HL2 art direction, opinions?

[Foxtrot]

I don't think they did. Making a boring world would lead to discontentment and even more people try to escape to Zion, which isn't something the machines want to encourage.

They made it boring because that is what keeps people in reality, is that they are trapped with a sucky job in a boring world. When they were happy they thought how great it is...and I guess they though it was too good and everyone was too happy...and that led to somthing I guess...lol. Either people were too happy and keeping them happy was too hard and lead to unbelivable things and ruined the matrix or...yah...

 

[Crusader]

FoxTrot there is no point in trying to explain to him, he is here only for one thing

I mean of all the things you can say about HL2, saying the art is uninspired compared to other games is about the last thing you could say.

Don't waste your breath on him, don't feed the trolls

 

[Foxtrot]

FoxTrot there is no point in trying to explain to him, he is here only for one thing

I mean of all the things you can say about HL2, saying the art is uninspired compared to other games is about the last thing you could say.

Don't waste your breath on him, don't feed the trolls

Ahh...you are probably right.

 

[stanr]

I think am with that oither dude on this one. As much as I am a Valve fanboy, I must admit I find character/enemy design to be only moderately appealing. I mean, the art is consistent, in that all of the non-humanoid aliens (gunship, striders, ant lions) have a similar biomechanical look. But, so far I was never amazed by creature design in HL2,
and I do mean the visuals and style. There was never a "wow" factor w.r.t. looks.

On the bright side, I will point out the following. In HL1, I also did not find the look of the enemy to be a strong point of the game(ichtyosaur anyone?). But the attention to detail and behaviors were unparalleled, and *enemies in action* made the game.
I remember that giant enemy in HL1 (that you had to electrocute), namely
when you'd attack it from a distance and it would growl and kick some giant sparks in your direction. It looked OK, but its actions compensated for lack of funky design.

I guess if the design goal is realism (i.e. trying to create an alien that is not too far-fetched), then this type of art direction will do very nicely.

Also, all of the environments I have seen so far were beyond amazing. I myself was born neraby Eastern Europe and I cannot tell you how much those building hallways and the streets look like the typical thing. Ditto for the outside environments, and especially that railroad tracks screenie.

Anybody else thinks that the art direction is "not bad"?

Stan R.

 

[aeroripper]

Does anyone remeber that spot in Hl1 when that gargantuan was running after you in the parking garage tossing cars everywhere behind you and you were running away?

that was awesome

 

[brink's]

I think am with that oither dude on this one. As much as I am a Valve fanboy, I must admit I find character/enemy design to be only moderately appealing. I mean, the art is consistent, in that all of the non-humanoid aliens (gunship, striders, ant lions) have a similar biomechanical look. But, so far I was never amazed by creature design in HL2,
and I do mean the visuals and style. There was never a "wow" factor w.r.t. looks.

Stan R.

Even the Strider!! Hell I almost sh*t myself the first time I saw the 2003E3

 

[MultiVaC]

Well, if you don't like how Valve made the enemies, what would YOU do to make them better? What is a game that you thought had good enemies?

 

[petey]

Mad Dog, thank you for the link. Some very creative people over there!

 

[urseus]

I think its great. It goes from hl1, which seemed like real life, with a lab and US army soldiers and stuff, to this alternate reality. They could have just had it where you come back to earth and the aliens are attacking, and you fight with the marines and the humans against the aliens. Weeeeee. But they decided to make it abit more like a drama movie, where its not only the aliens but the local security. Not only that, the post-apocolyptic setting means that anyone could really turn against you for food or something. Makes a real change from the typical good guys/bad guys thing where you know exactly who is a good guy and who isnt.

Can you release the game now?

 

[A.I.]

I think am with that oither dude on this one. As much as I am a Valve fanboy, I must admit I find character/enemy design to be only moderately appealing. I mean, the art is consistent, in that all of the non-humanoid aliens (gunship, striders, ant lions) have a similar biomechanical look. But, so far I was never amazed by creature design in HL2,
and I do mean the visuals and style. There was never a "wow" factor w.r.t. looks.

On the bright side, I will point out the following. In HL1, I also did not find the look of the enemy to be a strong point of the game(ichtyosaur anyone?). But the attention to detail and behaviors were unparalleled, and *enemies in action* made the game.
I remember that giant enemy in HL1 (that you had to electrocute), namely
when you'd attack it from a distance and it would growl and kick some giant sparks in your direction. It looked OK, but its actions compensated for lack of funky design.

I guess if the design goal is realism (i.e. trying to create an alien that is not too far-fetched), then this type of art direction will do very nicely.

Also, all of the environments I have seen so far were beyond amazing. I myself was born neraby Eastern Europe and I cannot tell you how much those building hallways and the streets look like the typical thing. Ditto for the outside environments, and especially that railroad tracks screenie.

Anybody else thinks that the art direction is "not bad"?

Stan R.

Well, I would agree with you to some point. I had some "wows" and "aaahs" like when seeing a strider for the first time (I just went WTF!?). What thrills me the most is the fact that they created a very consistent world, which seems very believable. There is no need to make some very artistic world, after all this isn't TRON 2.0 but some realistic world which must be believable to pull the player into the game as much as possible. That's the art of game making, (the artistic value of art design actually doesn't mean shit for the sake of gameplay because the gameplay itself should be the artistic value in games and VALVe has megatons of it :afro: ).

Therefore, the debate about art direction isn't possible and I suggest you not to evolve it into some pointless flame war.

 

[Brian Damage]

I reckon the art style of both games was amazing. The way the realistic scenery of the BMRF contrasted with the otherworldliness of the aliens...

 

[lans]

DevilPhish, go away please

You don't like this game, you've made that clear on umpteen occasions, please go and visit a fansite of something you do like, maybe Doom 3 or something. Just coming to a forum to knock everything about the topic of that forum is pretty asanine if you ask me.

*holds door open for you*

Really crusader, your acting as a HL2 fanboy. That's DevilPhish's opinion so let it be, he's not telling you to dislike the game.

 

[Crusader]

Well I don't see the point in coming to a game's forums if you don't like the game at all. Actually, I do see one reason why you might want to do this, but it's not a good one.

And btw I am a HL2 fanboy, 90% of people who go to a HL2 forum come under that category in my opinion, since it has no actual definition. It's only recently it's become cool to not like anything too much

 

[Foxtrot]

The Hydras own.