-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Dragon Age 2 - first screenshots
- Thread starter Dennis
- Start date
- Status
I remember DA trailers and what type of response they'd evoked in community :lol
So that means I don't care about these screens at all.
And Mass Effect marketing did everything to make me not buy it. But when I saw first 20 minutes 3 years later and bought it, it turned out to be my favourite RPG this gen. So Bioware can release any shitty screens and trailers they want.
So that means I don't care about these screens at all.
And Mass Effect marketing did everything to make me not buy it. But when I saw first 20 minutes 3 years later and bought it, it turned out to be my favourite RPG this gen. So Bioware can release any shitty screens and trailers they want.
Someone from the BioWare forums posted information from GameStar.
There's not much new, but there's a little bit.
Judging by the character descriptions.
Varric
Cassandra
Both
I think there were better quality versions, but I forgot to save them before they were taken down.
There's not much new, but there's a little bit.
Source: http://social.bioware.com/forum/Dra...eenshots-from-a-german-pc-mag--3124740-1.htmlSir Karl said:
Judging by the character descriptions.
Varric
Cassandra
Both
I think there were better quality versions, but I forgot to save them before they were taken down.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
water_wendi said:
truly101 said:
Back to back awesome quote. Well done, chaps. Well done. :lol
It seems they're quite serious about changing the plot structure this time.
BioWare said:
Source: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/3127485/1BioWare said:
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Are they going for a cel shaded art style or something ?
Wiggum2007
Junior Member
I'm actually cautiously optimistic about the new art style. Yes these shots look super early and crappy and shouldn't have been released, but I like that they are going for a more stylized look than the blandness of the first games visuals, here's to hoping they can pull it off.
Really hate those angular(its a word, right?) plate armors on enemies. Straight from heavy metal album covers or something.
I hope they go all the way for stylized look instead of this crap. Something like TF2 or Borderlands style would be nice. Or maybe they shouldn't change art style in the first place...
I hope they go all the way for stylized look instead of this crap. Something like TF2 or Borderlands style would be nice. Or maybe they shouldn't change art style in the first place...
water_wendi
Water is not wet!
The already said what Hawke is.. he/she is the Champion of Kierkegaard or whatever. We just play out exactly how they become the hero from my understanding.the walrus said:
ShockingAlberto
Member
I think this implies that there's a story path that involves not saving the world, not that saving the world isn't the main focus.Nirolak said:
Cause it takes places during the Age of Dragon, a.k.a. the Dragon Age.dr_rus said:
axiomnightmare
Neo Member
I think the final game will look quite a bit better than these screenshots, but will not blow anyone away graphically.
mescalineeyes
Banned
I really need BioWare not to fuck up this game. I can't wait until Mass Effect 3 for my next BioWare fix.
the walrus said:
Well, I finally got to see the magazine today, and they actually openly admit that the plots of their games are all very similar, and they seem rather determined to make this one different.ShockingAlberto said:
Of course, we'll have to wait until the game releases to find out if that actually happens.
Interestingly enough, some of the screenshots in the magazine actually look worse than even these ones do, however, they all seem to be the same area with the same characters and monsters.
The one thing that does look nice though is the close-up of the faces. If they could extend that quality to the rest of the game, it would actually be a nice upgrade to Dragon Age, though that would be quite a leap from where they're sitting now.
Edit:
Finished looking through it. It seems that pretty much every detail out of the magazine has been covered already.
GillianSeed79
Member
markatisu said:
Quality of the mag aside, you can't deny that it's one of the most popular, most subscribed to magazines in the United States. I was just looking at the 2008 stats for the Top 50 magazines in the U.S. and Game Informer had a bigger circulation than Time, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Cosmo and TV Guide just to name a few. They had a circulation of more than three million or something. That's a lot of people who might be left with a bad first impression because of the screen shots.
Wiggum2007
Junior Member
Wow, magazine info on the narrative has me really pumped, non-chronological storytelling and framed narrative, awesome!
McHuj
Member
There was a blurb in the article about the graphics. To quickly summarize:
- style involves "better use of negative space" and "more angular, grim depictions of your surroundings"
- the team felt that the previous one "the previous whimsical qualities of the art didn't reflect the austere nature of the world and it's politics."
- Bioware hopes to convey bloodier, sexier visuals so DA2 looks unique
- Quote from art director, Matt Goldman: "Whenever you see a screenshot of DA2, you're going to be able to say 'That's DA2'. You're not confusing it for LOTR."
So far that quote is spot on and based on the current screenshots, I'm not going to confuse it with any modern game either.
- style involves "better use of negative space" and "more angular, grim depictions of your surroundings"
- the team felt that the previous one "the previous whimsical qualities of the art didn't reflect the austere nature of the world and it's politics."
- Bioware hopes to convey bloodier, sexier visuals so DA2 looks unique
- Quote from art director, Matt Goldman: "Whenever you see a screenshot of DA2, you're going to be able to say 'That's DA2'. You're not confusing it for LOTR."
So far that quote is spot on and based on the current screenshots, I'm not going to confuse it with any modern game either.
water_wendi
Water is not wet!
Where was that article about how there are certain conditions that websites and magazines have to meet when doing previews (saying things in a positive light only, any issues construed as problem areas noted as being fixed for release, etc)?
Prax
Member
You know, for once I just want to play a WRPG that I can say is good-looking (Guild Wars is is the best of the bunch that I know, but I'm really into more self-contained single-player rpgs without the mmo elements). Technically, they do well with all the bells and whistles with lighting and texture, but they fall so flat when it comes to style and aesthetically pleasing body proportions it's embarrassing.
Dragon Age is just so SO ugly, and despite that, I played it and the expansion. So HOPEFULLY this installment will look much more stylized in the non-ugly direction.
The screens released so far are in fact terrible looking, but they will no doubt up the textures and add in all the fancy and plastic lighting and shadow effects, so I'm not concerned about that.
The dude's face, fortunately, doesn't make me wretch, although I still want it to veer for more stylization instead of realism. The silhouettes are okay (At least I'll know pointy sharp things in the distance are ugly enemies!). Colour palette wise.. still awful like the first game.
Dragon Age is just so SO ugly, and despite that, I played it and the expansion. So HOPEFULLY this installment will look much more stylized in the non-ugly direction.
The screens released so far are in fact terrible looking, but they will no doubt up the textures and add in all the fancy and plastic lighting and shadow effects, so I'm not concerned about that.
The dude's face, fortunately, doesn't make me wretch, although I still want it to veer for more stylization instead of realism. The silhouettes are okay (At least I'll know pointy sharp things in the distance are ugly enemies!). Colour palette wise.. still awful like the first game.
Prax
Member
epmode said:
The Witcher still has that "good lighting but plastic zombie doll" look that seems endemic to WRPGs. I am sure it's because it's trying to look realistic, but doesn't quite make it, so it ends up looking uncanny, odd, or just a bad clash of styles.
For example, these games usually try to add in realistic facial and bone structures, but then you look at the awful accessories, hair, armour, and other costume elements with that, and it all falls apart into an ugly mess. Nothing seems cohesive.
One example with Dragon Age is every character having to wear this really ugly rope necklace to hide the neckline for costume swaps and this really adds a jarring separation between head and wooden looking body (complete with plastic lighting). Seemingly "realistic" faces with lots of (ugly) textures, especially for male characters (though poorly proportioned with really REALLY small eyes--perhaps to overcompensate in trying to look realistic and not "anime"), but terrible hair to frame the face. On top of that, let's add individual eye lashes to make it look extra creepy. It's just so inconsistent, and then you add in the bad or awkward animations!
Oh boy, those steamy camp scenes! Couldn't get enough of those necklaced bodies with heads stuck onto them panning around! I think hearing that they want to make Dragon Age 2 even sexier will give me nightmares. :|
WoW on the other hand, looks better. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but the colour palette is pretty good, the visual style is distinct, and at least the world and its elements look cohesive. But yah, it's an MMO, so unfortunately, I don't play it.
SimpleDesign
Member
Christ...McHuj said:
Well...there's always Dragon Age 3...
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
It's uh ..quite the opposite effect so far lol, people can't seem to believe they're looking at screens from DAO2 so far.
MannahContana
Neo Member
subversus said:
Have no idea, Dragon Age 1, Deadspace, Mirror's Edge, Dante's etc...
HadesGigas
Member
chandoog said:
They do say "That's DA2" just with a bunch of question marks right after.
ShockingAlberto
Member
WellMcHuj said:
If there's anything that describes these visuals, "negative" isn't in the wrong building.
Game Informer released some new wallpapers, and the filename confirmed who the white haired mage is:
It also seems that at some point we will be going back to the Deep Roads, though the image seems to focus on the road itself rather than the caves near it: http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/07/16/exclusive-dragon-age-ii-desktop-wallpapers.aspx
Flemeth
It also seems that at some point we will be going back to the Deep Roads, though the image seems to focus on the road itself rather than the caves near it: http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/07/16/exclusive-dragon-age-ii-desktop-wallpapers.aspx
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
TheChaos said:
Perfect! :lol
Ether_Snake
å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®å®
I think the art direction is actually better. The first Dragon Age looked like generic crap. I would wait a bit before panicking.
Apparently the game will be at Comic-Con and the public can see it.
Source: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/3149188BioWare said:
- Status