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Rene Speculation: Art Style, Graphics, and Lighting
simmerorigin
Posts: 1,395 Member
A thread to talk about all things related to art style, graphics, and lighting in Project Rene.
He/him | Simmer since Sims 1 | Active Sims 2 wants-based rotational player, Sims 3 legacy player | My gameplay rules via PleasantSims | Bring back challenge and depth to the Sims: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17959464/#Comment_17959464
Post edited by simmerorigin on
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We've had the Sims 4 style for a while. In terms of my taste, I liked it at the beginning but I am a visually tired of it. In my opinion, it has a very happy, family-friendly, utopian look to it. I would be very interested in something different.
This art style feels very "Disney." I'd be curious to know if textures like the grass could be improved in Project Rene.
I do not think Project Rene will go for something hyperrealistic. Creatively and technically, this does not seem to be a match for the brand. But
In terms of lighting, I think something more contrasty and dramatic would be very interesting. This is what I mean (shown in different art styles for clarity). Note that this light style can still work in games that are cartoony and not hyperrealistic.
This is true about TS3
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I'm not referring to what Project Rene has shown yet. I know it's a work in progress. I'm curious what the targeted "finished product" look of the game will be. Will they follow exactly the same stylized Sims 4 aesthetic? Or push a little bit more towards the realism side of the spectrum, powered by a robust Unreal Engine 5?
So, Sims 5 isn't going to be much higher in graphics than Sims 4. And, yes, my computer handles Sims 4 with ease.
Modern computers are really bad quality. When I look for a new computer, the only computers equal to my computer cost more than my computer did. And, they're not even better computers after seven years. Even the computers from the same brand are only equal to or inferior to my computer for higher prices.
So, I don't think Sims 5 is going to be a big improvement in graphics from Sims 4.
Also, Sims 4 wasn't a big improvement from Sims 3 either. Sims 4 was nothing but Sims 3 with multitasking and without the content for around four-five years straight. The only improvement it had was multitasking.
Sims 3 has almost everything the earlier years of Sims 4 had to it.
Sims 4 was a big-time flop for half of it's lifetime, with people preferring Sims 3 all that time for the packs.
Though, Sims 5 looks like it greatly improves upon Sims from 4, so I'm going to jump ship to 5 when it comes out. It is way more realistic in furniture.
I gave a lot of ideas to add to Sims 4... But, I think Sims 5 is soon to be announced. I'm not staff or anything, so if I'm wrong, calm down. But, the way they say the next Behind The Sims is about "the future of Sims 4" sounds to me like Sims 4 is finished, like For Rent is it's very last pack.
Yes, Project Rene is the next generation of the franchise.
But really what this thread is about is the art style and lighting of the game. While that's correlated with computer graphics capabilities, I wouldn't say they are the same.
Personally, I would be disappointed if they went with the exact same art style as TS4. I'm not visually excited by the same saturated green grasses and blue waters that are so prevalent in the game. However, in the sake of being accessible, I don't think they will go for something like inZOI. My hope is for something still cartoony but with more dramatic/contrasting Unreal Engine 5 lighting and more color variety.
Unreal Scene Management is notable - it’s important for optimizing open world environments so they run well on a variety of system requirements.
It's not uncommon for programmers to know multiple languages. Although this does read a little bit like they want to get someone they can overwork to the bone from the start. Because why hire a team when you can make one person crunch for 60 hours a week for months because they can do it themselves. Could it be that the sims team just has no clue how unreal works so they took the feature list and posted it as requirements?
Now, I’m excited for a reset and the possibilities of something different with Rene. A repeat of this would be a miss IMO.
But I'd like to see more details in the hair (and maybe transparency painted, rather than clay), eyelashes rather than a solid block, more detailing in the clothes, etc. Someone a few year's back posted a picture of Victoria 4 from Daz Studio as a hypothetical "Next generation" of the Sims, and while not neccisarily Victoria 4, something that was a combo of Aiko/The Girl 4 (I don't have any of my Gen 4 stuff installed anymore, so I can't show what I'm talking about) in general style would be good. I'd still want the skins to be relatively clean, with hair and details being an overlay rather than on the base texture.
And then, of course, that be carried over into the environment.
Lighting... that's a hard call. I still find Life By You's lighting a little harsh for me, but it's also realistically harsh - about what I'd expect on a cloudless summer day while I was down visiting family that live further south than I do. It's just a level of lighting I don't like. But I get what Simmerorigin is saying about Sims 4 lighting being too ... Utopian. Maybe a little cooler, a little less Sitcom and a little more Drama style lighting would be a nice change.
My list presently which is deciding whether I get it or not is;
1) DLC must be done differently. I build more than use CAS so my views will reflect this.
I think Game Packs should be the main pack, quality over quantity. $20/£20 is a good price. I think the game packs have generally hit better.
A set theme so you can decide if you want to add it or not. Stuff Packs continue with kits being phased out.
Currently TS4 packs are not balanced in build mode. Most packs come with beds, sofas and chairs. Yet there are few carpets and lino choices.
Oasis Courtyard Kit is great but there’s nothing else Moroccan so it’s a bit odd.
The Industrial Loft Kit only had one window and not much else in the kit to define a loft space. I didn’t understand why a living room and bedroom set were needed. More large windows, doors, radiators, more piping and some different brick and concrete wallpaper and flooring would have been more welcome.
We need more small statues and items to differentiate homes. Plants are more represented, even if you don’t get the Blooming Room Kit there’s still plenty of plants 🪴in other packs to add.
2) Worlds should be larger with at least one established neighbourhood. One zone empty for players who want to start thier own stories. Each world should have 12-15 lots minimum.
3) In regards to lighting I would like an option to control the brightness of the sun 🌞 in each world. I agree if you visit a different place the light should reflect it.
4) I would like Sims to be able to own little pieces like glasses, a favourite cup and they get mad if another Sim uses it.
I would also like the animation of Sims using house keys to enter thier home and putting them in a bowl by the door. More little realistic nods would be more immersive.
But with more detailed meshes and textures, and also get rid of the doll house esthetic. Everything is so thick and blocky in The Sims 4.
It should be a mixture of thick and thin elements.
Yeah, this is how I feel too. I still like the open world of 3, the interactions and behavior of ts2 and the way ts4 can multi task. I think a more refined art style would be ideal.