It's very similar to MML. (And why we all love it. Still looks good today!)
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Cel shading fanclub
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I'm still surprised we haven't seen any high res games with this art style. As in, still similarly low poly, but with higher resolution texturesIt's very similar to MML. (And why we all love it. Still looks good today!)
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I feel like these two games are not cel shaded:
(The right is a reference for actual cel shading)
B3 certainly has a unique style but I do not think there is actual cel shading implemented there. Just toon like textures layered on top of their 3d models.
Yeah, I'm gonna be pedantic and say there's a few different art styles in this thread. True cel shading isn't just "game + outlines", and it's not just a lack of shading. it's basically toon shading, optionally with (generally object-focused) outlines, as Vex posted above.
As an example, I wouldn't say Megaman Legends or Dr. Slump counts for cel shading, particularly because as far as I can tell, there is no actual shading in these games - everything is shadeless and lighting is painted directly on the characters' textures.
True cel shading (Wind Waker, Jet Set Radio / JSRF, The Simpsons Game, Okami, Guilty Gear Strive, etc) is fantastic, though.
EDIT: Nevermind, I'd say Sable qualifies as cel shaded as well.
As an example, I wouldn't say Megaman Legends or Dr. Slump counts for cel shading, particularly because as far as I can tell, there is no actual shading in these games - everything is shadeless and lighting is painted directly on the characters' textures.
True cel shading (Wind Waker, Jet Set Radio / JSRF, The Simpsons Game, Okami, Guilty Gear Strive, etc) is fantastic, though.
EDIT: Nevermind, I'd say Sable qualifies as cel shaded as well.
I think Jet Set Radio for Dreamcast is still my favorite. Back then I was sure we'd see an avalanche of incredible looking "anime" games in the future. But even games based on anime doesn't always use vel shading. Dragon Ball FighterZ must be one of the better recent ones, though?
More watercolor than cel shading, but Tales of Arise looked lovely.
And even though I haven't played the games, I'd be crazy not to mention CC2's Naruto games.
And even though I haven't played the games, I'd be crazy not to mention CC2's Naruto games.
It's my favorite platinum game. I made a thread on it years ago now:You all disappoint me.
TBH I didn't know Transformers Devastation was even on PC.
[56K Warning GIF HEAVY] Transformers: Devastation is the game that made me a Platinum fan.
For many people, it was MGR. For me? It was Transformers Devastation! Yall 'member this ill as fuck game?!?!?! I feel I never see many people mention this game? How come? This game looks great and plays even better! You could drive and transform into battle mode at will... You could slow down...
www.resetera.com
I just remembered The Gecko Gods has a high contrast environment. Normally you see that for only the characters
View: https://youtu.be/WHGBrNEkgsI
View: https://youtu.be/WHGBrNEkgsI
Grasshopper Manufacture are one of the undisputed kings of this (Killer7, No More Heroes, Killer is Dead etc as mentioned already).
Not sure if these also count or not:
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter (PS2):
Unlimited Saga (PS2):
Metal Gear AC!D 2 (PSP):
Not sure if these also count or not:
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter (PS2):
Unlimited Saga (PS2):
Metal Gear AC!D 2 (PSP):
You are correct actually. I think they use hand drawn normal maps to create the comic book art style. The reason why I put BL3 instead of the previous ones was, because from looking into the game files, there seems to be a more complex shader integrated for the art style compared to BL2 or BL1 for example. As far as I've seen and read, Wonderlands uses similar tech found in BL3.I feel like these two games are not cel shaded:
(The right is a reference for actual cel shading)
B3 certainly has a unique style but I do not think there is actual cel shading implemented there. Just toon like textures layered on top of their 3d models.
I've seen that exact same example picture in conversations about BL's art style :D
A lot of these posts are making me wonder if I even know what cell-shading is, or if few others know what cell shading is….
I'm still enjoying the visuals in this thread, regardless…
I'm still enjoying the visuals in this thread, regardless…
A lot of people see outlines and think that means cel shading.
As I understand it, cel shading means you have a limited number of shades. EDIT: And outlines, of course.
You might have your base color, a shadow tone, and a highlight tone.
You don't get gradients with cel shading.
Prince of Persia (2008) is not cel shaded, because you have detailed textures with gradients; but you do have cartoon outlines.
And Wind Waker HD is not cel shaded, because the new lighting changes give everything graduated shading rather than distinct tones.
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It's very similar to MML. (And why we all love it. Still looks good today!)
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Lovely. Absolutely lovely. I wish Capcom would rerelease/remaster some PS1 games.
OP
OP
I'm counting flat colored textures as cel shading too, like Cool Cool Toon or MM Legends for exemple, but it's technically not.
Cel shading is a combo of a flat color, an outline and one or two hard light/shadow tone. Imitating the basic anime look, essentially.
Cel shading is a combo of a flat color, an outline and one or two hard light/shadow tone. Imitating the basic anime look, essentially.
It's unfortunate that Prince of Persia 2008 flopped. I'd love to see what a cel-shaded big-budget game made with Ubi's resources and for modern machines would look like.
I haven't played this in eight years. Still holds up remarkably well for a 2008 game.
Thank you for bringing it up
The coolest recent games use cel shading!!
I look forward to the well-running version of Sable on PS7
Not sure if technically cell shading, but I always very liked the look of Mad World. Also funny to think that with No More Heroes and Mad World some of the most gory games around the early 2000s were released on the family friendly Wii :)
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Yea... It's "faking" a lot of stuff (the shadows don't really move in some instances on objects like that muscle guy or the train) but I'd say it fakes it pretty good like MegaMan Legends. You can't tell from still shots at all. I bet it would look good in 4k.Not sure if technically cell shading, but I always very liked the look of Mad World. Also funny to think that with No More Heroes and Mad World some of the most gory games around the early 2000s were released on the family friendly Wii :)
I mean, shading is a specific term that refers to the way lighting values are calculated, it has nothing to do with textures. Cel shading just means lighting is quantized into distinct zones (shadow/light/highlight) with harsh transitions, and in PoP 2008 it very clearly is (on characters). The fact that it later multiplied with somewhat detailed textures doesn't really change that
I'm looking forward to this game for the vibe and art style alone. I'm in absolute love.
I tend to forget that Zoe: 2nd runner is cel shaded. But what a gorgeous game.
View: https://imgur.com/a/kQXWDGy
View: https://imgur.com/a/kQXWDGy
I wouldn't say this is cel shading as it's not doing anything special with character outlines or character lighting. It's just pixel art textures and low poly models.
That Dr Slump ps1 game that was recently translated has some awesome "megaman legends" like cellshading
i don't mean to discredit the game. I adore that style too!
That Dr Slump ps1 game that was recently translated has some awesome "megaman legends" like cellshading
It is awesome, but this isn't cell shading. they just draw the textures this way.
Pato Box has a similar look of Madworld. It's a Punch-Out style 3D action adventure game. Totally recommend it.
I know it is "no shading" officially, but the aim is kinda of a cell shaded look, and since OP considered Cool Cool Toon, a game that uses the same style to achieve the cell shadded look...
edit: I think there is the straight definition of Cell Shading as "shadows only form like 1 color", and there is "games emulating a cell shading (in the animation by using acetate) style". Like Megaman legends and Dr Slump and Cool Cool Toon are cell shading in spirit, even if they are not using a cell shader.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56782921/zoe_2_mars.0.jpg)
Specifically left most beautiful game ever made Guilty Gear Strive out of my OP so someone would unleash the gifs, but y'all slacking, smh.
What I'd give for a 3rd person adventure game with those graphics...
Quite a few cel-shading games, and am happy to see more are coming. Especially looking forward to Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, and I wish I could've visited the peeps when they were giving people a chance to play a demo of it. It's not that far away from me, but I had other things that day.
Heck, I own most of the older games shown here. Plan to pick up Rollerdrome and Sable at some point.
Don't forget this guy btw:
Viewtiful Joe
Heck, I own most of the older games shown here. Plan to pick up Rollerdrome and Sable at some point.
Don't forget this guy btw:
Viewtiful Joe
You all disappoint me.
TBH I didn't know Transformers Devastation was even on PC.
This game is still gorgeous to this day. Not only that, but the system requirements to run this game are extremely low.
Been wanting a cel shaded Halo game for years. Arbiter spin-off cel shaded third person shooter/action game?
C E L
D A M A G E
Shame though that the HD version was based on the PS2 release that made some questionable changes (health bars and some obvious items were no longer 1-hit kills like the axe). But it's still a classic.
D A M A G E
Shame though that the HD version was based on the PS2 release that made some questionable changes (health bars and some obvious items were no longer 1-hit kills like the axe). But it's still a classic.
I suppose you could technically define it as using quantized shading like that; but at that point it's not recreating the look of the cel animation process any more.I mean, shading is a specific term that refers to the way lighting values are calculated, it has nothing to do with textures. Cel shading just means lighting is quantized into distinct zones (shadow/light/highlight) with harsh transitions, and in PoP 2008 it very clearly is (on characters). The fact that it later multiplied with somewhat detailed textures doesn't really change that
With cel animation, sketches are inked onto a sheet of acetate (the cel), and then roughly painted in on the other side in flat shades.
I'm not saying that Prince of Persia (2008) or Borderlands 3 are bad looking games - they just don't look like cel animation.
OP
OP
Would be cool but impossible at this level of fidelity unfortunately. Every shadow is hand crafted frame by frame and meant to be seen from a specific angle. That's why the story mode, with various cameras, can look way less sharp and well made than the regular 1v1 gameplay, and fixed intro and outro scenes.
But yeah, if someday they manage to make a whole free camera game with that level of graphics? Pack it up, peak visuals have been done, no need to try anymore.
Dark Cloud 2/Chronicle (edit: might not fit the "true cel-shading" criteria, now I think about it, but hey, it's in the spirit if the thread at least!)
Smash 3DS, if it counts?:
The closest other thing I've seen/played to Mad World, style/looks-wise, is an iOS game from 2014, called SXPD.
View: https://youtu.be/4lxZgw2Sseo?t=301
Smash 3DS, if it counts?:
The closest other thing I've seen/played to Mad World, style/looks-wise, is an iOS game from 2014, called SXPD.
View: https://youtu.be/4lxZgw2Sseo?t=301
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