Sound improvements for HotS

[Gradius]

Speaking of sound, i think the sentry sounds like a zergling.

[Triceron]

It would definitely be nice to see, but I doubt they would go as far as redoing all the multiplayer art just so it 'looks better' 3-4 years from now. I know the artists say they want to, but the reality is that production schedules simply don't allow for that to happen unless there is time to do it. Otherwise, there really isn't anything wrong with the graphics and priority is on getting new content created instead of putting more time into a glorified wishlist. And there's ALWAYS something new to work on.

I have the same hopes to see it happen too, but I know the reality is that it's more likely to not happen. The same can be said by artists working on WoW, wanting to revamp really old looking models for the 'next expansion'. You might get one or two choice models get a new texture pass or a updated model, but even with an expansion so focused on rebuilding the old world, revamping old models just isn't a priority.

[Wankey]

Speaking of sound, i think the sentry sounds like a zergling.

Tell me about it. They need to completely revamp the sound scape.

Protoss needs to have low end sounds. Lots of bass, lots of deep echo. Beeping noises not zipping noises. The colossi has probably the only good sound.

It just pisses me off how EVERY sound is on the same octave. Voidrays, Colossi and Senty beams are ON THE SAME NOTE. BZZZZZZZ on like a E. It shows purely bad sound design. The guy who did Wall-e also did StarWars, and he never reused any laser sounds ever in his movies. I think he said he's invented nearly 800 different types if laser sounds over the past decade or so.

Starcraft 2, 1 laser sound that's it.

Listen to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nisgk...ailpage#t=601s

Close your eyes, how many distinct sounds can you even detect? It's purely just noise. Everything sounds the same, Zealots swiping sounds similar to Stalker shooting, even Colossus you can't really hear. Phoenix sounds similar again, to stalkers and has the same "explosive sound"

Now what about Zerg sounds? All you can really hear in that is just roaches dying. Like what's going on? Compare that movie to the Sc1 movie i posted the page before. Anyways... the sound is absolutely terrible in Starcraft 2, I hope they spend this entire year redoing a lot of the sound but I highly doubt it, bad talent = sad result.

[hyde]

Ugh, double post. Sorry.

[hyde]

A "Total redo" is really wishful thinking. Yes, the game does look somewhat simple, and the models are horrible for a late DirectX 9 game - even if it is a RTS. But do not get me wrong, the high res textures make up for it - and for gameplay , the definitive color schemes and unit siloettes serve their purpose. I'm fine with the current graphics. I agree the sound could be reworked though.

Unless HOTS is priced at a full retail price game, I really do not see Blizzard Accounting approving of a total redo of all the art assets or the sound. The game already has ultra high resolution texture packs and looks decent on Extreme. Nobody really cares too much to zoom in that far to notice the low polycount. And you can't expect too much for sound, especially for a RTS. Comparing it to a next-gen shooter is unfair considering SC2 went into dev circa 2005~


The graphics are just a result of
1) performance/stability over aesthetics
2) budgeting
3) they've already "redone" the work many times

Look at these screen shots. The game looks horrible at times, yes I know it is alpha but look at the art direction. If they did redo it, it wouldn't be the first time doing it again. I don't think this is going to fly so well with their finances, etc.
It's pretty evident they were spread thin. Look at any of the SC1 legacy models in SC2, they're obviously "Half assed" but for the sake of having them in. Some units are clearly over polished..like the Old thor.







I mean just looking at these, the game has taken more than 1 art direction/redesign.
I particularly like the second last one, it looks much more gritty and its how I would have envisioned SC2.
Some of the models look horrible work in progresses, but at times it does look like a finished product. LOL@Siege tanks.
But notice the zealot/marine models, there's almost 3 different marine models.

You guys should also take into account the amount of detailed work they put into other things. Isn't there one marine death animation for almost every type of attack there is in the entire game?


Not to mention this...sound voice for each unit being mind controlled haha.
10 minutes of audio that the majority of us will never, ever hear. Maybe "ASSIMILATION SUCCESSFUL" , but I ask you zerg players - how much of this have you even heard?

[sandwich_bird]

There will be a forested version of Char

-.-

Can't wait to hear what kind of ridiculous reason they will make up to explain this!

[Hav0x]

-.-

Can't wait to hear what kind of ridiculous reason they will make up to explain this!

Are you really taking what some random person who says they are a Blizzard employee on DA says as fact?

[SpikeVorador]

-.-

Can't wait to hear what kind of ridiculous reason they will make up to explain this!

probably the same explation that they give for korhal: "Mengsk spent a TON of credits cleaning up the planet"...
how do you clean a planet that has become a radiactive desert in 4 years is beyond me.

[Twilice]

Artefacts that destroy zerg dna? Where have you been the recent year?

[Gradius]

Didn't we see the concept art for that forested version of Char?

It's probably from LoTV where the Zerg become "bringers of life" instead of mindless killing beasts. :P