I like the new screenshots, especially the bridge shot with the increased lighting. The original shot just looks a bit too faded. It looks like the barrels are not putting out much light (if any). Perhaps if they provided more contrast then I would like the darker look a bit more.
One game that I felt did a good job of creating a darker world while still providing splashes of color was Disciples II. I looked at some screenshots this morning of it again and noticed how they weren’t afraid to mix some brightly colored effects and clothing in amongst the bleak environments. I’m not sure if you are aware of that title or not, but it has a similar look I think to what Grim Dawn is going for, so you may want to check it out for potential ideas.
At this point I’m inclined to agree that the player (or players, in multiplayer) need to stand out. Whether this be by more brightly colored armor, artificial lighting, or some other mechanism is up for debate.
Overall, I’m just very excited to see this project moving along, so I’ll be interested regardless of the art direction. Just thought I’d toss in my two cents.
I’d guess it’s pretty much sufficient to provide lighting from the character to make it stand out. The characters might not be that much noticeable on those screenshots, but I think when you are actually playing, you have pretty good idea where you are and what you are doing when the camera is centered at you anyway.
Just don’t make the armors too colorful. I mean, it’s surely ok to make them colorful to some point, but not all rainbows and shit. To some extent it’s very okay, but when you start to see yourself as human incarnation of rainbow…
One little thing that could help to separate player in middle of pile of mobs is to have a simple outline of character showing though the mobs ONLY if they stand in between camera and player. Same could apply to the architechture view-blocking. Although it’s not a problem if they all fade correctly. Just wasn’t the case always in TQ.
Please don’t pull a Never Winter Night 2 screwup and have round bales in the fields. The machinery to make such has only been around for 20 or so years let alone back in the 1800’s. I see in the new shots you used shievs for the grain harvest, looks authentic.
Quite nice screenshots, although I hope slightly higher resolution textures are included with the final product (this looks a touch murky, at least on the pics).
In the darker ‘moors’ screenshots monsters look like they blend into the scenery rather too well Please keep the crisp, distinct appearance of models from TQ.
I also think that lighting needs to be a bit more vivid - a dark and gloomy game can be made to look awesome with some nice glowy patches for contrast. This would also help with character and moster visability. In the screenshots the fires, lamps and spell effects feel like they need a slightly brighter, more distinct light pool.
I love the use of distortion - cleverly used, this can make even bland skills (like charges, leaps etc) interesting.
We farmers need to keep you game developers on a short leash when it comes to proper sheaf protocols. Next it will be proper straw and hay stacking 101.
Maybe Crate should hire The Old Farmer as an outside contractor to ensure the players get a game thats authentic to farming regulation and methodology.
Lol, somehow I can see this making its way into the game somehow as an easter egg…some random farmer you go up to is gonna say just that, you watch lol.
Please keep the crisp, distinct appearance of models from TQ.