Cel-Shading

[Anlino]

It is all over me since i played XIII, and i wonder, do you believe cel-shaded graphics would work in an Indie-game? Is it a ploy, or would it actually be a good choice? Have it ever been used before in an indie-game?

[ManuelFLara]

Well, AFAIK there's Lost Idols (http://www.suricate-software.com/lostidols/lostidols.html) and I think Aerial Antics (http://www.leadfootproductions.com/AA.htm) uses it too, although maybe just partly.

[Anthony Flack]

Well, I like it. I've always liked it. I think it's a really cool look when done well.

I know it was the big thing for a little while, and then there was a backlash, and now a lot of people look down on it as an outdated gimmick (Cel shading is sooo 2001, don'tcha know). I don't understand this, myself. It looks cool; it looked cool then and it looks cool now. It is no more a gimmick than rendering something to look realistic. It continues to be used, quite happily, in commercial animation for TV.

So. I think it could be a good choice. Or rather, I think it is one possible element that is available to you in coming up with an appropriate visual design for your game.

[Savant]

I think it's great for indie games as it relieves at least some of the burden of content creation. This is the sort of thing I was advocating in the old FPS thread. Cel shading is much easier to create textures for - that will allow you to create a game with more content than if your artist is tied up making high resolution skins for every mesh.

So it's a double blessing - it's a nice looking visual style and you can crank out content faster.

[Ricardo C]

"Cell shading" doesn't equal "lack of detail". Cell shading can be just as demanding as more traditional rendering styles, if you want it to look right.

[Savant]

I think it depends on what you're going for. If you want highly detailed, bump mapped characters that have cel shading on them then, yeah, it's going to take about the same amount of time. However, if you shoot for a very flat colored cartoony look that is inarguably less texturing work.

[mahlzeit]

Stoked Rider appears to use cell shading too: http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?t=5554

[Hamumu]

Pre-rendered cel-shading is very big in indiedom (good old Snowy). I'm been doing it myself in all my more recent projects (none of which are released of course - I don't release stuff anymore, that's too much work). If you want to make a cartoon look, it's the thing to do, obviously. It's all about deciding on your style, defining it, and then implementing it. But there's more to a cartoon look than what kind of shading it has, so make sure you have a cohesive style all around.

[Ska Software]

I'm using a fakey cell-shaded effect in my new one; I think it's what Aerial Antics uses-- you duplicate an entire mesh, fatten it up a little, paint it black and only render the inside.

[Olivier]

I'm using a fakey cell-shaded effect in my new one; I think it's what Aerial Antics uses-- you duplicate an entire mesh, fatten it up a little, paint it black and only render the inside.
Yes this is a nice trick I used in a past project (http://perso.wanadoo.fr/peggy-olivier/olivier/ghosthouse/index.html). I even reduced the number of polys of the black model. But this would only result in a black outline. Cell shading is more than that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cel_shading

My latest game Bonbon Quest (http://oliverpearl.com/en/games/bonbonquest.php) uses pre-rendered cel-shaded 3D graphics. Look at the screenshots and tell me if it looks good. :D

[Chris Evans]

My next web game is actually using Cel-Shading almost entirely. Before I just used it in bits and pieces.

I agree it's basically just another tool at your disposal. There's also different methods and quasi-methods of cel-shading. Some are easier some are harder to implement.

[Dock]

Yep, I'm working on some cel-shaded stuff.

It's a great technique, and if used nicely it will be recieved well. It was mainly the gratuitous use of it (ie Fur Fighters PS2) that annoyed people more than anything I think.

[Anlino]

Dock, is that the frog-woman game that i've seen at the Blitz forums? If it is the one, congratiulations! It looks great!

I was asking, because i was thinking about using it in my next (humhum, first) game. Thanks to all of you for your insights. I am going to download the games stated here. Please, keep the discussion alive:) . I appreciate all input.

[Dock]

Anlino - yep, that's the one. I'm really glad you liked the look of it! The game has hit a bit of brick wall recently and I have to redesign the core gameplay (it's a puzzle game), but hopefully 2006 will fare better for that project.

[Anthony Flack]

I actually wish less people would use it for pre-rendered stuff, but that's only because I like to see good old-fashioned cartoon animation. Mind you, I also have the crazy notion of using actual models instead of pre-rendered 3d ones.

Is Bonbon Quest a Superstar Chefs clone?

[Olivier]

Is Bonbon Quest a Superstar Chefs clone?
Sort of, yes.:D
I really enjoyed playing Superstar Chefs and wanted to develop a similar game.

EDIT: Hey this is my first 2006 post here! Happy and Successful New Year to everyone. :)

[Batley]

Speaking of cel shading, does any one know of a software of color wheel/picker for producing colors. I'm after some thing like Toon Titan only stand alone, or a simple flash version on a website?

Toon titan (http://www.flashfilmmaker.com/index.php?id=2,3,0,0,1,0)

[soniCron]

Color Impact (http://www.tigercolor.com/) is super fantastic for that. I highly recommend it.