Update #77 "Crafting Shards and Squashing Bugs"

Without sounding too preachy - please keep in mind that many of the posts on Kickstarter are from a vocal few and don't represent the majority of backers so don't let them get you down. I'm very hyped for this game and am overall pleased with most of the updates. I think the lighting has greatly improved and with the recent release of the ESRB rating we may see the game released sooner than expected.

DIE, MONSTER! YOU DON'T BELONG IN THIS WORLD!

Joined the message board today so I could share my feedback regarding the new visuals; I previously posted on the Kickstarter board as Onizuka E.

Initially I thought that the new visuals appeared to be an improvement over the visuals from the demo but something still didn't feel right with the new look. After comparing the new screenshots with some of the earlier screenshots of the game I figured out why: Instead of creating high quality textures (which have degraded with each new build of the game) for the existing assets and making minor adjustments to key assets as required, the new look is changing key assets to be more generic, blocky, and unrefined to better match the type of lower quality textures displayed in the most recent version of the game.

The game appears to look better at first glance because the assets and textures are a better match, but what's created by doing so is a less ambitious, less impressive, and less refined experience. When looking at the original build of the game, every asset/part of the level had a certain sense of beauty to it and looked even better when combined with the rest of the environment. In the new build nothing looks particularly impressive by itself or when combined with the other assets; it's just a grouping of generic and uninspired looking assets. Take a look a these two screenshots back to back to see for yourself (used high quality screenshots so feel free to enlarge them):





I'm certainly appreciative of the Bloodstained team for listening to us backers and revisiting the visuals and bringing the 2D powerhouse Way Forward on board, but in my opinion the new approach is doing the opposite of what needs to be done to realize the visuals that ought to accompany a modern day Igavania game. Instead of lowering the quality of the game's assets to match less refined textures, the team should created more refined textures to complement the game's current assets which were part of IGA's original vision for the game. Focusing on layered depth perception as seen in the screenshot of the game's earlier build by blurring more distant layers would also be appreciated.

Wasn't tracking that, thanks for pointing that out. It does look gorgeous doesn't it.



How so? Looking at the new build they're using simpler assets with simpler textures. While one could make the case that the game is now more visually consistent (although at a lower standard) it's not the same as saying it will look closer to the composite screenshot which has more detailed assets (closer to the previous demo versions) with far superior textures and art direction. Seeing as the Vita is no longer supported I think they ought to make the most of the assets they have by upgrading the textures so that it will look closer to that concept art which I think most of us would agree is what a current-gen Igavania game should look like.

I can make what Angel is suggesting easy:

photos.app.goo.gl/ExbtEPP8LR75MPXy5

Otherwise, I hear you and agree. I used that old pic myself in the big graphics thread we had, and the team definitely take that feedback to heart. I'm confident that when you see the rest of the game and the video Angel's talking about (which I only just now have heard of myself!), you'll feel a little better about it

Wow purify! Compared to that how it looks now is almost staggering! Sometimes it's hard to tell without looking at it back to back and I didn't really notice the huge improvement. Memory makes graphics look better than how they actually are for some reason.

Hahaha, I was certainly thinking that screenshot looked familiar

I know this is stupid, but for some odd reason, i really like this picture

It's a very early build, but it bring back memories, when things was starting. When i saw this, i thought "damn, this game is going to look good, it's Igavania all over again!" Not only that, buut, although i'm much more focused on gameplay and fun factor than graphics, on Igavanias i always look at the graphics and "dream on".
Like...look at that picture. Such a nice room. What exists beyond that door? The sky is red, i wonder what lies beyond those windows, things like that.

And look at us now. Discussing texture details in a MUCH BETTER, MUCH HIGHER graphic level.
I usually don't care too much about graphics. Of course i want the game to look great, but if the game stayed like that picture and had the same fun gameplay it has today, i would be satisfied.
Also, i love that room. Kinda reminds me of the "Miriam's room" idea that, to this date i don't know if it is gonna happen or not. 

Pure Miriam I think this picture is from the same early build as this video (a look beyond the door you referenced so to speak):



As you said it's an early build yet what it had nailed down without question is the hallmark CV art design including the selective but strong use of color. The problem is that the current build of the game does not incorporate this signature aesthetic at all. I feel the same as you do about receiving a game that is less graphically powerful but includes the signature CV art direction.

It's like the Castlevania games developed by MercurySteam, the graphics are at a much higher level than anything that came before but the visual heart and soul of the game has been stripped away. The current version of Bloodstained feels like that to me.

With Inti Creates, IGA had a partner that fully understood and could deliver on the classic CV aesthetic as displayed by the concept art and earliest build of the game. But this understanding was completely lost when they left the project.

It's great that the team is revisiting the visuals, but I don't see this effort addressing the real elephant in the room.