I can't wait to see Tyria for myself...

[Arrowstormen]

Which is exactly why I said to leave it alone.

Ooooooooooooooooooo!

[luedieniel]

from a technical standpoint it's not really a 2012 game.

Everything you wrote goes back to matter of opinion and it is apparent you dislike the artistic style that they've gone with. This however is not a technical standpoint but rather an artistic view upon how you believe a game should look.

[lvlark]

Woot epica! *metal horns*

Whoever made that video deserves much props. Music and video fits very nicely together.

Gonna go like it.

You are very right, as is the OP, I can't wait either
It just looks so.. alive. Not saying 'graphics like real life', but the details implemented are awesome.

[Deleted]

I must say, the world looks incredibly beautiful. I cant wait to begin exploring.

In my opinion, the graphics look fantastic. I worry that my poor old laptop wont be able to handle it. One point I really do like is the faces. After playing a female troll in WoW for so long... they dont blink. They never blink. And gods damn, is it creepy. The faces in Guild Wars 2 look beautiful.

[Daarksoul]

Everything you wrote goes back to matter of opinion and it is apparent you dislike the artistic style that they've gone with. This however is not a technical standpoint but rather an artistic view upon how you believe a game should look.

It doesn't have the technical sophistication of the latest unreal engine, crysis engine, hero engine etc.
Someone PM'd me that they're using the 5 year old GW1 engine and since it hasn't been used for any other games since then, and it's internally developed, that explains why it lacks a numbner of modern day technical aspects.
It also explains why people that played GW1 seem to like it so much compared to the average gamer I guess... it has nostalgia if not technical aspects.

Anyway, I'm just pointing out all things any game dev would say if they showed that video at GDC 2012.
Since I go to these things every year, and it just happened last week...

[grandpab]

It just looks so.. alive.

I know what you mean, but I don't know how to say it...It's like there's so much detail to the many things that are part of the world, that if this world was real this is exactly what it would look like...if that makes any sense lol. It's like something that belongs in a movie.

[mafao]

Many low rez character models, they look like lego games sometimes.
Bad animation cycles, especially the walk and run cycles look 10 years old.
Poor lighting, makes the characters look like 2D composites on the wrong environment.
Too much fog blurring out things in the distance.
Cartoony fire and water - obvious 2D sprites with bad animation and no particle effects.
Background looks like matte painting composites as opposed to rendered models.

Not trying to be mean, but I hope this isn't what they pan on releasing... from a technical standpoint it's not really a 2012 game.

AFAIK, most of the clips in the video are from older alpha quality videos. If you actually look at the beta press videos, the graphics quality is really good.

[Ogretron]

It doesn't have the technical sophistication of the latest unreal engine, crysis engine, hero engine etc.
Someone PM'd me that they're using the 5 year old GW1 engine and since it hasn't been used for any other games since then, and it's internally developed, that explains why it lacks a numbner of modern day technical aspects.
It also explains why people that played GW1 seem to like it so much compared to the average gamer I guess... it has nostalgia if not technical aspects.

Anyway, I'm just pointing out all things any game dev would say if they showed that video at GDC 2012.
Since I go to these things every year, and it just happened last week...

I don't see how you can use the term "technical sophistication" and "hero engine" in the same sentence while saying the GW2 engine is bad. If you've played TOR you would know how much further behind that engine is than whatever GW uses. Not dissing TOR, it's just using an engine not properly designed for what BW wants to do with it.

That being said, this is one of the best looking games I've seen in a while. Your opinion about not liking the style is fine, but no one can take you seriously when you talk about things you clearly don't know anything about. I would love to pick apart your posts piece by piece but by reading your post history you're aren't going to listen or care as your mind is already made up.

[Deleted]

Just starve 'Daarksoul' and I'm sure it will go away.
Perhaps gw2guru will take it?

I love how the growling starts when the Charr starts appearing.
Some serious props needs to go out to the man/woman who made this.
Absolutely stunning.

[Vishiz]

I don't see how you can use the term "technical sophistication" and "hero engine" in the same sentence while saying the GW2 engine is bad. If you've played TOR you would know how much further behind that engine is than whatever GW uses. Not dissing TOR, it's just using an engine not properly designed for what BW wants to do with it.

That being said, this is one of the best looking games I've seen in a while. Your opinion about not liking the style is fine, but no one can take you seriously when you talk about things you clearly don't know anything about. I would love to pick apart your posts piece by piece but by reading your post history you're aren't going to listen or care as your mind is already made up.

As much as I like to argue for the sake of arguing. You aren't providing anything constructive either. Basically just saying "you're dumb, you don't know what you're talking about." Compare the models in this game to the models in Tera, on a greater scale than oO that's pretty. Compare movements, compare poly-count, compare overall look.

The GW2 character models are pretty lackluster in comparison and I don't get why only a few people can see it. These look like Low-Rez final fantasy models to me.

That being said, I do like the environment, just not the character models.

[Allanon the Mystic]

I think it's mostly just the starter zones, or maybe they're the capitols, but it all just looks so epic and detailed, especially the Sylvari areas. There's so much going on, but I love that.

Hoping that you can jump off cliffs and charge in this game. I'd creep along a valley wall, waiting for someone to happen along then jump off the cliff in a spiral dive before I do an Illusionary Leap with my Mesmor. While listening to this video as the screen goes in slow motion. Yes it's going to be a high cliff.

Do that in aion all the time in regions like that with my assassin (they have the entire spiral dive animation ;D)

[Chinese Bootlickers]

I'm a little disappointed that the Ring of Fire and Crystal Desert won't be explorable at launch.I'm an absolute nut for deserts. :<

[Wynnyelle]

As much as I like to argue for the sake of arguing. You aren't providing anything constructive either. Basically just saying "you're dumb, you don't know what you're talking about." Compare the models in this game to the models in Tera, on a greater scale than oO that's pretty. Compare movements, compare poly-count, compare overall look.

The GW2 character models are pretty lackluster in comparison and I don't get why only a few people can see it. These look like Low-Rez final fantasy models to me.

That being said, I do like the environment, just not the character models.

I really think that this is subjective, and that's why you don't see so many people talking about it. I don't really care if it's not on the same graphical level as Tera. That's not what I look for in a game. The aesthetics are what do it for me, and I really like the aesthetic value of Guild Wars 2. The graphics certainly aren't what I'd call bad though. If you look at the game on high graphics settings it really looks quite nice. There are a ton of outdated videos and videos on lower settings, so I can see how some people would think that the graphics are worse than they are. Certain textures and character models have been changed over the years as well, so what you see in some videos might not be what the current graphics are like. Like I said before though, it really boils down to subjectivity. I love the way Tera looks, but Guild Wars 2's style just appeals to me more.

[Rife]

Seeing so many beta testers talk about how fun and rewarding exploring is, and how you can so easily daisy-chain quests and events, and go explore that valley or wonder what's around that corner, makes my nether regions tingle with anticipation. Tyria seems so full of hidden awesomeness. WANT BETA NOW!

[Deleted]

As much as I like to argue for the sake of arguing. You aren't providing anything constructive either. Basically just saying "you're dumb, you don't know what you're talking about." Compare the models in this game to the models in Tera, on a greater scale than oO that's pretty. Compare movements, compare poly-count, compare overall look.

The GW2 character models are pretty lackluster in comparison and I don't get why only a few people can see it. These look like Low-Rez final fantasy models to me.

That being said, I do like the environment, just not the character models.

You're right about the character models, but keep in mind that you're watching an alpha video about the Sylvari. They weren't in the press beta for a reason: they aren't finsihed yet. If you look at the asura in the Facebook-thank-you-video, you'll see that their model is bad compared to others in the video. For example their eyes obviously aren't ready.

I'd suggest to take a look at the charr or norns in some beta footage (yogscast for example). They're very nice, although even those models still need polishing.

[Vishiz]

You're right about the character models, but keep in mind that you're watching an alpha video about the Sylvari. They weren't in the press beta for a reason: they aren't finsihed yet. If you look at the asura in the Facebook-thank-you-video, you'll see that their model is bad compared to others in the video. For example their eyes obviously aren't ready.

I'd suggest to take a look at the charr or norns in some beta footage (yogscast for example). They're very nice, although even those models still need polishing.

Yeah if you read my earlier post you'll see that I understand its still in beta and usually the models with get hi-res textures added before launch. I've done my research on the game, something about it is just very off-putting to me and I can't quite put my finger on it.

[BlairPhoenix]

Yeah if you read my earlier post you'll see that I understand its still in beta and usually the models with get hi-res textures added before launch. I've done my research on the game, something about it is just very off-putting to me and I can't quite put my finger on it.

Could just be your personal taste. I know a lot of people who think they look great, and I know a few who are just as off put by them as you.

[mafao]

It doesn't have the technical sophistication of the latest unreal engine, crysis engine, hero engine etc.
Someone PM'd me that they're using the 5 year old GW1 engine and since it hasn't been used for any other games since then, and it's internally developed, that explains why it lacks a numbner of modern day technical aspects.

Its an online game. Its supposed to run on a wide range of computers without a beefy GPU. Of course it will be "behind". You obviously have at least some knowledge of graphics programming, so its a bit surprising that you expect a MMORPG to use latest tech. I mean, World of Warcraft only started using more or less dynamic vertex lighting with Cataclysm(!!).

Anyway, the GW2 art is absolutely stunning. There was much passion put into designing those landscapes, and it shows. I especially love the hand painted maps

[luedieniel]

-snip-

It doesn't have the technical sophistication of the latest unreal engine, crysis engine, hero engine etc.

And how do you even know this? You said it yourself, the engine used for GW2 is developed internally and as such I somehow strongly suspect that you're just pulling this out of your arse for the sake of trying to prove a point.
Unlike you, I've got no interest in speculating what engine is better as the ones you've brought up are actually used for different genres. As we also lack the actual technical specification for the GW2 engine, your argument truly turns out to be, moot.

I will say this tho: Comparing a engine used for a MMO to one used for a game such as Crysis is is completely and utterly foolish, you keep doing that tho.

Someone PM'd me that they're using the 5 year old GW1 engine and since it hasn't been used for any other games since then

Well this sure is a modified truth.
I'll break it down into bits and pieces tho:
1. They are using the GW1 engine, the core of it. It is upgraded and greatly adapted to better suit GW2.
2. I highlighted the part where your asumption just got shattered:

the game engine for Guild Wars was developed by ArenaNet. Engine components developed for Guild Wars are available to be licensed to other NCsoft companies and have been used in other NCsoft games. However, ArenaNet have said they will not license the game engine technology to non-NCsoft companies.

Next up I'd say that a specialised engine such as this is nothing but a benefit for the game, the engine is specifically designed to cater to the needs of their games rather than a shell ment to be used by numerous developers who have very different goals with their games.

You really shouldn't just listen to what people say in PM's, it takes less than 3 min to find out what games used the engine or pieces off it.


May your nostrills be filled with sourcream and your dreams be haunted by cloudberries.

[semantic]

I'm a little disappointed that the Ring of Fire and Crystal Desert won't be explorable at launch.I'm an absolute nut for deserts. :<

You sure about Ring of Fire? Seem to remember seeing that on a recent world map.