visuals
Latest
'Fortnite' will add ray tracing and DLSS on September 17th
'Fortnite' will get NVIDIA's ray tracing and DLSS tech on September 17th.
Brain-controlled VR lightshows could lull you to sleep
By most accounts, technology wreaks havoc on our sleep. Even tools meant to help us sleep better can make insomnia worse. But sleep and tech don't have to be mutually exclusive. Artists and researchers from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University have created a virtual reality tool to induce sleep. The device, Inter-Dream, combines ambient music controlled by artists with kaleidoscopic visuals controlled by the user's brainwaves, via EEG.
Yelp's redesigned homepage puts photos front and center
Yelpers everywhere will soon be greeted with a new homepage. Earlier today, Yelp announced it's rolling out a redesign that focuses on showcasing imagery from users, as well as content from different local services (think: not only restaurants). Yelp says this overhaul is also about making it easier for account holders to find what they're looking for, including businesses, popular categories and recent activity from others. The search bar is now placed front and center too, next to visuals from the community, something that Yelp hopes can make the experience more interactive for people on the site. The freshly minted homepage doesn't appear to be live for everyone yet, but you should see it show up in the coming days.
CCP dev blog talks PBR and 'making EVE look real'
Have you ever wondered about the math behind the visuals in your favorite games? If so, look no further than the latest EVE Online dev blog, which regales us with tales of the Phong Reflection Model and how it's giving way to something called Physically Based Rendering or PBR. The post features a bunch of equations, literally, and plenty of associated smart-person talk. Fortunately for me it also features quite a few pretty pics of internet spaceships! You can read it for yourself via the links below.
EVE Online's Rhea update launches with photo-realistic spaceships
The many sleek and styling spaceships of EVE Online are about to get a visual upgrade with today's Rhea update, thanks to something called physically-based rendering. By applying this tech, spaceships will have "a natural, photo-realistic look." Of course, when it comes to visuals, they must be seen or they didn't happen. So see! After the break, that is. CCP says that this new tech will be initially limited to spaceships but eventually will be used on stations and other space objects. You can also check out the patch notes for Rhea as well.
Final Fantasy 13 gets 1080p support on Steam next week
Square Enix will introduce a patch for Final Fantasy 13 on Steam next week that will give players additional graphics options. Slated to land on Thursday, December 11, the update will allow players to switch to custom resolutions, such as 720p and 1080p. The patch hits the same day that the game's sequel, Final Fantasy 13-2, will arrive on Steam as well. Final Fantasy 13 first launched in late 2009 in Japan, making its worldwide debut in March 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was followed by the aforementioned 13-2 in February 2012 and the final game of the trilogy earlier this year, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13. Those planning on picking up the Steam version of Final Fantasy 13-2 may want to pre-purchase the game, as it is 10 percent off at the moment ($17.99). [Image: Square Enix]
Here are the tier 17 armor sets non-PUG WoW raiders can loot in Highmaul
With the first raid of World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor right around the corner, Blizzard has released a preview of the Tier 17 armor sets in all their glory. There are three variants of each set: the Mythic version (which has a unique skin compared to the others), the Heroic version, and the Normal version. Raid Finder raids no longer drop tier sets, thus reducing the overall number of available sets by one from the end of Mists of Pandaria. Player opinion seems to be somewhat split on whether or not the sets are good matches for the aesthetic of the expansion and the individual classes, as well as the split between the Mythic versions and the other versions of each set. The raid that drops these pieces, Highmaul, will be available starting on December 2nd for Normal and Heroic, with Mythic launching a week later on December 9th.
Tree of Savior shows off its gameplay at G-Star 2014
There's no denying that even in static shots, Tree of Savior looks like a very pretty isometric game. The title is on display at G-Star 2014 and showing off a new trailer courtesy of Steparu that highlights some of the game's big field bosses, playable classes, and the general look of the world as a whole. And you can watch that trailer just after the break to see all of these moving parts in action. Nexon has been confirmed as the Korean publisher for the game, but there are still no announcements to be had about any sort of publication in the US. The game's control layout has been revealed to be a far cry from the point-and-click interface suggested by the overhead view; movement is handled with the arrow keys, and the first two rows of the keyboard serve as hotbar bindings. Check out the video past the break to see if it looks like something you'd like to play in the future. [Thanks to Yorai Dragon for the tip!]
The armor of Camelot Unchained's mages
Mages have a certain amount of freedom with armor. Where other sorts of classes have to wear something bulky and, well, armored, magic-using characters tend to be able to dress simply for impressive image. The downside is that they tend to be vulnerable to sharp objects directed at their internal organs, but the upside is that they get to swing around the world looking stylish as hell while getting sharp bits jabbed at them. Camelot Unchained promises to be no exception to the trope. The latest development blog for the game shows off a variety of concept art for mage outfits, ranging from dyeing styles to headwear to cloaks and capes. It's simultaneously a traditional look and a somewhat diverse one, offering the caster-on-the-go a variety of options that are both active and stylish. Check out the full post for a comprehensive look at the modern Camelot Unchained mage's activewear. [Thanks to Matthew for the tip!]
Camelot Unchained explores the designs of the Tuatha De Danann
Armor is not a fashion statement. Well, all right, it usually is, but it's not just a fashion statement. How a race looks in a given game often says a lot about what that race represents and what matters to the members as a whole. Camelot Unchained's latest update talks about the Tuatha De Danann, both a concept that the team may use for the realm's armor and the updated visual design of the Baen Sidhe. Unlike the design for the Baen Sidhe's previous more macabre appearance, the updated design is still ethereal whilst being less overtly malformed. The scars and wounds that led to the death of an individual Baen Sidhe's line still play into the designs via shadowed tattoos. Meanwhile, the Tuatha De Danann as a whole are so in tune with the seasons and the flow of the natural world that several concept designs for season-themed armors are shown. If you want to see how you can protect your character while still making a fashion statement, check out the full update.
EverQuest Next video talks about Ogres and Dwarves
When you talk about basic fantasy races, Dwarves and Ogres are up there as the classics. But which do you find more interesting to learn about in EverQuest Next? The latest episode of the game's Workshop Show is available now; art director Rosie Rappaport and creative director Jeff Butler are joined by lead content designer Steve Danuser to show off the style and lore of both races while players vote over which one should be the next workshop focus. Dwarves, for their part, are fairly familiar to anyone who has played EverQuest or EverQuest II (or pretty much any fantasy game from 1967 to the present): short, stocky, bearded, ancestral, and traditional. Ogres, meanwhile, have changed a lot, with a renewed developer emphasis on making the race more appealing to players in general whilst offering a wider range of available style options for players. You can watch the full show past the break, but be forewarned: It's a long one.
Star Trek Online explains the Voyager MSD redesign
If you're even passingly familiar with the various Star Trek shows, you'll recognize the MSD. It shows up on the bridge of every single Federation ship, offering a detailed breakdown of what is where for eagle-eyed viewers. Star Trek Online's next expansion is bringing the game into the Delta Quadrant, the stomping grounds of the eponymous USS Voyager, so it was only fair that the Intrepid-class MSD could get a nice new redesign to reflect the years of upgrades that the ship has received. The new MSD represents a much clearer picture of the ship from the series, with several elements improved to more accurately reflect in-show layouts and incorporating modifications made after Voyager's maiden flight such as the airponics bay. Take a look at the full development blog for a closer look at how much work has gone into what seems like a little detail but still forms a vital part of the aesthetics.
Star Trek Online details the art of the new Intelligence ships
The Intelligence ship designs in Star Trek Online are like nothing else in the game, especially for the Federation. They're dark, angular, and aggressive. A new development blog on the official site sees art director Brad Stokan explaining how the new designs went from concept to finished ships and how the art department juggled the tasks of adhering to the design principles that make a ship distinctly Federation while also making something new and unique. Stokan explains that most of the choices going into the design were weighed against these two rules, such as adding in glowing sensor panels that both highlighted the ships' scanning functionality while providing a distinct silhouette. The design blog also stresses that players can expect extra customization for these ships, including the option to make the hull finish look a bit more typical for Federation craft. Check out the whole process and more bits of concept art in the full blog entry. [Thanks to Lonegun for the tip!]
Star Trek Online's artist explains Tier 6 ship designs
The new Federation ship designs in Star Trek Online's upcoming expansion are a pretty big departure from the norm. Sure, the shape of the ships is familiar, but instead of the usual bright Federation white and sweeping curves, they're all hard angles, dark shades, glowing lines, and so forth. They don't look much like the Federation. Concept artist Hector Ortiz took to Reddit recently to explain why the ships look as they do and how the design of the new ships ties into their point of origin despite the departure. Ortiz explains that with the heavy emphasis on intelligence operations in this expansion, it was only appropriate to design ships that resembled nothing so much as spy planes: angular, stealthy, and dark. That led to the inclusion of the blue lines to help the ship silhouettes stand out against the blackness of space, with the unique nacelle designs also part of an effort to minimize the ship profile. There's no assurance that you'll like the new designs after reading his comments on the rationale, but at least you'll understand why they look the way they do.
World of Warcraft shows off revamped Tauren ladies
As Warlords of Draenor approaches release, the art team behind World of Warcraft continues finishing the revamped models for the game's races. The latest race to get a revamp is the female Tauren; while male Tauren have been in the beta client for quite some time, players have until now seen only quick shots of what the new female model would look like. Now you can see her in all her glory, and even at a glance it's a massive improvement. The original model was extremely angular and low-detail due to the technology available when the game was first made, but the revamped model has much more definition in her fur and body shape. The only big silhouette change is a shrinking of her hands, with the official design blog calling the original model's hands "out of control." Take a peek at the official preview for more details on the updated ladycows.
City of Titans shows off engine progress for July 4th
Everyone celebrates the 4th of July in different ways. City of Titans celebrated with fireworks. That might not seem like much until you watch the video and understand that it's the first video wherein every single shot is focused on things that the design team made. The fireworks, the physics effects governing them, most of the buildings -- all designed by the team at Missing Worlds Media. Previous videos of the game have relied heavily upon off-the-shelf assets and resources that other people had made, but this video is a look at a landscape moving from "designed by others" to "designed just for this game." Obviously there's a long way to go, but if you're looking forward to seeing what the team at Missing Worlds Media can do in the future, this is a good place to start. [Thanks to Byron for the tip!]
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's first dose of Strain
The funny thing about launches is that they're like every other aspect of the game industry: They're based on momentum. Create the feel that you're coming out with new content on a quick basis and you get points from players, even if it's inevitable that some of this content is stuff that was almost-but-not-quite ready for launch and just had to be trimmed back a little before we first got to dip our toes in the official swimming pool. You can see the zones on your map in WildStar right now, even. Does it matter to me? Nope. I have to admit it doesn't. I'm satisfied. The bulk of the news this month has been about the game's first major patch, which is due for "early July" without a harder date. I have not yet gotten to go hands-on in this content; I've been too busy focusing on the live game and advancing there (up to 50 on one character, at least!), but let's talk a little bit about what's being added in the patch. Fair warning: Spoilers may ensue.
N++ PS4 screens are fit to print
Metanet Co-Founder Mare Sheppard discussed N++'s visual inspirations on the PlayStation Blog recently. Sheppard said the game drew its clean, bold look from print-based graphic design, as seen in new next-gen screenshots of the twitchy platformer. N++ is due to launch on PS4 this year.
Bravely Default dev showcases rendering engine in tech demo
Silicon Studio might be better known for 3DS JRPG Bravely Default, but the company has its roots firmly in middleware development, including its YEBIS 2 post-processing engine. You may not have heard of YEBIS 2, but you've most likely already seen it in action. Its real-time natural light effects starred in last year's E3 trailer for Final Fantasy 15, and its post-processing effects also featured in Ubisoft's Kinect brawler The Fighter Within. YEBIS 2 lighting effects can also be seen in Saint Seya: Brave Soldiers, The Witch and the Hundred Knight and Valhalla Knights 3. While the video hints at Silicon Studio getting involved in its own "nex-gen" development, there's no indication the studio's hiring drive is for work outside of YEBIS 2. That said, Square Enix President Yosuke Matsuda recently revealed he's considering the company's approach to JRPGs following the success of Bravely Default. It's just speculation, of course, but it'd certainly be a prospect to see the two companies team up on a home console JPRG. In any case, fans of Bravely Default do have a sequel to look forward to in Bravely Second, although we're still waiting for any news of its ETA.
The Daily Grind: What art style resonates the most with you?
The first time I saw the art style of both World of Warcraft and WildStar, I found myself enchanted. Bright colors, bold strokes, and exaggerated designs have always appealed to me, from movies like Beetlejuice to games like MediEvil to places like Disney World. So when I encounter similar styles in MMOs, I'm drawn to it like a toddler to power tools. That's not to say that I don't appreciate more realistic art. Guild Wars 2's "painterly aesthetic" was a treat for my eyes, and I'll never get tired of Lord of the Rings Online's world. I really want to hear about what you prefer in a game's art today. What game or art style resonates with you the most? What visuals draw you into these fantastic world and make you look around in wide-eyed wonder? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
