Well this is not a new idea, as plenty of games have it where the graphics are more detailed for the same character in one state of gameplay than another. But the thing is, I've already made 2 very important high quality models. Those would be the models I intend to use for the CG cutscenes of the game. These graphics are quite a steep difference from the already established in game graphics.
As I've said in another topic, I'm now wanting all the story telling to be done in an RPG fashion. The thing however is, I don't really feel like making another model of the same characters in a detail that bridges the two extremes. And I feel that if I have too many CG cutscenes people will complain that they take up too much game space. So now, not only do I want to use the CG models for non pre-rendered CG movies, but also just for the RPG free roam section of the game as a whole.
How Aaron appears during platforming segments. How Aaron appears during the JRPG like free roam sections. (And in military green alt pallet)
Platforming Aaron looks like he came strait out of an N64 game, where as free-roam Aaron looks like he's ready to join the smash bros brawl.
Is there anything wrong with having such a huge difference in graphics between the two different sections of gameplay?
If there was some kind of explanation for why there's such difference, as in playing with ''normal'' character most of the time but having a different graphic style in a dream level or something, which would explain the change, I'm sure nobody would mind at all, in fact it would create better immersion.
So at least to me, it's about having a reason for the change in graphics. Otherwise, It would look kind of weird.
It seems like a big difference when only looking at the photos, but seeing it in action I must say it all flows naturally. That's just one man's point on view, maybe others have different opinions bit mine is that there's nothing wrong with the game having such difference in graphics.
Two things I'd change, - give him the same outfit in both models. I'd really be confused as to why he's wearing different clothes, unless one part of the game clearly takes place a few years later or something - match the proportions... it looks weird that he head is that much bigger in the first picture than the second. Especially since proportion indicates age... he looks a lot younger when his head is bigger. Unless one of them will be cutscene only, in which case it would work fine, but if both are being used for gameplay they should look more similar.
Two things I'd change, - give him the same outfit in both models. I'd really be confused as to why he's wearing different clothes, unless one part of the game clearly takes place a few years later or something - match the proportions... it looks weird that he head is that much bigger in the first picture than the second. Especially since proportion indicates age... he looks a lot younger when his head is bigger. Unless one of them will be cutscene only, in which case it would work fine, but if both are being used for gameplay they should look more similar.
Anyway, that game looks awesome.
1) He actually does where the same thing, it's just that in this game you can choose from several alt-pallets. 2) Not an option. Although The detailed model will only be used in the story telling sections, while the disproportionate one will be used for the fast-paced action sections. The story telling sections however are not limited to cut scenes.The reason why the platform-seg graphics are so magnified in proportion is because of the one advantage that doing so provides. It makes it to where it is easier to make out the characteristics that would be impossible to notice if the correct proportion was used considering how far away the camera is from the characters in the platforming segments: Proportion does not necessarily indicate age, the logic stated above has been used in games for a long time. Point in case, Fire Emblem : When the camera is far away the proportions are greatly exaggerated: And when camera is closer up:
Sounds like it could be pretty jarring, to be honest. It could work if he was coloured the same, just had more details in the texture, and more polys so the model was more detailed? For close ups. That would make sense. But it looks like a completely different character.
Sounds like it could be pretty jarring, to be honest. It could work if he was coloured the same, just had more details in the texture, and more polys so the model was more detailed? For close ups. That would make sense. But it looks like a completely different character.
*Face palm* Gosh, what part of "alt pallet" do you not get? There is even a picture of LQ Aaron with yet another alt-pallet. For those of you that for some reason could not understand what I meant, I have updated the OP with the HQ model using the same pallet as the LQ model. There now you can clearly see that military green is in fact, a simply recolor.
Considering how far the camera is during platforming sections, people would not really be able to tell very well that is even a different model. In fact, having the better graphics for cutscenes will tell the player "This is what this character looks like." When they see the character again in a platforming setting, that's what they imagine. Think about how detailed face graphics change the player's idea of small sprite and makes even the sprite feel more alive. It works in a similar way. I think this could work brilliantly, and those graphics are...awesome to say the least.
Sounds like it could be pretty jarring, to be honest. It could work if he was coloured the same, just had more details in the texture, and more polys so the model was more detailed? For close ups. That would make sense. But it looks like a completely different character.
*Face palm* Gosh, what part of "alt pallet" do you not get? There is even a picture of LQ Aaron with yet another alt-pallet. For those of you that for some reason could not understand what I meant, I have updated the OP with the HQ model using the same pallet as the LQ model. There now you can clearly see that military green is in fact, a simply recolor.
Calm down matey. People are often way too ready to pull the trigger. You asked for my feedback, and I gave it. It was perfectly reasonable to state my recommendation that you keep the pallet the same across the low quality and high quality versions, and the fact that you updated your post indicates that you also concede that was a reasonable assumption.
I see... yeah, that would work. But I'm wondering... couldn't you use the platform model for the RPG part as well and leave the high-detailed one only for cutscenes? I'd imagine that any time that it's not a close-up then the first model would work nicely... unless the RPG parts are close-up. Maybe it depends on how the RPG part will look... could you post a screen of that?
Also I'm curious... what software did you use to make the first model? And did you do something special to it? You can tell it's 3D but the way it's rendered makes it look almost like pixel art.
Considering how far the camera is during platforming sections, people would not really be able to tell very well that is even a different model. In fact, having the better graphics for cutscenes will tell the player "This is what this character looks like." When they see the character again in a platforming setting, that's what they imagine. Think about how detailed face graphics change the player's idea of small sprite and makes even the sprite feel more alive. It works in a similar way. I think this could work brilliantly, and those graphics are...awesome to say the least.
Thank you Meganinja, you understand exactly how I am imagining it.
@Adequate, lol I'll see what I can do.
@Dannyjen, well I don't currently have any pictures of the free-roam sections, it's more or less the next thing to add, now that I have an HQ model of the main character finished. But I'm imagining something that works quite the same as modern Zelda free-roam looks, this also goes to say that it would flow seamlessly between gameplay and cutscenes while in free-roam mode: Both of Aaron's models are made on Anim8or. Good observation there. The effect is intentional: I was trying to make it look like a sprite. The trick is simply to not apply shading to the model.
@ ND4SDP, you make the assumption that I am intense while posting about you. I'm quite disappointed actually. In reality, I'm simply tired and bored, cool as a AC.
Spoiler
It was perfectly reasonable to state my recommendation that you keep the pallet the same across the low quality and high quality versions
Not really, not after I have already stated that it was an "alt pallet."
and the fact that you updated your post indicates that you also concede that was a reasonable assumption.
Really now? Is that what you think? On the contrary, simply by calling it an "alt pallet" implies that there was already a blue color version in HQ, and a green color version in LQ. To back this up, once again, I have already posted an image that clearly shows him in yet another alt-pallet in LQ. You should have been able to conclude that he would not simply switch between blue and green jackets between cutscenes and gameplay (especially since the details in the jackets are both in the same places).
The reason why I updated the post was not through "concede," rather your not the first one to make the mistake. Which is when I posted an in-game screenshot, I intentionally posted him with a different alt-pallet from the two in the first post to illustrate that the his color through out the game is is not fixed. Blue-red jacket is actually his orignal pallet, and the updated OP with the HQ blue jacket was actually designed way before the green. I do admit that your assumption was reasonable. Rather, I changed the OP for anyone else who has problems putting two and two together.
It feels to me as though the detail and proportions of the character model are irrelevant so long as the alternate color palettes are taken into consideration. In fact, the few seconds of cutscene in the trailer struck me as having much more depth than could have been possible with the less anthropomorphic models. Furthermore, it makes sense, logically, to offer to the player a more immersive visual experience when they lose interactive control.
This is off topic, but I have to add that it seems difficult to discern between tangible foreground objects and those in the background.
