Just recently I bought the game for my girlfriend. After watching her play it for awhile, I found I HAD to play this game, if only for studying the amazing lighting effects. This is probably the most beautiful game out on the PS2 (if you don’t count the main character model.)
In the article it explains how they cheated at a few things, such as HDRI lighting, something normally thought impossible on the PS2. It gets pretty detailed, and it’s already given me a few ideas as to implementing similar methods in Blender.
Anyways, thought it’d be a good article to share. Enjoy.
If I could choose just one of those effects to be added to the Blender game engine, it would be the fake volume particles. That smoke looks incredible!
Damn that’s good! I got an article in 3D World, but that was nothing compared to this! I love how they have all these different hacks to get next-gen stuff on the current gen consoles–they’re not dead yet!
I used to have Ico, and it was a good, but kinda confusing game. Like why didn’t they translate Yorda’s speech? At the very least instead of giving symbols as captions\subtitles, give what she’s saying. I couldn’t help, but think I was missing part of the story from that. Also wish he could’ve gotten something better than just what seemed like a 2X4 for a weapon to defend Yorda against the shadow creatures.
As for Shadow of the Colossus. I thought the colors on my TV went wonky, so I tried adjusting them. It only made the “washed out” palette even worse.
Then again, Ultimate Spider-man’s also guilty of that, but on the opposite end of the spectrum. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried adjusting the settings on my TV, so I could some buildings, rooftops, and cars would be visible. It’s very weird to jump from a building onto what looks like a bottomless pit only to discover that it’s a rooftop. Or see him standing on a bit of moving darkness on the bash the vehicle quests. :o
Many demos are different from the full versions. Like the inclusion of new features, better graphics, more characters, etc. Some even have a disclaimer at the beginning of the demo warning that it’s a work in progress. So, that’s what I thought would happen with Shadow of the Colossus. That in the full game there would be more to do, and more creatures to fight to help your character become stronger. At least help build up the strength in his hands, so he could hold on longer. More than vast wastelands that seperate you from the ONLY character in that stage. The hiding Boss character. Oh wait… I forgot the horse, and “sleeping beauty”.
I’m pretty sure that if I, or ANY OTHER person posted a game something like that. People would be asking when the game’s going to be completed, or call it a beta version/tech demo. Seriously, if I’m going to pay full, or near full price for a game. I want it to be a full/complete game. Otherwise cut the price down to match.
kenshinw95, I haven’t played ICO. I might pick it up though.
I too thought SoTC was a bit bare. At first.
I realized though, a game doesn’t need 30+ weopons, and 40 varieties of monster to be fun. The fact that the game has no other people, or enemies, just makes it so surreal. The minimalism tells a story in itself. Stripped bare, the game was able to offer something unique.
You should. ICO seems more like a completed game than SoTC. Maybe that’s due to all the shadow creatures, and Yorda being your constant companion. They didn’t really give you chance to become bored like SoTC. I may look it up again myself. I traded it in after I accidentally read about the ending. After having played through Prince of Persia:Sands of Time, and its’ ending. I wasn’t going to go through the same trouble. I’m currently playing through the 2nd PoP. Yes, I do know it ends. You couldn’t avoid it since it leads right into the 3rd one. I don’t hate the 2nd like “everyone else” does. I even like the soundtrack. It alerts you to the presence of enemies, and gets you in the right frame of mind for the savage battles that occur. The Prince definately knows how to use his swords.
I’m not saying put in 30+ weapons. Heck, I would’ve been content with the sword and bow if he actually could use them on more than just the Boss creature. Also, I was kinda hoping to combine falling with the sword plunged into the creature. I’m also not saying put in 40 varieties of monsters. As I said about ICO, the 3 varieties of shadow creatures were enough to keep my interest in the game. The winged, the large, and the small guys.
Yeah, but the real problem I had was the price. I mean God of War is $19.99 brand new, and SoTC is about $39.99 brand new. GoW has about 2-3X more content than SoTC. So, it should be the other way around.
What did they have? I never found any swords. That would’ve been cool.
Ah… How big are the lizards? Are they big lizard men that you can have sword duels with?
I’m currently thinking of buying a PS2 just to play this game - read a few tests and saw some trailers… it looks so good - and I’m bored of shooting down soldiers.
Edit: Couldn’t resist and can’t wait to play it tonight…
and can’t wait to play it tonight…