[Suggestion] Art direction: Remove the thick outlines

It's just ugly

from Elemental Forums

I really DO NOT like the art direction this game is taking with outlines.

Outline works well when one wants to create "cartoon" like feeling, like in the Legend of Zelda: the Wind Walker, where you have a feeling that it is just drawn 2D picture in a sense.  However, elemental is unquestionable 3D non-flat world and models and complex textures. To see outline here is UGLY, it does not make it cartoonish or drawn at all; it just makes it ... ugly.

I remember one of the first screenshots, the outlines were really thick, and the ugliest, later screenshots (we do not see it in beta) have less outlines and thus better.

However in beta, things like 3D models in the menus have this outline that I really do not like. I understand that tastes differ, but I just think it is very incompatible to have obviously 3D models with those black outlines trying to convince that they are drawn. It just does not work. The graphics should be way more simple and cartoonish for this to work, and I do not think that this is the direction you want to take.

1,666 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I personally like the art.

 

Its been discussed a lot already, probably a good idea to read all those prior discussions to get an idea why its the way it is.

 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Eye Beholder, all that sort of things.

For me, the art direction is awesome. It has never been seen in a TBS, and It feels like I'm paying in a painting.

Hopefully, devs won't change their mind about that.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

The graphics should be way more simple and cartoonish for this to work, and I do not think that this is the direction you want to take.
End of quote

Disagree.

Also, futile topic. Nothing will be changed.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I am not saying that I do not like the art, just the outlines.

I just wanted to say why I think it does not work with this art direction. I did not participated in those discussions and just wanted to have my oppinion known.

May be it should be possible to turn those outlines on and off?

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Vandenburg, reply 3

Also, futile topic. Nothing will be changed.
End of Vandenburg's quote

Why? Don't they want to know our opinions? And is not it the purpose of the early betas so that they can change things?

They already have significantly reduced amount of the outlines in 3D world according to the screenshots, but there are more outlines in 3D models that we see in the menu in the beta. I wanted to voice my opinion that those are ugly.

I do not want to ARGUE about it, because it IS personal perception, but I want to give them just more "data point" and explain why in my eyes it does not work.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Vandenburg, reply 3

Also, futile topic. Nothing will be changed.
End of Vandenburg's quote

Why? Don't they want to know our opinions? And is not it the purpose of the early betas so that they can change things?

They already have significantly reduced amount of the outlines in 3D world according to the screenshots, but there are more outlines in 3D models that we see in the menu in the beta. I wanted to voice my opinion that those are ugly.

I do not want to ARGUE about it, because it IS personal perception, but I want to give them just more "data point" and explain why in my eyes it does not work.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I LOVE the art direction this game is taking.

Very period appropriate art to set the mood and feel for the game.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Actually, this is somethign we're looking at :)  There's a modifier applied to the line thickness as the camera get's closer and further from an object. This curve was tweaked for the main map, but I think it needs to be overridden in these up-close screens to make the line more illustrative and less cartoony (the difference of a few pxls width).

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Double post... This forum sucks pretty bad with Chrome, do you know it?

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

We are just talking about graphics so I will take my chance to ask... 3d models (scouts, soldiers, sovereigns, etc) are placeholders or they will be mostly the same in the final game?

Cause I must admit I don't like them very much.... Well, i don't like them at all actually.