I'm talking about) but that's probably where they got the idea to redesign it to look..well how they look like now. The skin color though, too pale and doesn't look tainted as opposed to blackened flesh (tainted flesh).

[NKKKK]

Even the Qnuari have some half assed explanation, but this is just inconsistent.

[zylas223]

I rather like the new looks of the Hurlocks. The only thing I don't like is the armor - honestly, too spiky and doesn't cover body at all. I know it should look primitive, but also practical.

[The 13th Dark Sheep]

What I think they should really do something about is that (padded?) coif those hurlocks are wearing.

It looks plain out of place being as smooth and round and dark as it is. The shape doesn't harmonize with the rest of the gear they're wearing because of the distinct lack of spikyness. It also hinders the darkspawn model from drawing the eye towards the head; normally the eye is instinctively drawn to the lightest parts of an object, and in the case of these hurlocks the lightest part is their thighs... . It feels uncomfortable looking at a monster's thigh for the first part and for the second, having difficulties focusing on the carefully designed face takes away that edge of monesteryness the original darkspawn imposed on me.

Just to illustrate the difference I used my mediocre photoshop skills to create this IMO improved hurlock design. I think the head and more importantly the face itself is quite a bit more noticeable in my edited version. Also the overall design flows better, thus making the head look less out of place.
And by the way I also tried to illustrate that it is possible to create a monstrous looking humanoid without having to cover up most of the head with an ugly coif.



If you like this, then let's start an anti coif movement .

EDIT: right click and select "show picture" in order to view a larger version.

Modifié par The 13th Dark Sheep, 02 août 2010 - 09:49 .

[The 13th Dark Sheep]

Stupid double posting...

Modifié par The 13th Dark Sheep, 02 août 2010 - 09:58 .

[Loc'n'lol]

I wouldn't mind the coif if the "mail" covered the entire torso. I rather like what you did there, though.

Modifié par _Loc_N_lol_, 02 août 2010 - 09:51 .

[Brockololly]

If they blighted up the skin, making it more dark and oily looking, and got rid of the nose, I'd think the hurlocks would look much better. The armor though....ugh....yeah, they might want to just ditch the S&M get up, as that overly spiky armor looks ridiculous.

[SirOccam]

The 13th Dark Sheep wrote...

I really like that picture. I, too, hate the coif. I really think they should ditch it. I like the fangs too; I hadn't even thought of that. Definitely makes them look more monstrous.

They should darken the skin a bit and get rid of the nose as well. They need to look like monsters, not pale, buff humans with no lips.

[Majspuffen]

The 13th Dark Sheep wrote...




If you like this, then let's start an anti coif movement .

EDIT: right click and select "show picture" in order to view a larger version.

That does look better, though I am still disappointed about the skin of those darkspawn. The darkspawn should have like.. deformed blackened tumours all over their bodies. They should resemble the taint they spread, these do not look anything like the darkspawn... The coif was really out of place, and the teeth should be fangs. Still, I am not convinced these creatures blood could kill you, they do not look tainted enough. Need moar taint!

Real nice job on the picture though, I must say.

[zylas223]

Really great comparision, the "with fangs" version actually looks better than from DA:O

[The 13th Dark Sheep]

Majspuffen wrote...
That does look better, though I am still disappointed about the skin of those darkspawn. The darkspawn should have like.. deformed blackened tumours all over their bodies. They should resemble the taint they spread, these do not look anything like the darkspawn... The coif was really out of place, and the teeth should be fangs. Still, I am not convinced these creatures blood could kill you, they do not look tainted enough. Need moar taint!

I think what you said about the skin is right; they need to look more tainted rather than drained of blood. So I went back and edited things a little bit, making the head look slightly darker and thus more monstrous. However seeing as the devs wanted the hurlocks (at least) to look more human than they did before I really doubt they'd take further steps in that direction.

To me it's okay to compromise between human and monster the way they did as long as they remove that @"#)%&=/ coif!!!

Modifié par The 13th Dark Sheep, 03 août 2010 - 09:35 .

[The Hardest Thing In The World]

Put up one picture of the fangs with the coif, please. I kinda like the coif :S

[SDNcN]

The coif remind me of guards in Neverwinter Nights 2 that harassed Neeshka. My god those guards were ugly.



The fangs in the photoshop look a little took large for my tastes though.

[Sabariel]

Ooo. They look much scarier with the fangs. I don't much like the Hollywood-white-n-straight teeth the darkspawn have. They need some tartar buildup or something if not fangs.