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"Cell Shading. Why oh Why?"

I have to express my feeling on cell shading, I think I can sum it up in a word as "terrible." Graphics today are amazing, they are near-real and yet cell shading is used in games previously credited for its supreme graphics. I think the gameplay will remain but the graphics will be unsuited. Cell shading does look good in cartoony style games, like Simpsons road rage, Point and Click's like "return to monkey island" etc but it is not the way forward for all games. Does anyone agree?

amen,

Thankyou very much Kyz, you've actually just reminded me of a question I was going to ask. So off I go to post. ;)

Cel-shade can look very polished and cutting edge provided it's done well, otherwise it can look complete and utter puke (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and that CS first person shooter I forget the name of), all depends on the talent of the designers. Certainly no need to ask why it's used in my opinion.

Take Sly Racoon, the new Zelda (although not Link, as he looks complete crap compared to the rest of the game and creatures), the Jet Set/Grind Radio series... they all look very nice because time was put into them.

The other benefits of using the render method are things such as field of view. If you take any normal 3D game, and standing still, try to look as far as possible you'll notice that items, characters and scenery aren't clearly noticeable the closer they get to the horizon - they all blend together at a distance. In a cel-shade game everything is clearly defined by it's cartoon style renering, so you can usually see *everything* upto and including the horizon line, and generally the graphics look a lot more crisp and clear. It's all just a case of how well you can pull it off, and whether it's pertinent to the genra of game you're making, or you're extremely talented and can make it work with any. Because at present, too many developers are nowhere near that talented, but try to use it in everything anyway - and the result is something that looks nasty.

"the graphics aren't 'cel-shaded', as the term goes, because cell-shaded graphics are basically two-dimensional, framed by a black outline, like a cartoon. Here, the visuals are solid and three-dimensional, but very stylised."

Now go and look at screen shots of Jet Set Radio and Zelda.

Whitestripes wrote:
> Don't argue with me.
>
> I know all Ninty.

Cant we just be freinds?

Don't argue with me.

I know all Ninty.

Whitestripes wrote:
> Zelda don't have cell shaded graphics
>
> Cell shading is in 2D, Zelda is 3D.
>
> It's similar, but not the same.

incorrect. sorry to brake it to you, but its true

Zelda don't have cell shaded graphics

Cell shading is in 2D, Zelda is 3D.

It's similar, but not the same.

ive seen the graphics for the new zelda game, and they really are very good. I agree, if not done properly, cell shading can ruin a games graphics, but usually alot of care is taken with it and the game ends up looking like a really polished piece of so called "eye candy"

Most games that use cell-shading don't look too good, but the cell shading on Jet Set Radio Future is amazing - when done properly, cell shading can be effective