Who knows if they just split the development at some point and it will actually end up being pretty different?
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Dark Souls 2 Lighting changes/Downgrade
- Thread starter Moral Panic
- Start date
gamerforever
Banned
Bit of an outside bet, but I reckon the PS4/ Xbox One versions will have improved graphics, with the enhanced torch gameplay as a USP.
Kamina
Golden Boy
Thats what I thought. I checked out several videos from back then, but the level is pretty grey in grey, with not much to see lighting-wise.
Metalingus5150
Member
Yup. It is really obvious to tell a lot of game was designed around that aspect. :/
gamerforever
Banned
It had a cave though which required the torch.
Yes, we need comparisons using that area.
I played it myself and the torch mechanic was definitely necessary in some pitchblack caves. It also had those dynamic shadows and the lighting in general was probably the most impressive part of that level. It'd be disappointing if they just brightened up that whole level as well.
XANDER CAGE
Member
(Area spoilers)
is another one where you can see how gutted the lighting really is. Rooms full of sconces, unlit hallways and passages... it's pretty obvious the whole interior was meant to have the previously demo'd lighting, but now it's just flat gray brightness all the way around.
Lost Bastille
Yeah, I lit all the torches thinking it would unlock something ala Zelda, but nope (unless I missed one). It really is a shame.
Still absolutely loving the game.
Raven77
Member
Funny, because it reminded me to cancel my pre-order.
Also, can a mod please edit the OP title and post some of the gif comparisons and picture comparisons? It is more than just lighting.
Oh wasn't aware of that. Really confusing. What are the chances that they sent an unfinished version to the factory? I think that happened to Itagaki with dead or alive 2 , lol
jacksepticeye
Member
I wouldn't be surprised if it was just the same at 1080p/60fps
That is a good point.
Its not just lighting, other graphical effects have been removed as well, on top of that, an entire gameplay mechanic is gutted.
Kamina
Golden Boy
Pretty low. lol. And even if, i doubt they'd admit it.
Yeah, it needs those and the Comparison video.
Information in regards to the light/torch mechanic being killed off and how it effects gameplay should be in the OP too.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
100% unlikely.
We would have heard something at this point.
This is a disaster, looks worse than DS...
gamerforever
Banned
Too much of a big game for this to happen.
You know, it still looks pretty decent and runs at a decent framerate too - perhaps we have our next gen shades on too often to appreciate that the last generation machines simply cannot cope with such fidelity.
gaming press:
lol.
With regards to the architecture, it's almost like two different teams were given a basic layout but went in different directions when designing the levels. It's not just architecture either. Something minute like fog door effects are completely different in both builds, and some enemies are different too. That wizard-type enemy that appeared at the end of this hallway was replaced by some knight.
I heard the axe guy in the reveal was removed from his spot too. I think he's actually an NPC now.
Yeah i played the beta only once, but i remember there was (at the very start, no less) an area where you had to break some planks of wood on the windows, to see anything at all, it was very very dark.
Don't remember how much of a downgrade there was from the initial reveal, but the darkness was there.
The PS3 footage shown in January this year, of the Dragon Mansion, also had stripped down polygons and textures but still had that lighting system in tact.
I've been trying to drill into people's heads there are at least 3 different versions to consider here haha but it aint catching on much.
Kamina
Golden Boy
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Can I have a link?
Stealth_Cobra
Member
To be perfectly honest, it was pretty obvious the first few gameplay videos shown were running off a devkit and not actual hardware, and that the Old Gen versions would look way worse than showcased.
It's not like PS3 and Xbox 360 are getting any stronger, so did you expect a sequel to Dark Souls, a game that looked average, had bad lightning and struggled to keep a decent framerate, to be next-gen looking on the same dated hardware ? I personally expected the same graphical fidelity as DS1, with perhaps no slowdowns (cause honestly, the PS3 version of DS1 has pretty choppy framerate all around, not just in blighttown).
When I tried the Network Test, I found it pretty ugly. I was playing the Durante version on PC simultaneously, so immediately went and preordered the PC version of Dark Souls 2, but since they could not give us a release date for the PC version, I cancelled it and ordered the PS3 version, knowing full well it would look like crap compared to the PC version.
That said, some of the screenshots are kinda worrying, hopefully the PC version will retaing that next-gen look. Or at I sincerely hope a PS4 or Xbone version will be announced soon, to bring us these graphics.
It's not like PS3 and Xbox 360 are getting any stronger, so did you expect a sequel to Dark Souls, a game that looked average, had bad lightning and struggled to keep a decent framerate, to be next-gen looking on the same dated hardware ? I personally expected the same graphical fidelity as DS1, with perhaps no slowdowns (cause honestly, the PS3 version of DS1 has pretty choppy framerate all around, not just in blighttown).
When I tried the Network Test, I found it pretty ugly. I was playing the Durante version on PC simultaneously, so immediately went and preordered the PC version of Dark Souls 2, but since they could not give us a release date for the PC version, I cancelled it and ordered the PS3 version, knowing full well it would look like crap compared to the PC version.
That said, some of the screenshots are kinda worrying, hopefully the PC version will retaing that next-gen look. Or at I sincerely hope a PS4 or Xbone version will be announced soon, to bring us these graphics.
Krusenstern
Banned
lol.
With regards to the architecture, it's almost like two different teams were given a basic layout but went in different directions when designing the levels. It's not just architecture either. Something minute like fog door effects are completely different in both builds, and some enemies are different too. That wizard-type enemy that appeared at the end of this hallway was replaced by some knight.
I heard the axe guy in the reveal was removed from his spot too. I think he's actually an NPC now.
There sure are some big differences between pre-release build and final build besides lighting.
As pointed out in the last page, look it this comparison again:
THE CASTLES ARE DIFFERENT! Not only the lighting. Those are different castles!
The whole thing is just incredible I still can't believe what's happening here.
All those problems are the result of the developers, not the hardware.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Is not the first videos shown, we have footage of january with closer to the final UI that looks leaps way better than the retail game. They keeped these expectations for months....
The fact that the castles are entirely different models throws the whole thing into chaos for me. Something major has happened here, and the only thing that makes sense is that the original footage is of a vertical slice made to prototype and demo the game.
Why else would they go through the game, changing textures, enemy placements, and entire levels? It makes no sense.
Why else would they go through the game, changing textures, enemy placements, and entire levels? It makes no sense.
D Bo Chops
Member
Have you guys been to
at all?? My God its ugly and obviously meant for a torch, but no longer necessary. Also when you get there, look at the collum near by the bonfire and laugh at the texture! Its like a
(had to be a dev trolling into the game)
The Gutter
modern/urban/graffiti mural texture
jim2point0
Banned
Here's a whole freakin video O_O
The drastic differences start at the 12 second mark and continue until the end...
One possiblity (which seems reasonable considering the differences in assets\geometry in so many screenshots\videos):
One of them is the full game. The other is a vertical slice built by a completely different team.
I think this is a games that is really NOT safe to preorder, at least on PC.
The saddest thing about this whole ordeal is the older build of Dark Souls 2 looked and sounded different from Dark Souls 1, needing a torch to navigate legit darkness, a more vivid and lavish game world, better lighting and shadows in general. The Dark Souls 2 that got released looks like "another Dark Souls", some people will say "THAT'S A GREAT THING THOUGH!". Unlike those people though I don't look at Dark Souls as if its some sort of holy grail, improvements could and should be made on a visual and technical level.
Holy shit, those are two different games. Look at the architecture and items etc.
He kept saying we should wait until the retail version of Watch_Dogs came out to properly judge things. Well, the retail version of DkS II is out and the differences are pretty fucking gigantic.
Don't need the torches, just the pitchforks.
SneakyStephan
Banned
do you really have to ask anymore...
of course not, their only job is PR
haha
jim2point0
Banned
I'm sure there is enough evidence to bitch at them now.
Someone stating the wrong version got published makes me wonder what the Japanese version will look like. That's out tonight out time. What happens if we see actual footage of the Japanese ps3 version and it's different?
Yeah, no way they'll have the completely different assets and all that just for the PC version, no fucking way.
At best we'll get the lighting back, but i'm very doubtful about that, too.
That seems like an incredibly far-fetched explanation, case in point the performance struggles on PS3/360 currently without these effects.
Its more likely they were showing off the PC version previously.
Ghost_Protocol
Member
I can't believe how bad the performance is in this game. It runs worse than dark souls and demons souls.
nero2082
Member
Damn fine stuff, sir.
Polioliolio
Member
ZING!
Fallout-NL
Member
Bravo
I'm not disappointed in the textures, I'm disappointed in the lighting and how a torch is completely useless. The game is way to bright at all times, even compared to dark souls.