Comparing the graphics via screenshots

[Aion]

in current game it seems that the lighting is so flat. I feel the world is too bright. Sure current game has a beast texture details, but the lighting (and environment) kinda ruins it....and lets not start on how taxing this game for the PC...

[whoopeeragon]

SE claim it's a "sister engine", which doesn't really quantify how much of its "core" is similar to the luminous engine. However, similar staff members worked on each, and maybe that's why people think that they're closely related. But they're not. A cursory glance at Agnis Philosophy and ARR is enough to prove that. Theyre obviously completely different. I mean it's obvious that since the system requirements for Agnis Philosophy will be so much higher than ARR that the similarities between the two cannot really be that great. Dynamic lighting is nothing exlusive to Luminous, so ARR's engine probably has more in common with its contemporary MMO games with similar system reqs than with Agnis Philosophy and other games made with the real luminous.

I'm a bit busy to dig up the actual source, but I believe there was an article/interview that talked on this that stated the core of the new engine being the Luminous engine. I'm sure someone else can find it, but iirc, that is what has been said.

[Shougun]

I'm a bit busy to dig up the actual source, but I believe there was an article/interview that talked on this that stated the core of the new engine being the Luminous engine. I'm sure someone else can find it, but iirc, that is what has been said.

They are related but not the same system. SE doesnt have time to finish the luminous system for this game, the luminous system will probably be done in a year or so.

So they took a lot of concepts, probably good parts of code and then built another beast. Related but not the same thing.

[Payadopa]

Man, these housing areas... *.*
Even though I live in Gridania and am with the Twin Adder, I certainly wouldn't mind a house on that mountain...

...I really like windmills.

[Babydoll]

Great post Tonkra!! ARR looks goregous I don't see anything "cartoony" about ARR tbh...

In 1.0 the game seems so dull and lifeless. 2.0 stuff is much more bright and lively....can't wait

[Esk]

The Downgrade comments are out of hand a little but complaining seems to be the way any comment is taken on the lodstone, so we always end up with negativity rather then just objective comments..
So yeah it does suck how many comments seem negative rather then positive.

I do have some areas I'm worried about, but both sides can pick out specific images/shots to support their view,
As the OP clearly did picking some horrible shots that are really unfair to justify his view..

It seems to me that really this started over the character/clothing textures more then anything, along with some of the grass. The backgrounds for the most part do seem much better an much more detailed in some areas, but again less in others.

Till I see a bench or we get into beta I'm not making a judgements though.

In 1.0 the game seems so dull and lifeless. 2.0 stuff is much more bright and lively....can't wait

And if we get some animated PC's and background chatter not just static boring npc's it'll help even more.
I'd love to see some npcs and shops close at night

[Zantetsuken]

I think a final pass of color-grading/tone mapping will really make the ARR engine shine.

Remember how bad the colors and lighting were in the 1.0 Alpha compared to Beta?

[Tonkra]

Maybe compare them on standard settings at least. Also ARR is not using Luminous engine.

Hopefully they improve ARR before release, as they did 1.0 (it still needs a lot of work). Theyve probably got 6 months to do so at this rate anyway.

good for you to cut the unpopular graphic details out of the mini screenshots. and some of them seem obviously photoshoped (higher gammar and contrast)

Ul'dah for example offers just flat and even/ugly textures and all regions have something in common. they are so damn boring... that you do not want to explore them anymore.. less environment details.. such as missing characteristic landmarks etc..

no you can have your 1.0.

[Ladon]

It seems pretty pointless to be comparing the graphics of ARR to anything at this point as we haven't even been given a finalized screenshot. They've already said the lighting isn't finished and many of the shaders are either simplified, not finished or not in which will have a huge impact on overall look of the final product. We haven't even really gotten a firm answer on what level of engine detail the current screenshots coming through are at.

But one thing we can be sure of is that the graphic design of ARR completely blows 1.0 away.

[Griss]

I think a final pass of color-grading/tone mapping will really make the ARR engine shine.

Remember how bad the colors and lighting were in the 1.0 Alpha compared to Beta?

The pail blue glow of night still makes my stomach queasy