Graphics changes over the past month (large pix inside)

[ATMachine]

So I thought I'd just post these images to show how hard Telltale have been working over the past month to improve the look of TMI.

These are two images from the introduction scene as it looked at E3 on June 1.



At this point the intro took place against the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise (or maybe sunset) scene.

Here's how it looks one month later, on July 1:



Now the scene is a rainstorm in the middle of the night. MUCH more atmospheric and Monkey-Island-ish.

Also note the textures on LeChuck seem to be much sharper.

[onemanandhisdroid]

I must say I actually quite liked the "originals" or prototypes too. Still, it's hard to beat a thunderstorm at night when it comes to dramatics. Unless it's a thunderstorm at night on a pirate ship in the middle of the sea, that is.

Big plus for LeChuck's beard glowing. That looks..... menacing. Really curious what and if Telltale did with some of the scenes shown from that towny stuff - i.e. that shot with Guybrush standing in front of the ship. Good stuff.

[Irishmile]

Yeah I am so pleased they switched the opening to a night scene, and it just isn't root beer with out the foam.

[Edward VanHelgen]

i would still prefer that orange sky from the original

looks more atmospheric, with a sense of an open sea

[seanvanaman]

Monkey Island games should start at night.

[RMJ1984]

the night scene rocks, it makes Le'Chuck look more scary, its nice to see the detail has gone up

[KB57]

Originally Posted by seanvanaman

Monkey Island games should start at night.

Amen, brother!

[Udvarnoky]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

So I thought I'd just post these images to show how hard Telltale have been working over the past month to improve the look of TMI.

No doubt they've been working their fingers off, but being able to tune things up to the last possible minute also just seems to be a trademark of Telltale's engine that separates it from just about any other. I'm reminded of an interview from way back in 2004, when the company was comprised of (something like) four people:

In order to facilitate the most dynamic storytelling possible, Bruner has developed an engine that is designed to make the story development process as smooth as possible. The guys told me stories of their experiences developing adventures—how a change in one simple line could take weeks to go through the process of voice acting, then art redesign, then re-coding. Changes in small things like shadows were equally painful to execute—and in most adventures, this leads to minor mistakes being considered "not worth the trouble to fix." The Telltale engine is structured to make those and other changes as easy and smooth as possible for the writers and designers, so that changes can be made on the fly without causing a week of re-work. As an example, Bruner promises that little things like tweaking the timing of a grin on a character's face will be extremly easy to execute, and perfect. Technically speaking, the engine is not designed to dazzle the player (though the games will certainly be good-looking 3D); rather, Bruner made the fascinating comment that the engine is built "to dazzle the designer" with its ease of use and how well it lends itself to dynamic storytelling. This is certainly an approach to engine building that you don't normally hear in commercial gaming these days.

I wouldn't be surprised if the development process for a Telltale game is fundamentally different from the way a lot of other games are made.

[plrichard]

Originally Posted by seanvanaman

Monkey Island games should start at night.

I've never noticed that before...but I completely agree.

[Merkel]

All of them have thus far

[Irishmile]

Escape didn't...

[Merkel]

Yeah, you're right. Forgot about the ship sequence

[Irishmile]

It should have though...

Speaking of the ships... the Escape ships seemed more....... epic.

So far the tales ships seem small and boring.... maybe historically accurate (pirates used small ships in real life to coast over coral and rocks to escape capture) But dang it I like big ships.

[Tea]

Isn't this the first time there's ever been rain in Monkey Island?


EVER

[MarkDarin]

Originally Posted by Irishmile

...But dang it I like big ships.

...and I can not lie! You other pirates can't deny...






...Sorry.

[Irishmile]

im not sure I could respect you if you didnt.

As for rain... I think it is the first time... there has been thunder and lightning before though.

[Tjibbbe]

Originally Posted by Irishmile

im not sure I could respect you if you didnt.

As for rain... I think it is the first time... there has been thunder and lightning before though.

Don't forget:

[Irishmile]

Lol

[[TTG] Yare]

The game industry is hilarious.

We're the only industry I can think of that has to show off our products sometimes years before they're finished.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Tjibbbe

Even though its a simple effect, that's the cutscene I was watching when making the rain for our game.