Telltale Games

Udvarnoky · 09/21/2005, 02:09 am

Several people have noticed that that the real-time character shadows (which can be seen in the trailer and in screenshots) are not present in the final product. Can Telltale comment on this? Can they be "turned on," or were they removed for a specific reason? Thanks!

artwking · 09/21/2005, 04:07 am

Are small pools of shadow at the characters feet really that important, though? The only games that I think I've personally cared about shadows was Splinter Cell, and those actually have a direct impact on gameplay, rather than just being part of the scenery.

09/21/2005, 12:34 pm

"Are small pools of shadow at the characters feet really that important, though?"

Not at all. Oh, hey, let's ditch dynamic lighting on the character also. It doesn't make any difference anyway.

For me it made a whole lot of difference. The latest screenshots before release looked tons better than earlier screenshots. And the only thing added? Shadows. It simply adds to the atmosphere, and that's a pretty integral thing to an adventure game.

So, what? Was it cut out or never a part of the engine?

Udvarnoky · 09/21/2005, 01:34 pm

I'm not really arguing their importance, I'm just saying that they obviously were there at one time and now they aren't. Explanation?

09/22/2005, 03:39 pm

Oh, and they were more than large pools of dark in the screenshots. They certainly looked like full, dynamic shadows.

artwking · 09/22/2005, 04:27 pm

I only looked back at one of them. It must have been a screenshot of noon or something, when the sun would have been directly over head, making it a small puddle of shadow. Shadows are neat and all, but in a game like Bone, where there isn't THAT much detail in the scenery, putting real-time shadows in is like putting diamond encrusting a homeless bum's teeth. That's exaggeration, of course, because I don't think the Bone game is ugly by any means. But it IS designed on a smaller budget.

However, you're right. If they'd already done all the work and they were in the trailer, why didn't they make it into the game?

09/30/2005, 12:04 am

Why are there so many people getting defensive about TTG? It's weird. He only asked where they were and instead it's turned into a full blown argument about why TTG were 'right' to remove them!

I'd personally have liked to see them in-game, but the problem could have been what shadows to do for what scenery and that might have taken time to set for each object in each scene.

I'm more geeky about the changes they made from the comic book. For example in the comic book Fone gets stranded in (a snowy) wilderness for some months before he meets Thorn. It was a nice touch in the comic that felt like Fone had been on a bigger journey, and that Boneville was really out of reach. Also missing (I think) was the dialogue at the beginning which explained they'd already been on the run for two weeks (hence them being SO lost).

But 'Out from Boneville' captures the atmosphere so perfectly that it doesn't really matter!

artwking · 09/30/2005, 12:56 am

Quote:

Why are there so many people getting defensive about TTG? It's weird. He only asked where they were and instead it's turned into a full blown argument about why TTG were 'right' to remove them!

Wha-? :-/

This wasn't a full blown argument. And I wasn't defending Telltale specifically. And I didn't say they were "right to remove them". And then I agreed and wondered where the shadows went if TTG had already done the actual work and then took them out. Okay...?

I still don't think shadows are that important, though. That is, they aren't going to influence my buying decisions.

09/30/2005, 01:14 am

Quote:

I only looked back at one of them. It must have been a screenshot of noon or something, when the sun would have been directly over head, making it a small puddle of shadow. Shadows are neat and all, but in a game like Bone, where there isn't THAT much detail in the scenery, putting real-time shadows in is like putting diamond encrusting a homeless bum's teeth. That's exaggeration, of course, because I don't think the Bone game is ugly by any means. But it IS designed on a smaller budget.

However, you're right. If they'd already done all the work and they were in the trailer, why didn't they make it into the game?

Maybe they just got the gitchy feelin bout it

10/04/2005, 10:50 pm

Sorry, you're right, it wasn't a full blown argument... I posted a little late after a long day and skimmed the replies. Oops!

Udvarnoky · 11/02/2005, 05:05 pm

Just an update: I found a response from Kevin Bruner elsewhere and apparently the shadows weren't included due to time constraints, but future games should feature them. So, there ya go!

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09/21/2005, 02:09 am	#1
Udvarnoky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 855	Several people have noticed that that the real-time character shadows (which can be seen in the trailer and in screenshots) are not present in the final product. Can Telltale comment on this? Can they be "turned on," or were they removed for a specific reason? Thanks!

09/21/2005, 04:07 am	#2
artwking My family is made of meat Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 384	Are small pools of shadow at the characters feet really that important, though? The only games that I think I've personally cared about shadows was Splinter Cell, and those actually have a direct impact on gameplay, rather than just being part of the scenery.

09/21/2005, 12:34 pm	#3
BigJKO Guest Posts: n/a	"Are small pools of shadow at the characters feet really that important, though?" Not at all. Oh, hey, let's ditch dynamic lighting on the character also. It doesn't make any difference anyway. For me it made a whole lot of difference. The latest screenshots before release looked tons better than earlier screenshots. And the only thing added? Shadows. It simply adds to the atmosphere, and that's a pretty integral thing to an adventure game. So, what? Was it cut out or never a part of the engine?

09/21/2005, 01:34 pm	#4
Udvarnoky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 855	I'm not really arguing their importance, I'm just saying that they obviously were there at one time and now they aren't. Explanation?

09/22/2005, 03:39 pm	#5
BigJKO Guest Posts: n/a	Oh, and they were more than large pools of dark in the screenshots. They certainly looked like full, dynamic shadows.

09/22/2005, 04:27 pm	#6
artwking My family is made of meat Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 384	I only looked back at one of them. It must have been a screenshot of noon or something, when the sun would have been directly over head, making it a small puddle of shadow. Shadows are neat and all, but in a game like Bone, where there isn't THAT much detail in the scenery, putting real-time shadows in is like putting diamond encrusting a homeless bum's teeth. That's exaggeration, of course, because I don't think the Bone game is ugly by any means. But it IS designed on a smaller budget. However, you're right. If they'd already done all the work and they were in the trailer, why didn't they make it into the game?

09/30/2005, 12:04 am	#7
ThunderPeel2001 Guest Posts: n/a	Why are there so many people getting defensive about TTG? It's weird. He only asked where they were and instead it's turned into a full blown argument about why TTG were 'right' to remove them! I'd personally have liked to see them in-game, but the problem could have been what shadows to do for what scenery and that might have taken time to set for each object in each scene. I'm more geeky about the changes they made from the comic book. For example in the comic book Fone gets stranded in (a snowy) wilderness for some months before he meets Thorn. It was a nice touch in the comic that felt like Fone had been on a bigger journey, and that Boneville was really out of reach. Also missing (I think) was the dialogue at the beginning which explained they'd already been on the run for two weeks (hence them being SO lost). But 'Out from Boneville' captures the atmosphere so perfectly that it doesn't really matter!

10/04/2005, 10:50 pm	#10
ThunderPeel2001 Guest Posts: n/a	Sorry, you're right, it wasn't a full blown argument... I posted a little late after a long day and skimmed the replies. Oops!

11/02/2005, 05:05 pm	#11
Udvarnoky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 855	Just an update: I found a response from Kevin Bruner elsewhere and apparently the shadows weren't included due to time constraints, but future games should feature them. So, there ya go!