What about some Cel shader? That has the same shading style you've been going after with the hand-drawn stuff, iirc.
If I could get my hands on the shader Borderlands uses, I could see 3D being an option for a direct import. With a few tweaks of course.
I dunno about you, but that CPZ render that was done a few weeks ago (Can't remember the user's alias on here. Sorry. ) really fit after having the colours adjusted a little. Now then; it does seem that only the metallic objects/scenery can be done in either 3D or 2D, and it seems to me that the 3D approach works best for them. I can't see any real reason why we can't use them for zones such as CPZ and the like. I mean, it's not like you're all trying to make EHZ out of 3D renders, is it? Nor the character sprites. And yet, for some bizarre reason, putting a 2D Sonic onto a 3D CPZ didn't seem to clash at all. So, really and truthfully, it kinda makes sense to make metallic objects out of 3D renders, seeing as it makes them more artificial looking.
Are you suggesting we directly import 3D objects into the game?! I REALLY hope not, I think they are great as a basis, and I see what you mean about how the synthetic metal objects look unatural, but I do not consider that a benefit. It's great to have the metalic objects look as though they don't belong in the environment, in that they aren't organic, but meshing art types which, in my opinion, clash, or at least don't look 100% correct is BAD. Bad Bad Bad Dog! If that's what you meant.
I still say trace over or use the 3D objects as a reference point to how the 2D versions should look. That way there's an understanding of depth and shading, but it isn't so conspicuous next to the hand-drawn stuff.
It's going to have to suck to be the guy who is going to hand draw the animated rotating metal grate tube in Metropolis Zone.
It would if you did the whole lot. I'm sure it would be more practical to take a vertical segment like the waterfall and just clone it from there.
It would be quite difficult to manually trace the frames for that cylinder while keeping the animation fluid.... It would be doing a lot of hard work for something that will try to imitate what is already done. Sounds a bit redundant to me. I think the effort should better be put in trying to find the adequate lightning, filters or whatever, for these 3D models.
Exactly, its not like once you render it, its done. Because then you bring it into photoshop and have yourself a ball.
Gambit and I have already talked about that cylinder. Odds are very good it will be done in 3D, then taken into Photoshop and cut into the needed tiles. Unless it's already one big sprite, I'm not sure, haven't checked the tileset for Metropolis recently. Either way, we had enough trouble with the EHZ corkscrew to want to mess with something like that anytime again soon.
Okay, the best way to describe it is thus; remember that 3D render of CPZ that was done? Remember how it had the 2D Sonic placed onto it? It didn't clash at all if you ask me. That sort of thing is what I'm suggesting for the ROBOTIC ELEMENTS ONLY! Fuck me, it seems you people are so fucking indecisive about this sort of shit. One minute you all love it, the next minute other's admire it and you're like "NO WE WILL NOT HAVE THIS IN HERE!" Make yer feckin' minds up children! Fuck.... *Storms off in frustration*
Well, the original uses 3D renders for plenty of stuff (including that cylinder). Why not follow Sonic Team's steps?
In large part, people have made up their minds, to use the 3D as a basis, however here and there someone says, "lets use the 3D, derp!" and a few others make up some reason why it should be so. Let me tell you, I just got Super Mario Bros Wii... and in it they use a mixture of 3D and 2D. All of the 2D art pieces look GREAT, but the 3D objects, in general, look out of place and lazy. Another game that used a lot of 3D early on, was Donkey Kong Country. It did look very good, BUT, that is not the look most of us are hoping for. To suggest we use 3D on robot pieces only is to neglect the fact that, if anything, the levels themselves consist of basic geometric objects, so this argument is inconsistent. We ought to use 3D as a basis because THAT IS WHAT Sonic Team did, they didn't do like Donkey Kong and make the object in 3D then convert it to a 2D raster, with exception to the occasional title screen. So... let's please not discuss this anymore. Fuck... *Storms off in a homoerotic swagger*
The difference with New Super Mario Bros is that they actually have 3D objects in there. Here it would be rendered in 3D and optimized for 2D. I think the conflict here is that people feel 3D artwork is going to compromise the 2D hand-drawn style artwork. When it isn't or doesn't have to. There are Zones like Metropolis Zone, Oil Ocean Zone, Chemical Plant Zone that scream 3D. Then there are Zones like Emerald Hill [Top] Zone, Mystic Cave Zone, and Aquatic Ruin Zone that scream 2D. Then the rest of the zones like Wing Fortress, Casino Night, and Sky Chase can really go either way or a mix of both. There is no reason why they can't exist in harmony and I don't know why people are freaking out.
