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[Green Mamba]

I've never played these games and don't know the character but



Anything on the right in B/W > The final design (left in color).

This is like the one situation in P4 Arena/Ultimax where they made the correct decision regarding Persona 3 character redesigns. I mean, his final design is still not good by Persona standards at all, but he's a far sight better than the terrible shit they pulled with Mitsuru, Akihiko, and "Feather Pink" (who I refuse to call Yukari, sorry). Ken was the only other one where they decided to pull back on the insanity instead of shitting the bed completely. Fucking Persona 4 Arena/Ultimax and their shit character designs, which is really out of character for the series at large.

The early design for Toko from Danganronpa was pretty good, I thought.

Original on the left, redesign on right:

Are the early concepts drawn by the same artist who draws the in game portraits? Because there's a rift in drawing talent between the two and my brain refuses to say that the person who drew the actually presentable art on the left was responsible for Danganronpa's absolutely high school amateur level character art.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

This is like the one situation in P4 Arena/Ultimax where they made the correct decision regarding Persona 3 character redesigns. I mean, his final design is still not good by Persona standards at all, but he's a far sight better than the terrible shit they pulled with Mitsuru, Akihiko, and "Feather Pink" (who I refuse to call Yukari, sorry). Ken was the only other one where they decided to pull back on the insanity instead of shitting the bed completely. Fucking Persona 4 Arena/Ultimax and their shit character designs, which is really out of character for the series at large.


Are the early concepts drawn by the same artist who draws the in game portraits? Because there's a rift in drawing talent between the two and my brain refuses to say that the person who drew the actually presentable art on the left was responsible for Danganronpa's absolutely high school amateur level character art.

I'd have to disagree, Dragon Grandpa's look is extremely stylized for a very specific suite of circular motifs, abstractions, and flagrantly attention-grabbing exaggerations. It's clear without even having had played the games.

 

[Muffdraul]

Here are some other pieces of very early concept art for the character that became Tidus:

The first pic is from before FFX even became an FF at all - Final Fantasy X started out as an original game whose project name was "17: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock".

Its plot would have centered around a mysterious disease that kills people on their 18th birthday, and would have had Yuna cast as a doctor/nurse who traveled around the world administering a cure to those who were found to be infected. It would later be revealed that this alleged "cure" was actually the cause of the disease, with the organization Yuna worked for using the "disease" as a means of controlling the world by alleging that they were the only ones capable of providing the cure while simultaneously perpetuating the disease's existence.

That sounds amazingly close to a troll post I made on the hype.se boards circa 1998, telling my pals that the plot of FFVIII had been leaked. Apparently Square saw my post and almost made a game out of it. Cool!

 

[Koozek]

The first pic is from before FFX even became an FF at all - Final Fantasy X started out as an original game whose project name was "17: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock".

Its plot would have centered around a mysterious disease that kills people on their 18th birthday, and would have had Yuna cast as a doctor/nurse who traveled around the world administering a cure to those who were found to be infected. It would later be revealed that this alleged "cure" was actually the cause of the disease, with the organization Yuna worked for using the "disease" as a means of controlling the world by alleging that they were the only ones capable of providing the cure while simultaneously perpetuating the disease's existence.

That sounds amazingly close to a troll post I made on the hype.se boards circa 1998, telling my pals that the plot of FFVIII had been leaked. Apparently Square saw my post and almost made a game out of it. Cool!

Where did you get this info from, DiipuSurotu? The only source I can find mentioning that concept and story is a Tumblr blog post^^

 

[Pachinko]

As someone that hates Rufus (he's seriously my least favorite character in all of Ultra SF4) I really really wish they went with that other design. Some here are calling that older version "king Cobra", well whatever his name was I don't care- I would have happily played as him instead of Rufus. This is of course based on the assumption that the old version was meant to simply be another spin on wheel of shotos.

All that said though, I'm sensing a common theme in this thread - the final designs most of these games went with always looked like they had an obvious reason as to why - with Cole it made sense to keep the character looking the same way he did in the first Infamous title.

Even Rufus, hate him though I do - has a silhouette that is unlike any other SF cast member. I'm guessing with a bit of work they could have made King Cobra hold a stance that was unique but instead we'll have to settle for his outfit making it in as an ALT costume for ken.

Same thing with Juri- those older designs look good but her final look is unique and has a bold silhouette. The older drawings look a bit too similar to Makoto.

As for Abel being an androgynous teenager , ehhh, I find Abel is the most boring looking character in SF4 but I'm not so sure making him look 15 is the way to fix that.

The silhouette can also be blamed for Hornet Man being used instead of Honey woman in megaman , I'm guessing it was just much easier to draw the sprite work too and someone liked the idea of the honeycombs opening to spit stuff out.

This has been a neat thread though gang, I never realized an artist other than Nomura did so much art for what became FFX.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Where did you get this info from, DiipuSurotu? The only source I can find mentioning that concept and story is a Tumblr blog post^^

I don't know Japanese, so admittedly I'm relying on fan translations, but yeah you can find this story on some Tumblr blogs and TVtropes, of all places. The concept art however is 100% reliable as it's from the artbook "Final Fantasy 25th Memorial Ultimania Vol. 3".

The large majority of FF Ultimania development info is never translated in English, even by the fans (FFVII is a notable exception thanks to the people at TheLifestream.net). This Ultimania was released only about two years ago so it's very, very recent by Western FF fandom standards. Vol. 2 was where we got the famous picture of the FFVII SNES prototype, by the way.

Anyway here is another piece of concept art from 17: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock:

and a chibi (likely non serious) sketch of the nurse that became Yuna:

 

[Rymuth]

Claire Redfield's early design for Resident Evil 2

I was about to post this, thank you.

 

[Koozek]

I don't know Japanese, so admittedly I'm relying on fan translations, but yeah you can find this story on some Tumblr blogs and TVtropes, of all places. The concept art however is 100% reliable as it's from the artbook "Final Fantasy 25th Memorial Ultimania Vol. 3".

The large majority of FF Ultimania development info is never translated in English, even by the fans (FFVII is a notable exception thanks to the people at TheLifestream.net). This Ultimania was released only about two years ago so it's very, very recent by Western FF fandom standards. Vol. 2 was where we got the famous picture of the FFVII SNES prototype, by the way.

Anyway here is another piece of concept art from 17: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock:

and a chibi (likely non serious) sketch of the nurse that became Yuna:

I see. Thanks for posting about that project! I love stuff like that and often read a lot on Unseen64 about betas and prototypes of games^^
Man, those Memorial Ultimanias are amazing. I might get one someday. I know that I will DEFINITELY get one for FFXV. Hopefully it will have a lot of early Versus screens/concept art and show how much of the '10-'12 build was scrapped or repurposed.

 

[BigDes]

Some of those Bayonetta concepts would have made an awesome Harley Quinn design for the Arkham games

 

[Jaeger]

Here are some other pieces of very early concept art for the character that became Tidus:

The first pic is from before FFX even became an FF at all - Final Fantasy X started out as an original game whose project name was "17: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock".

Its plot would have centered around a mysterious disease that kills people on their 18th birthday, and would have had Yuna cast as a doctor/nurse who traveled around the world administering a cure to those who were found to be infected. It would later be revealed that this alleged "cure" was actually the cause of the disease, with the organization Yuna worked for using the "disease" as a means of controlling the world by alleging that they were the only ones capable of providing the cure while simultaneously perpetuating the disease's existence.

That sounds dope as fuck. Where is the second piece from?

 

[Kodiak]

Advent Children was like remember the charming designs from the game that you loved?

Fuck those.

Fuck your happy memories.

Also you remember how Tifa was a confident snarky badass? Now she is a meek, lame wuss. Also we hid her boobies.

 

[op_ivy]

 

[DiipuSurotu]

That sounds dope as fuck. Where is the second piece from?

Also the FF 25th Memorial Ultimania Vol. 3!

 

[Psychological Intellect]

Definitely liked the early Bayonetta designs over the skintight homogeneous black leather outfit in the final version:

Actually designs by Wes Burt commissioned by Sega to make bayonetta more appealing to western audiences.

 

[dan2026]

Jesus, I've always disliked Mitsuru's Arena attire, but now I'm doubly upset because those designs are just so spot on for her. It seems like such a natural upgrade from her P3 look I can't imagine why they went with the design they did.

Because HUGE FUCKING TITS!

Would be my guess.

Also this design is literally ripped from Jolyne from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
Where Street Fighter has stolen most if its designs from.

 

[th4tguy]

Definitely liked the early Bayonetta designs over the skintight homogeneous black leather outfit in the final version:

The very first one is my favorite. I would actually play the game if it was a little more serious tone and the main character looked like the first design. mmm maybe redhead too.

 

[RM8]

I didn't know Bayonetta had a normal-sized head at some point.

 

[terrisus]

>

I loved the original design of Twelve Tales: Conker 64.

What they ended up releasing, though, is disgusting.

 

[Sesha]

Also this design is literally ripped from Jolyne from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
Where Street Fighter has stolen most if its designs from.

I count six. Who are the remaining 30+ characters?

 

[thesaucetastic]

Yukari from Persona 3.

Before:

After:

 

[injurai]

Yukari from Persona 3.

Before:


After:

gotta say, I like the final result

 

[GaGaGariya]

Became this:

That looks better, though.

 

[Dr. Buni]

That looks better, though.

No, it looks awful.

Yukari from Persona 3.

Before:


After:

Yukari looks fine, but I like the hair from the early design more than in the final design.

 

[leroidys]

The early designs for Chrono Trigger were radical as fuck:



I'm probably not in the majority, but I'd much rather have got a clean version of that than the generic Akira Toriyama stuff.

Oh fuck these are incredible. Damn, CT could have been even better than it is. Who'da thought.

 

[so1337]

Definitely liked the early Bayonetta designs over the skintight homogeneous black leather outfit in the final version:

This is about the least memorable concept art I have ever seen. Put those designs in a generic MMORPG. They would fit right in. Or Damnation.