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#813278 09/04/22 01:33 PM
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Wishfull thinking I know... but man, do I wish Baldur's gate 3 looked like this!
Maybe not as gothic but deeply atmospheric, dark and gritty...Imagine THAT with a party of 6...
That rain in the woods at the end! Causes water to accumulate on the ground smile It feels like I AM THERE, some killer immersive world building right there.
And this is PRE-ALPHA.

Larian's world feels like a Sunday morning cartoon soap opera in comparison lol.

Last edited by mr_planescapist; 09/04/22 01:45 PM.
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Yes, dark and gritty. Sure, that's what the entire Diablo franchise is about, but BG1 / 2 were pretty dark and gritty, as well, sometimes at least.

Larian clearly doesn't miss it though.

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I dunno ...
I like Diablo and i like that "dark and evil" atmosphere there ... it fits the theme, since all purpose of that game is to provide you experience of being almost a godlike creature, while you are massacring endless hordes of enemies without even sweating ...

But imagining it for BG ... im glad they didnt. :-/
Diablo is to my taste a little too "purposefully" dark ... i dunno if that is the right word tho ... its just everything is tuned to so dark, evil and depresive way ... so there is nothing else. :-/
And that kinda diminish its whole feel to me ... of course i dont care, if all i want from game is being given HUGE AXE and LOTS AND LOTS of enemies, that will die after first strike. laugh

But from immersive perspective? :-/ Nah ... hard pass from me.
Maybe im alone in this, but to trully feel the evil, i need to see the good in the game ... in Diablo, every town, every place, every character you meet is dark, edgy and "so tired by existence in this awfull place" ... and i cant blame them, since they are either surounded by demons, or undead, or some other shits ... people are fighting over scraps, surviving on bare necesities, just to live to another awfull day of pain and suffering. :-/

Diablo is pure nightmare to me, this is how i imagine hell (from NPC perspective) ... you are nothing but meat in the grinder and you have no power to stop it. :-/

The problem is, when everything is so shitty ... it quite fast become standard, and you quite fast no longer see it ... or at least i dont ... its much better to me when i can jump over sunny beach with tiny careless Tiefling kid ... just to be attacked by carnivous monsters in next second. :3
That way i can appreciate it much easier. ^_^


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I'm honestly super happy with the environments as they are in BG 3. And I also think the game looks amazing, and it keeps improving. =)

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Somewhat. It is definitely too bleak for BG, but it has cohesion and smoothness that BG3 lacks. But yeah, this showcase looks good. I would love Diablo2 style remaster for BG1&2.

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Diablo 4 may be a little beyond what BG3 should look like, but man it does look gorgeous!!

Also much more polished than what we currently have in BG3.

The lack of night in BG3 will hurt the game a lot.

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This seems like an apples to oranges sort of comparison. The world of Diablo is significantly darker and more horrific than Forgotten Realms DnD and that sort of art direction really wouldn't work here. While the original BG games had moments of darkness they were nowhere near as dark as Diablo. The art direction of the classic BG games was pretty standard fantasy fare with a hint of darkness at times, which isn't bad by any stretch (it is accurate to FR after all which is very much standard high fantasy) but it isn't Gothic Horror like the diablo games.

Personally, I find the art direction of BG3 to be pretty good so far since for the most part it seems like a pretty good adaptation of the Forgotten Realms setting. In fact, my only complaint would be that the grittiness feels a little overdone at times but that just might be due to the graphical detail of all the gore.

The immersive environmental effects in Diablo are cool but it's still not really a fair comparison since there's probably loads of technical reasons why similar effects aren't used in BG3. It's also not really a fair comparison when it comes to budget since the one for Diablo 4 is probably much higher than BG3 due to all of Blizzard/Activision's funding.

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Originally Posted by ArcaneHobbit
This seems like an apples to oranges sort of comparison. The world of Diablo is significantly darker and more horrific than Forgotten Realms DnD and that sort of art direction really wouldn't work here. While the original BG games had moments of darkness they were nowhere near as dark as Diablo. The art direction of the classic BG games was pretty standard fantasy fare with a hint of darkness at times, which isn't bad by any stretch (it is accurate to FR after all which is very much standard high fantasy) but it isn't Gothic Horror like the diablo games.

Personally, I find the art direction of BG3 to be pretty good so far since for the most part it seems like a pretty good adaptation of the Forgotten Realms setting. In fact, my only complaint would be that the grittiness feels a little overdone at times but that just might be due to the graphical detail of all the gore.

The immersive environmental effects in Diablo are cool but it's still not really a fair comparison since there's probably loads of technical reasons why similar effects aren't used in BG3. It's also not really a fair comparison when it comes to budget since the one for Diablo 4 is probably much higher than BG3 due to all of Blizzard/Activision's funding.

I think when I mean gritty...I mean dark and gritty; the atmosphere. The color palette. More of a realistic look somber look. Not the gore. The gore in BG3 is kind of comedic; everywhere and colorful.
That video to my eyes has a closer look to the original BG2 (that rain in the woods last scene reminded me of the Throne of Bhall first area with the talking heads in the woods; same kind of atmosphere; same use of colors and art direction).
I think that game (BG2) knew how to balance dark/gritty with colorful and happy.
BG3 still feels a bit too cartoony...EVERYWHERE for my taste. And apparently Larian made it darker in a past patch? (like just literally "darker" I guess, not the general atmosphere/color...) Apart from the UI I couldn't tell the difference from two years picture and now.

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Last edited by mr_planescapist; 09/04/22 11:30 PM.
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I've always agreed with OP on this one.
BG3 looks "cartoony" as hell, especially outside with this light and colors... (Visual effects does not help too...so are some mechanics... At least it is coherent)

I really hope for a reshade mod that will make this a bit more realistic.

Diablo 4 looks amazing.

Last edited by Maximuuus; 10/04/22 04:57 AM.

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I have to disagree on this one. I think BG3 looks amazing. It is one of its best qualities. That said, DAY/NIGHT would VASTLY improve BG3's feel and look.

I still picture coming to the Tollhouse at night and seeing all the gruesome body parts lying about - like some horror flick. I truly think the entire ambiance of BG3 is ruined because everything is so blazingly daytime. I like day adventuring too, but if we had the ability to go about by night, with crickets and owls hooting and so forth, and maybe even some subtle eerie music here and there, that would truly be a game changer.

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I wonder where some people live, since for them a realistic look = gloomy, dark color palette and preferably it should rain 100% of the time.

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Originally Posted by Rhobar121
I wonder where some people live, since for them a realistic look = gloomy, dark color palette and preferably it should rain 100% of the time.
Belfast smile.

I did always imagine most fantasy world closer to medieval Britain then let’s say Italy. Not that I mind experimentation - Dishonored2 setting looked great. I loved PoE2 fantasy take on archeipelago.

BG3 is just a bit all over the place. It has, what I can best describe, as “candy” quality to it - in music, sound design and visuals. Fake looking and textureless - more like a model then locations. BG3 doesn’t invoke anything for me, and I feel like I am exploring an artificial set rather then an in world location. It could be that further work is still required - game looks much better after recent change to lighting. One only needs to look at movie prop/pre-lighted animated films to see how much difference final touches can make.

I am playing Weird West now and I am far more “immersed” in the experience then I have ever been in BG3 - I really can’t tell why is that. It definitely doesn’t look better.

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Originally Posted by GM4Him
I have to disagree on this one. I think BG3 looks amazing. It is one of its best qualities. That said, DAY/NIGHT would VASTLY improve BG3's feel and look.

I still picture coming to the Tollhouse at night and seeing all the gruesome body parts lying about - like some horror flick. I truly think the entire ambiance of BG3 is ruined because everything is so blazingly daytime. I like day adventuring too, but if we had the ability to go about by night, with crickets and owls hooting and so forth, and maybe even some subtle eerie music here and there, that would truly be a game changer.

This, night skies and rainy days would change a lot.

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Originally Posted by mr_planescapist
Originally Posted by ArcaneHobbit
This seems like an apples to oranges sort of comparison. The world of Diablo is significantly darker and more horrific than Forgotten Realms DnD and that sort of art direction really wouldn't work here. While the original BG games had moments of darkness they were nowhere near as dark as Diablo. The art direction of the classic BG games was pretty standard fantasy fare with a hint of darkness at times, which isn't bad by any stretch (it is accurate to FR after all which is very much standard high fantasy) but it isn't Gothic Horror like the diablo games.

Personally, I find the art direction of BG3 to be pretty good so far since for the most part it seems like a pretty good adaptation of the Forgotten Realms setting. In fact, my only complaint would be that the grittiness feels a little overdone at times but that just might be due to the graphical detail of all the gore.

The immersive environmental effects in Diablo are cool but it's still not really a fair comparison since there's probably loads of technical reasons why similar effects aren't used in BG3. It's also not really a fair comparison when it comes to budget since the one for Diablo 4 is probably much higher than BG3 due to all of Blizzard/Activision's funding.

I think when I mean gritty...I mean dark and gritty; the atmosphere. The color palette. More of a realistic look somber look. Not the gore. The gore in BG3 is kind of comedic; everywhere and colorful.
That video to my eyes has a closer look to the original BG2 (that rain in the woods last scene reminded me of the Throne of Bhall first area with the talking heads in the woods; same kind of atmosphere; same use of colors and art direction).
I think that game (BG2) knew how to balance dark/gritty with colorful and happy.
BG3 still feels a bit too cartoony...EVERYWHERE for my taste. And apparently Larian made it darker in a past patch? (like just literally "darker" I guess, not the general atmosphere/color...) Apart from the UI I couldn't tell the difference from two years picture and now.

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This is what I've been saying as well. I agree with some others that I wouldn't want BG3 to be as dark and gritty as Diablo 4, because if you think about the original BG games you find they had quite a wide range of settings and tones to the environment. However, the real point, for me, is that BG3 looks sooooo cartoonish. This was a huge gripe for me with the D:OS games as well, and that has been carried over here. I mean, just look at those images from BG3, especially with those large splotches of red for blood. That is just ridiculous, and exactly how something would be displayed in a cartoon tv show. I've even seen BG3 gameplay videos where a character gets hit by an arrow, and immediately that huge puddle of red forms around the character's feet. WTF!!!

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I agree that blood splatter is ridiculous in the game, but honestly it's less ridiculous than NWN with it's absolutely ridiculous blood and gore when you get a Crit. Seeing a kobold explode into a bloody mess with bones and guts flying is absurd.

Still, I'd rather they implement a genuine interpretation of HP loss. Minor HP loss = little to no blood. Quarter HP loss = some, but not much blood. Half HP loss or more = considerable. BUT, when reduced to 0 HP, regardless of how hard the hit, THAT'S when lots of blood flows.

All that said, I really don't understand why people think it's cartoony. I think the graphics are amazing. Certainly way better than Solasta or Pathfinder or Neverwinter Online or any other cRPG rivals it has.

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I don't think this is a particularly good comparison since you're trying to compare two very different scenes with very different lighting and times of day. The Forest of Tethir in ToB is meant to be a mysterious forest which is why it's lit that way which is a lot different to the BG3 screenshots which is instead set in a "mundane" area at midday. A better comparison would be to a lot of other daytime areas in BG1 such as Lion's Way or Cloakwood Forest which aren't really that much different in terms of artstyle (with the major exception of the much more advanced 3d graphics and lighting of bg3). You can even compare it to a lot of similar daytime locations in BG2 such as the Windspear Hills or the Temple District and see that there's not nearly as big of a difference as you're making it out to be.

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The original BG games were never particularly dark and somber visually (although there were a couple areas that were). BG1 in particular is often very colourful and bright.


BG2 was a bit more grey due to its heavy use of pre-rendered cg backgrounds, which resulted in a slightly washed out look which was common in most games that used pre-rendered backgrounds such as basically every other IE game, Arcanum, ToEE, Resident Evil 1, and a ton of JRPGs of the era. That being said it still had quite a lot of colour.

You're also ignoring a lot of BG3 locations that are not nearly as bright and have different colour palettes. These areas include the swamp, the goblin camp, and most interiors in general.
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The blood puddles are a little over-the-top, but they mainly exist as a gameplay mechanic since blood puddles are surfaces. It's not that big of a deal though since most CRPGs do have pretty exaggerated gore. BG1/2 had enemies exploding into chunks on crits, meanwhile the Pathfinder CRPGs have enemies exploding into ribcages.

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I really like the art and I love the atmosphere it creates. Some areas are definitely better than others but again, its EA so that's to be expected. Some people are really hard on the game and its developers which its a bit unfair. The grit of Diablo would be out of place here I think. Faerun has many contrasting areas and some are dark and others light and peaceful. I'm glad that for the most part, they have (for many if not all) managed to convey that in the various settings we have been to so far. The under dark I find just beautiful. Really hoping we might get to Menzoberranzan at some point.

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Originally Posted by ArcaneHobbit
It's not that big of a deal though since most CRPGs do have pretty exaggerated gore. BG1/2 had enemies exploding into chunks on crits.
Yeah, those were awful. Not in terms of "too much gore" but just how badly they looked.

Visually BG3 looks fine, great at times.. I am just not feeling the "Mario" animations.

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Originally Posted by Maximuuus
I've always agreed with OP on this one.
BG3 looks "cartoony" as hell, especially outside with this light and colors... (Visual effects does not help too...so are some mechanics... At least it is coherent)

I really hope for a reshade mod that will make this a bit more realistic.

Diablo 4 looks amazing.

That's a good way of putting it. I wouldn't say they reached nikolodeon levels yet, but I guess it's more of a general trend. You only need to look at the recent WoTC MTG artworks which went from nice oil/water paint artwork to some kind of horrible flat airbrush mass produced blandness. O tempora o more !

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BG3’s visuals and art direction look great to me and do not look cartoony. 😊

Originally Posted by Wormerine
I did always imagine most fantasy world closer to medieval Britain then let’s say Italy.
The TechRadar article said they looked at Portugal for inspiration.

Last edited by Icelyn; 14/04/22 12:02 PM.
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