Larian Studios
Posted By: Surface R Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 07:50 PM
I really love how well the environments of the game are designed.

The starting open area is a bit too bright for my tastes, all that daylight and sun. Even when a little bit of rain falls - its still sunny!
Fortunately there are many gorgeous internal areas and all of the Underdark. Where we can hide from the blasted sunshine and enjoy some dark.

Ive been making some screenshots and stitching them together. So ill post some here.
And if anyone else doesnt have anything better to do please add your favorite environments screenshots, big or small.

First one:

[Linked Image]

https://imgur.com/gU3WwfA

I didnt want to add any logos. Its just ordinary HD resolution, but still beautiful. It must look even better at 4k or something out of reach of my hardware. At least until some optimization is done.
Posted By: Nabbs Re: Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 09:05 PM
Its beautiful but the camera always looking down wastes so much of their work.
Posted By: etonbears Re: Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 09:22 PM
Yes. For a game with, as Swen says, "so much verticality", it's rather a bummer that you can't look up smile
Posted By: Warlocke Re: Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 09:27 PM
I love the Underdark. It’s beautifully rendered. Traveling across it with my characters’ weapons illuminated against the darkness was quite wonderful.
Posted By: trengilly Re: Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 10:02 PM
Originally Posted by etonbears
Yes. For a game with, as Swen says, "so much verticality", it's rather a bummer that you can't look up smile


Well at least we get an over the shoulder view . . . that's a big improvement from Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2. I'll take what I can get!
Posted By: deserk Re: Environment Screenshots - 27/10/20 10:39 PM
The Underdark is one of my favourite parts of the game so far. It looks great. And it's cool to see the Underdark represented digitally, which I haven't seen since BG/IWD/NWN days
Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 28/10/20 08:23 PM
At least you can look into distance. Compare that to the original and other "isometric" games to make yourselves feel better. I wanted that for... a lot of years.

Anyway, another.

[Linked Image]

Those slim framing elements from the character sheet would fit nicely...

https://imgur.com/fKgU8TV
Posted By: Imora DalSyn Re: Environment Screenshots - 28/10/20 09:08 PM
Looks nice.

I too, am disappointed with looking up, or above/under roofs, or other high spots like bridges, since it seems to be hit or miss on if you can see well, but I usually play combat in these games(and Dragon Age) top down.

It just makes seeing the battlefield easier.
Posted By: Tuv Re: Environment Screenshots - 28/10/20 09:41 PM
Love the visuals so far, hope we get better camera controls and a "toggle UI off/on"
As of now I just crop the image and compose accordingly

stitching sounds like an idea but I think I will wait for the convenience grin

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 28/10/20 09:50 PM
Those are very nice. I have to get one of that bridge too. And the Sussur tree. Just have to deal with some birdies and get Bullette to talk to me.
Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 29/10/20 09:13 PM
Was able to find some piece and quiet around the Sussur tree, finally. Took a few reloads. Bulette did not cooperate. Just cant get through. Im shouting "No, Bullete! No! Dont jump on Gale noooow! We are winn... godamn it." She just doesnt listen.
Int at 2 may have something to do with it.

[Linked Image]

https://imgur.com/C239KR4

Ok fine, logo gets the tentacles back, fine! Have it your way brain.


[Linked Image]

https://imgur.com/dOeQnF6

I just like this version of the logo more then the one with the skull. Its a little less spoilery too. And i can change colors of it! So many colors. You just move those sliders and awesome stuff comes out.
The frames are... work in progress. There is something there but i havent yet found it.

I have to split for a few days but if you guys want to add some more, try to pick one or two that stand out. If you want to make some screenshots ungrouping the party and positioning characters all over the scene allows you to find better and unexpected camera angles.
Posted By: Stahlhengst Re: Environment Screenshots - 29/10/20 09:25 PM
Look like photos of my last colonoscopy.
Posted By: Tuv Re: Environment Screenshots - 29/10/20 09:45 PM
Where did you get the logo from? The blue logo looks like for an expansion.
love the positioning of the characters, must have taken a while! Do you leave them in solo mode so they dont run around?


I've been collecting a few minions, will try to position them in a better place

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 29/10/20 10:32 PM
Hah, ive seen that pic in the other thread. You can start a cult of your own with those.

Yeah i put the characters in solo mode, ungrouped as i call it. It doesnt take that long. Makes for a much better camera positioning. But deciding which angle is best takes the most time.
Then i just crop the Ui out.

The different take on the Logo is mine. Just some basic photoshoping.
Posted By: Tuv Re: Environment Screenshots - 30/10/20 09:25 PM
Originally Posted by Surface R
Hah, ive seen that pic in the other thread. You can start a cult of your own with those.

Yeah i put the characters in solo mode, ungrouped as i call it. It doesnt take that long. Makes for a much better camera positioning. But deciding which angle is best takes the most time.
Then i just crop the Ui out.

The different take on the Logo is mine. Just some basic photoshoping.


Did you get the logo from somewhere? as a layer? or cut it out a picture?

hehe I'm at 37 now but the bulette is gone

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 02:50 PM
I made the logo. Not from scratch but i made it. I cut out the official one and manipulated it until i got what i like.

I really appreciate the quality of environments in the game. This is what teams of hundreds of people and many million dollars investments get you. Its not just how "nice" it is. Its the excellence in crafting these in several aspects. The architecture itself, the lighting and the colors and tones... its all so ... just delicious. Its true artistry.


https://imgur.com/Yn7LRZz

[Linked Image]

https://imgur.com/zjmDEmf

[Linked Image]


However! The density of gameplay stuff, the events, quests, characters and so on - ruins the sense of the believability of the crafted world. There needs to be a little bit more space in between points of interest. And these spaces should not be uniform.
In the Baldurs Gate it would make sense if something happens around every corner. Its a city. But it doesnt make any sense in the nature, or the Underdark. It feels false so it makes the whole environment feel false. Which is a terrible shame considering how well these are made.
Posted By: Tuco Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 03:00 PM
Originally Posted by Stahlhengst
Look like photos of my last colonoscopy.

Thanks for sharing.
Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 04:38 PM
Im getting the old school Heavy Metal, Frazzeta, Suydam feel from environment background shapes and tones here. And thats a huge compliment.


https://imgur.com/1w6eQKp

[Linked Image]
Posted By: 1varangian Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 05:14 PM
I might be critical of the gameplay but the environments are absolutely g o r g e o u s in this game.
Posted By: Tuv Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 07:19 PM
Originally Posted by Surface R
I made the logo. Not from scratch but i made it. I cut out the official one and manipulated it until i got what i like.

I really appreciate the quality of environments in the game. This is what teams of hundreds of people and many million dollars investments get you. Its not just how "nice" it is. Its the excellence in crafting these in several aspects. The architecture itself, the lighting and the colors and tones... its all so ... just delicious. Its true artistry.

However! The density of gameplay stuff, the events, quests, characters and so on - ruins the sense of the believability of the crafted world. There needs to be a little bit more space in between points of interest. And these spaces should not be uniform.
In the Baldurs Gate it would make sense if something happens around every corner. Its a city. But it doesnt make any sense in the nature, or the Underdark. It feels false so it makes the whole environment feel false. Which is a terrible shame considering how well these are made.


The shots in the goblin camp are great! when you zoom in and move the camera forward you get lots of cool little cinematic shots laugh

It is one of the few RPGs where I'd actually zoom all the way in to actually search the environment for clues or to appreciate the art. Hovering over the bottles to see which one is usable or watching characters sit down first when they drop themselves off an edge. The attention to detail is real. Also, I always thought being able to steal paintings would be great in baldurs gate and here we are.

Everything is carefully crafted although could be spread out more over several maps. Larian creates arena-style maps or parcours which makes it less believable, Baldurs Gate had a lot of empty or "nothing" which provided a lot of room to ponder and breathe.
It doesn't need much though, making the already big map even bigger would help so not all factions are so close to each other. Then again, there is an entrance to the underdark and all the other rather powerful places suggest it always having attracted all kinds of attention.

I don't mind the underdark being busy and potentially dangerous around every corner, that's how I remember it. Over ground however the composition falls apart a bit. The waypoints are too plenty and too close, I think it would be better if they were either transportable and/or more significant and rare.

I hope they can polish the tactical view as well, there would be some nice places to hide chests, instead of in the open.

Posted By: Surface R Re: Environment Screenshots - 06/11/20 10:51 PM
Yeah well, i went long away around through underdark, went into deep wells, and abandoned spooky castles, then found a way up the cliffs, and then up and up, and petrified drow and went really careful and quiet, and then a Spectator jumped out of invisibility and a huge fight ensued... and all was great, i resurrected a few companions, saw a ledge to climb even higher and wow, another fort, a wall with a window and light behind... sneak! Only t come around the corner into the starting fort.
That sucked a hundred donkey balls.

And there is more less then stellar encounters. Gee a friendly mindflayer who just happens to have a magic ring we need. Imagine that. Right around the corner inside an important spot around the corner.
You cant climb up some off the path cliffs and not run into a hideout of someone. Of course its not about not being dangerous but this sort of placement is too much.


Anyway, one more with feels of Heavy Metal.

See, space.

https://imgur.com/QgIwWl1

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Dez Re: Environment Screenshots - 07/11/20 09:51 AM
These are some amazing pictures, folks! :o 10/10 !
Posted By: Verte Re: Environment Screenshots - 07/11/20 09:59 AM
Eyegasm is adequate word.
© Larian Studios forums