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So, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light eh...?

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odium polycounter lvl 18
500x_lara.jpg

So you drop the name of one of the most recognised titles in history, make it downloadable only, and say "its nothing like any other Tomb Raider game before".

Yeah, I call fail already... I mean, what the FUCK Crystal Dynamic? Is it REALLY so hard to see that all you have to do, is take Uncharted, replace Drake with Lara, and BOOM, instant hit? No... Instead, you will likely make this a total pile of shite just like the last few and instead continue to hire some of the worst character modelers in the history of "next gen".

Oh and btw, J. R. R. Tolkien called, he left you a message. He said "See you in court".

But yeah good luck with it...

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  • kwakkie
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    kwakkie polycounter lvl 12
    Haha woooow disappointed fanboy alert!

    It sounds promising to me actually! Also, the last tomb raider had some pretty high quality character art if you ask me! So calling them 'WORST CHARACTER MODELERS IN THE HISTORY OF NEXT GEN' is a pretty bold statement, especially on a forum like this. I'd love to see you do better, but since they are the WORST even a fucking stickman would be better right? ;)
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    Wow, seems I touched a nerve there.

    You don't have to excell at something to know something else is bad. So the whole "i'd like to see you do better" thing is childish, at best. You may call it artistic style, but I call it last gen modelling on next gen systems myself. I mean, this kind of stuff passed for Timesplitters... On the PS2:

    934023_20070607_790screen005.jpg

    You can't for a second argue that if they put time and quality into it the same as the Uncharted series, or any current gen game really, that it wouldn't come off great. But thats just it... Past Tomb Raider games have been "all about the buck" and not about the end result. The last few games have been designed in a way to allow porting to the PS2/PSP/Wii with little effort or change in artistic style, which is why they came off looking, to be frank, appaling. Underworlds levels were at times amazingly well done, but the production values in the character models and the voice acting was B movie laughable at best. Even Lara, easily the most well done model in the game, was very "odd" looking.

    That said the reboot reaked artwork had her looking much, much, much better, more down to earth and more realistic... I just get the feeling they scraped that now for a simple "lets make money" game everybody seems to be making these days...
  • lefix
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    lefix polycounter lvl 11
    i can't really comment on a game when i have only seen the title :P
    we will know more in 5 days
  • bounchfx
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    bounchfx mod
    uh, it's square enix now, and it definitely sounds like a square enix name.

    though I wonder, what's more recognizable? 'Tomb Raider' or 'Lara Croft' ?
    I would probably agree that both together are most recognizable, but remember that the movies were called Tomb Raider if I remember correctly.

    Also, if they really want to hit the sweet spot, the box art will be DD-sized jugs.
  • empeck
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    empeck polycounter lvl 18
    I was very disappointed with Underworld's story ending, but gameplay and graphics were very good IMHO.

    I hope there will be PC version of new game.
  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    Wow, Odium being negative. Huge surprise.
  • kwakkie
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    kwakkie polycounter lvl 12
    odium wrote: »
    Wow, seems I touched a nerve there.

    You don't have to excell at something to know something else is bad. So the whole "i'd like to see you do better" thing is childish, at best.
    Calling the moddelers of underworld the worst character modelers in the history of next gen(is that even possible?) seems a whole lot more childish to me?
    odium wrote: »
    You may call it artistic style, but I call it last gen modelling on next gen systems myself. I mean, this kind of stuff passed for Timesplitters... On the PS2:
    934023_20070607_790screen005.jpg
    That is because its not the LATEST tomb raider game, this is a screenshot of tomb raider anniversary, a remake that was released in 2007 on.... guess what.... THE PS2!!!

    So... you are calling this THE WORST?:
    screen001_nm.jpg
  • serialkiler
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    those that say hey this is bad art and sucks so much dont even know what a game is.
    go play mw2 that as nice last gen characters..

    3 Hours later
    ups its over..

    then go tha hell whit last gen games. and bring back gameplay...
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    It was released on the 360 and PC, as well as the PS2. So the point stands; CD seem to make for the lowest spec and then port up, rather than what everybody else do, which is port down.

    Finding shots of Underworld is a bit tricky, as hardly any shots exist online of the gameplay for some odd reason. But the character models are hardly what I would detailed enough to compete. Lets face it, everybody WILL compare this to Uncharted, because thats the new standard of gaming in this style. I'll finda pic, even if I have to take shoddy screen caps off my 360 copy of Underworld, lol.

    EDIT:
    kwakkie wrote: »
    So... you are calling this THE WORST?:

    -PIC-

    As I said before, "aside from Lara". The Lara model isn't bad, aside from a general lack of texture detail and a horrid face, but thats a style I dislike. I can't stand those over hte top cartoony faces on realistic bodies. Its also not fair to say that the Lara model in Underworld is any where near the detail the other enemies have. Find me a pic of one of the Underworld random enemies that looks anywhere near as detailed and I'll admit defeat.
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    those that say hey this is bad art and sucks so much dont even know what a game is.
    go play mw2 that as nice last gen characters..

    3 Hours later
    ups its over..

    then go tha hell whit last gen games. and bring back gameplay...

    I think thats more to do with the dev than the graphical quality don't you? Mass Effect 2 was stunning and lasted 30-40 odd hours. Uncharted 2, in the same genre, lasted twice as long as Underworld, but had roughly the same dev time.
  • serialkiler
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    i think it has to do whit that to because making a nice graphical requires Disk Space.
    So if each model is 100mb and you have to cut down expenses and have only 1dvd.

    whats the result nice graphical quality bad gameplay. im talking in general of course rules are made to be broken ^^
  • empeck
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    empeck polycounter lvl 18
    odium wrote: »
    It was released on the 360 and PC, as well as the PS2. So the point stands; CD seem to make for the lowest spec and then port up, rather than what everybody else do, which is port down.

    Only PS3/XBOX/PC version were done by CD. AFAIK PS2 and Wii versions were done by other developer from scratch (I can't remember who did them), and I don't think it was bad.

    EDIT: Buzz Monkey Software did PS2 and Wii ports.
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    Actually, on reflection the main issue I have with the latest Tomb Raider games has always been the graphical style and quality of the world has always far surpassed the quality and style of the characters, so much so that to my eyes, they just don't fit together. Having a lush, Crysis style jungle location with lovely mood lighting and realistic texture and then adding in an anami style cartoon character just doesn't work for me.

    So maybe thats why I liked the revealed pics of what everybody thought was this new title. They just seemed more grounded compared the old modelling ways. You can't really say that this style DOESNT work for Tomb Raider:

    504x_504x_custom_1247335291357_rumorcroft.jpg
  • Neox
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    Neox godlike master sticky
    odium wrote: »
    but had roughly the same dev time.

    and budget or manpower?
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    empeck wrote: »
    Only PS3/XBOX/PC version were done by CD. AFAIK PS2 and Wii versions were done by other developer from scratch (I can't remember who did them), and I don't think it was bad.

    EDIT: Buzz Monkey Software did PS2 and Wii ports.

    And I have to say, for the Wii/PS2, the models were spot on, in fact VERY highly detailed for those specific platforms and impressive. But see my post above about style.
  • Wells
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    Wells polycounter lvl 18
    Wow, Odium being negative. Huge surprise.


    hahaha

    QFT

    I'll wait and see what the game is before damning it
  • empeck
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    empeck polycounter lvl 18
    odium wrote: »
    And I have to say, for the Wii/PS2, the models were spot on, in fact VERY highly detailed for those specific platforms and impressive. But see my post above about style.

    I don't know, haven't seen Wii or PS2 versions. I liked Underworld style very much, I guess it's just a personal preferences. I don't think Underworld's characters look that bad:

    http://laracroft.pl/tr8/gal_rnd.htm

    I like them, especially Natla.
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    Neox wrote: »
    and budget or manpower?

    I can't say. But with a team of 10 and a team of 2, it doesn't always mean the team of 10 will produce better art quicker, does it? Theres people on here that make models far better and far quicker than most studios do, in fact.

    All I have to go on is a single pic of CD: http://www.crystald.com/files/images/studio-pic.jpg so its hardly a small studio. Budget wise, who knows...
  • Fuse
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    Fuse polycounter lvl 18
    odium wrote: »
    ... continue to hire some of the worst character modelers in the history of "next gen".

    http://www.pig-brain.com/gallery.htm
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    Fuse wrote: »

    If I'm not mistaken, those are for the Wii/PS2 versions, which were built from the ground up for those platforms, which I've already said for the specific hardware it was aimed at look great.
  • lefix
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    lefix polycounter lvl 11
    kwakkie wrote: »
    Calling the moddelers of underworld the worst character modelers in the history of next gen(is that even possible?) seems a whole lot more childish to me?


    That is because its not the LATEST tomb raider game, this is a screenshot of tomb raider anniversary, a remake that was released in 2007 on.... guess what.... THE PS2!!!

    So... you are calling this THE WORST?:
    screen001_nm.jpg

    he is right, considering it only took me a minute to improve that model in photoshop!
    535oxi.jpg
  • Japhir
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    Japhir polycounter lvl 16
    and instead continue to hire some of the worst character modelers in the history of "next gen".

    Did you see this yet: http://pig-brain.com/gallery.htm ?

    EDIT: daaamn too late :P
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    QFT
    Wow, Odium being negative. Huge surprise.
  • Fuse
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    Fuse polycounter lvl 18
    Japhir wrote: »
    Did you see this yet: http://pig-brain.com/gallery.htm ?

    EDIT: daaamn too late :P

    tee hee :)
  • Neox
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    Neox godlike master sticky
    odium wrote: »
    I can't say. But with a team of 10 and a team of 2, it doesn't always mean the team of 10 will produce better art quicker, does it? Theres people on here that make models far better and far quicker than most studios do, in fact.

    not necessarily, but it makes a huge difference if you have the budget for the best people you could get for the job or not
  • LoTekK
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    LoTekK polycounter lvl 17
    So what is it, then? They're the worst? Or they're solid but you just don't personally like the style? You're being confusing.
    Haha woooow disappointed fanboy alert!
    Wow, Odium being negative. Huge surprise.

    +1 for both
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    The enemy models are terrible, and are some of the worst yes. The style for those is also terrible.

    As for Lara, the models built fine but the facial features and cartoon pixlie looks just don't do it for me.

    Instead of trolling, you could have read the thread and found out as much for yourself.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    kwakkie wrote: »
    So... you are calling this THE WORST?:
    -IMAGE-
    Mr Odium has a talent for immense hyperboly, but there is a reasonable point there somewhere. I certainly wouldn't call them the worst by any stretch, but I'm not a great fan of the character designs in Tomb Raider either.

    There's no question that that's a very well executed model but there are a quite a few things that irk me about the character design. The redesign of a redesign of a redesign (with probably a couple more in there) up from a model that had, what? 250 polys... has resulted in a character which is just kind of weird looking now.

    All that said though, it isn't that big a concern. As long as there's some more pretty environments to climb around I'll be down with whatever Square run with, even if Lara's knees still look funny.
  • lefix
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    lefix polycounter lvl 11
    seriously, how can we talk about the character models when all we have seen is the title?
  • bbob
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    lefix wrote: »
    seriously, how can we talk about the character models when all we have seen is the title?

    Haha, I was thinking the same thing..
  • Joseph Silverman
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    Joseph Silverman polycounter lvl 17
    Well if they use that font anywhere in the final game i wont be buying it. Eidos needs to learn to respect their fans.
  • dejawolf
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    dejawolf polycounter lvl 18
    this-is-an-outrage.jpg
    Not really.
    STFU, and go make art. who gives a shit if laras boobs are not the right size?
  • serialkiler
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    dejawolf wrote: »
    this-is-an-outrage.jpg
    Not really.
    STFU, and go make art. who gives a shit if laras boobs are not the right size?

    this :poly142:
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    dejawolf wrote: »
    this-is-an-outrage.jpg
    Not really.
    STFU, and go make art. who gives a shit if laras boobs are not the right size?

    Accccccccctualy IMO the boob side has improved a great deal over the years, simply because they look more realistic now for a woman that does so much jumping about. The concept of the new Lara looks fantastic in this regard.

    But I have to agree with all the twunts saying "How can you judge so early". I guess the original point was that its gone all downloadable and thus cheaply done, but focussed more on what I thought was wrong with the modelling.
  • serialkiler
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    Accccccccctualy IMO the boob side has improved a great deal over the years, simply because they look more realistic now for a woman that does so much jumping about. The concept of the new Lara looks fantastic in this regard.

    but isnt the lara model that makes the game if they can make the boobs better and keep the saga quality then its fine having nicier boobs other than that just keep the First Tomb Raider Lara ^^ wasnt that bad anyway :D
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    Downloadable games suck? I think Bionic Commando Rearmed and Shadow Complex beg to differ. Actually it would be interesting to play a tomb raider side scroller.
  • odium
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    odium polycounter lvl 18
    Shadow Complex was indeed awesome. Bionic Commando... Not so much, but only because I hated the original :p

    But those were made and designed around the format in a sense. Tomb Raiders always been a different type of game, and I don't really think a graphically downgraded (maybe) game with shorter, fewer levels that are seperate (more than likely) will work. IMO, of course.
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    odium wrote: »
    Shadow Complex was indeed awesome. Bionic Commando... Not so much, but only because I hated the original :p

    But those were made and designed around the format in a sense. Tomb Raiders always been a different type of game, and I don't really think a graphically downgraded (maybe) game with shorter, fewer levels that are seperate (more than likely) will work. IMO, of course.

    Maybe graphically downgraded? Maybe shorter, fewer, separate levels? Maybe you should settle down until you actually know if there's something here for you to complain about. I know you picked the name odium because you like to hate on everything, but at least wait for a screenshot before you let the verbal diarrhea get the better of you.
  • s0id3
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    s0id3 polycounter lvl 8
    Wow so much hate... I'm looking forward to this game, I like all the Tomb Raider games made my Crystal Dynamics. I think it's unfair to say that's the worst character art, Tomb Raider characters have always been kind of stylized I think you just don't like the style of it.
  • Karmageddon
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    Karmageddon polycounter lvl 7
    OK this isn't my blog. But I was at an animation festival a few months ago and was on spotlight duty. To glorify it up I liked to call it "Guardian of the Light". Freaky right?

    When it comes to Lara, I'll never forget the T-Rex from level 4. I screamed so loud my parents thought I was being murdered.
  • System
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    System admin
    Well this is probably biased since I have played and enjoyed the whole Tomb Raider series, I feel the characters have been getting more realistic in graphics and animation. I do agree that the skintones are not very appealing but I think the reason for the blandness there is so that the character stands out against such detailled surroundings.

    tomb_raider_underworld_45.jpg

    ps: to tell the truth I prefer the big blocky ps2 boobies :poly136:
  • HonkyPunch
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    HonkyPunch polycounter lvl 18
    IMO tomb raider was never that good to begin with.
  • Andreas
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    Andreas polycounter lvl 11
    kwakkie wrote: »
    Also, the last tomb raider had some pretty high quality character art if you ask me!

    Yup, Underworld was pretty gorgeous. Also all the characters, especially Lara, looked awesome.
  • JacqueChoi
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    JacqueChoi polycounter
    I think Underworld is a decent game.

    It wasn't a world beater by any means, and I haven't finished it.

    BTW, Jon (Pig-Brain) worked on the Wii version which was a completely separate standalone version to the 360/PS3.


    I agree that it's not close to being at the level of Uncharted. Maybe CD is going to either address that or find a way to distinguish themselves from that.

    (Working closely with the Squeenix Cinematics team would be a huge step in the right direction).

    :D
  • onionhead_o
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    onionhead_o polycounter lvl 16
    dont hate appreciate!:) lol i just felt i had to say that.
  • acc
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    acc polycounter lvl 18
    Underworld would have been a decent game if it didn't have a new bug literally - literally - every single minute I played of it. I beat that game just to see how many bugs they could have possibly crammed into a big name AAA package. The answer? SO MANY. Oh my god I could probably talk longer about the bugs than it takes to beat the game.

    From what I've heard on the grapevine, CD were given a pretty pathetic budget to work with and did the best they could. There are people here who work(ed) there, right? Surely someone had first hand experience.

    I quite enjoyed the successful reboot that was Legends (note: first Tomb Raider I had played) so it was disappointing to see them follow it up with a remake and then a bug-ridden mess. I dunno what this is going to be, but if it's nothing like Underworld that is a good sign in my books. Hopefully Squenix has more money to toss at it, as well.
  • s0id3
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    s0id3 polycounter lvl 8
    Read post-mordem article on Underworld it's really amazing that they got the game out at such high quality(in my opinion)
  • Quokimbo
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    HonkyPunch wrote: »
    IMO tomb raider was never that good to begin with.

    That is where I am at.

    I have not played a Lara Croft game on anything but the PS1, so I may have played 1, & 2...maybe 3?
  • rooster
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    rooster mod
    just try and bloody enjoy something for a change, life's too short.
  • ErichWK
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    ErichWK polycounter lvl 12
    Lara-Croft-evolution-tomb-raider-6890254-2560-774.jpg

    I like how Lara Croft from the 2nd Tomb Raider is so fun looking. It's like "Yea, i like to party."
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