They reviewed the game. They didn't review the game while it was sitting next to a streaming video of the game's reveal at a trade show so that they could see the difference. They simply played the game and reviewed it.
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Dark Souls 2 Lighting changes/Downgrade
- Thread starter Moral Panic
- Start date
They reviewed the game. They didn't review the game while it was sitting next to a streaming video of the game's reveal at a trade show so that they could see the difference. They simply played the game and reviewed it.
If the dragon bridge is anything to go by, From spared us rage by not showing us any more of the game pre-launch.
Oh c'mon now, it's not just a change of colour, it looks like a whole new engine. It isn't but sure looks it.
Its weird because I don't really care how a game looks, but now that I'm seeing the differences between the original version and what we got at the end, its really disappointing... I wouldn't mind if we never saw the original version, but it looked so damn good.. almost next gen in all honesty, it was always kinda weird... that original bridge scene looks incredible
Not something I would not buy the game over (ordered it yesterday) and right now I'm more worried about the reported below 30 frame rate on the PS3 version
Not something I would not buy the game over (ordered it yesterday) and right now I'm more worried about the reported below 30 frame rate on the PS3 version
Garcia
Member
PC crowd: I suppose the delay is also dealing with some of most frequent issues that show up in the console version. Just to mention a couple of distracting things I keep encountering:
-Buggy animations, (incomplete, mobs freeze or move like marionettes).
-Sound FX that go off-sync from time to time (sound files taking half a second to be played after you hit an enemy, sometimes it takes longer than that)
-Buggy animations, (incomplete, mobs freeze or move like marionettes).
-Sound FX that go off-sync from time to time (sound files taking half a second to be played after you hit an enemy, sometimes it takes longer than that)
FrankWza
Member
i was thinking the same thing
sad commentary on game reviewers. its called research. should be done when you are paid to review something unless you dont comment at all on the technical side and just offer an opinion on fun factor or some other b.s.
thewhitehawk
Member
As far as I could tell from the videos I've seen so far of people playing the final build, most of the lighting effects shown on the demo are in fact present of the game, but the number of light-sources that would display some of the warmer, high-contrast tones that we saw in the demo were reduced (probably to improve the frame-rate).
It's a bit disappointing and it is noticeable when compared to the original demo, but because those effects are in fact, for the most part, present in the game, just not as prevalent as in the demo, that I think this is being overblown a bit.
The difference is not as drastic to me as what we've seen with other games some people have compared this downgrade to.
It's a bit disappointing and it is noticeable when compared to the original demo, but because those effects are in fact, for the most part, present in the game, just not as prevalent as in the demo, that I think this is being overblown a bit.
The difference is not as drastic to me as what we've seen with other games some people have compared this downgrade to.
PetriP-TNT
Member
I'll just repost this one, what kind of explanation you want? Or anyone else.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=104044350&postcount=2695
I'd like to know if the game that was being demoed was running on a PC and if the PC version will retain that level of quality. I don't want an explanation as to why the game got downgraded on current-gen. 360 and PS3 can barely keep up with the game as it is, let alone if it looked like we were shown.
jimmypython
Member
language is a big thing i guess....
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Textures, normal maps and geometry have been also drastically downgraded.
Is basically next-gen vs old-gen level of difference here.
SilverBullet
Member
Played about two hours last night. The game looks nice on open areas where there is a direct light source like the sun but completly flat on inside areas. In fact in these areas its easier to see without the tourch. There isno dynamic shadows. Its just a fake one for the main character.
Also this fake shadow casting is inconsistent. Some times there is a tourch on the wall that casts and then turn a corner and the next tourch just like the one before doesn't.
Also this fake shadow casting is inconsistent. Some times there is a tourch on the wall that casts and then turn a corner and the next tourch just like the one before doesn't.
thewhitehawk
Member
I think we are in disagreement about what "drastic" means.
The castle is also completely different. I guess the pc version will fix that too right?
Umm.. watch the walls next time. Not in a single bit overblown.
Da DreadLord
Member
jacksepticeye
Member
PC save us!
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Found footage of the mansion of the dragons. There's no way anybody anywhere can't claim this game hasn't been completely gutted. Just look at this shit, LOOK AT THIS SHIT:
LOOK AT THE PLAYER'S SHADOW
This really needs to be in the OP. And the comparison video. People still think this is just about lighting -_-
thewhitehawk
Member
That's the first legitimate drastic difference screenshot I see.
Kamina
Golden Boy
What kills me the most about that picture is the texture difference of the ground with the fire fountains, not the lighting. Seriously, what were they thinking?
After seeing
one of the bosses (is that spoiler? well it don't matter)
edit: So are the lizard things not down there at all? are they just hiding?
PixelHorror
Member
As I've said before, if we're lucky we'll get PC footage two weeks from release like it happened the latest time. It will be embargoed and hopefuly this time people won't leave concerned about what we got, like a couple of years ago.
However, as many of you guys have said: if this is getting a disc print, it must reach gold status in the coming weeks, so the delay is closely related more to a business decision (console, piracy, usual publisher ignorance) as there isn't much of a timewindow for fixes or improvements.
So guys, we should reeeaally push for REAL footage of the PC edition ASAP, this way we will put this to rest.
However, as many of you guys have said: if this is getting a disc print, it must reach gold status in the coming weeks, so the delay is closely related more to a business decision (console, piracy, usual publisher ignorance) as there isn't much of a timewindow for fixes or improvements.
So guys, we should reeeaally push for REAL footage of the PC edition ASAP, this way we will put this to rest.
Yeah the geometry and normal maps are also drastically downgraded
Next gen version must be confirmed now surely?
hey_it's_that_dog
benevolent sexism
The obviously repeating textures are, for me, what make DS2 look like a cheap product made by completely untalented individuals*. I'd understand if they had to downgrade the lighting and armor textures or something, but I haven't seen environment art/texturework this bad in years.
*and I literally mean "look" like. I know the devs are talented and the game is good.
gamerforever
Banned
Looking at more gif comparisons make me feel sick - surely the earlier videos are of a PC/ current gen build?
It does seem odd that a sequel has inferior graphics to the original. I guess we shall know 100% come friday/ saturday when the game drops through the letter box.
Must admit there is a temptation to cash in on the black armour version I have preordered, but the length of wait for a current gen release will surely be upwards of months?!
It does seem odd that a sequel has inferior graphics to the original. I guess we shall know 100% come friday/ saturday when the game drops through the letter box.
Must admit there is a temptation to cash in on the black armour version I have preordered, but the length of wait for a current gen release will surely be upwards of months?!
Yeah I noticed that too, the architecture is different.
Looks like there are difference in the mansion too, like it's a completely different game.
I swear people keep reading the OP, where we still had very little to work with, and think this is still just about lighting lol
It was obvious from the beginning there was a huge texture/polygon reduction but that still took a while to catch on because everybody was... idk, not looking at them? lol
It was obvious from the beginning there was a huge texture/polygon reduction but that still took a while to catch on because everybody was... idk, not looking at them? lol
gamerforever
Banned
Yeah, I am realising that the differences are way beyond just lighting and crosses over to sheer graphical effects.
The game has been downgraded from the videos significantly and looks like it has been downgraded from the PS3 beta demo too. The former I just find completely odd and would love FROM to come out and clarify this.
In many ways this is worse than the Watchdogs situation because we have already played a better looking version on the same console!
Lastly, I really don't want this to spoil my enjoyment, for what probably is one of the top 20 best games from last generation!
Metalingus5150
Member
Whatever happened, it seems they made the change at the very last minute.
I can't think of why else the torches would still be in there, I don't think the argument of "they're way points" is correct. I think they changed lighting at the last minute and just left the torches in because they had to ship the game.
I can't think of why else the torches would still be in there, I don't think the argument of "they're way points" is correct. I think they changed lighting at the last minute and just left the torches in because they had to ship the game.
JRW
Member
Ya the more I read through the thread I see that now lol, I was just going by initial impression from glancing at screenshots, Personally I'm waiting for PC version but hopefully From addresses or at least explain why they did this.
They also said it looks like the first CGI reveal trailer which was never the case. That was flatout marketing/PR/hype-machine bs.
So the demo builds were just running on PCs? I'm OK with that if the quality ends up being the same.
Outright Villainy
Member
Not as good as CGI obviously, but when I saw that I said god damn.
Really hope the PC version keeps that level of quality, though it seems to good too be true now.
Stone Ocean
Member
It's so easy to tell when an area was designed around the darkness. Torch placement and the overall looks are super telling. For example, I'm 100% sure the tutorial area was meant to be mostly pitch black, as a tutorial for it as well. You're given a torch, there's a brazier in front of every fog gate, the entire inside part of the trees have the gray lighting and also there's many braziers, it's completely obvious it was meant to be hard to see so you'd get used to it later.Whatever happened, it seems they made the change at the very last minute.
I can't think of why else the torches would still be in there, I don't think the argument of "they're way points" is correct. I think they changed lighting at the last minute and just left the torches in because they had to ship the game.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Ingueferroque
Banned
Wasn't there a online test available to some people on PS3, a few months back? Did that look like what we have now?
gamerforever
Banned
Yep, was fortunate enough to give this two separate goes and felt the graphics and lighting were an improvement over the original.
Shame I can't pull the beta out and compare the two, but once I get to that area (from the beta) I will know for sure.
Krusenstern
Banned
Huh. You're right. The castles do look different.
Crap. Maybe people were right and they did develop different builds, one for simply showcasing parts of the game (looking far superior than the final product) and one seemingly downgraded build for retail shipping.
Stone Ocean
Member
From what I read around here, it didn't look as good as the initial reveal but the lighting was mostly still there on the beta.
*Apparently* the lighting has been downgraded since then. As in, now you don't even need the torch, the dynamic darkness/lighting is just gone, like it is in a ton of other areas in the game.
I've seen the Charriot boss have its dynamic lights removed from the fight cross-comparing video footage.