Graphics

NeoBlight · Post by **NeoBlight** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:50 am

Can anyone explain what this style of graphics is all about? The tiny characters and lack of contrast between characters and bakgrounds make my eyes hurt. I play the game mostly for the cut-scenes and the battles, some areas are really painful to play through because my eyes just can't get used to the stiff and tiny graphics. I know there are 3 different zoom views but that don't help much, sadly. I usually play with the second, middle, zoom but everytime a dialogue or event of some kind starts the game automatically goes back to the tiny, zoomed out view. It just takes so much feeling out of the game.

I really dislike these "The Sims" type of graphics in an RPG. Aside from that the game is excellent but still I just can't enjoy the towns or dungeons because of the camera and graphics.

What's it all about? Why did they make the game like that? It feels so unnecessary, it's the only bad thing about this game worth mentioning but it is a major bad thing.
The contrast between the beautiful cut-scenes and the normal game play view couldn't be bigger. Some environments are, even though the effects of waters and polished floors are stunning, just ugly and the tiny characters which blend into the backgrounds almost like chameleons doesn't make things any better.

Any ideas why they made the game like that?

Wraith · Post by **Wraith** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:21 am

I think they tried to make it look like the older RPG's such as FInal Fantasy 7. I thought it was a good idea. Didin't mind it at all.

WaterMoon · Post by **WaterMoon** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:33 am

Aside from inability to rotate camera (making it hard to find some of those chests) I don't mind it at all. I admit, was a hassle finding the item shop in dwarf village, cause she kinda blended in, but other than that, had no problems at all.

Sickpup · Post by **Sickpup** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:37 pm

I like it, because it makes you see everything around you. Instead of nothing but your main character and whats in 3 feet of him. There should have been a rotate camera option though.

Desides · Post by **Desides** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:11 pm

The zoomed-out camera was done as an homage to Suikoden I and II. The flat-shaded graphics were implemented to give the game a unique, semi-borderless-anime look. Think of it as the opposite of cel shading.

Personally, I think they should've allowed limited camera rotation, perhaps 90 degrees in either direction, and included Suikoden IV's first person camera, in addition to the three levels of zoom.

Post by **KFCrispy** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:27 pm

rotating camera would have called for a totally different way of constructing towns. the way they do it in this game is pretty much the old 2D way of Suikoden 1 and 2.. i think a lot of ppl whined went their beloved Suikoden went 3D, and then even more 3D by going pretty much 3rd-person shooter perspective of Suikodn 4....

Desides · Post by **Desides** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 3:16 pm

KFCrispy wrote:rotating camera would have called for a totally different way of constructing towns.

Not necessarily. Controlled rotation would've allowed Konami to lay the areas out in the exact same fashion, yet would've allowed the player to more easily navigate. Check out Breath of Fire III for a clumsily-implemented rotatable camera setup.

NeoBlight · Post by **NeoBlight** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:49 pm

The characters are still too small. I can't tell the difference between some of them when using the standard zoom. The lack of contrasts between backgrounds and characters makes things worse.

There some nice things in the graphics overall, the details for example, but it's all too small and too "bleached". I'm gonna have to start sitting closer to the tv.

I don't like the extreme "looking from above" view either. It doesn't feel like the rooms are alive, the dialogues between characters are more like lifeless dolls in doll houses communicating. What saves the story is the cut-scenes.

kenshindono · Post by **kenshindono** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:47 pm

my only real gripe is like most people said, the inability to rotate the camera.

I also am quite disapointed the game is not progressive for some reason. IV was, and so was tactics i really dont get why this game was not, i think that would take care of the 'fuzziness' most people complain about. I dont care about the zooming, like mentioned, its nostolgic of the first few games

If they had just made it progressive i would have been happy =)

fiffa46 · Post by **fiffa46** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:57 pm

Personally, I really liked the graphics. You don't need "state of the art uber high tech" graphics to make a good game. Honestly most games that do use such graphics are rather lacking in the more important areas such as story and overall gameplay. The graphics in Suikoden 5 were very nice though, and the story was done VERY well.

Sickpup · Post by **Sickpup** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:56 pm

I am very happy most of the story was done outside of cutscenes. I really like giving characters my own creative edge. I hate watching nothing but cutscenes ( a game like Xenosaga, fo example) , it makes me extremly bored and not want to play (or watch) the game.

Qbwpij · Post by **Qbwpij** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:49 pm

My one complaint was the fact that they have all these beautiful graphics--I think that most of the cutscenes use the in-game graphic models-- but you can't zoom in to see them!