how was tf2's art designed so well?

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 6 фев 2025
  • tf2's design process
    channel discord --- / discord
    channel patreon --- / shounic
    channel tracker --- trello.com/b/L...
    [ todo list / current progress on upcoming videos / channel roadmap ]
    feedback --- forms.gle/bkuG...
    _________________
    SOURCES
    • Moby Francke snippet P...
    www.gamasutra....
    www.gamasutra....
    steamcdn-a.aka...

Комментарии • 1 тыс.

  • @1chaplain
    @1chaplain 5 лет назад +4729

    And this game is like 10-11 years old? The design theory was way ahead of its time, matching/surpassing even modern games

    • @themartianmantis2694
      @themartianmantis2694 5 лет назад +51

      Necrons were pretty ahead of their time too ;^)

    • @JonathanHilierChannel
      @JonathanHilierChannel 5 лет назад +270

      I only started playing it in 2016, and nobody ever told me it was released in 2007, so I just presumed it was newly released... I am mind blown.

    • @josephstalin7506
      @josephstalin7506 5 лет назад +31

      @@RH-ry8ve 2007*

    • @tokestorgaard7823
      @tokestorgaard7823 5 лет назад +42

      nah fam, TF2 is about 12 years
      turning 13 this october

    • @jco_sfm
      @jco_sfm 5 лет назад +17

      It helps that the source engine is amazing

  • @kipptt
    @kipptt 5 лет назад +2623

    TF2’s Player models are so well designed that even if you riddle them with hats and cosmetics you can still tell them apart from each other and identify them easily

    • @callumstrachan4774
      @callumstrachan4774 4 года назад +328

      This.
      Compared to overwatch skins where a legendary mccree standing next to some other legendary skin for S:76 at a moment's glance you're not sure what you're fighting.
      I don't play tf2 for 3 years and I see some thing running at me with hats I've never seen before and immediately I know it's a soldier

    • @NoSoupForYouu
      @NoSoupForYouu 4 года назад +139

      @@callumstrachan4774 100% when I started playing again there were so many cosmetics that took me by surprised but never once did I not know what class was using that hat

    • @Ryan-op7yd
      @Ryan-op7yd 4 года назад +103

      I think the unique animations of each class help a lot with that

    • @justinwillemsen5733
      @justinwillemsen5733 4 года назад +10

      Banana suit: are you challenging me?

    • @unfa00
      @unfa00 4 года назад +104

      @@Ryan-op7yd I agree. In my opinion the character animations play a huge role in helping them be easily recognizable. Every class has a very distinct way of running around and jumping, and since players are rarely stationary, that helps you identify them when they're in motion. The way Demoman is bending down over his launcher, they way scout bends forward and swings his legs like a cartoon character, the back-bent Heavy who's balancing weight of his gun, the funky swinging soldier walk cycle...

  • @LuckyStarTF2
    @LuckyStarTF2 5 лет назад +7748

    Now I understand why it is so hard for me to spot enemies in other games while I don't have problems in TF2. Great, well-thought design. As a colorblind person I appreciate efforts of the design team. Thanks Shounic for your video

    • @JoNarDLoLz
      @JoNarDLoLz 5 лет назад +558

      Characters blending in with the environment was probably intended design choice (CS:GO, Apex Legends, Overwatch, etc.) but I really hate it.
      It's really amazing how I could casually play a game of TF2 and can play at a faster pace than other games where it forces me to slow down and take in the environment to find enemy players. This is one of the reason why I hate battle royales.

    • @iUseDemFrapz
      @iUseDemFrapz 5 лет назад +323

      Well I can understand for csgo but I don’t think that it was intended for the characters to be hard to discern or notice in most games. Ow literally displays enemy health and color because it would probably be impossible to notice them without it.

    • @JoNarDLoLz
      @JoNarDLoLz 5 лет назад +171

      @@iUseDemFrapz Now that I think about it, Overwatch has no business trying to blend their characters to the background lmao. I just realized it was supposed to be a class-based shooter, and seeing the models is top priority.

    • @flowerpowa1827
      @flowerpowa1827 5 лет назад +14

      Unless you're a 2fort sniper.

    • @the_burger
      @the_burger 5 лет назад +7

      How do you tell the difference between the RED and BLU players if you are colorblind?

  • @valiatus6719
    @valiatus6719 5 лет назад +2391

    tank was my favorite character, it's a shame it didn't get into TF2.

  • @PyroJoe
    @PyroJoe 5 лет назад +1671

    Hearing about how the game's character design progressed so quickly and being based off of another artist's work is super interesting. Great video man!

    • @dankmemer5699
      @dankmemer5699 5 лет назад +3

      Why I had to search comments for 5 minutes to find you

    • @JeanMarc-ft6er
      @JeanMarc-ft6er 4 года назад

      Why does this only have 2 Replies lol

    • @Anomen77
      @Anomen77 3 года назад +3

      Nowdays almost everything is based off another artist's work, be it consciously or unconciusly.

    • @Lilly-Lilac
      @Lilly-Lilac 3 года назад +16

      @@Anomen77 that’s always been true

    • @ziphy_6471
      @ziphy_6471 Год назад

      you fell off pyro joe

  • @halt1931
    @halt1931 5 лет назад +816

    Honestly, I notice this when I play ANY other shooter. It's extremely difficult to see other players against the chaotic background or whatever else is going on. They just blend in too much.

    • @thryke9919
      @thryke9919 5 лет назад +82

      Not even shooters, have you ever seen a big fight in league of legends? Theres so many effects in this game you sometimes cant recognise the characters (and the massive amount of skins doesn't help)

    • @coobk
      @coobk 5 лет назад +14

      @@asdifikult ive been playing lots of borderlands TWO lately and it really nails this, tho from what ive seen from one and three not so much

    • @jty9631
      @jty9631 5 лет назад +31

      Maybe it's because Borderlands is made by Gearbox, which I think worked closely with Valve in the past. Maybe some of their design philosophies transferred over.

    • @kitfisto2347
      @kitfisto2347 5 лет назад +1

      SneakyCnut ofc you can? maybe youre just bad at the gamr

    • @coobk
      @coobk 5 лет назад +5

      @@asdifikult so sad it got lost in 3 again

  • @guscox9651
    @guscox9651 5 лет назад +1374

    Wait so the thumbnail is gaben painting tf2 art using a knife with the blood of his employees on it? That's what I call well researched

  • @ShiroNyankotv
    @ShiroNyankotv 5 лет назад +4219

    "Team fortress 2 is a timeless masterpiece "
    -Lazy Purple

    • @josephharrd9459
      @josephharrd9459 5 лет назад +18

      Shiro Tagashi so we don’t care about the crappy quality of a game. We just enjoy it even if it is buggy?
      Edit: I’m not saying this because I hate tf2, I actually really love the game and it is so fun

    • @ShiroNyankotv
      @ShiroNyankotv 5 лет назад +113

      @@josephharrd9459 tf2s quality is great
      What did you not understand by watching this video?

    • @As567na
      @As567na 5 лет назад +25

      @@josephharrd9459 you need a new computer and new settings

    • @josephharrd9459
      @josephharrd9459 5 лет назад +3

      The Arizona Ranger I actually have a really powerful computer, so I want tf2 to have a realistic style so it doesn’t look like it was made in 1950s and so it can run properly on my computer

    • @matthewstark9071
      @matthewstark9071 5 лет назад +50

      @@josephharrd9459 It was made in 2007, hence "timeless masterpiece"

  • @Deunstephe
    @Deunstephe 5 лет назад +1041

    man, i've never actually heard moby talk before - great insight into the design philosophy behind this game. people talk about tf2's artstyle a lot, and it's so iconic and well-executed i think it'll continue to be discussed for a few more years to come. i never knew about the posterization thing and wow, it is something super-smart to consider.
    great little video and your graphic design work never fails to please either.

    • @SovietMarmalade
      @SovietMarmalade 5 лет назад +16

      mads great points
      TF2’s such a visually interesting game, it definitely deserves the attention it’s still getting despite being more than 10 yrs old now.

    • @ManMan-tg2mw
      @ManMan-tg2mw 5 лет назад +1

      Oh hey, I recognize you

  • @sigmundfreud7903
    @sigmundfreud7903 4 года назад +193

    It’s actually really impressive that TF2s artstyle, gameplay, and graphics still uphold even compared to next gen titles of today. Really goes to show you sometimes simplicity is better than clutter.

    • @000Mazno000
      @000Mazno000 2 года назад +8

      Simplicity and *style.* TF2 has iconic, recognizable design, games like Apex and Valorant are so confused and inconsistent in their design choices, especially with their characters

  • @shounic
    @shounic  5 лет назад +319

    hey dudes. lately i've had no time to do any editing. been super tied up with family matters. it's important stuff so i have no choice :(
    forgive me for being slow!
    thanks everyone for sticking around either way, and i hope you will continue to look forward to future videos :)

    • @josephstalin6844
      @josephstalin6844 5 лет назад +1

      You are the best

    • @alexandera153
      @alexandera153 5 лет назад

      bro i want my trip to pen island give

    • @SnipingIsAGoodJobMate
      @SnipingIsAGoodJobMate 5 лет назад +2

      You mean the Kool kids Klub?

    • @parryhotter8788
      @parryhotter8788 5 лет назад

      oh my god rasist

    • @Dajosar3
      @Dajosar3 5 лет назад +1

      In the end you just picked pictures of tf2 characters standing still by a wall and compared them to big mid fight situations in overwatch.
      Like your point is right but that has to be the worst way to be "impartial" when comparing

  • @PentaromaLMA0
    @PentaromaLMA0 5 лет назад +2757

    So i wasn't the only person who thought Seeing shit On Overwatch was impossible

    • @aronsz
      @aronsz 5 лет назад +615

      what do you mean? I see nothing but shit in overwatch

    • @xavierrodriguez2463
      @xavierrodriguez2463 5 лет назад +71

      @@aronsz lmfao

    • @hyoroemonmeto6874
      @hyoroemonmeto6874 5 лет назад +30

      @Penta AnimsTM Well, it is difficult seeing something that isn't in the game

    • @PentaromaLMA0
      @PentaromaLMA0 5 лет назад +11

      @@hyoroemonmeto6874 *wellbyeah*

    • @PentaromaLMA0
      @PentaromaLMA0 5 лет назад +42

      @Eric Miret wat

  • @4hp_89
    @4hp_89 5 лет назад +1557

    I definitely feel this when going on other shooters, in apex legends I swear the characters blend into the environment and it's hard for me to see them. few games match tf2 in how easy on the eyes the design is

    • @bruschetta7711
      @bruschetta7711 5 лет назад +101

      yeah it's like guessing who's that pokemon when u play every shooter game outside of tf2 and overwatch, instead with tf2 even the voices only are recognizable

    • @flytrapYTP
      @flytrapYTP 5 лет назад +94

      With Apex Legends, it's a bit more understandable, because it has a large map and a lot of mechanics rely on steath.

    • @shade4404
      @shade4404 5 лет назад +6

      @@formerlysammichu1 I thought this game was mega dead at this point

    • @shade4404
      @shade4404 5 лет назад +36

      @@formerlysammichu1 I meant PVZGW2.
      I know that tf2 is still alive.
      When Overwatch came out and everyone said that this game will definitely kill tf2, I knew tf2 will eventually outlive it, as it did to many other games.

    • @shade4404
      @shade4404 5 лет назад +4

      @@formerlysammichu1 While the shooter genre of PVZ was nice, I will always love more the original game. It was fun and tactic, while being very simple.
      I didn't love PVZ2 one bit tho, EA schemes were all over the place.
      I still wish for a new game of PVZ that insist of Popcap as the developer, and ONLY Popcap.
      What do you think, kind gentleman?

  • @DEWILL
    @DEWILL 5 лет назад +375

    That's actually a very well edited video! Nice touch on the points that people never think about.

    • @100mana9
      @100mana9 5 лет назад

      Hey dewiill im here noice me

    • @100mana9
      @100mana9 5 лет назад

      @@girthymilk yep me not you go away

  • @kurtberliner7049
    @kurtberliner7049 5 лет назад +390

    TF2 just has a style that is timeless because it doesn't have to be "future" sort of style, and since its set in the past that style will keep existing, even with the crazy cosmetics.

  • @obymo.7321
    @obymo.7321 5 лет назад +254

    "An iconic character is a character that you recognize from their silhouette"
    -Sakata Gintoki, Gintama

  • @Emma-rw8yo
    @Emma-rw8yo 5 лет назад +680

    Watching gameplay of Overwatch, I'd always noticed how it was really hard to tel what was going on. I'd kinda chalked it up to me just not having played it before, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was off. It's good to know that it's more the fault of the game's design

    • @HyperShadic0
      @HyperShadic0 5 лет назад +137

      For another example, the original Halo: Combat Evolved was amazing at helping to distinguish enemies from the enviroment. The environments in that game were (mostly) natural or dull colors. The textures for the enviroment were also really simple and blurry. The enemies on the other hand were brightly coloured and wore reflective and detailed armor that stuck out like a sore thumb, but made it incredibly easy to identify threats quickly. The fact that enemies exclusively use energy weaponry that emits bright and vibrant particles and that they bleed really saturated and distinctive colors of blood further helps to solidify this even further.

    • @flytrapYTP
      @flytrapYTP 5 лет назад +41

      Overwatch does compensate pretty well though. All the characters have a limited set of abilities that you can remember and predict (that goes into the playstyle itself) and they still have recognisable silhouettes.

    • @boar6615
      @boar6615 5 лет назад +25

      idk about the whole OW and fortnite thing
      In OW they literally have outlines, bright red for enemies and light blue for allies
      And in fortnite, you're not meant to see people that easily, that's the point, it's a battle royale

    • @boar6615
      @boar6615 5 лет назад +13

      Also, in OW silhouettes are imo just as recognisable as in TF2

    • @flytrapYTP
      @flytrapYTP 5 лет назад +10

      @@boar6615 I agree. They go about it differently, but they manage.

  • @august6982
    @august6982 5 лет назад +3877

    0:47 Ah yes, the 3 genders

  • @Nin_tony
    @Nin_tony 5 лет назад +598

    the problem with overwatch is that while the characters have distinctive silhouettes, the game itself is particle effect hell. used to be even worse in the beta, almost to the level of lawbreakers. Thankfully a red outline on enemies and blue chevron on allies kinda fixes this.

    • @doublesystem9790
      @doublesystem9790 5 лет назад +24

      Honestly, i don't know about how it was in beta, but i'm thankful overwatch has so many particle effects, they are all distinct and really help at recognizing what abilities are being used. The voicelines and sound effects also help a lot. It might seem like screen clutter, but it has it's gameplay purpose

    • @silverdededestruction2197
      @silverdededestruction2197 5 лет назад +89

      @@doublesystem9790 all of the particle effects and voicelines are helpful, but sometimes it really does feel like a Mish mash of things that you feel the need to keep track of if you wanna live.
      I mean, they really are helpful in determining who's shooting you, but your mind is probably trying to calculate fifty million ways for you to not die to the absolute cluster fuck going around in one screen. Only to end up dying either way.

    • @nathancoffman3025
      @nathancoffman3025 4 года назад +22

      Yeah I don’t know why he chose Overwatch as a bad example. Although TF2 will remain the king of visual ques, Overwatch isn’t far behind and it’s easy to discern things just with audio. Both of these are incomparable to the visual muddle of things like apex.

    • @zig131
      @zig131 4 года назад +10

      In Overwatch I find myself intentionally BLOCKING my vision so I can see teammates and revealed enemies more clearly i.e. as just a team-color silhouette.

    • @TaRAAASHBAGS
      @TaRAAASHBAGS 4 года назад +72

      You know they failed the core visual clarity when they just resort to drawing a big red "KILL" outline on the enemy

  • @joeessig3550
    @joeessig3550 5 лет назад +62

    "Getting the impression of the detail is important, but not actually these small, little noodley bits." And then the bit about designing in black and whites first----lot to learn from. subbed because you find good shit and have a soothing nerd voice.

  • @toemass202
    @toemass202 5 лет назад +53

    That colour saturation is such a great design choice. I'll keep that in mind for projects of my own.

  • @toaster9922
    @toaster9922 5 лет назад +1076

    ah yes, my favourite class.
    *_T A N C C_*

  • @bloopboop9320
    @bloopboop9320 5 лет назад +60

    Halo also applies some of these principles (specifically Halo 3). The spartans are almost always easy to see and identify from great distances. Also, a lot of alien designs are distinct and unique so you know exactly what to prepare for in an upcoming firefight against the covenant. I was surprised when playing games like Borderlands where it is nearly impossible to identify enemies from great distances because a lot of the enemies are very samey looking.
    However, it should be noted that TF2 is a game where visibility and clarity is important. In a game like Battlefield it is supposed to feel more realistic and not being able to spot enemies is what makes it tense. You walk out into an open field and see no one but then are immediately shot down. The visual design should benefit the gameplay. Not all games should follow the TF2 rules to color and lighting.

  • @val9344
    @val9344 5 лет назад +102

    after being so used to tf2 it gives me a headache sometimes just trying to figure out whats happening in other games lol

  • @TweetTweet17
    @TweetTweet17 5 лет назад +167

    I’ve been seeing a lot of recommended Tf2 stuff lately. I am happy and hoping for a rebirth of Tf2’s popularity.

    • @jty9631
      @jty9631 5 лет назад +17

      TF2 has been and will always remain popular until the day they decide to make TF3.

    • @Onimirare
      @Onimirare 5 лет назад +1

      Spotlight fallacy.

    • @smileydog5941
      @smileydog5941 5 лет назад +27

      @@Onimirare
      You don't understand, man.
      Every valve game that ends with the number 2 refuses to die.

    • @thedootlord
      @thedootlord 4 года назад

      @@smileydog5941 vale dosent know what 3 is

    • @aloedg3191
      @aloedg3191 11 месяцев назад +2

      @@smileydog5941 then they will make tf2^2 since the 2 in tf2s name is so iconic

  • @bobbyferg9173
    @bobbyferg9173 5 лет назад +72

    I can't believe how spoiled we are with TF2 and visual clarity. I would often go into other games, intently staring at everything, yet still not being able to tell where anything was, even enemies right in front of me. The realistic shooters tend to be the biggest perpetrators of this as the grey dirt-colored soldiers look the same as the gray dirt environment, which is kinda the point but is frustrating from a gameplay perspective.
    TF2, on the other hand, allows me to understand what was going on from a single quick glance.

  • @bunn6151
    @bunn6151 5 лет назад +84

    wow those silhouettes are pretty neat

  • @farhan546
    @farhan546 5 лет назад +34

    Only in tf2 where you could have a team full of heavy and no one would be mad

    • @tedwink6652
      @tedwink6652 5 лет назад +1

      Sometimes i managed to make everyone pick heavy, by eating sandwiches, then other people joined, and then i asked everyone in team for rush

    • @farhan546
      @farhan546 5 лет назад +13

      @@tedwink6652 Make the whole team play spy and call it the French revolution

  • @James-qn3wi
    @James-qn3wi 5 лет назад +210

    Because masterpieces always makes the best art.

    • @mikaeelshaikh2561
      @mikaeelshaikh2561 5 лет назад

      Damn right.

    • @jetpilot3423
      @jetpilot3423 5 лет назад +4

      Shut up furry

    • @DD-hx8td
      @DD-hx8td 5 лет назад +1

      Ahh yes the floor here is mad of floor

    • @theapplechapel
      @theapplechapel 4 года назад +11

      @@jetpilot3423 I see regular old 50s style bullying is still alive and well on the internet.

    • @SillyFunnyDummy
      @SillyFunnyDummy 4 года назад

      @@jetpilot3423 bruh what is bad with being a furry? (But yeah, his pfp is weird lol)

  • @itshexon
    @itshexon 5 лет назад +36

    This is what I love about valve games. They put so much thought and care into every single area of the game, that every part of it feels equally important.

    • @frydog4217
      @frydog4217 5 лет назад +1

      Artifact lol

    • @frozby5973
      @frozby5973 Год назад

      then you play cs:go and notice that without upping the saturation in nvidia panel and increasing brightness in dark areas with monitor settings on some maps enemies blend in so well it gives one team a clear advantage

  • @maryjane928-o2nn
    @maryjane928-o2nn 5 лет назад +30

    wow, this is amazing. i love tf2's design, and you explained the greatness of it in depth really well. many things in this video are new to me. thank you so much for making this

  • @Creighty
    @Creighty 5 лет назад +48

    Hi this is Gabe Newell, Team Fortress 2 great design I’m very proud of you. - 2007

  • @SolarLight11
    @SolarLight11 5 лет назад +88

    I really like this video because it really helps me as an artist

    • @Destro65
      @Destro65 4 года назад +4

      Wait a minute...
      YOU'RE NOT THE REAL SOLARLIGHT

    • @drifterduckygaming4646
      @drifterduckygaming4646 3 года назад

      Is this the impostor from amangus?

  • @sandvicheatfresh
    @sandvicheatfresh 5 лет назад +169

    0:25 how god created the universe

    • @Bruh-pt4fo
      @Bruh-pt4fo 5 лет назад +16

      Ahh yes, the good ol' knife waving trick. I wonder what tier they are

  • @Nerty1458
    @Nerty1458 3 месяца назад +4

    The “Was” in the title cannot be stressed enough.

  • @upyours7
    @upyours7 5 лет назад +184

    While you were overall correct in your statements and observations, one note i'd like to make is with the "threshhold tests". Most of the other games were tested in scenes of action with particle effects being present, while TF2's screenshots were largely just characters standing still, no particle effects, and often close up with a wall directly behind them.
    Again, your points were still correct, but the presentation of test materials isn't balanced.

    • @BelodyEpic
      @BelodyEpic 4 года назад +40

      Yeah that was the one part of the video that irked me, it's not really fair to show tf2 screenshots of a single character standing in front of a white wall with a front on camera angle then compare it to an overhead shot of two full teams in the middle of a firefight

    • @yesno8273
      @yesno8273 4 года назад +19

      Well i do understand where you come from, but if you were to take pictures of battles in tf2, you could still atleast make out what characters are fighting who, unlike other games which are rather “particle heavy” but then again, thats just me, maybe you think OW or fortnite has clearer vision

    • @enzoaugusto1577
      @enzoaugusto1577 4 года назад +3

      Good point

    • @crack4184
      @crack4184 3 года назад +12

      @@yesno8273 You're right but the point is still that shounic did not show those action moments. TF2 has those "WTF is going on??" moments at times in battles, especially if you're new to the game. Overwatch is more particle heavy but it takes more time to get used to since the game design was not entirely made to be perfectly visible at all times and Fortnite, well, you're supposed to search and focus in your surroundings, it's a battle royale

  • @_cd
    @_cd 5 лет назад +73

    Your underrattion annoys me. You are literally making better videos than most big tf2 youtubers. And even with little to no time to edit, you are still posting very well polished videos. I admire you, bro.

  • @posthistoricdino422
    @posthistoricdino422 4 года назад +18

    TF2's canonical time frame makes so much sense when matched with its art style, as it's basically straight out of itself. It feels like it just took the art of the 50s and brought it to life.

    • @seronymus
      @seronymus 3 года назад +3

      Technically the game is set early 60s but the style was in then

    • @emperorfaiz
      @emperorfaiz 3 года назад +5

      @@seronymus Actually late 60's to early 70's lore -wise.

    • @plumebrise4801
      @plumebrise4801 Год назад +1

      @@emperorfaiz Yeah ,1969 ,and MVM happening in 1972

  • @cheasy4225
    @cheasy4225 5 лет назад +21

    I never really thought about this sort of thing before. Now that you point it out, I do notice myself having a harder time seeing characters in other games. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why it lasted as long as it did.

  • @bruh-hr1mt
    @bruh-hr1mt 3 года назад +38

    While the comparison between TF2 and Overwatch was good, I have to say Overwatch is far from being the worst offender of visual clutter. Atleast there are outlines there. In Apex I literally could not see players when I had all graphics on low (which was a necessity for decent FPS because EA has shit optimization). No outline OR visual clarity. This kind of stuff is the reason why I can't even play competitive realistic shooters.

  • @Radi0he4d1
    @Radi0he4d1 5 лет назад +73

    Good artists borrow, great artists steal. The game is a Mona Lisa of our time.

  • @abfal4ab
    @abfal4ab 3 года назад +2

    Team Fortress 2: We have a fun and complex story, iconic characters and good design.
    Overwatch: haha big boobs go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • @frankerzed973
    @frankerzed973 4 года назад +3

    I cannot stress how good this video is. It integrates the art fundamentals in a way that is really relatable and makes a lot of sense.

  • @Gibbysannxx1711
    @Gibbysannxx1711 Год назад +2

    I would like to mention, not to take away from the tf2 points, but the screen shots of other shooters are in action, mid fight screen shots, where as tf2 pictures are still shots where the mercs are standing still.

  • @junkmail103
    @junkmail103 2 года назад +8

    so not only is tf2 a great game but also a great piece of art
    incredible

  • @nathancoffman3025
    @nathancoffman3025 4 года назад +7

    A lot of overwatch has to do more with audio game sense rather than visual. Every character has a unique sound for ability’s, ultimates, primary fire, secondary fire. Hell, once you play Overwatch enough you can tell a character just from their footsteps. Even with that said, simply putting a filter that averages colors to black or white has very little to do with how well you can visually discern characters.

  • @kyoshia
    @kyoshia 5 лет назад +20

    this is a really cool and informative video

  • @flamingfossa
    @flamingfossa 5 лет назад +4

    Yo this video is amazing! I subscribed to you last week and I was not expecting such a high quality video essay! I also learned a lot even though I've been playing and watching videos since 2012.

  • @brittlespy9083
    @brittlespy9083 5 лет назад +5

    6:10 holy shit that is so clever. i would have never noticed that but at the same time i also do without knowing.

  • @tunners
    @tunners 3 года назад +2

    I will say that the better clarity and visibility is party due to the rim lighting shader applied to the characters, helping them to stand out more from the environment.

  • @zyibesixdouze4863
    @zyibesixdouze4863 5 лет назад +24

    I once told my Overwatch-fan friend that OW has terrible character design in that everything was much too bright. He chastised me for being boring, and should go back to realistic military shooters. But those were equally problematic for the opposite reason, everything was too dull.
    And this definitely is where TF2 stands as the prime case study, as nothing is every too dark or bright, barring cosmetics.
    Even paints in TF2 support this in some way. With the background being duller, brighter colours stand out more.
    Back to OW and TF2, the colour lime.
    In TF2 it has an imfamy for being eye-searing, but OW is chock-full of sunflower, azure, pearl and lime. Things in OW are outlined as a crutch to remedy visual clarity.
    Id est, imagine how easy it would be to spot Junkrat's traps in TF2 as compared to OW.

  • @hannah2797
    @hannah2797 5 лет назад +1

    Thank you for this amazing video. The research put into it was good too. It's awesome seeing all the thoughts behind designs and just how well made the characters are. The cool part is how much the silhouette distinction is used through multiple facets of media, such as how animation strongly relies on clear readability. This game is great with the animation as well, where you can tell who the character is and what they're thinking just by the movements and posing.

  • @reiemg
    @reiemg 4 года назад +2

    As the video went on, I started to realize how brilliant the game designers are. The interview featured really started to make me think, then how the materials in the game matched the freaking feeling of the colors. That just blew my mind, like how I never saw any of this detail. Team Fortress 2 is a game that is so simple it's incredible. I don't think any newer games could use the saturation effect done with the characters, that's just mind blowing.

  • @bryannaing6316
    @bryannaing6316 4 года назад +1

    ngl the black and white sniper at 5:42 would make a really cool wallpaper.

  • @macksii
    @macksii 5 лет назад +9

    I remember that one of the artists on overwatch said they care more about silhouette more than anything else but i guess the game just has too much information that it needs to tell you at once so everything just gets drowned out, although fortnite wasn't designed with pvp in mind but it was designed with pve in mind it does show how well valve made tf2 a pvp game in comparison to a pve

  • @dashyz3293
    @dashyz3293 5 лет назад +36

    2:40 weaponary

  • @PotatoSho_
    @PotatoSho_ 4 года назад +3

    That's one of my biggest gripes with most modern games. The emphasis on making games pretty to appeal to a majority of people, rather than implementing elements barely noticeable elements that allow for a great gameplay experience. I wish more development teams put more thought into this.
    Visuals are such an important part of a game, but not in the way most people make it to be.

  • @XFanmarX
    @XFanmarX 4 года назад +6

    It's really odd how many so-called "high-level competitive games" are already inferior in how competitively viable it is by design. You cannot counter something you cannot see, but this is something most game developers ignore so they can make their game look as flashy and high-end as possible. Forgetting that they're making a game instead of a graphical circus.

  • @12q8
    @12q8 4 года назад +3

    The HUD in TF2 is also very simple and clear, with all you need. No extra bs.

  • @TheMastermind7259
    @TheMastermind7259 7 месяцев назад +2

    Almost every single game in this world ever:
    *Blinding effects hell, is really unrecognisable*
    Valve's Games:
    *The game design is literally recognisability*
    Some games don't have it as bad, like Rockstar games, but no game has better recognition than TF2 - recognition was literally the game design.

  • @jamesevans6332
    @jamesevans6332 5 лет назад +3

    I haven't played TF2 in years but every time I come back to look at the visual design, it still holds up incredibly well. Moby Francke's art does absolute wonders for the game's art style and I genuinely don't think they could've chosen anybody better for the job. His art is just so good on every level

  • @sampletext42069
    @sampletext42069 5 лет назад +2

    great video, Loved how in depth you went!

  • @Pope_Neuro
    @Pope_Neuro 2 года назад +2

    As someone who gets visually overstimulated very easily, I seriously appreciate how simple tf2’s art style is compared to pretty much all modern FPS games. Every time I see footage of overwatch or fortnite for example, I immediately get turned off by how much is going on. In an effort to be more modern, they add all of this extra visual information that ends up just being really distracting

  • @gabrielohim154
    @gabrielohim154 4 года назад +2

    We are blessed to live in this universe. In another, we got a generic war shooter, with a generic war plot. Never would we have the unique characters and fun plot behind TF2, no Mann Co, no Saxton Hale, No Soldier, No Heavy, No Medic, No surprise buttsecks, no Kazosty, nothing. Instead we would have gotten generic americans screaming war shit like "Fire in the hole".

  • @MrTheil
    @MrTheil 2 года назад +6

    Good art styles NEVER age. And TF2 is proof of that.

  • @ghotifish1838
    @ghotifish1838 4 года назад +4

    well that explains why whenever im playing fortnite and overwatch, i get those "Where tf did you come from" moments

  • @Galaxy-zn1dr
    @Galaxy-zn1dr 4 года назад +2

    damn, i love jc, his art is a super big inspiration for me so hearing him being the main art inspiration for tf2 kinda left me shocked

  • @danilanazarov6965
    @danilanazarov6965 5 месяцев назад +2

    Here after Concord came out. Man, the difference in character design is astronomical

    • @rnlansdownemobile
      @rnlansdownemobile Месяц назад

      It felt like Concord's design was made to appeal to Twitter by being inclusive.

  • @nickbraerman4124
    @nickbraerman4124 5 лет назад +10

    this is y its a hat simulator. so the design of the bodies wont be messed with.

  • @Kmakidon92
    @Kmakidon92 3 года назад +1

    The amount of effort put in to tf2 is probably why the game has lasted for 11 years.

  • @kitcarson2776
    @kitcarson2776 5 лет назад +7

    Shounic you are so good at this, keep going, even if it's not about tf2 or videogames. Make it your job
    Edit: Also if you could ever do one more video for b4nny with a rotten dank thumbnail, that'd be cool

  • @bdinaravideo
    @bdinaravideo 7 месяцев назад

    Oh man, so many great points. Thanks for the video! I don't play tf2 but I'm fascinated by its character design. Didn't know who the art director was and now I'm running to see more from Moby Francke!

  • @Agustin-io4pw
    @Agustin-io4pw 5 лет назад +42

    and all these advanced design features and rules are thrown to the trash by: non valve hats, new non valve maps, weapon skins, compromising graphics settings because you need a new worksation pc to run at max graphics, and many more

    • @the_Red_Star
      @the_Red_Star 5 лет назад +23

      more like valve being dumb/greedy and adding extremely stupid hats cause they know those sell well
      nobody held a gun to their head and said "banana hat, now"

    • @BrainPowerSubs
      @BrainPowerSubs 5 лет назад +15

      @@the_Red_Star you can't blame a corporation for monetizing a free product

    • @Mick0Mania
      @Mick0Mania 5 лет назад +4

      @@BrainPowerSubs I think the problem isn't the monetization, but rather the fact that in order to attract people who like to grab attention, they are compromising the game's art. Dota2 has the same exact problem.

  • @marchduck2958
    @marchduck2958 Год назад +1

    How do I love the character design...It's realistic and stylish at the same time. And each one has their own personality and unique appearance....

  • @arthurc6974
    @arthurc6974 4 года назад +5

    I'm starting to regain the love I have for this game. Surely one of the best games ever made.

  • @someasiandude4797
    @someasiandude4797 8 месяцев назад +2

    TF2 would be a studio’s biggest masterpiece if it weren't valve making it

    • @TwistZero
      @TwistZero 8 месяцев назад

      It also would have been milked to death by now

    • @someasiandude4797
      @someasiandude4797 8 месяцев назад +2

      @@TwistZero true. i guess not being updated is the lesser evil of being so messed up it stops being TF2

    • @a6pukoc113
      @a6pukoc113 5 месяцев назад +1

      @@TwistZero It's still being milked
      Look at all those shitty hats still being added

    • @TwistZero
      @TwistZero 5 месяцев назад

      @@a6pukoc113 yeah it's milked, but not "to death" like something like EA would

    • @unusuariorandom9115
      @unusuariorandom9115 2 месяца назад

      @@TwistZero or in a worse scenario it would be a Franchise from activision / blizzard
      i have nothing against thier games
      Black Ops 6 campaign looks so beautiful and the story is by far the best thing they created in this recent months, is a miracle that thing happened srly
      sadly overwatch story has been stuck in null sector war and now is going norwhere also with a story imcomplete and drones defending the incompetence and praising monetization to free and earnable stuff.

  • @starryknight4690
    @starryknight4690 5 лет назад +10

    This video: *exists*
    LazyPurple: Theyre so
    T H I C C

  • @elronman
    @elronman 5 лет назад +1

    The phong does a lot of the work for the sillouetes.
    Its essentially an outline.
    And I also don't think its level of saturation difference from the wall textures, Its more that the character models have dramatic accents of light and shadow on the models themselves.
    see 6:58, where the sniper's hat and glasses are easily readable, and the vest shifts from black to white. The model itself has different jumps in value. It also means no matter how you're looking at them, you'll see an accent of light or darkness. If say the background was dark you'd see the shirt and face more, if the background was bright, you see the vest more.
    I believe the "saturation difference" is more of an accent than gameplay mechanic. Its a common concept in art in general to have similar levels of saturation, and then deeper and lighter saturation for accents.

  • @zunk9769
    @zunk9769 4 года назад +3

    Assignment: Describe what is happening in the photo.
    The photo: 7:03

  • @ghost_ship_supreme
    @ghost_ship_supreme 4 года назад +2

    And then there’s Planetside 2...
    Literally can’t tell who’s who unless they’re holding a weapon.
    Unless it’s a max.

  • @Azami0001
    @Azami0001 5 лет назад +3

    Tf2's design choice is so much better compared to other fps games. I often find myself not seeing enemies in CSGO because they blend with the background.

  • @SGWeber
    @SGWeber 17 дней назад

    This reminds me of Warhammer mini evolution. The old minis are all about profile and being able to tell exactly which unit is which when they’re all across a table in the middle of a game, whereas it feels like a lot of the new ones are designed to look good at “eye level” for instagram photos. Same goes for details drawing the eye to relevant areas (i.e. the upper body and weapon) which has deteriorated on some units

  • @stomyed22
    @stomyed22 4 года назад +15

    0:32 false,gaben has magic knives change my mind.

    • @HHHjb_
      @HHHjb_ Год назад +4

      He clearly used magic crowbars hence why he said it was false /j

  • @broejoe53
    @broejoe53 5 лет назад

    Really well done video Shounic! Can’t wait to see what else you put out!

  • @squidguy7085
    @squidguy7085 5 лет назад +4

    randomly popped up in my feed, super happy it did

  • @damekbraxton
    @damekbraxton 3 года назад

    Your editing is really good! You could probably make a TV series with that level of skill.

  • @GiRR007
    @GiRR007 5 лет назад +8

    1:33
    GOD i love the original pyro design
    its so much better than one we currently have

    • @titanlord9267
      @titanlord9267 4 года назад

      remember, this game was made years ago, so they had less tech, that's why there are no female characters, 1st, the time of the game, obviously, men were only allowed to fight, but memory, as in, computer memory, there wouldn't be enough and TF2 would be slow if there were more detail, and also hitbox sizes, and that would change the comp and casual meta

    • @GiRR007
      @GiRR007 4 года назад

      @@titanlord9267 I don't really care about the gender im more referring to his upright posture and not looking so round and doppy .

    • @titanlord9267
      @titanlord9267 4 года назад

      @@GiRR007 yeah, but memory, it's an old game, so it had to be done, and then adding gibs, particles, and physics, and then the final artstyle, and also the weight of the weapon, a flamethrower would be heavy if you had to carry one

  • @big924
    @big924 5 лет назад +1

    Tf2 basically was going to be cod but nobody could tell apart, then an art designer thought hey, this guys work looked good and simple, let’s make our thing simple! This made it look cartoony, this made it look good.

  • @EmperorPrinc3
    @EmperorPrinc3 5 лет назад +4

    7:32
    Vietnam vet: that's all I ever wanted, I'll I ever needed to hear.

  • @linus8639
    @linus8639 5 лет назад +1

    Simplicity is what makes this game so appealing to look at. Even in the chaos of pills and bullets and unusual effects, everything is very clear and the colours work well

  • @marshmeowlow
    @marshmeowlow 3 года назад +1

    ya know this actually helped out in a different game for me to understand why it was so hard for me and my friend to focus on the game with out shooting each other on accident.
    Borderlands 3 being a bit too saturated and in an even color shades when setting it in monochrome or in black and white shows it indeed is both ways way too bright and way too dark in the wrong places just like overwatch.
    thank you for that btw!

  • @clayton8009
    @clayton8009 5 лет назад +4

    This was super interesting! More reasons to love this game. I don't regret at all spending 2000 hours of my life in it and I plan on continuing haha Good video!

  • @justinmelendez9875
    @justinmelendez9875 5 лет назад +1

    Now people who make black and white images for tests need to follow this rule

  • @sticky0159
    @sticky0159 5 лет назад +6

    This was a weird thing I have never even noticed until I stopped playing Tf2 for like a year. I realized I cant sink my eyes into games that have too much detail even though it has similar gameplay mechanics as Tf2, I cant continously play for more than 2 hrs, Tf2 however, I can sink my whole day into without getting sick of it.
    This is why I will always deem Tf2 as the best multiplayer shooter game of all time.

  • @helium-379
    @helium-379 4 года назад

    This is actually good help for character designing and selecting color pallets in general.

  • @kansiwiz
    @kansiwiz 5 лет назад +3

    Good video my guy.

  • @zeffa2761
    @zeffa2761 4 года назад

    really love this video. interesting, and also insightful for myself as a visual artist. would like to see a video on cosmetic design theory and how that's changed over the years if you could find enough info

  • @purpleisthesneakiest
    @purpleisthesneakiest 5 лет назад +104

    while i'm sure everyone can agree that TF2 has unparalleled readability in comparison to other shooters, you hardly gave overwatch a fair chance when comparing edited images in the final segment
    all of your TF2 images were simple, controlled shots of one to four characters standing still, while all of the OW images were action shots in the middle of fights between two to six people. for that segment to be fair, you should have edited still frames of something like an uber push on a sentry nest, MGE duel, or a competitive midfight, or to take a different approach, the post-game victorious team lineup in overwatch

    • @EliteFreeman
      @EliteFreeman 5 лет назад +6

      TF2 would still win

    • @purpleisthesneakiest
      @purpleisthesneakiest 5 лет назад +31

      the point i'm making isn't that tf2 would not win, it's that it's farcical to present instances of the games in dramatically different scenarios and insinuate that it is a fair comparison
      even if tf2 has readability so much greater than overwatch to the point that there is almost no contest between the two games, it is still in poor practice to present such unfair examples

    • @SchizophrenicFrankie
      @SchizophrenicFrankie 5 лет назад +18

      @@purpleisthesneakiest I agree, and to be fair the Overwatch characters, even with 31 of them, have all very clear and defined silhouettes. I think because TF2 is much more simplistic and graphic in it's design the silhouette and distinction between classes become much clearer than in Overwatch's busier characters. I think he also brushed over the level design of Overwatch, which seeing as he was making a video primarily about characters but also the overall visual and set design, I feel like it's important he address it in the other games he's comparing, rather than using the effects on screenshots for his point.

    • @RF-Ataraxia
      @RF-Ataraxia 5 лет назад +7

      I think the point was that the colors of the maps and the characters merged with each other and the flashy effects didn't help

    • @doublesystem9790
      @doublesystem9790 5 лет назад +1

      Also, overwatch has outlines that show where and in what team a player is, which allows the main difference between characters to be their shapes and poses, rather than their colors.

  • @fikus5903
    @fikus5903 5 лет назад +1

    This is fantastic. Brings a new light into my graphic design choices, thank you.

  • @SageManeja
    @SageManeja 5 лет назад +3

    0:20 Do this same silhoutte thing with the biggest cosmetics equipped, lets see how that holds up

    • @sulee16081
      @sulee16081 5 лет назад

      Cus engi can be as tall as soldier with cosmetics amiright

    • @anduro7448
      @anduro7448 5 лет назад

      @@sulee16081 but there are other factors, height isnt the only one