Dark Souls 2 Lighting changes/Downgrade
- Thread starter Moral Panic
- Start date
Not unless they have two different teams working on the console and PC versions, LOL.
gundamkyoukai
Member
Holy shit at the difference with those pics and vids .
what the hell happen to this game .
what the hell happen to this game .
Watching that video above, its pretty obvious there was a massive change. Could we have been looking at the PC/Next-Gen version in previous showings and then the PS3/360 version being massively reduced?
They recently talked about it being made for next-gen, so it would make sense but unless it was running on way better specs than the PS3/360, the performance seemed fine in those early showings.
Really interested to see the PC version, since that might answer the questions.
They recently talked about it being made for next-gen, so it would make sense but unless it was running on way better specs than the PS3/360, the performance seemed fine in those early showings.
Really interested to see the PC version, since that might answer the questions.
Make a screenshot mate!
dynamitejim
Member
The footage from January was just the TGS demo. The TGS demo has assets closer to the final release (similar textures, nicer geometry), but has the original lighting in tact.
At this point I'm really hoping the PC/Next Gen version were developed separately from the PS360 versions. We know the dev team for DS2 was significantly bigger than for DS1, and I'm guessing developing two separate versions at the same time might be one reason why.
I seriously can't imagine From just throwing all those assets away.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
Since the lead platform is the PC, maybe they jus created all that lighting and assets for that version and started downgrading from there for the console versions...
...who I'm kidding? PC will look like this with increased resolution.
FrankWza
Member
i think i saw the console beta in january looked similar to the better looking version than the bad one. i dont know. never tried the beta.
gamerforever
Banned
I guess on the flipside at least the current gen versions will be different games, which can only be a good thing!
This happens with current gen games somewhat often! The publisher is usually honest about it, though, and we're notified before the game launches.
If I don't hear that the PC build looks like the original clips, I'm canceling my pre-order this week. This is shameful stuff.
(I shouldn't have pre-ordered in the first place)
That was just a rather half serious guess by me
Don't get your hopes up.Krusenstern
Banned
At this point it looks to be the right conclusion.
...
I'm about to cancel my pre-order.
Do you mean that dwarf like looking dude with the double sided axe?
I believe that's him.
Even with the hypothetical two different teams, the console build still used to have the lighting and such...
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
Would really like to find out when the decision was made to change the lighting. Still seems the game has fps issues so just think how bad it would have been with the regular lighting.
I'm not even talking about textures, i mean, everything is different (usually worse).
Colors, models, art direction, and it seems like these adjustments were all made to cope with the shitty consoles performance, rather than deliberate creative choices.
Of course the lighting and torches issue is the most glaring one, since it impacts gameplay directly.
It's not much about having two teams, and more about delivering two products.
I mean, which version would be the canon one? The models and areas are drastically different, the Dragopn Hall for example, it's completely changed.
The entrance of the castle in the video above has grass all over in the retail version and so on.
They are, visually, two different games and i don't think they'd want that, so i fear on PC we'll get the gutted version with a couple of tweaks (resolution, higher res textures and MAYBE better lighting) but there is no way they're going back to the old (and higher quality) models, for example.
Or changing back the time of day of an area just because now they can have the complex lighting.
That shit is lost forever, i'm afraid.
I started tweeting at ign, giant bomb, and kotaku to see what they had to say. The sad thing is they aren't even acknowledging the difference even exists.
A big part of the game was using a torch to see anything inside dark places, you do my even need a torch to do anything at all in this game.
A big part of the game was using a torch to see anything inside dark places, you do my even need a torch to do anything at all in this game.
I sympathize completely with the people who spent the cash on this game, Im surprised Darksouls 1 was great looking and didnt need nerfed, would anyone consider DkS2 comparable to DkS1 graphically/asthetically? How can 1 run but not the other..
I just hope that the full graphical version looks as good as some of the gifs on the PS4 (if not better) some looked great. I am waiting for PS4 version.
I just hope that the full graphical version looks as good as some of the gifs on the PS4 (if not better) some looked great. I am waiting for PS4 version.
Do you mean that dwarf like looking dude with the double sided axe?
That guy reminds me of the skeleton blacksmith at the bottom of the catacombs in Dark Souls 1. Wonder if there's any connection or if it's just a coincidence?
XANDER CAGE
Member
you should do a follow up video with all the other areas
Warm Machine
Member
Entire environments sure look completely remodeled and textured. Seems like development hell.
cascardian
Member
That's what grinds my gears, personally, that there were this many versions shown. I mean, we have had some pretty well-founded speculation here about what could have happened, but now I would just really like to hear what exactly went on straight from the horse's mouth. Is Durante right about an absurdly large amount of vertical slices? Why would they do that to that amount of excess, when the teams putting those together could have helped with the actual game? Or did they actually replace a large part of the game's assets really quickly when they suddenly realised the performance budget wasn't working out? But how could you not notice something like that sooner? It's not like the hardware is an unsolved mystery nowadays. You know what you're working with.
Anyway, I am feeling pretty confident now that at some point at least a basic intention to deceive must have somehow crept into the decision-making processes at FROM and/or Bamco. Otherwise, there are simply too many unsolved variables in this equation. I'll gladly be proven wrong, though.
gamerforever
Banned
Anyone reckon there will be a patch to sort these issues out?
Krusenstern
Banned
XANDER CAGE
Member
The issue isn't even really that there was a "downgrade." That's whatever. Differences and changes happen all the time, be it because of time or performance constraints, art changes, or other factors.
They usually don't make central mechanics redundant. That's the issue here. Torches and darkness were meant to be core to the game, and now they're not - but the proof that they were a central point of the gameplay remains front and center.
They usually don't make central mechanics redundant. That's the issue here. Torches and darkness were meant to be core to the game, and now they're not - but the proof that they were a central point of the gameplay remains front and center.
I think everyone is being a bit delirious and hoping so.
I thought it was Dark Souls paradise, it was development hell
Kamina
Golden Boy
Cant someone post this picture comparison @ twitter? (twitter noob here)
Get your eyes checked, Brad.
Unless its a setting that people can hunt out by checking the PC version, I don't see a patch appearing that changes the lighting system. Durante did some great tweaks and additions to Dark Souls 1 but making a whole new light rendering system could be nearly impossible.
They don't have to licence phyreengine from Sony.
I can't even think of a target render because the difference is just too wide.
I would say the press should be among those who'd warn consumers about the fact that the product doesn't look near as good as it did in almost all media, up to like a month from release (including a playable beta).
Seeing them being so dismissive, as usual, it's annoying.
If a downgrade had to happen for the game to be playable, then so be it, i'm sure nobody at FROM enjoyed having to gut all their fantastic art direction, however the consumers should be made well aware of it, instead of having to navigate fucking neogaf for some clarity.
So yeah, seeing journalists being dismissive is annoying, again.
i think the problem is dark souls 2 is still a great game
Stone Ocean
Member
I don't think it is necessary to think that the beta build was made by a whole different team.
What probably happened is that they grabbed an earlier build, since that beta was designed to test the network implementation.
So the beta build does not represent Dark Souls 2 at the time of the beta release, but the state of the game months before. They grabbed what was ready at the time, put in the networking code and released it, meanwhile the full game was still evolving.
What probably happened is that they grabbed an earlier build, since that beta was designed to test the network implementation.
So the beta build does not represent Dark Souls 2 at the time of the beta release, but the state of the game months before. They grabbed what was ready at the time, put in the networking code and released it, meanwhile the full game was still evolving.
That's for the consumer to decide, really.
All you need is clarity, and since you can't expect it from those selling the game, for obvious reasons, the press should be doing that job.
UnrealEck
Member
hahaha! Me too!! But that doesnt answer my questiooon! Oh wait, it kinda does! よかった！(⌒‐⌒
That made me shudder. But out of curiosity, I explored his profile.
Which I shuddered at some more.
swazzyswess
Member
So glad people like Brad and ENB are ignoring this GAF craziness. It's fine to be annoyed by texture/lighting quality or whatever, but some of these "From must PAY for what they've done to the GAMING COMMUNITY!!!!" comments are seriously pathetic.
Also, people need to look up what bait and switch actually means. I've yet to see it be used correctly in this thread.
Also, people need to look up what bait and switch actually means. I've yet to see it be used correctly in this thread.
That tweet is SO Brad. Brad is terrible when it comes to this shit, if someone complains about tech they are always crazy/entitled/whiny/freaks. Like I don't get mad at him or give a shit when he dismisses technical differences between ps4 and xbone games in resolution and fps, dismissing them as unimportant, like ok sure if you feel that way but now you have a huge stark downgrade in terms of lighting and level geometry that completely alters the art direction and people complaining are "crazy"? We've been shown an entirely different looking game from reveal up until late january, he can fuck off with that bullshit and condescending attitude.
You'd hope a good journalist could differentiate between the two.
I mean you can still give the game good score while also acknowledging that the game looks worse than the previously shown footage
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