Update: 35 - IGA's Got A Brand New Background (New Shaders!)

3 wins

I wish people would put more effort into opening posts before making topics. This isn't a race Anyway:

Update 35 is Live!

Highlights

• Shaders and Screenshots oh my! Shaders 1 and 3 (what went into making part of that Miriam preview last update) have been mixed and matched with regards to characters and backgrounds to produce the screenshots seen in this update. Which do you all like?
• New survey is live for you to give them feedback. This will be the final time they ask for visual feedback (probably to move forward with work on the game)
  
• Ask Iga #7 is live!
  
• Meet Community Manager Mana Ikeda. XombieMike and Mana chat it up in the latest episode of the Bloodstained podcast!
  
• Enjoy the awesome fanart and cosplay on display <3

One important thing of note:

With shader 3 on Miriam when it is showing the different backgrounds, she is exactly the same for both photos.



Crap snipping tool job aside there isn't much difference between the two models when viewed like this. The thing that stands out the most are the blue outlines which come out of nowhere and clash with their surroundings.

Not sure if this was an error or a property of shader 3.

In contrast if you look at the shader 1 on Miriam when the camera zooms out she changes with the background.





Also dynamic backgrounds! (not shown here)


Edit (My personal opinion): I'm really split, I feel like I'm killing a child by choosing one.

Character Shader:

For reasons mentioned above, shader 1 looks better in the zoom out, but shader 3 nails it in the close up. As I said I'm torn, but I can come to a decision on shader 1 because the zoom-out is what we are going to be seeing when we play the game.

Background Shader:

I can't, I just can't, I'm frothing at the mouth looking at both of them.

Just a caution to everybody... the poll and first post here reversed the order (character and then background).

The update has them in the order of background and then character.

I say that as a caution, because the survey only says "1/3" or "3/1" and doesn't specify background or character. I assume the survey is using the order of what's in the update, and thus not the ordering in the poll/post of this thread.

Point is -- be careful when you fill out the survey!

I swear Inti and IGA got some tips form the Guilty Gear Xrd devs... Only I think this may end up looking even better! I swear shader 3 looks just like a painting~ <3

EDIT: I really hope we get lots of in-game cutscenes, 3/3 is perfect for that!

3/3 gets my vote. It looks perfect. I'm loving the environment design as well. 2017 seems so far away.

Character 1 honestly looks far improved from the last time we saw it. So much so that I honestly had a hard time picking which one I liked more, between 3 and 1. Character 1 almost looks like she came straight out of Dead or Alive, which I find to be a compliment as the models in that game are gorgeous.

Character 3, at first glance, was jarring when comparing her to the background. It felt like I was looking at the actual art pasted onto the picture, which was really weird at first. However, once I looked at it for a while, the details really grew on me. I'm not sure how the general audience would feel coming into a game looking like that, but I feel like if they were given both products, but the end, they'd definitely be siding with Character 3. The crystal curse looks much more natural on this version, though I imagine that is still subject to change. Miriam's curves (and not just THOSE curves) are a lot funner to look at. For some reason, she looks a lot more confident than 1, I can't really pinpoint exactly why.

The more I thought about it, the easier my vote for Character 3 became.


The background is where I am more conflicted.

First off the background is amazing. I want to play this part of the game right now. Where I'm conflicted are the very subtle properties of both styles. Ultimately I'm on the side of Background 3, but only slightly. The brightness of Background 3 shows off the details of the area a lot better, which is a treat for the eyes. However, because Background 1 is slightly darker, the torches provide a much more natural look in terms of lighting, it feels like that room is lit by those torches, and not by the game. The blood, imo, is way too shiny, which is most apparent in the grooves of the blood fountain in Background 3, though if this is blood mixed with water then I suppose it makes sense.

Honestly there's a lot more I keep forgetting as I look at details of each picture. It all looks really good, but I think I've got my vote. 3/3

Man oh man this update was well worth the wait. Absolutely beautiful designs, a new Ask IGA and community broadcast, plus our new Community Manager! Welcome! So worth it.

For my thoughts Im on 3/3. I'd be down for either but 3/3 looks so distinct!

Side note: I really like the addition of the ribbons to Miriam's design (and I imagine a thread about it will be up within the hour, lulz). I'm a sucker for capes/scarves/ribbons and other things that billow behind characters a they move, really lends more to the movement.

Thomas I hope you don't mind, but I injected my video into your post. This video: