Am I crazy...?

[AverageCitizen]

It may just be me, but I really dislike the style of 3d art that they're using for the character creator. I'm not a graphic artist by any means, but from my experience viewing other's work it seems to be a very unforgiving medium.

Basically, I think the DDI characters, and many other custom art I've seen along the same vein, look like misshapen barbies with awkward facial features and plastic hair. Very few pieces created in this manner have impressed me.

On the other hand I had the DDO demo for a while and I couldn't make a character that didn't look awesome. At least, that's the impression I remember. Also, a quick browse of deviant art shows much, much better digital art than we are seeing from the character generator demos. (side note: Seriously, go browse some of that crap. It's awesome. I had no idea.)

Question for those who know about the medium and understand where I'm coming from: Is it a style preference thing or does a lot of digital art just kinda suck? I mean, are they doing it this way on purpose?

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Yes, you are crazy.

My recommendation is to seek out a qualified psychiatrist, but if you feel you are a danger to yourself or others, go to an emergency room.

I used the DDO tool and I couldn't make a character that looked as good as the ones on DDI.

I've made good customized shapes in second life, bad results in other avatar builders.

This is all highly variable.

 

[AverageCitizen]

I used the DDO tool and I couldn't make a character that looked as good as the ones on DDI.

You really think that these look better than this and this? Maybe I'm not the one who needs a therapist, my friend.

 

[AZRogue]

I don't think they're that far away from eachother, actually. I can easily see the DDI looking as good as the DDO after a bit of polish. I don't think the program is anywhere near done, though, so I'm thinking of the currently released DDI images more as "working" pieces, or placeholders.

With more detailed textures and some tweaking I think they can be very close to one another.

 

[cangrejoide]

I wonder if it wouldnt be easier/cheaper just to buy the DDO char generator and port it to DDI instead of building one from the gorund up?

 

[The Little Raven]

You really think that these look better than this and this? Maybe I'm not the one who needs a therapist, my friend.

Honestly, all of those leave me cold, because near-photo-realism fails due to the Uncanny Valley effect. These dwarves are infinitely superior to the DDI/DDO ones, IMNSHO.

 

[AverageCitizen]

I don't think they're that far away from eachother, actually. I can easily see the DDI looking as good as the DDO after a bit of polish. I don't think the program is anywhere near done, though, so I'm thinking of the currently released DDI images more as "working" pieces, or placeholders.

With more detailed textures and some tweaking I think they can be very close to one another.

Yeah, you have a very valid point. Polish is a big part of the artistic process. And by big I mean important, not long. Its the last touches that always impress me.

Honestly, all of those leave me cold, because near-photo-realism fails due to the Uncanny Valley effect.

I hear ya. I'd prefer perfect cartoons to cheap imitations of reality any day. Still, today's graphics artists are cranking out some amazing photorealism. But considering a program which purports character visualization not as a speed bump on the way to play, but as a main feature I'm surprised DDI is apparently years behind.

These dwarves are infinitely superior to the DDI/DDO ones, IMNSHO.

I prefer the DDO dwarves, meself. I think they're stylized enough for me. I think we prefer slightly different points on the same spectrum.

PS: What is the uncanny valley effect?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I'm going to hazard a guess and and say that wizards is still trying to pay the 3d artists rpg pen and paper salary, and not video game salary. If I am wrong, then I apologies. I just know I was very surprised what rpg companies pay artists, and how the pricing is done.

 

[AverageCitizen]

But they're still charging video game prices. Really, no thanks guys.

 

[DandD]

What is the uncanny valley effect?

It's this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley