Lazy or artistic or what?

[ManicMatt]

http://www.gamershell.com/pc/the_exchange_student/screenshots.html?id=2

Take a look at this game. Why have they got big thick lines around everything, and sloppily done too. It doesn't work for me at all. Is this some way of making it easier to use photoshop in some manner I do not know, or is it supposed to look stylish?

What do you think?

(Oh, and hooray for another adventure game demo on gamer's hell.com)

[Helm]

I think it's a style choice. I don't mind it.

[scotch]

Yeah there's no reason I can think of for it other than they thought it helped graphically... I can't see how it does though. I don't like it or hate it.

[Ali]

I don't think 'sloppy' is fair. In old Warner Brother cartoons the background artists didn't colour inside the lines. They weren't being sloppy, as Helm says it's a matter of style.

While some people might be put off by those thick outlines, they look okay to me. I suspect after a short while you'd forget about them and just start enjoying the atmosphere of the backdrops.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

The outlines and the character sprites don't mesh well stylistically imo.  If the characters had hasty outlines I think it would be ok.

[Ali]

I quite like it when characters and backdrops are in distinct styles, like the Warner Brothers' shorts I mentioned in my post above. I guess it's not to everybody's taste but it has a dynamic that I really like. I'm attempting a similar thing for the game I'm working on:



Sorry if this looks like a shameless plug for my game, I assure you I do feel ashamed.

[Eggie]

I don't have a problem with it.
But...Ali's game looks better.
Seriously, that screenshot is AWESOME!

[Ubel]

Personally I actually quite like what they did with The Exchange Student graphics. But it's all of course just a matter of opinion.

[Layabout]

I think the artistic style is somewhat bizzare. But it looks intentional. Personally, I don't get why the outlines are so obvious and erratic. But It is what they want, then so be it.

[Kweepa]

Looks to me like Will Eaken was "phoning it in" and no-one on the team had the cojones to call him on it.

[ManicMatt]

Now Ali's I like, but on this game's backgrounds, the outlines conflict with the level of detail in the objects. It's like two different styles trying to live together, but they don't match.

The warner backgrounds worked, and I can't remember them too well though, but I don't think they had much detail to begin with?

'phoning it in' hahaha

[Andail]

It's everything but sloppy. On the contrary, the grapics seem very meticulously done. I'm personally a bit fed up with the style, though.

[m0ds]

I like both styles shown in this thread. I don't think outlines are too much of a problem if it's consistent, and Exchange Student graphics still look good. If they were big black outlines then I'd probably not like them - but in this case they're still fairly discreet (well, FAIRLY!)...

The only thing "outlines" do is make me think the games are instantly Flash games.

[Igor]

I think it looks ok.
But as Andail mentioned, backgrounds look very meticulously done.. too meticulously actually. It's a matter of style choice, but the reason why Ali's (or WB's) backgrounds work better, is because they look more "spontaneous" and in general sports better design. In short, i don't mind the lines, but they could make BGs more interesting.
Still the demo rocks and i'll probably buy the game once it's out.

[Nikolas]

Hem... the game is out I think, Igor.

[gypsysnail]

I'll put in my bit - I like the graphics, I guess our tastes are all different, but the exchange student's one and Ali's both appeal to me and I would be intrigued to buy the games for the story as well as the graphics. I agree too if the lines had been thick black ones, I wouldnt like it so much. The thick lines in colour (paled out a little - pale making it a good contrast) do make it look cartoonish and I can't put my finger on what makes it look tasteful and attracts me to the game - going to look for it on ebay . Ahem just looked there, not there so where would I be able to find it - being in Australia. Is it for sale online? Thanks for introducing me to the game Always on the look out for a new adventure game to add to my collection!

[SSH]

From what I've heard, it's a pretty dull demo/game.

[CMonkey]

I think they're fine to have this style as long as they're consistent with it. From what i've seen, they are so it's fine. Though I can't say I like them, but that's my opinion. Personally I think I prefer Ali's style.

And as for the game and the characters... I played the demo, and wasn't too disappointed when it was over. But then again, Since Larry 3 I haven't been into that style of game, where you play a sad dork looking for love. On saying that, if you're just playing a sad, dork, then that's okay. But I can't say I really cared about helping the main character with his 'quest', I just felt I wanted to distance myself from him as much as possible.