chk772 on 27/2/2017 at 19:19
Why is "otherwordliness" contradictory to generic design? Just take a look at the architecture. If that isn't generic, speak repetitive, and ordinary, then i don't know what is. Oblivion also had a pretty generic design. Skyrim and Fallout 4 hardly have any generic design. Bethesda did a lot right in that regard with their newer games.
Sulphur on 27/2/2017 at 19:28
You can't have something that's both generic and otherworldly because that's a contradiction in terms. It's like saying a box made from bleeding fairy hearts pasted together with unicorn glue that contains the crystallised final gasps of the last trilobite is generic because it looks like a box.
chk772 on 27/2/2017 at 19:34
Morrowind and Oblivions world design is still generic. *shrugs* No matter if it's an otherworldy setting or not.
N'Al on 27/2/2017 at 19:42
I'm not so sure I agree on the AC games. Yes, they are pretty atmospheric representations of real world cities at a certain point in history - and as such amazing at suggesting 'next places to go to on my next holiday' (although I'll probably give Syria a miss for now :().
But the busy Animus overlays and the fact that you don't actually do much in these spaces apart from run through them doesn't make them feel that real to me, to be honest.
Sulphur on 27/2/2017 at 19:45
Quote Posted by chk772
Morrowind and Oblivions
world design is still generic. *shrugs* No matter if it's an otherworldy
setting or not.
If by world design you mean it didn't abstract out the cities and towns and dungeons into vast alien megaliths, I guess okay, but there's literally almost no game out there that doesn't do populated areas without those?
If you mean architecture, I'm not too sure how the massive middle eastern vibes, monolothic design, and all the rest counts as generic unless you happen to live in some sort of Arabic country studded with gigantic-ass mushrooms all over the place.
chk772 on 27/2/2017 at 19:50
In Olbivion, every dungeon looks the same. The Empirial City consist of a circle, with 5 equally shaped, and sized city parts. Every single fortress looks the same, the fountains where you can acquire the blessings of the gods look the same. Every church is built in the same way. The whole world was made in a random generator, and shaped afterwards. And Morrowind is more or less the same. Just look at the cities, and buildings, and compare those to Skyrim e.g. I don't know how you can see something non-generic in it.
Again, i am talking about the world design, not the setting. Maybe that's the misunderstanding.
N'Al on 27/2/2017 at 19:54
Quote Posted by Sulphur
Arabic country studded with gigantic-ass mushrooms all over the place.
I'm guessing Bahrain.
Sulphur on 27/2/2017 at 19:56
Yeah, Oblivion is pretty much the poster child for generic RPG design. As for Morrowind, I'm thinking of Balmora, and Vivec, with its massive buildings and bridges, and I don't get how the two games even compare in terms of genericosity beyond the fact that for most entries in the Elder Scrolls, their dungeons and combat have always been deadly boring.
N'Al: now you're making me look up travel brochures. :erg:
Thirith on 27/2/2017 at 19:58
Quote Posted by N'Al
But the busy Animus overlays and the fact that you don't actually do much in these spaces apart from run through them doesn't make them feel that real to me, to be honest.
In the most recent games you can reduce the HUD a lot, which helps. Also, it helps to walk through the cities; it's just that the game never gives you any reason to do so, so,you have to make yourself slow,down and smell the flowers, so to speak.
Renzatic on 27/2/2017 at 19:59
Quote Posted by Sulphur
You can't have something that's both generic and otherworldly because that's a contradiction in terms. It's like saying a box made from bleeding fairy hearts pasted together with unicorn glue that contains the crystallised final gasps of the last trilobite is generic because it looks like a box.
It's not the art and style he's talking about, but the way the world is constructed. Morrowind and Oblivion used their worldbuilder, which allows you to raise, lower, and sculpt hills and mountains on what's basically a heightmap. There's no overlap on their landscapes. Piranhabytes modeled all their landscapes by hand exclusively with 3D models, and was able to throw in a ton more variety in the way things are laid out. Like rocky outcroppings, little paths on sheer walls, and things being under and over a lot of other things. It makes for a more interesting and realistic world.
Skyrim is about the only game that's come close to replicating that, and that's only because Bethesda used a lot more modeled assets in their world construction.
