New Model Look - Not Engine Upgrade - Possibly Cheaper??

[neva]

So my friend and I were chilling around New Trismus. We were talking about how we both like to see some new players and yet, as we all know, the Engine tends to hold it back from that "new" look. However, as we were discussing this I brought up something that may be easier on the budget and may be easier to pull off then trying to "rebuild Istaria".

Many newer games tend to use stylization for their models. In essence when you stare at Istaria there is a bit of this going on already with the trees, houses, and even the dragons. However the Biped races tend to try to look "real" and in looking "real", they show its age.

By maybe taking the biped models and maybe stylizing them to something a bit more cartoonish-- less real like (not by much), it may take away some of the age look to the game and give the game its own flare. I hope this makes some sense, but I figure that may be an easier answer then some other options out there to help maybe get Istaria some attention.

[Romirez]

possible. as long as it doesn't detract from the game's feel.

[hallucin8]

a bit more cartoonish

Each to their own of course, but for me personally, I would vote against such a change. Pretty much the only reason I never even tried WoW.

[neva]

Each to their own of course, but for me personally, I would vote against such a change. Pretty much the only reason I never even tried WoW.

In truth cartoonish is perhaps the wrong wording to use, cause I even think about Final Fantasy XI (not XIV, the older one), where their models are stylized and it has kept itself not looking to old. The curse of any time a game tries to look "real" is that it shows its age. You can look back at the original like Tomb Raider on the Windows 95/DOS/PSX and you can see a bit of that or even with Drakan for the PC. Yet you go to something like Monster Rancher 2 or things that carry a style in the models-- they tend to hold up rather well.

What that style is can be whatever someone (or in this case the devs) want. Could even have the option in there to view older models like EQ did back in the day when they first released the cat-race. Like heck if I can remember the expansion now.

[hallucin8]

@neva, indeed, on all accounts

They, the almighty devs, are doing some overhauling of the models, as you mentioned with trees/scenery and in the recent past the significant changes/introductions to the buildings. As for the biped models, I don't think they themselves need any changing as I very much like the look of my dryad. But I think offering different models for armors, with a varying array of details would be lovely. The suggestion has popped up in the past to offer a 2nd set of armor slots, purely for aesthetics, which if possible I think would help. Nothing more annoying than making a full set of armor with a particular look and feel, only to change your mind a month down the track and have to re-create the entire thing, techs and all. If they could introduce new armor models AND a 2nd set of armor slots for aesthetics, that would be my preference but alas, as with any project management, you have to balance 3 basic concepts, time, money and quality... and the time required to do so is unlikely to give a proportional increase in quality or money (but let's not squash any ideas unless the devs say it's unfeasible)

[Ryuujin]

the term you are looking for is called stylized Which is a broad way of saying not exactly realistic but a different take on it. I personally and thought similar things but one thing you have to consider that is really holding this from being possible with this current engine is Normal maps(or bump maps). Its a way of faking more detail without having to use a super high rez model. This engine tech is so old that it couldn't use normal maps properly because they were in their infancy when this engine was released. So unfortunately while its a good idea i just can see it happening successfully with the current engine without some major overhauls which i dont even know if they would be possible. doesnt mean some updates cant happen to make the game a bit more aesthetically pleasing. Like revamping the look of all the weapons so they dont have that Huge oversized look anymore which was typical of games pre 2005. i think actually dialing down the proportions may actually make things look a bit more updated and a little better. along with the reworking of some models. there is a time and a place for oversized weapons i dont think its needed all the time.