Graphics: Skyward Sword Vs. Twilight Princess.

[LinkxZelda]

I thought the graphics used in TP where okay. And I like the graphics being used in SS. But I can't choose which one I like better since I like both equally.

 

[Kody7]

Ugh. I prefer the graphics from TP. I really liked the gloomy vibe and it was easy for me to find the beauty in it. I realize that's not the case for everyone and maybe the brighter feel will allow us to paint our own picture like it did in OoT. It's all kinda relative to each individual. But honestly I don't like the cartoon vibe as much for a handful of reasons. 1- because most of us our adults or older kids that play these games, with exceptions of course. So I don't like feeling like I'm playing a game marketed towards toddlers. I'm 19, and its weird when my girlfriend thinks I spend hours playing a video game for little kids haha but that's my own complex I suppose. 2-being the fact that I was in paradise when my lifetime favorite game came out with the TP graphics that felt like it captured the world of Zelda just how I had imagined. So I'm kinda sad cause I was hoping they'd improve and expand on that. Hopefully these new graphics will be to a lot of u guys what TPs were to me. I understand that a lot of people say it's not about graphics but when u have grown up playing Zelda u immerse yourself into this world and dream up what it all looks like and when TP hit my dreams spot on I didn't have to imagine anymore. It was like going from the original top down Zeldas to OoT, but even better. So in my opinion graphics may be just as important as the gameplay and story line when it comes to the zelda series, not for realistic purposes, but just for the overall effectiveness in capturing the world as we all like to imagine it. Tho thats a losing battle since its once again all so relative. With all that said, and some left unsaid to spare us all the time, I think the SS graphics are most likely much more suiting to this story and particular world. I'm really excited for this game and hope it's a huge success. Hope I at least had some valid points to offer.

 

[blubb]

I'm slightly in favour of the TP graphics but I still think SS's are OK, definitely better than WW's. In the latter I had a huge problem with the highly abnormal body proportions - I just couldn't get a feeling to be "in the game" because it was way too silly. The cel-shading itself was not that much of a problem and BTW - doesn't even TP use some cel-shading too?
I think they did the right thing here because the Wii just can't do more. Besides, TP does indeed look very blurry when played on a 46" TV (which is quite the standard size here nowadays but of course it wasn't in 2006), WW somehow didn't have that problem.
A complaint I very often hear about TP is that it be too "brown" or "dull"...



O RLY?
Sure, there were some game flaws like too many empty overworlds which made the game look boring at times or game concepts like the Twilight Realm which had to be darker but you can't really blame the graphical engine for that.

I must admit I was quite shocked when I saw the first E3 2010 demos, I also didn't like the huge mushrooms and dumb looking trees and especially the lack of details, polygons like it's 1999 (when Link was in the fire dungeon place, the ball he balanced on is a prime example of that) and blurriness threw me off. But I think they did very much to improve it over the last year! It looks much more detailed, sharper, less blocky and the contrast has been turned down a bit and we've also seen some more variety with slightly darker and more mysterious places etc... and thank God underwater areas are in the game! I'm one of those few people who actually like the water dungeons in Zelda, I especially like swimming around as a Zora. So this was one of my first fears - opaque water like in WW which makes underwater areas impossible. Graphics shouldn't limit gameplay like that.
So based on the E3 2010 demos only, I would've rated the graphics 4/10, now it's more like 7/10.

 

[Caelus]

I don't understand why you would even judge the 2010 graphics, the game wasn't even 10% finished.

Also, TP does not look that good at all on my TV. It only looks like that on Dolphin, and I bet dolphin screenshots of SS will blow it out of the water.

Also, do you know what cel-shading is?

I honestly prefer SS's graphics because they resemble the retro Zeldas and offer a sense of adventure rather than "darkness".

 

[blubb]

Well of course I know what it is: Basically a quantization of "normal" shading, instead of a continuous "real" shadow, it is in "zones" which in the most extreme case there are only 2 of (shadow - no shadow) as it was done in WW. I think I saw some shots of Link's face in TP in which one could also see shadow zones, but more of them so this would be "softer" cel shading. Of course I could be wrong with TP here, as I said I'm not 100% sure.
Well with the 2010 comparison I just wanted to show that there've been huge improvements since then and I'm glad they did that.
And honestly yes, the shots above are from Dolphin, I just didn't feel like setting up my grabber and my sis's Wii just to take some shots . But the point here was not the blurriness (which is there, no question) but the "this game is only brown and dull" claims many people make which IMO aren't justified.
But I think a Zelda game does need some "darker" and more mysterious looking areas, even WW had them (Earth Temple was IMO much darker and more "eerie" than Arbiters Grounds, just imagine that place on a maybe(!) upcoming realistic looking WiiU Zelda!). For example a place like OoT's Shadow Temple with smiling sun faces and Hello Kitty paintings on the wall and Mario-style mushrooms growing on the floor would be slightly out of place for a Zelda game (OK this was a bit exaggerated but I think you get the idea^^). A real example of a game that's too brown and dull for my taste would be Shadow of the Colossus, TP is really far away from that!
Of course it'd be totally awesome if SS could be played on Dolphin, testing that will be the first thing I'll do after buying the game! But I think that this'll take the developers some months or even years, TP still has a handful of its glitches on Dolphin even now...

 

[Ronin]

Though SS has a mixture of TP's and WW's graphics, I prefer Twilight Princess. Its animation was pretty blurry, but provided the environments with surprisingly gorgeous details, and was a perfect fit for the game due to how dark it was, story-wise.

 

[A Link In Time]

I prefer the graphics of SS, however the Wii U tech demo Zelda has the best graphics the franchise has seen yet.

 

[Elli]

i think I like SS just because (Please don't kill me) i think link looks more "manly" in this game...what i mean by that is that link sorta looked feminine in TP. (I'M I'M SORRY! both of my friends agree..I don't mean offense)

 

[unknown]

I have to say that i like both styles. I think if used right they can both create a great game. From what has been shown of ss i think that it has used cell shaded well and fits in perfectly with the game.

 

[The Other Color]

It looks like SS is kind of a blending of styles of game play, the silent realm and twilight realm from TP. And the sky and the ocean from TWW. I think it's appropriate that the art style be a blend of the two styles as well.

 

[Overheadzelda]

I have to say TP. It's more realistic and I feel it suits Zelda better, I'm still shocked the GameCube could produce those graphics and that detail. I wish to have seen a more detailed TPish style in SS. (Or better yet, the level of detail in Smash Bros. Brawl, which again, shocks me that the system can produce it.)

Ugh. I prefer the graphics from TP. I really liked the gloomy vibe and it was easy for me to find the beauty in it. I realize that's not the case for everyone and maybe the brighter feel will allow us to paint our own picture like it did in OoT. It's all kinda relative to each individual. But honestly I don't like the cartoon vibe as much for a handful of reasons. 1- because most of us our adults or older kids that play these games, with exceptions of course. So I don't like feeling like I'm playing a game marketed towards toddlers. I'm 19, and its weird when my girlfriend thinks I spend hours playing a video game for little kids haha but that's my own complex I suppose. 2-being the fact that I was in paradise when my lifetime favorite game came out with the TP graphics that felt like it captured the world of Zelda just how I had imagined. So I'm kinda sad cause I was hoping they'd improve and expand on that. Hopefully these new graphics will be to a lot of u guys what TPs were to me. I understand that a lot of people say it's not about graphics but when u have grown up playing Zelda u immerse yourself into this world and dream up what it all looks like and when TP hit my dreams spot on I didn't have to imagine anymore. It was like going from the original top down Zeldas to OoT, but even better. So in my opinion graphics may be just as important as the gameplay and story line when it comes to the zelda series, not for realistic purposes, but just for the overall effectiveness in capturing the world as we all like to imagine it. Tho thats a losing battle since its once again all so relative. With all that said, and some left unsaid to spare us all the time, I think the SS graphics are most likely much more suiting to this story and particular world. I'm really excited for this game and hope it's a huge success. Hope I at least had some valid points to offer.

These are my thoughts exactly.

 

[linkfan]

I love how colorful the SS graphics are

 

[SkullKid22]

I agree with Phantom Zelda, TP was a lot darker and SS is more cartoony and bright.

 

[Aero_Dynamic]

This debate about if TP or SS have better graphics than each other has been going on for a while, and I think, while in terms of graphics and progression, and quality SS trumps over TP, because, obviously, TP is an older game, and since SS is a newer game, it's going to have more polished visuals. But in terms of TP's and SS's graphics comparison, I would say non has an upper hand upon each other. They are both unique looking games individually in the Zelda franchise. Sure some are better looking than each other, in terms of quality, but since they all have their own looks, they have their own charm, or feel to it. Such as, when you play the NES 8-bit Zeldas, you will think, "Ah! It's the original Legend of Zelda!" Another example could be: "Seeing the cell-shaded looks of a Zelda and know it's Wind Waker, and remembering the great adventures you had with it", or, "Oh, a Zelda with realistic graphics, non other than TP! Reminds me of the epic horse battles!" See, all these Zelda games have their own charms (mostly, and practically) because of how they have different mechanics to them, and mostly the graphics. These elements give the different Zelda games their own unique feel that make them different from each other, but all still retain the Zelda feel to them. Later on, when I see the graphics of SS, i'm gonna think, "Man, what a great game, the visuals make the game so vibrant and terrific! Gameplay is excellent too! (assuming SS does well, which it will!)"

So! In the end, SS does win over TP, because SS has more updated graphics. But they both have their own charm and feel that makes them great, individual, and yet still have the essence of what a Zelda game is. And they both, and all Zelda games (will) do have this essence to them.

 

[Caelus]

I agree with Phantom Zelda, TP was a lot darker and SS is more cartoony and bright.

How is TP not cartoony? It's extremely cartoony.