Arkane Studios "Dishonored" (with HL2's concept artist)

[joe_rogers_11155]

Hey guys, the new GameInformer came out and I just jizzed my pants RIGHT OFF when i got to inspecting the sceenshots and concept art from Arkane Studios' recently announced game "Dishonored". Featuring none other than Half-Life 2's concept artist, Viktor Antonov, this game appears to be an open-world first-person stealth game set in a steampunk-cyberpunk European society.

Sorry there are no pictures up yet!! Please check out the reference links in the Wikipedia article. I will update the links when I get home, since I can't access most gaming sites at work. Some of the game's epic imagery will be posted here when I get home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dishonored_(video_game)
http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Viktor_Antonov

Anyways, so back to talking about the look of the game. At first glance I instantly recognized the art style to be Viktor's. In fact, looking at all this amazing artwork and scenery is probably the closest we will come to seeing new Half-Life imagery for a long time. I would not be surprised if people started grabbing screenshots from Dishonored and trying to portray them as Ep3 screenshots. I mean, look at the buildings, the color, the mechanical enemies, the injection of blocky machinery on European architecture...it's like some kind of alternate reality Half-Life game. I'm totally stoked to see more. I hope I don't sound like a tard by gushing about it here, lol...but I'm kind of a fanboy of Viktor's art.

Like I said, screenshots will be posted when I get home. But for now, just go googling around for some screenshots. If anything, you will be kind of impressed.

[ScarT]

I don't see how using the same art direction as Half-Life 2's is impressive. Sorry to sound so harsh and cynical but its not really impressive.




At least we get to play Half-Life 3.

[joe_rogers_11155]

At least we get to play Half-Life 3.

I guess that's what I was trying to get at, lol.

I think the game has more going on than the pictures let on, honestly. Reading the article, the game looks like it has a myriad of hi-tech Bioshock-like abilities, and also a psychic possession mechanic. And there are a limited number of ranged weapons for the player, instead focusing on very close-range kills. Do want.

[no00dylan]

Yes and no. In his interview he said that the developers wanted to draw some inspiration from HL2, but not too much. He said that for his art, other than the small amount of HL2, he drew inspiration only from other mediums instead of games. The rest is literature, photography etc. He references Lovecraft, "mystical photography", 20's style painting and American illustrators such as Norman Rockwell. The inspiration here is thick and varied, and just because some of the concepts looks similar to HL2... or as some say, HL3, it's not wrong to enjoy a good artist/art.


http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/ ... nored.aspx

[joe_rogers_11155]

From what i have seen, Dunwall looks like a revamped City 17, with no Citadel. They have all these objects made of navy blue metal and bold red stripes that screeeeam "Combine tech" and they exist in this European cityscape that looks very much like City 17. Just saying.

[ad_hominem]

From what I've seen, there looks to be quite some disparity between the concept art that is reminiscent of Half-Life 2, and the actual in game stuff. The game itself sounds completely different to HL2/anything in that vein, so I'm thinking the initial similarities will be much more subdued and subtle in the finished game. I also don't really see why people are getting up in arms about this when Sci-Fi games have been riffing of Giger's art for well over a decade.

It's also Arkane Studio's "Dishonored", Bethesda are just publishing it.

[nub]

Definitely looks interesting. I actually thought it was a Half Life 2 mod at first, but I think that's because the graphics remind me of Source. Though I do notice some slight similarities between it and HL2, but it doesn't look entirely the same. I think it's mostly that vehicle that looks like a combine APC.

[Jangalomph]

I think this looks interesting. Though i barely know any thing on the game. I'd like to see a demo of gameplay or something soon.

[Stormy]

Arkane studios were responsible for dark messiah: might and magic, no? If so they already have the source enine ties, and dmmm was a freakin travesty. I'm not one to pay attention to sales grabbing hype, i'll pick it up when it hits the bargain bin.

That said, viktor antonov does have a nice style, it's a pity that it's apparently his only style.

[ScarT]

Arkane studios were responsible for dark messiah: might and magic, no? If so they already have the source enine ties, and dmmm was a freakin travesty. I'm not one to pay attention to sales grabbing hype, i'll pick it up when it hits the bargain bin.

That said, viktor antonov does have a nice style, it's a pity that it's apparently his only style.

His art direction for The Crossing was pretty rad, too bad it got canceled.

[Armageddon]

Arkane Studios is dishonoured by HL2's concept artist.


This looks awesome, and who cares if it has a fancy APC, it's more Half-Life 2 than Half-Life 2 ever dreamed to be. IT'S GREEEEEEEN, and white. It's on SOURCE! (I think) And it has magical beings from other worlds!

[Gary]

. It's on SOURCE! (I think)

Extremely unlikely, I see self shadowing on dynamic objects in the middle of the day.

I can not see anyone besides Valve using the Source engine in the future. I mean, why would you?

[Jangalomph]

Source just has that "source look" that you dont get with any other games.

[nub]

Ah yeah...I remember The Crossing. That game was gonna be so awesome. I wonder of Dishonored is a reboot of it or something. I mean, they do sort of remind me of each other.

[Gary]

Source just has that "source look" that you dont get with any other games.

I hate that look honestly.