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[I NEED SCISSORS]

I'm playing Onimusha again on account of the recent appreciation thread, and I can't help but notice how well it has aged. I have it upscaled to 1080p, and despite it looking a little bit blurry it has held up remarkably well. Then afterwards I popped in the grand master of pre-rendered backgrounds - REmake - and i'm once again blown away by a game made in 2002.

It's disappointing that nobody these days seems to be giving pre-rendered backgrounds any love. Granted, I understand that you would be pretty limited in terms of gameplay, but just imagine how glorious they would look in native 1080p. Another advantage is that you save on processing power, so lighting can be better and character models given insane amounts of detail. I am hoping they are at least considering it for something like 3DS.

 

[Gravijah]

RE2Make


plz

 

[Danielsan]

I would give the world for a Remake style pre-rendered backgrounds 1080p oldskool Resident Evil game. Yet I wouldn't trust any of the clowns currently working at Capcom to make it.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Some of the PS1 era Final Fantasies had an elegance in their pre-rendered backdrops that was lost in later installments. Final Fantasy IX had more beauty in some of its environment backgrounds (low res as they are) than many games of this generation.

So I'm not opposed to the idea, certainly. I don't think the majority of games need them though, but there are some genres where it could work.

 

[Atomski]

RE2Make


plz

YES!

I miss the old RE games with the amazing backgrounds. If they released RE1 Remake in HD I'd buy that as well.

 

[[Nintex]]

When the Retro Studios Donkey Kong rumor first emerged I was hoping for some sick pre-rendered backgrounds mixed in with 3D models(like the original DKC's).

 

[LiK]

please no.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

 

[randomwab]

RE2Make


plz

First post nails it. Fuck yes this. The REmake/Zero animated backgrounds still look fantastic, and they're 8 years old. If they were to do that today in 1080p.....fuck.

 

[Kabouter]

Lost Horizon, PC point & click adventure, came out recently.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Some of the PS1 era Final Fantasies (particularly IX) had an elegance in their pre-rendered backdrops that was lost in later installments.

So I'm not opposed to the idea, certainly. I don't think the majority of games need them though.

Definitely not the majority - I just want to see a few games in a few specific genres go back to using them. Maybe a couple of horror games, some adventure games and a few CRPGs. It seems like a waste of a perfectly viable and very beautiful looking visual style.

Yeah, Lost Horizon is another game which prompted this post - we need more games like this. It just looks gorgeous.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

why would you want this when PC games are approaching the same background fidelity with realtime 3d?

 

[Mama Robotnik]

why would you want this when PC games are approaching the same background fidelity with realtime 3d?

Well, I imagine its much cheaper to prerender backgrounds for games where only a static perspective is needed. That could be advantageous.

 

[itxaka]

Lost Horizon, PC point & click adventure, came out recently.

Is it any good? I dont know if i should buy it, love adventire games

 

[Gravijah]

What is that? iPhone game?

 

[MrBelmontvedere]

Granted, I understand that you would be pretty limited in terms of gameplay, but just imagine how glorious they would look in native 1080p. Another advantage is that you save on processing power, so lighting can be better and character models given insane amounts of detail. I am hoping they are at least considering it for something like 3DS.

3DS would be awesome in 1080p

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

why would you want this when PC games are approaching the same background fidelity with realtime 3d?

PC games maybe, but new consoles aren't going to hit for a long time. They could probably accomplish native 1080p pre-rendered environments on PS3.

 

[andymcc]

Lost Horizon, PC point & click adventure, came out recently.

is this based on the old frank capra film? :lol

 

[Kurtofan]

Point and clicks should always have pre rendered backgrounds.

 

[Stumpokapow]

What is that? iPhone game?

chaos rings
iphone/ipad

is this based on the old frank capra film? :lol

apparently starts with the same sort of premise but diverges quite wildly

interesting that you think of the frank capra film rather than the james hilton novel

 

[Kabouter]

Is it any good? I dont know if i should buy it, love adventire games

It's not great, but I had a good time with it. I suppose the best indication of whether you'd enjoy it is whether or not you enjoyed the Secret files games. Lost Horizon is better than those, but not by nearly enough to turn a hater into a fan.

is this based on the old frank capra film? :lol

The only things it shares are the core of the subject matter (and ONLY that), and the title.

 

[master15]

Absolutely, as you said if Capcom were able to produce this in 2002, imagine what they could produce with the new iteration of hardware and beyond;

 

[BrLvgThrChmstry]

...while I (somewhat; barely) agree, some pre-rendered backgrounds were works of art. Nut essentially that's all they were. And I'm sorry but I may not be a fan of RE5; definitely blows REmake (or any previous RE) out of the water in terms of detail and graphically fidelity. So many limitations come into play also. I enjoy interactive, realtime environments, non-static camera angles, etc.

I can't think any reason why a developer would want to.

 

[Gravijah]

chaos rings
iphone/ipad

Looks amazing.

 

[Lionheart1827]

I support detailed pre-rendered backgrounds. Lets do this.

 

[H_Prestige]

Loved the prerendered backgrounds in FF9.

 

[LiK]

chaos rings
iphone/ipad



apparently starts with the same sort of premise but diverges quite wildly

interesting that you think of the frank capra film rather than the james hilton novel

i thought it was Squall :lol

 

[Mama Robotnik]

And I'm sorry but I may not be a fan of RE5; definitely blows REmake (or any previous RE) out of the water in terms of detail and graphically fidelity.

I've not played REmake or RE5, but looking at the screenshots above I'm inclined to diagree with you.

 

[andymcc]

apparently starts with the same sort of premise but diverges quite wildly

interesting that you think of the frank capra film rather than the james hilton novel

i actually didn't know it was based off of a novel. :lol

i watched the film recently, though, and that looks almost identical to the opening shot!

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Well, I imagine its much cheaper to prerender backgrounds for games where only a static perspective is needed. That could be advantageous.

That's true, I guess it just seems like a step back. Modern engines can implement a lot of automatic animation features for grass, cloth etc so you don't even need to hand animate the whole lot. Using the RE example, I think RE5 looks stunning with entirely realtime backgrounds, so don't see that removing the motion and interaction from that would add anything.

 

[Gravijah]

I've not played REmake or RE5, but looking at the screenshots above I'm inclined to diagree with you.

As someone who likes RE5, REmakes backgrounds blow the environment in RE5 out of the water.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Actually, what is stopping developers from coming up with a mix of 3D and pre-rendered?

All the Final Fantasy praise made me remember that FFX did in fact have some pre-rendered interiors. If Square-Enix are bitching about HD towns taking too long.... why not make just the interiors pre-rendered again to cut down the work load?

 

[Boney]

Aren't some of those screenshots from Umbrella Chronicles?

Anyway, I support this notion.

 

[Celine]

Point & Click adventure games from Europe still use them

 

[Granger Danger]

Baten Kaitos has the most beautiful prerendered backgrounds ever.

 

[H_Prestige]

Actually, what is stopping developers from coming up with a mix of 3D and pre-rendered?

All the Final Fantasy praise made me remember that FFX did in fact have some pre-rendered interiors. If Square-Enix are bitching about HD towns taking too long.... why not make just the interiors pre-rendered again to cut down the work load?

That would also be too hard for them. They don't even have the talent anymore, at least not their FF teams.

 

[andymcc]

i think REmake has way better looking environments than the ones in RE5.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I have nothing but full support for this.

i think REmake has way better looking environments than the ones in RE5.

I share your opinion.

 

[Moobabe]

...while I (somewhat; barely) agree, some pre-rendered backgrounds were works of art. Nut essentially that's all they were. And I'm sorry but I may not be a fan of RE5; definitely blows REmake (or any previous RE) out of the water in terms of detail and graphically fidelity. So many limitations come into play also. I enjoy interactive, realtime environments, non-static camera angles, etc.

I can't think any reason why a developer would want to.

I think this might be something to do with the hardware jump as well though

 

[KittenMaster]

I feel like the only reason the use of pre-rendered backgrounds have died down is because of how seriously players take camera systems.

 

[Lionheart1827]

Baten Kaitos has the most beautiful prerendered backgrounds ever.

Hell yeah, not to mention its amazing cloud effects, too. Blew me away back in 2004.

 

[Kagari]

Replaying Final Fantasy IX and it really does have the most beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds. Square should go back to them for a future installment.

 

[LiK]

Replaying Final Fantasy IX and it really does have the most beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds. Square should go back to them for a future installment.

uprez those pixelated 3D models stat!

 

[Stumpokapow]

Looks amazing.

it's pretty fun too, developed by Media.Vision (Wild Arms series, Wizard of Oz DS, Gunners Heaven), published by Square Enix

 

[Devolution]

I honestly love guache or watercolored landscape backgrounds versus 3d rendered shit.

 

[JWong]

They do... it's called the skybox most of the time. 8D

 

[Gravijah]

it's pretty fun too, developed by Media.Vision (Wild Arms series, Wizard of Oz DS, Gunners Heaven), published by Square Enix

I really need to troll craigslist for cheap iPod touches...

 

[fistwell_old]

Final Fantasy IX

Had been re-playing this recently, and held similar thoughts as the OP regarding pre-rendered backgrounds.

 

[Tobor]

it's pretty fun too, developed by Media.Vision (Wild Arms series, Wizard of Oz DS, Gunners Heaven), published by Square Enix

I'm playing through the iPad version right now, and it is really good.

Long live pre rendered backgrounds!

 

[2 Minutes Turkish]

I'm no game programmer, but couldn't they have a polygonal 'skeleton' with a pre-rendered overlay that gives the effect of a non-pre rendered background while still making all the same processing savings of having a pre-rendered background?

Or was that completely retarted?