Comments on: The black & white era: are games finally waking up to aesthetic style, or taking a step back? http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/ The Business of Games Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:28:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Diane Lagrange http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Diane Lagrange Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:25:25 +0000 http://www.gamesbrief.com/?p=872#comment-88 Online games are also pushing that trend forward a lot. When you plan to maintain a game for 10 years+ if successful, you need graphics that won't age too much, and style is the best insurance for that. And you need clients to be as small as possible, even preferable to run in a browser, so there's a real incentive to favour style over realism. Online games are also pushing that trend forward a lot. When you plan to maintain a game for 10 years+ if successful, you need graphics that won’t age too much, and style is the best insurance for that. And you need clients to be as small as possible, even preferable to run in a browser, so there’s a real incentive to favour style over realism.

]]> By: Tom Jubert http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Tom Jubert Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:58:24 +0000 http://www.gamesbrief.com/?p=872#comment-86 Yeah, of course, XIII was awesome, a real triumph of style over substance (and I mean that in the nicest possible way). As I remember, the gameplay itself was nothing outrageous, but in visual terms it did more than just arbitrarily adopt cell shading as the big titles do today (I'm looking at you, Prince of persia). The comic book styling extended to the cut scene design (with comic frames etc), in-game split frames to represent off screen action, and text bubbles for sound effects. Really cool. Yeah, of course, XIII was awesome, a real triumph of style over substance (and I mean that in the nicest possible way). As I remember, the gameplay itself was nothing outrageous, but in visual terms it did more than just arbitrarily adopt cell shading as the big titles do today (I’m looking at you, Prince of persia).

The comic book styling extended to the cut scene design (with comic frames etc), in-game split frames to represent off screen action, and text bubbles for sound effects.

Really cool.

]]> By: Nicholas Lovell http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Nicholas Lovell Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:36:41 +0000 http://www.gamesbrief.com/?p=872#comment-83 I still have a very soft spot for Ubisoft's XIII. Cel-shaded, drawn like a comic book, with comic book death's for the bad guys. The plot and the characters couldn't quite carry it, but it was an early move away from photo-realism, and for that, I applaud it. I still have a very soft spot for Ubisoft’s XIII. Cel-shaded, drawn like a comic book, with comic book death’s for the bad guys. The plot and the characters couldn’t quite carry it, but it was an early move away from photo-realism, and for that, I applaud it.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Patrick Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:58:26 +0000 http://www.gamesbrief.com/?p=872#comment-81 We've been playing Flower a lot over the last few days - it's available on PSN, and is simply stunning. It's a brilliant example of how creativity is flourishing with digital distribution outlets like PSN, XLA and the Appstore; this kind of game simply would never be made at retail.... Awesome! We’ve been playing Flower a lot over the last few days – it’s available on PSN, and is simply stunning. It’s a brilliant example of how creativity is flourishing with digital distribution outlets like PSN, XLA and the Appstore; this kind of game simply would never be made at retail…. Awesome!

]]> By: Tom Jubert http://www.gamesbrief.com/2009/02/the-black-white-era-are-games-finally-waking-up-to-aesthetic-style-or-taking-a-step-back/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Tom Jubert Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:07:59 +0000 http://www.gamesbrief.com/?p=872#comment-76 There's a load of games I'd love to draw attention to on this topic. Things like The Path, Mirror's Edge, Team Fortress 2, Flower, The Passage... I think whatever you want to say about stifled imagination in a risk averse climate, there's no denying that right now is probably the most exciting and creative period in video game aesthetics we'll ever see. What toots your horn when it comes to visuals? There’s a load of games I’d love to draw attention to on this topic. Things like The Path, Mirror’s Edge, Team Fortress 2, Flower, The Passage… I think whatever you want to say about stifled imagination in a risk averse climate, there’s no denying that right now is probably the most exciting and creative period in video game aesthetics we’ll ever see.

What toots your horn when it comes to visuals?

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