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[Hajo]

Hello together, this is kind of a survey - I'm interested to hear what kind of art style you prefer for games and why. It'd be extra cool if you can also list a few pros and cons of your favorite style. Doesn't have to be objective on this level, pros and cons can as well be just your subjective view.

If you want you can list several styles with their pros and cons as well.

[Skofo]

There are no same pros and cons for art styles for different games. Some things fit better in some games than others.

I say you just do whatever you do best. You can be known for it in your indie games (like Ikiki), so there's no use just faking it and doing a worse job than what you can actually do.

The best thing about art in games is the variety between different games. The art is completely up to your disgression, because you have the best mental image of what you want your game to be.

[Hajo]

I say you just do whatever you do best. You can be known for it in your indie games (like Ikiki), so there's no use just faking it and doing a worse job than what you can actually do.

I'm not asking because of a game I'm making or intend to make. Although I made a similar thread for a game that I was working on a while ago - but then I told about the project and specifically asked for advice.

I'm now rather intending to write an essay about graphical styles in games, and to widen my view on the topic I thought I'll ask what others think about the topic. So it's not important what I like, or what I can do, but to get an impression of other peoples view on the topic, their likes and dislikes, and eventually to condense that into an article - if I can do that. Otherwise it just was a nice survey for all TIGers to read later.

[brog]

I'll notice and appreciate a game's art style if it is somehow distinctive.  So I guess my answer is "any style not used by many other games".

For my own games I've gravitated to a 3d vector-art kind of style, inspired somewhat by Tron, Darwinia, and games of Kenta Cho.  This is mainly because I prefer to produce animated graphics with code rather than by hand, and this is a comfortable style to do that in.

[isaac]

It's hard really define what kinds of art style I like when I don't really know what you're asking -- "art style" could mean anything really, and depending on how specific your ontology gets, it's unique to every single game.

I think the strength of the art of any game comes from the amount of gumption the artist brings. If he really embraces the art style, in all it's (and their) limitations and advantages, it'll work just fine. I don't particularly like the art in XKCD, but because it's drawn with consistency and full knowledge of what can work, it works just fine. This (just from a google search for dragon) however is terrible because the artist is refusing to work within the limits of the style, and of their own skill.

So it's not that useful to say I like pixel art... because what I really mean is I like good pixel art. And only when it's used in a situation where pixel art is appropriate. The same goes for all the art styles under the sun.

Oh, and novelty helps as well, because I am easily distracted by the shiny and new.

[dmoonfire]

I prefer line drawings pretty much above everything else. There is something about doing more with less that really appeals to me. Sketch and NPR techniques are great because it is making something look less hyperreal. Even photographs don't do much for me, but I do appreciate a good pixel here and there.

For the most part, I like abstracts. Things where you have to fill in the gaps (like the graphics for my competition entry) or let your brain just work with what you have. Probably one reason I like Thing Thing as an artistic style.

But, line drawings are the best for me.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I tend to like art styles that use a lot of pastel colors (unsaturated, light colors), like Paladin's Quest, or Yoshi's Island.

I also tend to like art styles that use fewer shades (not fewer individual colors, just fewer shades, like a screen that's made of shades of blue and white, or a screen that's made of shades of beige and light blue), as in most Out of This World's areas. Monochrome can be okay too. Generally, a good sense for color balance is the difference between likable art styles and annoying ones.

And I know people are going to disagree about this, but I hate "retro" art styles, because typically they try to look like old NES/SNES games but fail miserably due to not having the talent that the artists did back then. There are a few exceptions (like Cave Story), but this is true of most games that try to be retro, usually it's just an excuse to attempt to get by without really working on the graphics.

I also like abstract / procedural graphics, but it's hard to make it look good and it's easy to overwhelm the player with too much going on at once (as I learned through making & playtesting Immortal Defense).

[Hajo]

It's hard really define what kinds of art style I like when I don't really know what you're asking -- "art style" could mean anything really, and depending on how specific your ontology gets, it's unique to every single game.

So far I have only a pretty coarse matrix - "technical" aspects like 2D or 3D display along the one axis, and "artistic" aspects in a bit of a convoluted mix of terms like cartoony, photorealistic and symbolic along the other.

I have hope that the answers will help to find more distinct categories.

[moi]

I like oldschool arcadey style.

[Skofo]

I like those sharp, dirty, grainy, scratchy art styles similar to the themes of Mario Strikers Charged and kind of like The World Ends With You. These aren't animated anywhere in the game or really used in gameplay, I'm guessing it's because it'd be pretty tough to animate something like this, but it'd be really kickass if someone did or coded a system that made regular sprites or graphics like that in gameplay.

Viewtiful Joe kinda did it. I like this too.


^ Can't get much more stylish than that.

[deadeye]

I like the oldskool retro console pixel-art style above all else.

When I was a kid that art style, and the games that went along with it, inspired me to want to make games for a living when I got older.  But as I got older, the direction that games went in changed dramatically.  Only within the past couple of years did I realize that there is still an interest in the kind of games I wanted to make as a kid, so that's what I'm trying to do.

I'm not married to that style though... I do think though that the art style of any one game should fit that game.

Now that I think about it, I may be biased by how games evolved as I was growing up.  To me, the more "serious" and "mature" a game is, the more it should swing towards higher resolution or even 3D, with a broader and less saturated color palette.  Whereas whimsical games always feel better suited as pixel art with a simpler, more saturated palette.  Just as a general guidline, mind you.  There are plenty of exceptions.

[ImaginaryThomas]

Cell shading, bitches.



I wish life was cell shaded. Seriously, I can't get enough of it.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I also like cell shading, particularly in Megaman Legends 1 & 2

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I also like rotoscoping, particularly in the LoTR animated film by Ralph Bakshi. However, I've never yet seen rotoscoping in a game, so perhaps this doesn't count.

[increpare]

I also like rotoscoping, particularly in the LoTR animated film by Ralph Bakshi. However, I've never yet seen rotoscoping in a game, so perhaps this doesn't count.

Rotoscoping is pretty common in games...the tradition of rotoscoping in games started with the original Prince of Persia I believe.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Ah, I didn't think of that! So yes, I like rotoscoping in games!

[KennEH!]

Cell shading, bitches.



I wish life was cell shaded. Seriously, I can't get enough of it.

JSR.

[FishyBoy]

I also like cell shading, particularly in Megaman Legends 1 & 2

I don't think those games were cel shaded, due to console limitations. They're flat shaded.

But the way they do flat shading in those games kicked so much ass it doesn't matter.

[Xion]

I like vibrant colors and high contrast (as found in cel-shading, but also in pixel art), exaggerated proportions, smooth lines and curves, sharp angles and straight lines (either/or, that is), unified palettes, and spontaneity in design.

Loved the looks of Jet Grind Radio, Wind Waker, Metroid: Zero Mission, Viewtiful Joe, Pikmin, Viva Pinata, and No More Heroes.

Oh, "and why?":

because.

[Inane]

I like vibrant colors and high contrast (as found in cel-shading, but also in pixel art), exaggerated proportions, smooth lines and curves, sharp angles and straight lines (either/or, that is), unified palettes, and spontaneity in design.

Loved the looks of Jet Grind Radio, Wind Waker, Metroid: Zero Mission, Viewtiful Joe, Pikmin, Viva Pinata, and No More Heroes.

<3 Ditto