Graphics in TLD

Hotzn

By Hotzn
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Hotzn Pathfinder

Hotzn

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The new trailer is showing/announcing a lot of graphical improvements. While I am happy about that I just want to put out there that I never found the graphics in TLD lacking. Not sure if I represent a big faction of players, but to me the mechanics and atmosphere of a game are a lot more important than graphics, and I can still play games like Thief (I mean the original one, not the crappy remake) and admire the way they were designed. A lot of today's games are almost photorealistic, but with a story as flat and stupid as many Hollywood movies, and that is not for me. When I first played TLD, it struck me how much the game had in terms of sound design - entering a cabin, I closed the door behind me and the soundscape changed, I HEARD that I was inside a shelter now, and I immediately FELT different. As if my brain told me, "you are safe for now, so let's see what there is to salvage here...". Also the careful placement of comments from the avatar and music cues (queues?). Compared to other games, TLD may have been a bit weaker in the graphics department at the time, but it was a lot stronger in the atmospheric. It somehow reminded me of the game "XIII", one of the big underrated games of its time in my view.

Now obviously Hinterland wants to catch up graphics-wise, and I am sure I don't have to remind anyone not to lose track of the original strengths of the game. Just sayin' that as far as I am concerned, improving graphics is not a priority. But well, I presume there are a lot of potential customers out there who go by the graphics, and of course it's important the game sells. So well...

Just putting this out here. Would be interested what others think...

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Ohbal Pathfinder

Ohbal

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In my first post on this forums I mentioned that the game was graphically outstanding. I don't mind its not state of the art / photorealistic, it works beautifully. But I also said I was sure the devs would find a way to make the graphics even better. The direction they seem to be going at is basically improved lighting and colour grading, which is great imo. Lighting has a lot to say in how we perceive graphics, and the colour can add a lot to the inmersion. These are not too demanding compared with the benefits they can add.

As long as the game maintain that "painting" feeling, I'm all in for more improvements! :) 

PS: the sound in this game is so good that you don't see any suggestion post or wish-list about it. Its just perfect! 

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Fuarian Pathfinder

Fuarian

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They aren't trying to make it photorealistic at all, they are however trying to make it believable looking. The ice currently doesn't look that good. The new ice looks fantastic.

These graphical changes won't really change much for me.

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Pillock Pathfinder

Pillock

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3 hours ago, Ohbal said:

IThe direction they seem to be going at is basically improved lighting and colour grading, which is great imo.

The lighting is the thing for me. Interior lighting is weird at the moment: it illuminates shadowy parts of a room if you are standing in a more brightly-lit area (such as under a window), but then if you move yourself into a shadowy bit, the illuminated bits go dark. Which is obviously not how real light works. (and it is quite annoying)

 

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nicko Pathfinder

nicko

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23 minutes ago, Fuarian said:

They aren't trying to make it photorealistic at all, they are however trying to make it believable looking. The ice currently doesn't look that good. The new ice looks fantastic.

These graphical changes won't really change much for me.

why won't they change for you? what they suggest and what i have seen look like a great update.

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Vhalkyrie Pathfinder

Vhalkyrie

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I think the artistic style in the current game is beautiful.  That's one of the things that initially drew me to buy the game in Early Access.  I like the updates they are adding, and I certainly hope they keep the spirit of the current style over photorealism for the foreseeable future.  The graphics feels a bit like a walking graphic novel, and it's so different.  Kudos to the art team.

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hauteecolerider Pathfinder

hauteecolerider

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1 hour ago, Vhalkyrie said:

I think the artistic style in the current game is beautiful.  That's one of the things that initially drew me to buy the game in Early Access.  I like the updates they are adding, and I certainly hope they keep the spirit of the current style over photorealism for the foreseeable future.  The graphics feels a bit like a walking graphic novel, and it's so different.  Kudos to the art team.

This. I just can't stop being awed by the graphics. The lack of photorealism doesn't mean they don't do anything for the environmental feel of the game. It's awesome how walking through this world, which really at first glance looks like a construction paper collage or a Jerry Schurr print just becomes so immersive so quickly. You really feel the cold of the wind, the heaviness of slogging through snow, and the weight of your backpack. Look up and the sky is just incredible. I could freeze to death just watching the sky . . .

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Fuarian Pathfinder

Fuarian

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4 hours ago, hauteecolerider said:

This. I just can't stop being awed by the graphics. The lack of photorealism doesn't mean they don't do anything for the environmental feel of the game. It's awesome how walking through this world, which really at first glance looks like a construction paper collage or a Jerry Schurr print just becomes so immersive so quickly. You really feel the cold of the wind, the heaviness of slogging through snow, and the weight of your backpack. Look up and the sky is just incredible. I could freeze to death just watching the sky . . .

I agree completely. I play the game still aware of the real world around me yet still. I somehow feel cold irl... It's so weird. Sound I guess.

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bkrownd Survivor

bkrownd

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3 hours ago, Fuarian said:

I agree completely. I play the game still aware of the real world around me yet still. I somehow feel cold irl... It's so weird. Sound I guess.

 

Yeah, I bought this game to be able to experience the winter weather I'm missing, and it works wonderfully. :D

 

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piddy3825 Pathfinder

piddy3825

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I just watched a YouTube video showing the graphics content and updates and I gotta say I'm excited for the story mode and the little extras certainly seem to hlesh out the environment and break up some of those otherwise wide expanses of just white snow drifts.  I do like the improved ice textures and the extra natural debris that would be found along the shore line, but when it comes to those man made objects, I sure hope the make a few of those things interactive.  As to the color enhancements and the aurora borealis I say "Awesome Job Team Hinterland."  

On 4/10/2016 at 2:48 PM, Fuarian said:

I agree completely. I play the game still aware of the real world around me yet still. I somehow feel cold irl... It's so weird. Sound I guess.

Isn't it amazing how the sound and the graphics make you feel cold?  I was playing the other day and it was 74F outside and in the game the wind was blowing so hard, that I got up from my desk and went and closed the window in my computer room... lolO.o

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