Pirates of the Burning Sea: Art Evolution Journal

Dana

In their latest developer journal, FlyingLab Software Lead Artist Bruce Sharp pens an article on the evolution of their MMORPG's art. The game's graphics are compared between last year and this year, both in pictures and words. You can also see just the new images here.

When I started my first day at Flying Lab Software, I’d seen the game in screenshots on the web and once during my interview. The course was clear in terms of what was missing from the game’s artistic direction: Romance! The game looked antiseptic in its art style, as if a lot of technical issues had been solved but few artistic issues had yet been explored, at least not the big, sweeping broad strokes that ultimately define the style or “voice” of the game’s imagery. As an artist I’m a true believer in the idea that the simple but abstract parts of an image, like the color palette (derived in our 3d space from the color of the ocean, sky, ship textures, direct light, ambient light, and distance fog), are where the image’s true power is; once established in an appropriate (and hopefully exciting) way, the image can then be populated with detail and content successfully. At the school where I’ve been teaching art since the early 90’s, I’ve noticed that a lot of students have this notion exactly backwards – most think that an image’s power comes from the details, which is where they put almost all of their energy, while ignoring the larger strokes like color, contrast, soft and hard edges, etc. Sadly a lot of game companies practice this same philosophy.

To read the full log, with before/after images, click here.

anarchyart

This game's art is lacking........any sort of ties to reality becuase it is UNREAL! Every screenshot is almost like a work of art. Gimme any kind of half decent gameplay and I'm hooked. Beautiful, just beautiful.

knord

One would think that the game industry would have learned all what Mr. Sharp is talking about.

But as he clearly states, they haven't. He really knows what he's talking about and the result is beautiful.

The question is, do one dare play this game or just sit and watch every frame as a piece of art?

Great interview, very interesting topic.

HolyAvengerOne

Excellent, excellent, excellent.

Now gimme some decent-sized screenies so I can put on my desktop

CanOKickAss

Pure Genius and Divine intervention that FLS was able to hire Bruce when they did.  Great work Bruce and great work programmers making his ideas come to life in game. 

steevodeevo

---

Originally posted by Holyavenger1
Excellent, excellent, excellent.

Now gimme some decent-sized screenies so I can put on my desktop

---

there are some excellent walpapers on the home website shipmate