Borderlands art style: Why the hate?

I really thought people would appreciate Gearbox going out of its way to make Borderlands look unique instead of looking like, you know, EVERY OTHER WESTERN-DEVELOPED GAME. Aside from that, it's not like the art style alters the gameplay. It's still the same game it was going to be before they moved in a new direction with the art. What's the deal?

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

-SPECTER-MIKE

to be honest the art style turned me off of it at first but then i seen a special on X-play about it now i cant wait for it :D

[QUOTE="-SPECTER-MIKE"]

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

UT_Wrestler

Or some people just don't like the art the direction. I didn't like the art the direction for wind waker. OMG. But I loved the art direction for Knights in the Nightmare and many other unique games. Some you like others you don't

The art style changed my mind and made me want the game. I wasn't going to get it before but because it was just another Fallout 3 I thought but then the comic style changed everything for me for some reason.

fact is, majority beleive Graphics are greater than gameplay... hence, if it is not super realistic looking, the game will suck...

The game isn't aiming to be super realistic, it's got humour in it and just all out fun. I love the graphics in it and can't wait to get my hands on it.

i just dont like cel shaded graphics for FPS type games. it makes it look silly IMO. the game might be really good but ill never buy it because the art dosent click with me.

Gearbox going out of its way to make Borderlands look unique instead of looking like, you know, EVERY OTHER WESTERN-DEVELOPED GAME.

UT_Wrestler

Dude, like games made in other places don't have generic art styles? Having lame anime dudes isn't any better than making your game a Gears of War wannabe.

But back on topic- there's hate? Really? I suppose you can't please everybody, but most of what I've heard, both from critics and people who actually played it, have said it looks awesome, at least as far as the style is concerned.

Well I haven't seen much hate on it myself. Personally I think it looks great and depending what I read about it in reviews it could very well be a game I'll want to pick up in the near future.

The art style changed my mind and made me want the game. I wasn't going to get it before but because it was just another Fallout 3 I thought but then the comic style changed everything for me for some reason.

kane1511

I love how people term anything that doesn't look like DBZ 'realistic' :P . Most Western games anime fans term realistic look more like Western graphic novels/comics books to me.

Moving on to the main topic, who complained about the art style (it certainly isn't one of the professional reviewers, all of whom have said nothing but good about the art style) and why did you go to GGD to complain about their tastes rather than have this discussion with the offending person(s)?

Why not make a thread about how much you enjoy Borderland's art style and why you enjoy it rather than one lamenting the fact that there are people in the world who don't enjoy it?

I like the art style

Didn't they call it cel-shaded graphics, or something like that?

I thought it was a novel approach. I've pre-ordered it.

Doesn't look bad. I'm going to enjoy it.:)

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

-SPECTER-MIKE

fact is, majority beleive Graphics are greater than gameplay... hence, if it is not super realistic looking, the game will suck...

Chogyam

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

I think it's a kinda ugly looking cell shading. Something about it seems strange. It's like it's not all the way cell shaded but like... an oil painting with outlines, which comes off as weird to me. Yeah it's unique but I think people often forget that you can be crappy in your own unique little way.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="-SPECTER-MIKE"]

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

muthsera666

[QUOTE="muthsera666"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]Well I guess if people prefer for all their games to look exactly the same, that's their choice.Senor_Kami

Point taken. Perhaps I chose the wrong word. The attitude expressed in the post seemed to be critical in the negative and not analytical sense of the word, which is to what I was referring.

The art style changed my mind and made me want the game. I wasn't going to get it before but because it was just another Fallout 3 I thought but then the comic style changed everything for me for some reason.

It's all a matter of taste. Remember how much hate was heaped on LoZ:WindWaker back in the day? (which admittedly, WW was not my favorite zelda game, though the art style grew on me). I personally like the style of Borderlands, I don't have it yet, but i'm sure it'll be on the X-Mas list.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="-SPECTER-MIKE"]

People may not like it as opposed to realistic looking graphics. All taste.

muthsera666

[QUOTE="muthsera666"]What's wrong with games sharing a common art direction? If it's what people want, what gives you the right to criticize it?UT_Wrestler

Whether you like it or not, it's still a graphical direction. Thus, I consider it an art direction. Painters who paint realism are still artists, regardless of whether others like it. Abstract is an art direction whether I hate it, or like it. Honestly, most times I prefer realism in games, movies and painted art. I still consider it art, though. To me, it sounds as though you don't want to consider it an art direction because you don't like it.

[QUOTE="supertegwyn"][QUOTE="kane1511"]

The art style changed my mind and made me want the game. I wasn't going to get it before but because it was just another Fallout 3 I thought but then the comic style changed everything for me for some reason.

Gammit10

I'm really liking the art direction in this game, it's refreshing and different from the norm with this type of game. What I don't like about it though is the characters western desert/country southern accents and the lonely twang music. It's so cliche.

why the hate? because little nerds living in their moms basements have no respect for individuality, they want all the new games to have the best graphics and expect everything to be perfect, and when its not the have nothing better to do with their time that gripe and complain about something that they themselves couldn't have done better if they tried. I see a lot of complaints about small glitches...and empty textures and whatnot.. SO THE F&^$ WHAT!?! its a glitch.. get over it. Every game ever has had some form of glitch, or programming error. Just accept it for what it is and quit complaining about something that you have no control over.. If it becomes a problem it will be fixed.. occupy your time with more useful endeavors Borderlands is awesome F*&% the haters!!!

why the hate? because little nerds living in their moms basements have no respect for individuality, they want all the new games to have the best graphics and expect everything to be perfect, and when its not the have nothing better to do with their time that gripe and complain about something that they themselves couldn't have done better if they tried. I see a lot of complaints about small glitches...and empty textures and whatnot.. SO THE F&^$ WHAT!?! its a glitch.. get over it. Every game ever has had some form of glitch, or programming error. Just accept it for what it is and quit complaining about something that you have no control over.. If it becomes a problem it will be fixed.. occupy your time with more useful endeavors Borderlands is awesome F*&% the haters!!!

xaornx

pardon the hostility.. but things like that just get under my skin. The comic/cartoonish direction in borderlands was a first attempt at something like that on the new gen systems, also keep in mind the game was made using cel shading. Not something thats used very often. i think the art style is unique and astheticly pleasing. I also think that the art style is what makes it "Borderlands" and not "Just another Fallout 3"

hate? I thought most people really liked the artstyle ^^

Its a stroke of genious tbh, it leaves teh world less opressive and stale, and fits better with the humor.

In motion it looks quite good :) I bought it for the artstyle :s

[QUOTE="muthsera666"][QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"] Well I guess if people prefer for all their games to look exactly the same, that's their choice.UT_Wrestler

I really thought people would appreciate Gearbox going out of its way to make Borderlands look unique instead of looking like, you know, EVERY OTHER WESTERN-DEVELOPED GAME. Aside from that, it's not like the art style alters the gameplay. It's still the same game it was going to be before they moved in a new direction with the art. What's the deal?

UT_Wrestler

Even the art style used in borderlands is simply not good, it looks to grey on weapons and enemies in too brown on the enviroment such as the ugly rocky hills.The charcaters look awful and whats the point of all those weapons if they look so cheap? Seriously weapons are so ungly

You wanna make a game with art style? Thats fine, but dont change a game that is market as a next gen shooter at the last year of development.

Take Prince of perisa for example, i liked the game becasue i wanted to play something diffirent. But the prince of persia fans hated it because it changed the series into something diffirent.

Also prince of persia had nice asrt style design, the art style in borderlands is ugly, they could do much more with more bright colors.

Whatever the case may the art style is not that good and it does not much with the game. Eg: Prince of persia art graphics were much better and much perfectly with the concept. Oh well the singleplayer is awful, better luck with Rage!!

In the real world, everything is grim and gritty and if you were ever put into the situation of these 'realistic' games the experience would be totally different, so I've been wondering why people are pursuing it to such a great degree. (In other words, the real world sucks.)

Besides, I thought that gaming was something to help you escape from realism, not the other way round.

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"][QUOTE="muthsera666"] What's wrong with games sharing a common art direction? If it's what people want, what gives you the right to criticize it?XIntoTheBlue

Before the so-called 'Artistic Renaissance" in 1907, artists were used to pursue realism. But, with the creation of the camera, artists were then free to do whatever they wanted. Art was simply more than just realistic painting, it could be used to express emotion, and really press on with creativity.

So, what I see in games, the so-called 'art form' is actually going primitive, because no one seems to be using their brains anymore and just go the easy way out by striving for realistic graphics.

In other words, why try to pursue realism in video games when we already have the Hi Resolution camera? It's a waste of time, effort and money. Besides, games can only go so far in the realistic look, because we set the bar. It's impossible for developers to make something that looks just like us.

In the real world, everything is grim and gritty and if you were ever put into the situation of these 'realistic' games the experience would be totally different, so I've been wondering why people are pursuing it to such a great degree. (In other words, the real world sucks.)

Besides, I thought that gaming was something to help you escape from realism, not the other way round.

MadVybz

I don't know in which portion of the world you live in, but I've travelled extensively (the US, Latin America, Europe, a bit in Asia) and seen lots of beauty in lots of places.

I play games for fun, not because reality is burning my eyes or anything.

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

In the real world, everything is grim and gritty and if you were ever put into the situation of these 'realistic' games the experience would be totally different, so I've been wondering why people are pursuing it to such a great degree. (In other words, the real world sucks.)

Besides, I thought that gaming was something to help you escape from realism, not the other way round.

CarnageHeart

I don't know in which portion of the world you live in, but I've travelled extensively (the US, Latin America, Europe, a bit in Asia) and seen lots of beauty in lots of places.

I play games for fun, not because reality is burning my eyes or anything.

I'm talking about the portions of the world that these games are set in. They put you in a place that's in disarray, but the experience feels like a game of Candy Land, not what it would actually be like in the real world. So why pursue realistic graphics if the experience in the real world isn't anywhere near the same?

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

In the real world, everything is grim and gritty and if you were ever put into the situation of these 'realistic' games the experience would be totally different, so I've been wondering why people are pursuing it to such a great degree. (In other words, the real world sucks.)

Besides, I thought that gaming was something to help you escape from realism, not the other way round.

MadVybz

I don't know in which portion of the world you live in, but I've travelled extensively (the US, Latin America, Europe, a bit in Asia) and seen lots of beauty in lots of places.

I play games for fun, not because reality is burning my eyes or anything.

I'm talking about the portions of the world that these games are set in. They put you in a place that's in disarray, but the experience feels like a game of Candy Land, not what it would actually be like in the real world. So why pursue realistic graphics if the experience in the real world isn't anywhere near the same?

What game(s) are you referring to specifically?

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

I don't know in which portion of the world you live in, but I've travelled extensively (the US, Latin America, Europe, a bit in Asia) and seen lots of beauty in lots of places.

I play games for fun, not because reality is burning my eyes or anything.

CarnageHeart

I'm talking about the portions of the world that these games are set in. They put you in a place that's in disarray, but the experience feels like a game of Candy Land, not what it would actually be like in the real world. So why pursue realistic graphics if the experience in the real world isn't anywhere near the same?

What game(s) are you referring to specifically?

CoD, FarCry, Resident Evil, Splinter Cell, Fallout. And let me re-phrase mt statement by saying that they have fictional representations of real-world locations. With that said, games like Prototype and GTA 4 could be throwin in as well.

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

I'm talking about the portions of the world that these games are set in. They put you in a place that's in disarray, but the experience feels like a game of Candy Land, not what it would actually be like in the real world. So why pursue realistic graphics if the experience in the real world isn't anywhere near the same?

MadVybz

What game(s) are you referring to specifically?

CoD, FarCry, Resident Evil, Splinter Cell, Fallout. And let me re-phrase mt statement by saying that they have fictional representations of real-world locations. With that said, games like Prototype and GTA 4 could be throwin in as well.

All those games are pretty far from reality and none of them are trying to be realistic. There is a vast different between having a non-superdeformed anime art style and being realistic. To use a movie parallel, The Matrix stars real people, but its not a documentary.

I think the artstyle is fabulous, stylized. It's Jet Set Fallout, basically.

I could understand people being upset a while back when it seemed like EVERY game was being cel-shaded, but come on, besides Prince of Persia, has there even been another cel-shaded game this generation?

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

What game(s) are you referring to specifically?

CarnageHeart

CoD, FarCry, Resident Evil, Splinter Cell, Fallout. And let me re-phrase mt statement by saying that they have fictional representations of real-world locations. With that said, games like Prototype and GTA 4 could be throwin in as well.

All those games are pretty far from reality and none of them are trying to be realistic. There is a vast different between having a non-superdeformed anime art style and being realistic. To use a movie parallel, The Matrix stars real people, but its not a documentary.

Alright CH, whatever you say. Agree to disagree I guess, because there's no denying that there's a lust for the realistic look and feel of gaming.

I think the artstyle is fabulous, stylized. It's Jet Set Fallout, basically.

I could understand people being upset a while back when it seemed like EVERY game was being cel-shaded, but come on, besides Prince of Persia, has there even been another cel-shaded game this generation?

Shame-usBlackley

Valkyria Chronicles and Street Fighter 4 spring to mind.

[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

I think the artstyle is fabulous, stylized. It's Jet Set Fallout, basically.

I could understand people being upset a while back when it seemed like EVERY game was being cel-shaded, but come on, besides Prince of Persia, has there even been another cel-shaded game this generation?

CarnageHeart

Valkyria Chronicles and Street Fighter 4 spring to mind.

And anime games like Bleach, Naruto, DBZ etc.

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

CoD, FarCry, Resident Evil, Splinter Cell, Fallout. And let me re-phrase mt statement by saying that they have fictional representations of real-world locations. With that said, games like Prototype and GTA 4 could be throwin in as well.

MadVybz

All those games are pretty far from reality and none of them are trying to be realistic. There is a vast different between having a non-superdeformed anime art style and being realistic. To use a movie parallel, The Matrix stars real people, but its not a documentary.

Alright CH, whatever you say. Agree to disagree I guess, because there's no denying that there's a lust for the realistic look and feel of gaming.

You believe that games like the one above (Fallout) are realistic? You and I have such starkly different definitions of realism yes, we should agree to disagree.

I don't like cel shaded graphics i prefer realistic graphics.

[QUOTE="MadVybz"]

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

All those games are pretty far from reality and none of them are trying to be realistic. There is a vast different between having a non-superdeformed anime art style and being realistic. To use a movie parallel, The Matrix stars real people, but its not a documentary.

CarnageHeart

Alright CH, whatever you say. Agree to disagree I guess, because there's no denying that there's a lust for the realistic look and feel of gaming.

You believe that games like the one above (Fallout) are realistic? You and I have such starkly different definitions of realism yes, we should agree to disagree.

Even though my target is primarily the environment for Fallout, like I said, agree to disagree.