Cel Shading (1 Viewer)

[JamesH]

I find it odd that nobody has really been able to improve upon the originator of cel shading: Jet Grind Radio. I hooked it up to my HDTV via the VGA box yesterday and I was suprised to see that even three years later, it still looks a lot better than recent releases such as Zelda: WW and upcoming games like XIII. For example, while Zelda has characters with higher poly counts, the environments are bland and washed out, and the textures show a huge lack of effort. Some could make a case for JSRF, but I think the artistic design in the first outweighs the framerate and draw distance in the sequel.

Any thoughts as to why nobody has been able to beat out the innovator after all this time?

 

[Camp]

it still looks a lot better than recent releases such as Zelda: WW and upcoming games like XIII.

Huh? I respect your opinion but...are you crazy?!?!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Actually, the technique that creates the cel-shaded look was first used in Jet Grind Radio for Dreamcast, but was spawned from the artistic style of Fear Effect for PlayStation (which, to this day, looks freaking cool, even if it's age is showing).

Dragon's Lair was not cel-shaded.

 

[Rob_Pierce]

I think Dark Cloud 2 is a great example of what cel shading can be. The colors and textures are fantastic, but "real" at the same time. The Jet Set games are great, but the cel shading is a little loud for my taste; DK2's seem somehow more subtle and, to me, just right.

 

[Dave F]

but I think the artistic design in the first outweighs the framerate and draw distance in the sequel.

I think you answered your own question. Jet Set/Grind Radio just had fantastic art direction that continues to put it ahead of the pack.

It will very interesting to see XIII's implementation of comic book style panels.

-Dave

 

[BertFalasco]

Damn, I am sitting here trying to remember the title of a game that was cel-shaded/handdrawn (by Disney animators, well ex-animators) that dropped for the PS2. A sequel has been announced, man, it's on the tip of my brain.

It was stealthy and fun.

EDIT: Mark of Kri

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Dean-

Cel-shading is not the artistic style/technique, it's the technical implementation. For example, in Rogue Leader, the computer visor puts an overlay over the different objects and ships in the field. This is another use of cel-shading.

I said Fear Effect's artistic style spawned cel-shading, but not that it WAS cel-shaded.

And Dragon's Lair isn't the only game that was made to make it look like it was all hand-drawn; MANY games are done to look like they're hand-drawn, but that doesn't make them cel-shaded.

 

[JayV]

Wasn't Wacky Races the first implementation of technical cel-shading, not Jet Grind?

-j

 

[Allen_Appel]

Wacky Races is a fun game, and so is Loony Tunes Space Race, both perfect cel-shaded cartoon-based games for the Dreamcast (and what's with Sony calling Auto Modellista "cell shaded"?).

A sequel [to Mark of Kri] has been announced

Are you sure? It didn't sell very well, though you could probably classify it as a "cult" title. You can get it new at Best Buy for $9.99 now. And it wasn't cel-shaded at all, I don't think, though the loading screens looked hand-animated.

 

[BrianB]

Wasn't Wacky Races the first implementation of technical cel-shading, not Jet Grind?

Didn't they both come out around the same time?

 

[JayV]

Didn't they both come out around the same time?

GameFAQs says you're correct.

-j

 

[Ryan*Pr*]

I think Dark Cloud 2 is a great example of what cel shading can be. The colors and textures are fantastic, but "real" at the same time. The Jet Set games are great, but the cel shading is a little loud for my taste; DK2's seem somehow more subtle and, to me, just right.

I agree that DC2 did a good job with the graphics. I have not played some of the other titles talked about here, but the graphics on DC2 flow very nicely and it has made me like cel-shading.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Merely that Dragon's lair was one of the first and that cel shading (technique) is inspired by those & similar animations

Maybe Dragon's Lair inspired cel shading, but the original DL was not cel-shaded.

 

[Joel Hurley]

Well, I don't have much to say except, "Damn you all for making me want to dust off Jet Grind Radio and finish it! As if I wasn't over my head in other games I'm trying to squeeze in, now I NEED to play JGR !!!"