HL2 art direction, opinions?

lans

lans

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What are your opinions on HL2's design choice?

I'm refering to the setting which valve choosed, a european city in wrecks. The idea of calling it "city 17" instead of actually naming it. Also, the whole concept.

To me, it's a very intriguing design so far. I like the way valve has made the combine enemies in a gas mask - makes them look like commandos and show a propaganda taking place (breencasts). They could have opted for a typical story - something near black mesa or a sequel that just continued from the point we'd stopped but this totally new setting really adds as something new, and a very wise decision IMO.

Also, the architectures and buildings in the city prove valve are a bunch of very creative people. I mean that combine citadel structure actually looks so good that someone can suggest valve's concept artists to go in the building field. The characters are also very full of life - I like the way valve hasn't made you a one man army and made squad based combat possible, which goes very well with the rebelian going on.

Overall, there are many things I can talk about, but valve's overall design choice of HL2 is very very intriguing to say the least. Nothing is overly done, everything is nice a subtle...and obviously it's a good thing they have kept the HUD as simple as it was in HL. The crossair with health/ammo semi-circles is also another fine addition.
 
I think it's fantastic, it looks just as diverse and detailed as real life, and that IS saying something!
 
lans said:
Also, the architectures and buildings in the city prove valve are a bunch of very creative people. I mean that combine citadel structure actually looks so good that someone can suggest valve's concept artists to go in the building field.
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I wish I could say the same for the standard buildings. There's very little BSP/Smesh details on what I've seen. But mapping quality aside, the design is right on the button.
 
Hmmm, I think the standard buildings look great, too :/

In fact it was the eastern european building design I was talking about, not the combine.
 
I'd also like to include the idea of the citadel eating up the city is also very original - but I'm not 100% sure. Is this inspired from 1984 too?
 
Varsity said:
I wish I could say the same for the standard buildings. There's very little BSP/Smesh details on what I've seen. But mapping quality aside, the design is right on the button.
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Yeah, they are a tad too plain. :(

Although they definately look east european to me.
 
I like the variety. Lots of different locations with different gameplay.
 
its original, it looks cool, and it kicks ass!

valve did everything right.
 
KagePrototype said:
Yeah, I like the whole 1984-ish feel to it.
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Yah it is a lot like 1984...mixed with...IDK. But even the clothes they wear are similar to 1984...and the TVs too.
 
lans said:
I'd also like to include the idea of the citadel eating up the city is also very original - but I'm not 100% sure. Is this inspired from 1984 too?
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No, not from 1984 at all. To my knowledge the citadel hasn't been in anything else.
 
i absolutely love the direction they're taking. everything seems to fit and i cant wait to experience it firsthand.
 
It all looks great, very subtle full of personality, with fine lines not overly done characters so far , things and concepts that stand out of the ordinary! Great work :bounce:
 
Foxtrot said:
No, not from 1984 at all. To my knowledge the citadel hasn't been in anything else.
Click to expand...

Awesome. I really have a feeling that valve is onto something grand here - hopefully the story lives upto it.
 
I love the way the combine sound. The way they talk, just rubs me the right way. :naughty:
 
I like the direction they are going with the theme, but for the actual art direction I'm not so excited. Artistically, the game doesn't appeal to me. The models, textures, design of the world, nothing there is exciting or interesting to me. I will catch heat for saying so, but thats how I feel. Artistically, the game seems mundane IMO.
 
Devilphish said:
I like the direction they are going with the theme, but for the actual art direction I'm not so excited. Artistically, the game doesn't appeal to me. The models, textures, design of the world, nothing there is exciting or interesting to me. I will catch heat for saying so, but thats how I feel. Artistically, the game seems mundane IMO.
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They purposly made the world look boring, do you think an oppresive regime would have theme parks and dance clubs everywhere? Hell no. It is kind of like The Matrix and how they made the matrix world look boring.
 
If you want my opinion check the "yet-another-thread-about-HL2's-setting-from-a-few-days-ago" thread (May not be the actual title)

Either way...wait till you play it City 17 is likely only half the story or setting.
 
Devilphish said:
I like the direction they are going with the theme, but for the actual art direction I'm not so excited. Artistically, the game doesn't appeal to me. The models, textures, design of the world, nothing there is exciting or interesting to me. I will catch heat for saying so, but thats how I feel. Artistically, the game seems mundane IMO.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, what do you like?
 
Foxtrot said:
They purposly made the world look boring, do you think an oppresive regime would have theme parks and dance clubs everywhere? Hell no. It is kind of like The Matrix and how they made the matrix world look boring.
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Um, the matrix world is supposed to be an exact representation of the world as it exists in the late 1990's. Are you saying the 1990's were boring?

Or are you saying that the only parts you saw of the matrix world in the movies were the boring parts?
 
Lanthanide said:
Um, the matrix world is supposed to be an exact representation of the world as it exists in the late 1990's. Are you saying the 1990's were boring?

Or are you saying that the only parts you saw of the matrix world in the movies were the boring parts?
Click to expand...

Let's see 1990...

sentinenls...check.
scantly clad african tribe....check
kung fu....check

yep, you are right.
 
Lanthanide said:
Um, the matrix world is supposed to be an exact representation of the world as it exists in the late 1990's. Are you saying the 1990's were boring?

Or are you saying that the only parts you saw of the matrix world in the movies were the boring parts?
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They filtered out a lot of color....
 
He says 'matrix world', which can mean one of three things:

a) The world inside the matrix computer program (as I originally answered)
b) Zion
c) The machine world

As I already said, the world inside the matrix program was not boring, although perhaps we only got to see the boring parts.

As for b), didn't seem that boring to me, they have that big orgy/party after all, and all those ships they go flying around in and the ability to plug into the matrix when they want to. Perhaps the daily lifestyle is a bit dull, but the world hardly seems orwellian and oppresive to me.

c) We didn't see too much of the machine world, but it's rather irrelevant as it has no humans living in it anyway so the world itself can't be orwellian. Perhaps in context with Zion it is, however, but Zion in and of itself isn't opressive.
 
Foxtrot said:
They filtered out a lot of color....
Click to expand...
Right, so you mean how they presented the world of the matrix to the viewer, rather than the world itself.

Fair enough, it was fairly drab in The Matrix: Revisited (yes, that's the new name. I think it should have been The Matrix: Renamed, but nevermind). However in the 2nd and 3rd movies it was more colourful and involved and more 'real'.
 
As for me, I feel that the indoor wall textures are the best I've seen in any game on the horizon. As for the buildings on the outside there a little bland(yet realistic) but I feel that goes greatly with the atmosphere valve is setting. I'm very impressed with what valve has done.
 
Lanthanide said:
He says 'matrix world', which can mean one of three things:

a) The world inside the matrix computer program (as I originally answered)
b) Zion
c) The machine world

As I already said, the world inside the matrix program was not boring, although perhaps we only got to see the boring parts.

As for b), didn't seem that boring to me, they have that big orgy/party after all, and all those ships they go flying around in and the ability to plug into the matrix when they want to. Perhaps the daily lifestyle is a bit dull, but the world hardly seems orwellian and oppresive to me.

c) We didn't see too much of the machine world, but it's rather irrelevant as it has no humans living in it anyway so the world itself can't be orwellian. Perhaps in context with Zion it is, however, but Zion in and of itself isn't opressive.
Click to expand...
I said the matrix world in the matrix. And it was boring, even in the movie the machines designed it to be.
 
eh I didn't mean the atmosphere of the game is gloomy(which it is), I meant the actual art has a very un-inspired feel to me. It is artistically stale. I expected more interesting art direction. (and no, I'm not talking about how they made the world gloomy and downtrodden, I mean the art
 
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*:)
 
Foxtrot said:
I said the matrix world in the matrix. And it was boring, even in the movie the machines designed it to be.
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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.
 
Devilphish said:
eh I didn't mean the atmosphere of the game is gloomy(which it is), I meant the actual art has a very un-inspired feel to me. It is artistically stale. I expected more interesting art direction. (and no, I'm not talking about how they made the world gloomy and downtrodden, I mean the art
Click to expand...
I like how highly detailed everything is. There isn't a blank peice of anything without there being a good reason.
 
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