Cel Shaded Fandango Sequel?

[Captain Xero]

It occurs to me that Grim Fandango's visual style was really close to the style known as 'cel shading', and I think that a sequel would be great if actually done in this style. It would suit the Calaveras and Demons perfectly, as well as the slightly distorted worlds of both the Land Of The Dead and the even more distorted Land Of The Living.

 

You can shoot me down in flames on this if you so desire, but I would respectfully ask that if that is your choice, you do it in an intelligent manner rather than with comments like "omg u kiddy zelda fanboy!!!!!111" (I trust there is nobody on this forum who resort to such things, but you never know where photo-realism zealots are lurking).

[Thrik]

I would disagree to be honest. While Grim Fandango's 3D was similar to cel-shading, the touch of 3D was still there and so the characters looked good on the backgrounds.

 

If they were made truly cell-shaded, they would look a bit dodgy on the beautifully 3D backgrounds, so the backgrounds would also have to be made more cartoonish and that would be horrible in my opinion. It's the beautiful 3D environments and lighting that add to the unique atmosphere of Grim Fandango, stripping that way would be an act of extreme evil.

 

Instead, I would like to see things head in the opposite direction. I'd enjoy seeing equally pretty environments (maybe in restricted true 3D - for example you could be able to run around the Calavera Cafe tower in Year 2 and the camera would spin around too) with more realistic characters.

 

Not too much, after all that paper-skeleton look from the folklore the game follows must be retained. But maybe actual holes for eyes, etc.

 

Of course, the chances of a GF2 are very slim and I'm not sure that everybody would welcome it anyway.

[Captain Xero]

I suppose you might be right about the elaborate detail of the environments being one of GF1's best features, but having spent a great deal of time immersed in the cel shaded world of the Wind Waker, I have to say that I still think the style with which it did it's architecture and environments would greatly suit the Land of the Dead, things like the zig-zagging designs on brick walls and floors that reminded me for some reason of the Mexican 'art-decor' sort of look of GF1.

 

One of the things I didn't like about GF1 was the difference between the cutscenes and the in-game graphics. Maybe it was just my system, but the difference was really noticeable. The cel shaded cinematics I have seen have all been done with absolutely seamless transition from game to cinematic.

 

Plus, not having to put so much detail into the textures would mean smaller filesizes and more time for the developers to work on the game, meaning a longer and bigger game.

 

It would be interesting to see them actually use both simplistic and detailed styles, perhaps cel shading for the Land of the Dead, and photo-realistic for the Land of the Living.

 

I just have this image in my head of a cel shaded Glottis. I tell you what, I'll do some designs of cel shaded calaveras and demons over the next few days, and see how it turns out, then post links here. Concept art if you will.

[Thrik]

I do agree, the transition is a little obvious. However we are working with 1998 graphics here so some leeway in the 3D graphics department must be allowed.

 

I'm sure that if they did the game with modern technology, there would be much smoother characters - most probably better quality than even the cut scenes.

[Bushmeister]

No No!! I myself am angry with how much people are obsessed with using cell-shading these days. Granted it is very pretty and useful in some areas, here in GF it would not be welcome. GF is a game based entirely on the noir film concept. How could you represent noir in such a cartoony way as cell-shading??

[Captain Xero]

With the same largely dark colour palette as the first one? Not that it was entirely dark, look at Glottis and the Day of the Dead festival in El Marrow...