ICO, good game, bad game? Want opinions!

[_phil_]

marc : i juste pointed out what the game shows when watched closely.

Maybe there's some other trick (render to texture -> scaled to blur -> additive blend on frame buffer)

Also ,the leaves may well be a simple procedural (green-yellow white )palete animation on a small procedural map ,Synchronised on the vertex animation of the branchs...

 

[ChryZ]

HDR != shiny shine

HDR is a "atmospheric" lighting effect, shiny shine is a surface effect.

 

[rabidrabbit]

I believe 'Shiny Shine' is much broader concept than just a surface effect!
It can be applied to whatever appropriate.
Perhaps chap could explain the 'true meaning' of Shiny Shine to us.

 

[notAFanB]

HDR is a "atmospheric" lighting effect, shiny shine is a surface effect.

is HDR handleing the dispersion strength of light on surfaces? SS is probably (as we are referring to it) specular/enviroment mapping in general.

 

[marconelly!]

Also ,the leaves may well be a simple procedural (green-yellow white )palete animation on a small procedural map ,Synchronised on the vertex animation of the branchs...

I doubt it becaue the lighting on leaves changes depening on the angle you look at the tree. It's the most intensive only if you look through the tree straight into the sun.

I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure ZOE2 also has a very high quality version of this lighting effect, from what I remember it looked very well defined and precise.

Halo 2 uses it too (see trailer 1) and judging by the pictures, Killzone also.

 

[MrWibble]

shiney shine (we really are adopting this terms right?)

Oh for crying out loud. I can practically see the boards IQ level drop every time I see those words...

I know! Lets name everything after the kind of terms a 5 year-old might use.

From now on, textures are called "pixelly pics", bump-mapping is "lumpy-bumps" and anti-aliasing is "sharpy-sharpy liney-smoothy".



I think I'm going to take a power-drill to my temple because I don't feel quite lobotomised enough yet.

Please make the madness stop.

 

[Paul]

I concur with Mr.Wiggle, how about we just call the "shiny shine" a shader, more specifically a Pixel Shading. There are words for this stuff.

Onto ICO.

While I only played the Demo, I can say that the outside enviornment with the Windmill and the water was the most beutiful thing I have seen this gen. Sure there are other games that may "look" better, but this was just on another scale. Not to mention that water physics? VU0+VU1 at some of their best here.

One day I will have to get the game.

However I wish there not to be a sequal, some games just come along that I feel shouldn't have a sequal. They shouldn't be tainted or leeched upon, ICO IMO is one of these games. That and Chrono Trigger.

 

[rabidrabbit]

I don't remember the water around the windmill looking anything special :? Was there even any noteworthy water physics?
I remember it as just quite simple reflective surface with few 'waves'.
The overall scenery though is so very beautiful, as is the whole game.
hmm.. guess i'll play through ICO again (for the 6th or so time).

Water in BGA is the most impressive and 'fun' this gen (IMO).

 

[notAFanB]

Please make the madness stop.

unfortunately neither you nor I have influence in this matter.

8)

 

[ChryZ]

Please make the madness stop.

Hehe, will do ... it was anyway more like a internal-making-fun-of-certain-people-kinda-joke, it's so silly, it's almost getting funny again ... take it easy, mate

BTW, what would be the right notation? "Pixel Shading" like Paul suggested, sounds a little to imprecise to me ...

 

[Squeak]

I don't remember the water around the windmill looking anything special :?.

Actually there is a very subtle refraction effect on objects just beneath the surface (ICOs legs), a bit like in SMS.
And there is also some psycics effects going on (the boy (ICO?) is bobbing like a cork and waves from movement).

 

[London Geezer]

I'm pretty sure the approach taken to render the water in ICO is the same used in the pre-launch demo with the rubber duck in the sink... to anyone who has seen it, it looks the same...

Baldurs Gate's water is, or at least, LOOKS much more advanced in the movement of the waves and ripples, although i can't recall seeing any reflection of refraction... but any movement of any object in the water created realistic waves and ripples, which is VERY impressive and fun to watch....
the only "intractivity" in ICO's water was when jumping into the water, in which case rings of waves were created, however swimming around the puddle does not create any real waves. the movement of the water is, i believe, non-interactive after the initial jump. or at least it looks that way...
should anyone know more about those aspects, please do correct me if i'm wrong

 

[marconelly!]

In any case, that water in Ico looks like a real, chilling refreshment that asks you to jump in, and cool out from the heat of the sun. Water in BGDA although very advanced, looks more like some kind of oil than actual water, IMO.

 

[phed]

The water effect is actually very simple. its just a smoothing function. Google for "water effect" to see what I mean.

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/programming/features/water/