“I don’t know if you’ve seen the Kantus?” he asked. “They’re the locust priests, and they have all these abilities: they take a lot of hit points, they can evade, they’re kind of like ninjas almost in regards to their mobility.
“They can summon tickers by using their voices, they can control other creatures by using their voices, as well as reviving other locusts that get knocked down with kind of like a rallying cry. If these are the priests of the locust, he’s the head priest, and he’s also very high up in regards to the locust hierarchy, and of course, you have to deal with him later.”
Definitely more badass. Gears of War 2 ships for 360 on November 7.
the only thing im seeing thats a little dissapointing visually is the lighting, the game looks very flat...there are shadows, but they dont seem to help convay a sense of depth.
Commented on 2008-09-30 03:09:02 In reply to KORNdog
Posted by KORNdog
the only thing im seeing thats a little dissapointing visually is the lighting, the game looks very flat...there are shadows, but they dont seem to help convay a sense of depth.
there is little to no depth? the creature could be percieved as small and close to marcus, or large and far away, but there is very little depth due to flat lighting to suggest which it is (although we obviously know its a large creature). same goes for all the indoor images too. the game just has very flat lighting. the first was the same...its by no means a game killer, but it is a bit dissapointing to see when everything else looks so damn good.
Commented on 2008-09-30 03:37:42 In reply to KORNdog
but what youre not looking as it there is a single light source in that shot, and its coming from behind the shot, making everything look a bit more flat than it would be if the light source was to the right, or back of the shot. There are more than enough images to look at that show how good the textures indeed are and how very not flat the game is. I mean of all the things that the visuals here are, Flat is definately not one of them IMO
Youre looking too much into miniscule details that may or may not be reflected in the game in motion...just let that be that. Its a bit opinionated so there is no sense in discussing that aspect...
Commented on 2008-09-30 04:17:49 In reply to Xion4360
Posted by Xion4360
but what youre not looking as it there is a single light source in that shot, and its coming from behind the shot, making everything look a bit more flat than it would be if the light source was to the right, or back of the shot. There are more than enough images to look at that show how good the textures indeed are and how very not flat the game is. I mean of all the things that the visuals here are, Flat is definately not one of them IMO
Youre looking too much into miniscule details that may or may not be reflected in the game in motion...just let that be that. Its a bit opinionated so there is no sense in discussing that aspect...
i think flat lighting is a pretty big deal in terms of visuals tbh. the textures are good, i agree, but the lighting is not. there just isnt may, if any highlights or strong shading of both character or elements in the environment. the monotone colour pallet isnt helping matters but i understand thats a stylistic choice and im more then fine with it. but lighting wise it looks incredibly flat. its got one of those dated lighing engines, where the main character casts a realistic shadow, but objects do not. they've tried things to work around it by adding these weird dark areas right under objects, but it doesnt look right.
the characters will cast shadows, which is good, but no matter where the light source is, there should be highlights and shadows cast of parts of the ship and railings. without them the great visuals end up looking flat. its not like its the first game to do it, or like it breaks the game, but in terms of the visuals. it definately makes them more dissapointing then they could and imo SHOULD be. but from what i've seen its just a problem with the UE3 engine, so theres not much that can be done.
The way the sides of things are illuminated is very unnatural looking. The undersides of the helicopters certainly shouldn't be lit how they are. Marcus's back shouldn't bit lit around the edges at all, based upon which direction the light is coming from. All the vehicles have this odd lighting going on.
Commented on 2008-09-30 06:47:42 In reply to KORNdog
Truth be told this is one of the best looking games out there. If those things bug you well thats too bad, really. I think the game looks friggin sweet and i dont see the things you point out as a problem at all. I mean, its a game. Im allways more interested in wether or not it looks pretty, instead of wether or not things look the way they should in real life. To each their own i guess.
I just don't like the way they changed Cole? I watched the trailer talking about the specific characters in the story, and Cole looks different, or maybe I'm mistaken? He looks less stereotypical. It's worth mentioning that all the characters in the story are pretty trite btw.
I need someone to run around and go "WOO!" still :(
As for flatness in environments I agree. For some reason a lot of these screens look really high contrasted and washed out. Not sure why they would knowingly make the game look that way.
I guess it must just be a style choice to make the characters pop out like crazy
Yes. Based on Gears of War (1) these are supersampled from a really high resolution (~5kx2.5k) which results in AA and texture filtering (like AF) far above what gamers will ever see. Expect the game to have jaggies on dynamic objects and muddy textures again. Further, while the art is detailed and nice, the game has undergone a bit of a technological downgrade in these shots. We can hope it turns around before release, but seeing as Gears 1 took a similar hit right before launch and most consumers never noticed (heck, people still compare the early bullshots as if that is what the game looks like!) I don't think most consumers can TELL or CARE.
Flat and lack of lighting wow i just cant belive some people, its like they have to try and find anything they can negative, these are screens and there top notch plus in motion it will look 10 times better, any game out there can be picked apart on screens alone, i could list many examples, but i wont because it will start the fanboy wars, and as i have and love all 3 consoles i dont want to go there.
Commented on 2008-09-30 09:47:46 In reply to Xion4360
Posted by Xion4360
Youre looking too much into miniscule details that may or may not be reflected in the game in motion...just let that be that. Its a bit opinionated so there is no sense in discussing that aspect...
It looks just as bad in motion. And Korndog is right; you picked the one picture (that artistically skews the complaint) but all the other shots look VERY flat and are technically inferior to what the former SP footage looked like. The MP already had this issue. Take away the detailed textures (which won't look so great without AF to begin with) and what you get is another very flat looking game and technically uninteresting. Doesn't mean people cannot like it or be impressed, but Korndog is right: the lighting is flat and shadows are screwy and all the fidelity seen in the bullshots will be washed away in realtime.
Commented on 2008-09-30 10:10:58 In reply to BLackHawkodst
Posted by BLackHawkodst
Flat and lack of lighting wow i just cant belive some people, its like they have to try and find anything they can negative, these are screens and there top notch plus in motion it will look 10 times better, any game out there can be picked apart on screens alone, i could list many examples, but i wont because it will start the fanboy wars, and as i have and love all 3 consoles i dont want to go there.
Screen space AO has been stripped out, baked in light maps are back in, the new screens lack depth haze, gamma correction for the lighting is washed out/overbright, not quite sure what is wrong with shadows but they look odd now as well.
As you can see from my link in the main forum with the previous SP footage of Gears of War 2 there has been a technical downgrade. I don't have qualms with people liking what they see, but that doesn't negate the technical downgrade or the fact it looks flat (it does in many shots which is directly related to technical changes in the recent build. Fact.)
IMO it in no way looks very flat or technicaly inferior to what was show earlier, but hey thats just my opinion.
You can have an opinion, but it is a fact that the current build has removed some technical features that were shown earlier. The lack of screen space AO and related artifacts is just one observable difference from previous SP footage.
Loakum
Ugh….scratch that previous comment. The upcoming Game of Thrones video game is a F’in mobile phone game. Why can’t they came an open world GoT game, like Witcher 3 or God of War? (> 3 Months ago)
Loakum
By FAR, the upcoming Game of Thrones King’s Road was the Game of the Show! It plays like God of War Ragnarok! :) (> 3 Months ago)
Loakum
@Driftwood Awesome! I’m loving it! It does show a much crisper picture and the frame rate looks good! I was playing Stella Blade and Dragonball Soarkling Blast! :) (> 3 Months ago)
Driftwood
@Loakum: enjoy, the one Sony sent us will be there on launch day. Coverage will follow asap. (> 3 Months ago)
Loakum
*takes a large sip of victorious grape juice* ok….my PS5 pro arrived early! So much winning! :) (> 3 Months ago)
Driftwood
@reneyvane: non ils l'ont publié le 1er octobre et je crois que tu l'avais déjà linkée. ;) (> 3 Months ago)
reneyvane
Factornews à joué à KingdomComeDeliverance2 au Gamescom 2024 mais ne publie sa preview que maintenant ? [url] (> 3 Months ago)
Driftwood
Download is now functional again on Gamersyde. Sorry for the past 53 days or so when it wasn't. (> 3 Months ago)
Driftwood
Another (French) livestream today at 2:30 CEST but you're welcome to drop by and speak English. I will gladly answer in English when I get a chance to catch a breath. :) (> 3 Months ago)
Driftwood
GSY is getting some nice content at 3 pm CEST with our July podcast and some videos of the Deus Ex Mankind Divided preview build. :) (> 3 Months ago)
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For once we'll be live at 4:30 pm CEST. Blim should not even be tired! (> 3 Months ago)
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More Quantum Break coverage coming in a few hours, 9:00 a.m CEST. (> 3 Months ago)
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We'll have a full review up for Firewatch at 7 pm CET. Videos will only be tomorrow though. (> 3 Months ago)
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All comments (105)
Commented on 2008-09-29 22:43:25
Commented on 2008-09-29 22:56:34Well done Epic!! :)
Commented on 2008-09-29 22:57:00 In reply to dingleberryI'm saying that as a xbox-only-owner.
Just be glad that Cliffy B hates sony-controllers^^:
Bleszinski on PS3: “I hate the fucking controller, I love the Blu-ray player”
September 29th, 2008 @ 16:57
“I hate the fucking controller,” he told VG247. “I’m sorry, I can’t stand the PS3 controller. I love the Blu-ray player.”
“I’m pretty comfortable with 360,” he said. “I like its controller.”
Q: videogaming247.com
Commented on 2008-09-29 23:25:34Gamespot:
http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/gearsofwar2/...
CVG:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?i...
Commented on 2008-09-30 00:22:36
Commented on 2008-09-30 00:33:09
Commented on 2008-09-30 00:49:23“They can summon tickers by using their voices, they can control other creatures by using their voices, as well as reviving other locusts that get knocked down with kind of like a rallying cry. If these are the priests of the locust, he’s the head priest, and he’s also very high up in regards to the locust hierarchy, and of course, you have to deal with him later.”
http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/09/29/gears-2-p...
Commented on 2008-09-30 00:55:00
Commented on 2008-09-30 01:08:16
Commented on 2008-09-30 01:41:47
Commented on 2008-09-30 01:41:57
Commented on 2008-09-30 03:09:02 In reply to KORNdogYou must be kidding...
Commented on 2008-09-30 03:33:10 In reply to Xion4360You must be kidding...
http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9476/15...
there is little to no depth? the creature could be percieved as small and close to marcus, or large and far away, but there is very little depth due to flat lighting to suggest which it is (although we obviously know its a large creature). same goes for all the indoor images too. the game just has very flat lighting. the first was the same...its by no means a game killer, but it is a bit dissapointing to see when everything else looks so damn good.
Commented on 2008-09-30 03:37:42 In reply to KORNdogYoure looking too much into miniscule details that may or may not be reflected in the game in motion...just let that be that. Its a bit opinionated so there is no sense in discussing that aspect...
Commented on 2008-09-30 04:03:37
Commented on 2008-09-30 04:07:50 In reply to awsc
Commented on 2008-09-30 04:17:49 In reply to Xion4360Youre looking too much into miniscule details that may or may not be reflected in the game in motion...just let that be that. Its a bit opinionated so there is no sense in discussing that aspect...
take this shot for example
http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9476/15...
the characters will cast shadows, which is good, but no matter where the light source is, there should be highlights and shadows cast of parts of the ship and railings. without them the great visuals end up looking flat. its not like its the first game to do it, or like it breaks the game, but in terms of the visuals. it definately makes them more dissapointing then they could and imo SHOULD be. but from what i've seen its just a problem with the UE3 engine, so theres not much that can be done.
Commented on 2008-09-30 04:39:07The way the sides of things are illuminated is very unnatural looking. The undersides of the helicopters certainly shouldn't be lit how they are. Marcus's back shouldn't bit lit around the edges at all, based upon which direction the light is coming from. All the vehicles have this odd lighting going on.
Commented on 2008-09-30 06:47:42 In reply to KORNdog
Commented on 2008-09-30 08:24:39I need someone to run around and go "WOO!" still :(
As for flatness in environments I agree. For some reason a lot of these screens look really high contrasted and washed out. Not sure why they would knowingly make the game look that way.
I guess it must just be a style choice to make the characters pop out like crazy
Commented on 2008-09-30 09:42:38 In reply to SathSad for me though :(
Commented on 2008-09-30 09:47:13
Commented on 2008-09-30 09:47:46 In reply to Xion4360
Commented on 2008-09-30 10:06:00 In reply to Acert93
Commented on 2008-09-30 10:10:58 In reply to BLackHawkodstAs you can see from my link in the main forum with the previous SP footage of Gears of War 2 there has been a technical downgrade. I don't have qualms with people liking what they see, but that doesn't negate the technical downgrade or the fact it looks flat (it does in many shots which is directly related to technical changes in the recent build. Fact.)