Characters have big heads

[Jaeger Pilot]

Makes the characters look short. They should be 8 heads tall, but they are much less than that.

Before/after edits (credit to Chipers on reddit):

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fcyw2bu0lw0qd1.gif

[Jaeger Pilot]

Originally posted by Revan:

Dragon Age: The Bobbleheads

I can't unsee it now. I will just start laughing when playing.

[skullymex]

why should they be 8 heads tall?

[infinite.embrace]

This disproportion makes it look like a children's game. Kinda pixar style, which to many will be a mood killer.

[eRe4s3r]

Originally posted by skullymex:

why should they be 8 heads tall?

There is scientific reasoning that not following adult body scale on your art styles creates subconscious misperception of your intended character archetype (young/old/teen/adult). Basically, you see the character and think "looks weird" but you don't know why, unless you know your scales and human proportions. That 8 heads high thing is first year of art school stuff, absolute most BASIC level of style creation. You can do whatever you want with your style, but going off that 8 head scale makes your characters look weird especially when you have comparison to proper style / proportions.

Imo you could still call it a legit art style, but it will always look weird

[skullymex]

Originally posted by eRe4s3r:

Originally posted by skullymex:

why should they be 8 heads tall?

There is scientific reasoning that not following adult body scale on your art styles creates subconscious misperception of your intended character archetype (young/old/teen/adult). Basically, you see the character and think "looks weird" but you don't know why, unless you know your scales and human proportions. That 8 heads high thing is first year of art school stuff, absolute most BASIC level of style creation. You can do whatever you want with your style, but going off that 8 head scale makes your characters look weird especially when you have comparison to proper style / proportions.

Imo you could still call it a legit art style, but it will always look weird

Huh. But there's different heights in the game, and dwarves and elves are quite a bit shorter in general. And real-life humans aren't 8 heads either. I honestly can't say that I've noticed anything off when watching the gameplay that's come out, it looks perfectly natural to me.

[Romo]

Originally posted by infinite.embrace:

This disproportion makes it look like a children's game. Kinda pixar style, which to many will be a mood killer.

Do they stab people and body morph them in pixar movies now?

[infinite.embrace]

Originally posted by Romo:

Originally posted by infinite.embrace:

This disproportion makes it look like a children's game. Kinda pixar style, which to many will be a mood killer.

Do they stab people and body morph them in pixar movies now?

Not sure about stabbing part, but they do have a history of exaggerated body proportions :)

[eRe4s3r]

Originally posted by skullymex:

Originally posted by eRe4s3r:

There is scientific reasoning that not following adult body scale on your art styles creates subconscious misperception of your intended character archetype (young/old/teen/adult). Basically, you see the character and think "looks weird" but you don't know why, unless you know your scales and human proportions. That 8 heads high thing is first year of art school stuff, absolute most BASIC level of style creation. You can do whatever you want with your style, but going off that 8 head scale makes your characters look weird especially when you have comparison to proper style / proportions.

Imo you could still call it a legit art style, but it will always look weird

Huh. But there's different heights in the game, and dwarves and elves are quite a bit shorter in general. And real-life humans aren't 8 heads either. I honestly can't say that I've noticed anything off when watching the gameplay that's come out, it looks perfectly natural to me.

That's why I called it the "most basic"
Normally it's way more involved, proportions are tricky, involve measurements, angles, triangles, ratios and, most importantly, the chosen style defines them. Hence why I don't think that is a bad thing, but funny you mention different heights. The big reason most DnD games don't give you halfling and gnome minis is that DnD, in their OG designs, also did not follow a proper proportion theory. This is why some people perceive them as children (imo, just the people who haven't seen a lot of real children) and why some people really like elves (lanky, thin, long neck = elegant which is a contemporary zeitgeist style)

There is way more to be said about this. Style perception involves everything, scene, effects, even the camera FOV. Not as simple as bigger head = bad ;P

Basically, if you have before/after comparisons like with this reddit post, you can always make something look weird or bad. But functionally a style either works or doesn't in the boundaries of itself. Meaning you look at it and you think it's fine? Then it's fine. But other people = other perception ;)

[skullymex]

Originally posted by eRe4s3r:

Originally posted by skullymex:

Huh. But there's different heights in the game, and dwarves and elves are quite a bit shorter in general. And real-life humans aren't 8 heads either. I honestly can't say that I've noticed anything off when watching the gameplay that's come out, it looks perfectly natural to me.

That's why I called it the "most basic"
Normally it's way more involved, proportions are tricky, involve measurements, angles, triangles, ratios and, most importantly, the chosen style defines them. Hence why I don't think that is a bad thing, but funny you mention different heights. The big reason most DnD games don't give you halfling and gnome minis is that DnD, in their OG designs, also did not follow a proper proportion theory. This is why some people perceive them as children (imo, just the people who haven't seen a lot of real children) and why some people really like elves (lanky, thin, long neck = elegant which is a contemporary zeitgeist style)

There is way more to be said about this. Style perception involves everything, scene, effects, even the camera FOV. Not as simple as bigger head = bad ;P

Basically, if you have before/after comparisons like with this reddit post, you can always make something look weird or bad. But functionally a style either works or doesn't in the boundaries of itself. Meaning you look at it and you think it's fine? Then it's fine. But other people = other perception ;)

That's fair enough, you seem much more knowledgable about this than me. It does seem a little nitpicky to me at any rate, but like you said, perceptions differ.

[Jaeger Pilot]

Originally posted by skullymex:

why should they be 8 heads tall?

It's just traditional character design proportions. 7.5 heads is about average for humans. 8 heads is usually what comic books and such use, as it makes the character look more heroic.

[Cutlass Jack]

Originally posted by Jaeger Pilot:

Originally posted by skullymex:

why should they be 8 heads tall?

It's just traditional character design proportions. 7.5 heads is about average for humans. 8 heads is usually what comic books and such use, as it makes the character look more heroic.

Ah someone else who studied comic art. Yeah 8 heads is typical for that.

But I've also read comics that said each boob should be larger than their head. And lets not get started on Rob Liefield and feet. Okay I'm straying off topic. Sorry. Geek moment.

The proportions aren't currently bothering me in game. And it looks we'll have control in Veilguard for our own character at least. So I'm good, but maybe I'll change my mind once I'm playing it.

[Jaeger Pilot]

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Originally posted by Jaeger Pilot:

It's just traditional character design proportions. 7.5 heads is about average for humans. 8 heads is usually what comic books and such use, as it makes the character look more heroic.

Ah someone else who studied comic art. Yeah 8 heads is typical for that.

But I've also read comics that said each boob should be larger than their head. And lets not get started on Rob Liefield and feet. Okay I'm straying off topic. Sorry. Geek moment.

The proportions aren't currently bothering me in game. And it looks we'll have control in Veilguard for our own character at least. So I'm good, but maybe I'll change my mind once I'm playing it.

I hope we can make the heads smaller that what we've seen.

And the boobs larger.

[Cutlass Jack]

Originally posted by Jaeger Pilot:

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Ah someone else who studied comic art. Yeah 8 heads is typical for that.

But I've also read comics that said each boob should be larger than their head. And lets not get started on Rob Liefield and feet. Okay I'm straying off topic. Sorry. Geek moment.

The proportions aren't currently bothering me in game. And it looks we'll have control in Veilguard for our own character at least. So I'm good, but maybe I'll change my mind once I'm playing it.

I hope we can make the heads smaller that what we've seen.

And the boobs larger.

The boob/butt thing does seem to vary a lot by body type.
More options are always better. I would never deny anyone the ability to make a character they love. But like every major RPG I've played ever, I'm sure mods will do their thing if the game doesn't deliver.

[Mythical Ostrich]

They want to pander to the people who have hundreds of funko pops

[DOITTOIT]

Originally posted by skullymex:

why should they be 8 heads tall?

Because Veilguard is a body dysmorphia simulation.