It's one of the main things I've wanted from BG3 since EA
To me the idea of a D&D portrait goes beyond the Animated Avatar or the Headshot, to exemplify some aspect of the characters personality or character theme. This is wide ranging, but just in general, the idea of singular expression that short hands into more recognizable fantasy tropes and familiar formulas, but with near infinite riffs. Like the material seems to be in place for that, but to go the extra mile, being able to stage and direct a portrait for use in-game would be major for a Baldur's Gate game. Like with all the gestural and emotive stuff we see on display in cinematic, but brought into suite where we have more control. Over the stage or the lighting in addition to the facial expressions.
Take Minsc as an example - main thing about his portrait is that he has Boo. But what if the player wanted to do something similar for the protagonis? I don't know say it's a Raven instead, with an old crow theme, or Beastmaster style Twin Ferrets, whatever, but we as the player can't pull that off in the portrait vibe. For the Classics a lot of times just hitting the marks on stuff like a favored weapon, or embellishments like hoods or whatnot, with the appropriate scowl or smile or goofy look. Like when my eyes scroll up to the banner image at the top of this page, and each of those faces has a different tilt and a whole thing going on for the quick read. I feel like if a photo mode could somehow get us closer to that, to a portrait mode for the Tav, I'd be pretty excited. This game has the best art I've seen in ages, so it's sorta the closest we've ever been to something like a portrait creator/monster maker with the mix and match that doesn't look wildly janky.
Is that the deal though? Cause if that's what Photo Mode is ultimately aiming at, then I think they should rep it like that - as a portrait maker.
To me that's just a cooler concept for a BG/D&D game than like a freeze frame selfie stick sorta thing. Like if it makes a portrait, that has purpose and fulfils a core gameplay thing about Dungeons and Dragons characterization. I'll be happy to stage and capture campaign type moments, but to go next level something like "Large Portrait" = from the waist up that includes the hands or enough space for embellishments to carry, displays on Character Sheet. "Small Portrait" = what we have now, but with options for the player to customize the presentation there. Mainly through camera angles, lighting, background color, and facial expression, but perhaps also with some options (like Minsc) to get a hand in there.
