Gripe: I'm starting to really hate character portraits in CRPGs

[Aetrion]

I know that character portraits are a long time feature in these games, but it's honestly getting annoying to me that we're at a point where the characters themselves are so visually advanced that you can clearly see when they look nothing like their portrait.

When character portraits started the figure on the screen was really tiny and indistinct. You needed a portrait to know what the person looks like. Now you have a full customization with hair styles and augments, and all of it is bullcrap if you have no portrait that even half way matches them.

We're also at the point where you need up upload an image at 692x1024, so even most of the 40k art you can find on the internet isn't usable because you can't find it in that resolution.

I'm just so done with character portraits. If you're going to give me a character editor just put the face of the character I made in the freaking portrait instead of giving me all these options that I can only use if I don't care that the picture looks completely different.

This feature was great back in the day when the character on the screen was just a generic figure with no features of their own, but now it's just absolute trash to make a highly elaborate digital illustration such a huge part of a customizable character that looks perfectly fine on its own.

You could at least include some default portraits where the face is cloaked in shadow or hidden behind a helmet. Better yet, just get rid of this awful, awful feature that has become this stupid millstone around the neck of the CRPG genre.

[serafi]

Agreed! I always had the same thought

[Falaris]

In this game, at least, your character's appearance will by default match the portrait. It's up to you to change it so you get that mismatch you dislike.

[REhorror]

This game has a system where the character portrait automatically aligns with the in-game creation.

Not perfect, but serviceable.

[Falaris]

In old Dungeon Siege, if I remember correctly, was one of the first games where you had a '3D porthole' portrait of your character's model. It's an interesting way of doing it, but not perfect either.

I have to admit, I really like some of the portraits here, they're really well made and some of them look proper badass, but you can import your own, too, if you have something specific in mind. But having at least one or two 'generic faceless' characters should not be a problem.

[Azukaos]

It's not the best but my char at least looks like her portrait, could be better for some elements tho because on the portrait she have a scar on her face but in the character creation i didn't find anything that look like scars.

[REhorror]

Originally posted by Falaris:

In old Dungeon Siege, if I remember correctly, was one of the first games where you had a '3D porthole' portrait of your character's model. It's an interesting way of doing it, but not perfect either.

I have to admit, I really like some of the portraits here, they're really well made and some of them look proper badass, but you can import your own, too, if you have something specific in mind. But having at least one or two 'generic faceless' characters should not be a problem.

To be fair, some games do the 3D porthole really well, see VTM Redemption and Dark Omen, characters were super expressive, even more than actual 3D RPG nowadays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM_KriEFbVE

Owlcat might try that if they ever switch to another engine.

[Falaris]

Originally posted by Azukaos:

It's not the best but my char at least looks like her portrait, could be better for some elements tho because on the portrait she have a scar on her face but in the character creation i didn't find anything that look like scars.

Scars are in the tattoo page. But that turned out to be problematic - a patch will fix that, I hope.

(The portrait had a scar, but if you tried to change the scar, it would revert to a regular character, and when you changed anything else, it became the default to that portrait.. part of what I meant in the 'impressions' thread about some jank.

[Azukaos]

Originally posted by Falaris:

Originally posted by Azukaos:

It's not the best but my char at least looks like her portrait, could be better for some elements tho because on the portrait she have a scar on her face but in the character creation i didn't find anything that look like scars.

Scars are in the tattoo page. But that turned out to be problematic - a patch will fix that, I hope.

(The portrait had a scar, but if you tried to change the scar, it would revert to a regular character, and when you changed anything else, it became the default to that portrait.. part of what I meant in the 'impressions' thread about some jank.

I see, hope it will get fixed soon then.

[Stocking]

Originally posted by Aetrion:

I know that character portraits are a long time feature in these games, but it's honestly getting annoying to me that we're at a point where the characters themselves are so visually advanced that you can clearly see when they look nothing like their portrait.

When character portraits started the figure on the screen was really tiny and indistinct. You needed a portrait to know what the person looks like. Now you have a full customization with hair styles and augments, and all of it is bullcrap if you have no portrait that even half way matches them.

We're also at the point where you need up upload an image at 692x1024, so even most of the 40k art you can find on the internet isn't usable because you can't find it in that resolution.

I'm just so done with character portraits. If you're going to give me a character editor just put the face of the character I made in the freaking portrait instead of giving me all these options that I can only use if I don't care that the picture looks completely different.

This feature was great back in the day when the character on the screen was just a generic figure with no features of their own, but now it's just absolute trash to make a highly elaborate digital illustration such a huge part of a customizable character that looks perfectly fine on its own.

You could at least include some default portraits where the face is cloaked in shadow or hidden behind a helmet. Better yet, just get rid of this awful, awful feature that has become this stupid millstone around the neck of the CRPG genre.

But i like custom portrait

[Who trains thy hands for war?]

Agreed

They're cool but there's not one in game that I want to use for my current char

[Aetrion]

Originally posted by Stocking:

But i like custom portrait

I don't see the point of high grade illustrations being used alongside of a character editor. All it does is make it impossible for people to bring their idea for a character to life if they can't find high quality art that matches exactly what they want.

[Aetrion]

I really don't need an "imaginary self image" feature in my RPGs. Portraits were nice when the characters were so pixelated and tiny that they had no distinguishing features, but now they are just a massive burden placed on customization.

[Blackdragon]

A game should just have decent graphics and use your full custom appearance as the portrait. Case in point: Baldur's Gate 3.

And no, that game's graphics should not be considered "exceptional". It's 2023, those kinds of visuals should be the NORM. Hell, Skyrim mods can look better, and that game is 12 years old.

[Indiana James]

I hate to be the one to suggest this, as I know it is somewhat controversial, but there is always AI art. I used it to generate portraits of naval officers for this game and they all look amazing. You just have to make sure you specify what you want. It will take many tries to get something you want. Might be worth it. As an artist myself I am both intrigued and disillusioned with the technology.

[Blackdragon]

Originally posted by Indiana James:

I hate to be the one to suggest this, as I know it is somewhat controversial, but there is always AI art.

Why should you "hate" suggesting this, and why would it be "controversial"? AI is a tool like any other. Original Baldur's Gate had portraits that were basically real life photos retouched in Photoshop - was that also "controversial"? Is using a tablet to draw controversial compared to brushes & easel?