Dreamfall--From Sketch to Model
 

Here I was on the Dreamfall thread JUST complaining that I didn't like the way that Zoe looked, when within hours Marek provides us with a gorgeous article about how the game designers came up with her appearance. Now that is what I call attention to the needs and desires of gamers. ;) Thanks Marek, great piece, and congrats for getting an AG exclusive--what a coup these images are.

I'm not sure whether to post these comments here or in that forum, but I have to say that after reading this piece, I dislike her appearance even more! :( It's not her look per se that's irritating me--some of the initial sketches are extremely intriguing, I love the final concept art, and even the 3D model seems to suggest a unique character. What really bothers me is the image they're using for the promotional materials. This may be just me on my usual feminist/PC rant, but to me in that purple tank she looks much more "prettified," less "ethnic," and more doe-eyed and generic than in the other images. And then, of course, there's the purple tank. She goes from mostly modest jeans, shearling jacket and turtleneck to a barely-there, figure-hugging tank and body-conscious jewelry for the promos, and that's an accident? (Trep, what say you about visuals and marketing now? Could this at all be an attempt to attract male gamers to the sequel of a game that was too-often described as a female-friendly AG?).

Regardless, I think the pictures are fascinating to study, and useful as an insight into the game-design process. Thanks again Marek for a really terrific, timely article.

This article is such a nice surprise! I'm fascinated by the game development process, so it's great to see how some of the art went from concept sketeches to finished product.

I have to admit I like the final concept art a little better than that standoffish crop-top shot they've been using in the promotional materials. But if the idea is to make her stand out and pique the players' interest, they certainly have done that. She's a lot more interesting looking than April was.

-emily

Personally, I'm waiting for the promotional shots of Kian in a tank top and Calvin Kleins.

I almost said something, but decided that a nineteen-year-old should probably just shut up. Anyway, Zoë still doesn't look like Lara, and... (warning, mature content)

Spoiler:

I'm sure she doesn't orgasm every time she hits a wall.

:rolleyes:

Nice!

(but now that I've seen their earlier drawings, I wish they'd stayed with the style in the second phase (i.e. the fifth drawing) - the finished Zoe looks like something out of Pirates of the Carribean, and the earlier girl looks more real and likeable, IMO ofcourse)

edit: Or maybe I don't think so after all.

edit 2: Or yes. I think I do. :)

I think she should wear the hat in the game. I like the final concept sketch, and I like the 3D version - but where is the hat?!

I WANT THE HAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!


...that's one cool hat...


- :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Cool article, very interesting for me since concept design its the kinda thing i would like to do as career.

I think that like April in the original game, Zoe's costume probably changes from world to world. The purple top i assume is for Casablanca, where she'd probably want to wear cooler clothing.

The fur coat and turtle neck i would assume she wears for Macuria which appears to be in the grip of winter, so she'll be probably be dressing warmly.

i think the purple top is quite conservative by computer game standards, certainly compared to Lara Croft or any girl in the fantasy RPG genre.

I can understand why Funcom went for the purple top for the promotional stuff, i mean look how well Tomb Raider sold, purely on the basis of an improbably busty girl in a tiny green top and hot pants.

She does it when she falls on spikes too, which is disturbing.

Great article, Marek! I've never before examined screenshots so thouroughly as those of the Journeyman Inn here. Very interesting to see the different states of work. :)

Only I still can't develop a real interest in Zoë as a character. Guess I'm too curious to learn what became of April after ten years. And she looks much more mysterious and intriguing than Zoë. I read on the Dreamfall Website that she is kind of disillusioned and seems to have matured in a way I would not have expected.

Does anyone know what technique they're using to animate the characters?

Ragnar mentions motion capture on his blog, but this article seems to imply that they're using hand-keyframed animation. Is it a combination of the two?

Anyone?

I agree MS, and I guess one thing I was trying to say was that in the promo shots, Zoe looks particularly bland, which is not helping me get a fix on her personality. But I'm really looking forward to meeting April again, and understanding what's happened to her (well, you HAD to know, didn't you, after that ending to TLJ . . .) That said, I think it's probably savvy to introduce new characters who will have an important role, rather than simply recycle the old--if done well. It opens up the story to progression in the future, if desired.

Glad you liked it. Thanks goes to Funcom for offering these images, of course.

My personal favorite version of Zoë is the fifth one on that page. I'm practically falling in love with that sketch. Though I can see why they went for the final, slightly less youthful look. The sixth sketch almost looks like, erm, the singer Alizee :shifty: :shifty: and is also too similar to April Ryan.

I found that a lot of April's character in TLJ was in the excellent voice acting. rather than in her apperance.

Hopefully the voice acting for Zoe and Kain in Dreamfall will just as good. Also hopefully they'll get the same woman who voiced April the first time, to voice her again.

Absolutely, EC! :) Of course,

Spoiler:

IF (!) Lady Alvane and April are one and the same person, April must have gone through a lot in her life to become a wise old woman,

right?

Yes, and I won't start to complain about any aspect of Dreamfall before I did play it through. I wanted a sequel so badly that I will learn to live with whatever comes of it for now. ;)

Oh, and btw did you notice that in the smaller b/w drawing in picture no. 2 of the article, Zoë has a strong resemblance to April in TLJ?

EDIT: You did notice, I see... ;)

Absolutely as well regarding the spoiler! :)

That's my attitude. I'm more just discussing it for the sake of discussion, and because I can't discuss the full-scale game yet! Also, GED X-42 had a very good point about voiceovers, at least in the English language version. If Zoe sounds like Marilynn Monroe, that's one thing, but if she sounds like . . . oh I don't know, someone more zingy, that's quite another.

Marek, I also like 5 very much . . . I think. I'm starting to get them all mixed up! :)

Well... six is my favorite (have a thing for shorter hair)... cute and "real". But you are right, it does look a bit too much like April. 5 is quite nice too, yes.
As for the final model. Well, lets just say i'm not really a fan... too many obvious tricks on how to make a sexy and likeable character (big, Bamby eyes, etc.)... Well, lets hope she'll have "great personality" then :D

I think the whole progression is awesome. #5 says thanks for the flowers Marek ;)

What a cool exclusive for AG and I am so psyched for this game!

#5 clearly rules.

It's too bad they couldn't (or didn't) capture her off-centered smile in the 3D model.

Marek that's why I love this website :) Excellent screen shots. Thanks

I dunno about the male gamers, but I'll tell you one thing. My 21-year-old niece Kristin (more best friend than niece, actually) has that exact same body type and wears exactly those kinds of clothes (down to the exposed belly button). Kristin would absolutely play Dreamfall based on Zoe's look and character alone. But most importantly Kristin would most likely identify with Zoe - a beautiful, strong, yet still very feminine young woman studying at uni, who is idealistic yet undecided of herself on many levels (regrettably the only thing missing are tattoos and piercings). Sensuous without looking trampy.

How's that for intelligent marketing, eh? ;)

The lively discussions here are actually my main reason for joining AG forums. In my favourite german forum its next to impossible at the moment to have a discussion worth its name :rolleyes: (well, sometimes it works but rarely).
Discussing Dreamfall for example usually only leeds to complaining about the planned action elements. :shifty: Nobody seems to attempt finding out what might be good about them. OK, I guess, I'll move over to the Dreamfall-preview-Thread in the adventure forum. :)

Yes, that is a really a good point, though I can only comment on the german version but this one also was done remarkably well. They hired a lot of experienced and also well known voice actors. Must have cost loads-a-money... 8-)

Wow, Trep! If I look at Zoë like that she starts to draw my attention. :)
Your post reminds me of your "Syberia" essay which I guess I'll just have to read again because its so... so... I'm at a loss for words... just great! :)

I played both the german version, and the english version. I have to say they were both equally well done.

One thing though: I prefer the german voice of Cortez over his english voice. (the german voice sounds young [not too young], but still wise)


- :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

That's what I meant to say! :o

Great feature!
You should start begging for more exclusives (if you haven't already). :D

I think Funcom is really dripfeeding the Dreamfall stuff, but I'm trying!

Zoephilia
 

I think she looks very much like Lara Croft in picture #6.
Moreover, I think, that's not a very wise decision - marketing-wise!

Also, I absolutely agree to Igor: The European look (pic #2), esp. w/. short hair, is the most interesting (and attractive) to me.

I gotta agree with Trep and DW. There are about 20,000 young girls wandering Portland, OR that look and dress exactly like the final Zoe model, minus the circus freak eyes of course. (Should've gone with the #5 eyes, but hey, it's fantasy, not a documentary.)They would stop and peruse that final poster in second. I agree. Great marketing.

Also, again AG proves as far as adventure games newsie bits go, it's number 1.

"Lara Croft is an annoying, characterless, under-designed, over-developed, over-publicized whore." - Yufster

I don't see Zoë that way, but maybe I'm just blind to things like that. Dreamfall sounds more French than anything to me, and "as long as it's French it can't be smut", says April Ryan.

I'm desperately trying to objectify Kian and nobody seems to have a problem with that. :shifty:

Neither do I. (Neither Zoë nor Lara.)
But that's not the point!
Those things this Yufster guy mentions are basically attributes one can't judge from a character's physical appearance!
And since we only know Zoë's physical appearance (the surface), we just can't know whether she's annoying, or characterless, or a whore!

FYI: I don't find her physical appearane annoying.
Though I agree with EC, she shouldn't be wearing that purple tank top... ;) :P


*cough cough* :devil:


I think it's your damn good right to do so! :D

From what I know, this Yuster guy is a girl, and she's quite ferocious... So I wouldn't try to defend Lara, if I were you. (she's not worthy of you, anyway :) )

Don't worry, Yufster doesn't visit AG.

I'm sorry anyway, Yufster.

However ferocious, I would always defend the game Tomb Raider (at least the first two or three parts). The character of Lara Croft is another question. And her bodily appearance is yet another question!

Oh man, looking at these screens just makes me depressed. Not that they are bad or anything, I always wanted to learn how to model 3D stuff by just having a concept drawing as refference and then texture it.

Need .... to find...... more.......... timeee.

I don't do objects, hon, I do people. [snaps fingers with a wave]

:P Hey watch it, buddy! That's like telling my niece Kristin not to do the same thing, and she is her own woman, dammit! In fact, I just told her now and she's on the next plane to fly out and kick yo' ass!

I know you don't and I didn't mean it either. ;)

Wouldn't she be half naked, if she took off the tank top? Eeeeeeeeek! :eek:





- :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

:eek: Is that what BoyToy actually meant?!

:pan:
:crazy:
BoyToy

Trep, let me know when your niece arrives. I'll pick her up at the airport, then we can discuss the matter (and I can explain what I meant)! :D
*innocent whistle*

[ :D ]That's fine. As long as you forward me pinksie's phone number so that I can call her and let her know where my niece dumped your body after she got through with you. [ /:D ]

Yeah, just PM her for the number. I think she'd really like to watch the whole thing anyway! :D


EDIT: This is certainly on-topic, right? It is all about the purple tank top after all! :shifty: