Cel-shaded characters glided about in a normally rendered 3D world. The first game to use this technique effectively was the DreamCast's Jet Set Radio. This technique is quite processor intensive, requiring much more power than traditional rendering methods. Where am I taking this? To the technique that has bridged the gap between the two and combines the strengths of either technique: Cel-shading.Īt the simplest level, cel-shading takes 3D models and flattens their textures, giving them a hand drawn look. Meanwhile 3D models are easily manipulated by computers, yet they're lifeless and "cold." The animations may be smooth, the graphics flawless, but there's something missing from all that complexity: warmth, life and a soul.Īnd those are the inherent problems with both styles: Sprites have a warm, personal feeling to them, but they take much time to animate, and they aren't feasible in high quality 3D graphics. Or how about Square's Final Fantasy movie? Both have superbly modeled characters, and yet they look fake, stilted and plastic-like. officers look as lifeless as the zombies they're trying to exterminate. Perfect in every detail, and yet in gameplay they still look wrong somehow. Even with the most sophisticated computer rendering technology, the problems are still there. No matter how well animated or crafted, 3D models always appear mannequin like, mere dolls. However, sprites must be painstakingly animated frame by frame to make its characters appear larger than life. There is life to these motions, something that I can't quite pinpoint. The way Justin will fall flat on his face after being tripped, or how Feena flips her hair back when annoyed. A good example of this is the characters in Grandia. They exude a charm, and truly express much more than people give credit. A mere collection of coloured pixels, and yet they managed to convey emotions and atmosphere. From PONG to the GBA, Sprites have been a mainstay of the gaming industry since its inception. Those little 2D caricatures that have been used in games since before there were even consoles. However the same reasons for which I was underwhelmed by Mario's first foray into 3D still apply today. I remember first seeing screenshots and movies of Super Mario64 and thinking "I'm going to pay over 250$ for that?" Of course, when I actually played the game I was totally in awe of the variety of polished gameplay and fell in love with Mario's new adventure. While I enjoy and love many 3D games, I have never truly liked the sight of polygonal characters. I'll admit it now: I'm not a fan of polygons. Instead, I'd rather talk about the reasons why I think cel-shading is an excellent opportunity to revitalize the gaming industry.Īnd it all comes down to one word: Style. However, this editorial has little to do with the notorious change in Zelda, so you haters can put away the nasty e-mail, at least for the moment. The situation remains much the same today, though now both polarized parties are deeply entrenched within their opinions. Some loved it, some reviled it and some sat upon the fence. It's been about six months since Miyamoto-san unveiled the infamous new look that would grace The Legend of Zelda.
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