L3 Games Design Unit 78: Digital Graphics for Computer Games Artistic Style

L3 Games Design

Unit 78:Digital Graphics for Computer Games

Artistic Style

Exaggeration

Exaggeration is an art style that is used in games mostly such as MMO RPGs, and Japanese culture such as anime and manga. This art style is used in games, anime and manga due to how the art style exaggerates certain elements of the characters such as their large eyes or crazy hair styles. This is as shown with The Legends of Zelda Triforce Heroes because all three Links have exaggerated eyes and hair as seen in this image here:

The reason why games, anime and manga use this type of art style is because it can also show emotions and character features very well for example if the character is happy there eyes would probably be larger and more cheerful and if they are angry their eyes would probably be small and squinted etc.

Photorealism

Photorealism is an art style that is used in games to create a realistic feel to them to separate virtual from reality. This is shown here:

At first glance it may look real but as the image implies its not a photo. This is an example of photorealism that is used commonly in games such as Battlefield and Call of Duty to make the player think they are not just an NPC or a character they are actually a person.

The image here is a character from the soon to be released game Battlefield one. As you can see the character looks highly realistic and this is another example of photorealism,

Pixelated art style
Pixelated is a art style using pixels to create a visual graphic such as characters. Using pixels in games creates a retro type look. Pixelated art style is mostly used in older games but is and can be used in newer games. Pixel art games usually have a limited colour pallet. Here is and example of Pixel art in games:

Cell Shading

Cell Shading is a art style commonly used in cartoons and animation. But is not common in computer games unless it is a game that is based off of a cartoon or animation. One of the most popular cell shaded games in the next gen era is Borderlands but the most popular in the more older generations of console is Simpsons: Hit and Run.