Thoughts on the new Jade Sea aesthetic?

[Astralporing.1957]

45 minutes ago, HnRkLnXqZ.1870 said:

Welcome to another episode of "EoD is bad, because it does not look like in GW1"

https://i.imgflip.com/5v13wi.jpg

As far as I understood:
- GW2 is NOT GW1
- it has been ~ 250 years after your GW1 commander/hero walked that area
- there is Elder Dragon activity in the area

The presence of Elder Dragons usually has a greater impact on the environment. You are aware that there is a high chance somewhere in Cantha will be visible ley-lines? What will you do when you see one? Stomp it back into the ground until it eventually vanishes, screaming in agony "THIS IS NOT HISTOIRCALLY CORRECT!!!!!" 🤣

As long as threads like this pop up, I know they have not messed up anything important yet. So keep going!

 

All this might explain a change in aestethics. It's not an explanation however for picking a color and aestethics that a lot of people (regardless of GW1 nostalgia) might heavily dislike.

I don't really care that strong about being strictly bound to GW1 aestethics. I didn't object to most other aestethic changes this game made in comparison to its predecessor. I am complaining here because this just looks bad. Really, really bad. And no amount of "it's magic!" explanations will make it look good.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Astralporing.1957

[usernameisapain.7163]

8 hours ago, HnRkLnXqZ.1870 said:

Welcome to another episode of "EoD is bad, because it does not look like in GW1"

https://i.imgflip.com/5v13wi.jpg

As far as I understood:
- GW2 is NOT GW1
- it has been ~ 250 years after your GW1 commander/hero walked that area
- there is Elder Dragon activity in the area

The presence of Elder Dragons usually has a greater impact on the environment. You are aware that there is a high chance somewhere in Cantha will be visible ley-lines? What will you do when you see one? Stomp it back into the ground until it eventually vanishes, screaming in agony "THIS IS NOT HISTOIRCALLY CORRECT!!!!!" 🤣

As long as threads like this pop up, I know they have not messed up anything important yet. So keep going!

 

Wait, GW2 is not GW1? I didn't realise ~~ 

Elder dragon activity has been shown to have an impact, where active, how would the deep sea dragon in a different ocean affect Luxon area, but not the Kurzick area that is in-between? The logic-leaping is strong here. Ley lines are lines, as in the effect would be following along the line, Kurzick area would still be in-between, except in Kurzick lands we see a decrease in the Jade Wind.

Sure we might see some explanation, and that will help a whole lot, but it doesn't change the fact that it is not just the colouration that is off, but the ocean that no longer resembles an ocean.

Also, plenty of folks in this forum who haven't played GW, but still thinks that the choices for the new Jade Sea are questionable.  Yet somehow these claims are wholly ignored...

[witcher.3197]

On 11/20/2021 at 3:12 AM, Chichimec.9364 said:

In looking at the GW1 and GW2 videos the OP linked, the GW1 scenes seemed drab and dreary to me. The GW2 scenes looked much more vibrant and lively.

That's a big part of the problem actually. Anet is doing a complete tone shift, a 180 degree turn, in every possible way so far. As a result EoD Cantha will look and feel nothing like GW1 Cantha.

Drab, faded colors. Dark, gloomy areas -> oversaturated colors, bright maps.

High-fantasy setting -> sci-fi.

3 distinct human civilizations, 4 architectural styles -> 1 homogenous human civilization, 1 architectural style based on China not even Cantha. We've yet to see Kaineng, so they could still squeeze in a little variety, but only a little.

Soothing, slow, bit somber music -> upbeat, hight tempo music.

The soul of the region just went missing. I don't care that 250 years have passed, if nothing remained of Cantha that made us want to go back, then what's even the point? They lured us in with the promise of Cantha and made no attempts to recapture anything about the original. What's worse, it's so different one could argue they are consciously trying to destroy everything that's associated with old Cantha.

Nothing in GW2 Cantha matches the vibe of music like this, it's hard to believe they are even the same franchise:

 

[Omega.6801]

If the hue of the jade is this expansions biggest issue, EoD will be awesome. People get aggravated by the silliest things these days....

[Gibson.4036]

4 hours ago, lokh.2695 said:

If the hue of the jade is this expansions biggest issue, EoD will be awesome. People get aggravated by the silliest things these days....

Aesthetics play a big part in games nowadays. 
 

I do wish we could get away from all the “doesn’t look like GW1” criticism though. It really shouldn’t, given the passage of in game time as well as real world time.

“Doesn’t capture the spirit of the place” and “isn’t aesthetically pleasing” are legit, though.

It’s been a long time since I played GW1 and I didn’t play it for very long, so I can’t really comment on the former.

As to the latter, however, some of what we’ve been shown demonstrates a severe lack of color restraint. Pops of vibrant color are pleasing and stimulating. Overuse, however, makes an environment feel jarring and false.

Anyone who has seriously done landscape art has learned that the most lush greenery is way more muted than we imagine, and sunsets are dazzling because of the color relationships, not because those colors are really saturated.

[deatine.2498]

I have never played GW1. The color we saw in the trailers is still almost physically painful to look at for me.

I mean, I guess that's the point, to have it feel unnatural and uncomfortable/alarming, but who wants their eyes assaulted in their free time? It's the same complaint as with the unchecked bright flashing effects during mass fights.

[Flapjackson.1596]

29 minutes ago, deatine.2498 said:

I have never played GW1. The color we saw in the trailers is still almost physically painful to look at for me.

I mean, I guess that's the point, to have it feel unnatural and uncomfortable/alarming, but who wants their eyes assaulted in their free time? It's the same complaint as with the unchecked bright flashing effects during mass fights.

I agree, the game has enough visual issues as is. A bright jarring green plastered all over a map isn’t very pleasing, especially if this is the end game map as predicted and we will be spending a lot of time there. 
 

I look at the EoD Jade Sea concept art and the GW1 jade and I like it so much more. Not because it’s old or nostalgia or anything. Just because it’s more aquatic. It’s not ugly. It’s not bright and in your face constantly. Unless Anet plans on changing the map for story reasons later, this will be the permanent look of the Jade Sea. Is it really worth it to use story justification to make a permanently ugly and unappealing part of your game?

[Ashantara.8731]

14 hours ago, lokh.2695 said:

People get aggravated by the silliest things these days....

Sure, because I am playing games with my eyes closed, so what's displayed on the screen has no impact on my perception of the content, right?

 

16 hours ago, witcher.3197 said:

The soul of the region just went missing. I don't care that 250 years have passed, if nothing remained of Cantha that made us want to go back, then what's even the point?

That's very true, actually.
I will try to do the same I did with Path of Fire, or the Guild Wars 2 game as a whole for that matter: look at it as an independent product that has nothing to do with GW1. Not always easy, I admit (which is why I stopped playing for 3+ years shortly after release in 2012).

However, it still won't help with the offensive-on-the-eye color scheme for all things Dragon Jade in EoD.

[HotDelirium.7984]

I think if they want to showcase dragon energy infused jade versus regular jade they can possibly do that in less intense ways. Glowing jade is completely fine but its just THAT specific shade of neon green is already in the center of some psyches for radiation, boogers, slime and jello that its repulsive subconsciously. The dragon jade weapons and what we see in the fractal is what I think what we were expecting in terms of clarity and texture. Its looks too oversaturated like this is what jade would look like inside SAB. This jade on the new mechs and Siege turtle ruin their aesthetic a bit to me. If they turned downed the glow, instead added a cascading glow or chose a different shade of green I think it would be less garish.

Edited November 24, 2021 by HotDelirium.7984

[Raolin Soulherder.3195]

18 hours ago, witcher.3197 said:

That's a big part of the problem actually. Anet is doing a complete tone shift, a 180 degree turn, in every possible way so far. As a result EoD Cantha will look and feel nothing like GW1 Cantha.

Drab, faded colors. Dark, gloomy areas -> oversaturated colors, bright maps.

High-fantasy setting -> sci-fi.

3 distinct human civilizations, 4 architectural styles -> 1 homogenous human civilization, 1 architectural style based on China not even Cantha. We've yet to see Kaineng, so they could still squeeze in a little variety, but only a little.

Soothing, slow, bit somber music -> upbeat, hight tempo music.

The soul of the region just went missing. I don't care that 250 years have passed, if nothing remained of Cantha that made us want to go back, then what's even the point? They lured us in with the promise of Cantha and made no attempts to recapture anything about the original. What's worse, it's so different one could argue they are consciously trying to destroy everything that's associated with old Cantha.

Nothing in GW2 Cantha matches the vibe of music like this, it's hard to believe they are even the same franchise:

 

Yea. GW1 seemed more weighty and real. Serious and compelling, and yet still beautiful. GW2 oftentimes just feels cartoony and kidsy, w/o much threat. Or at least not threats that feel long-lasting or with a maintained serious tone. And maybe it is also all the jokes the different playable races make about each other that anet always feels like they need to sprinkle in everywhere. 

[Sobx.1758]

11 hours ago, HotDelirium.7984 said:

I think if they want to showcase dragon energy infused jade versus regular jade they can possibly do that in less intense ways. Glowing jade is completely fine but its just THAT specific shade of neon green is already in the center of our psyches for radiation, boogers, slime and jello that its repulsive subconsciously.

This seems to be subjective, since these aren't the things I automatically think of when I see that shade of green in the footage we've seen. If it's "subconsciously repulsive" to someone, then it seems it's just their thing.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Sobx.1758

[Ashantara.8731]

8 hours ago, Sobx.1758 said:

This seems to be subjective, since these aren't the things I automatically think of when I see that shade of green in the footage we've seen. If it's "subconsciously repulsive" to someone, then it seems it's just their thing.

Or you might want to get a new monitor that can display colors authentically. 😉

P.S. Maybe your current one just needs proper calibration?

Edited November 23, 2021 by Ashantara.8731

[Faridah.8431]

I think what struck me so far is the complete different vibe and atmosphere GW2 Jade Sea is projecting (frankly add Shing Jea to this list too). For me these areas truly had some soul in GW1. The dreary vibe in GW1 was part of the soul of the area that helped make it beautiful. And that vibe made sense given the historical context to the area. I'm not saying make GW2 into GW1, but if you are going to retread GW1 areas, you really ought to maintain some of the atmosphere and soul of those areas. And I am just not getting that with Shing Jea or the Jade Sea.

 

Factions maybe had a weak kitten story, but the underlying lore and world building for Cantha was top notch. I guess we'll see how things look in actual gameplay where the maps aren't emptied for fear they are going to show something.

[Sobx.1758]

On 11/24/2021 at 12:51 AM, Ashantara.8731 said:

Or you might want to get a new monitor that can display colors authentically. 😉

P.S. Maybe your current one just needs proper calibration?

No worries, my monitor is perfectly fine -you should rather worry about your weirdly negative/repulsive color associations 😉

Edited November 25, 2021 by Sobx.1758

[Ashantara.8731]

22 hours ago, Sobx.1758 said:

No worries, my monitor is perfectly fine -you should rather worry about your weirdly negative/repulsive color associations 😉

😂 I'll keep that in mind. 😋

[Blur.3465]

So far the colors are killing me in all the zones.
While the zones are beautiful, there's some things that really put me off.

1. The colors are too bright. Foliage is waaaay too green and Jade Sea itself is unnaturally green and looks more like some toxic waste than actual SEA that got petrified. GW1 had the right colors for it, even the Jade Fractal in GW2. Why did it get so bad?

2. A lot of 'deja vu' moments with Echovald. 
When I saw the preview of Echovald, I instantly though "Oh look, we're back in Maguuma!". 
I feared that Echovald would be quite similar to HoT maps...and I wasn't wrong 😕 instead of sticking to the dark petrified Gothic forest, we're now (again) getting Maguuma Jungle 2.0. It really reminds me of Dragonstand map...a lot. 
I can't judge entirely as I haven't seen the zone fully, but from the video preview that's my impression.

Can we tone down on the overly saturated colors and add something more appealing to the eye?
I really have issues with too bright colors in GW2 and I can't play it for long because it damages my eyes. Seeing that EoD is just making it worse is making me concerned I won't be able to play the game as much as I'd like to. 

[Gibson.4036]

The concept art really is a step above the in game stuff we’ve seen.

Which is kind of an about face. I find the actual in game design in core Tyria superior to some of the odd collage concept art that supposedly shaped it.

[Lucky.9421]

EDIT - whoops wrong thread

Edited December 4, 2021 by Lucky.9421