Why are all the characters ugly?

[Kyota]

I've noticed a consistent pattern lately where many of these western games have fugly-looking characters.

I'm not even talking average-looking, but outright "ew".

Personally the moment I watched game play footage of both the combat and the dialogue between NPCs - I instantly knew I wasn't going to bother with this game due to how aesthetically hideous it looks.

So I'd like to ask westerners the following: Do you guys just like ugly-looking characters in general? Am I kink-shaming without realising? Has the concept of beauty gone full circle now where the abhorrent and hideous are coveted qualities that you define as "Beautiful" and "Easy to look at"?

[Ele]

We all know why.

[Lamiosa]

Because attractive women are somehow bad today. While there are tons of OF and other women doing stuff in reality, in media attractiveness of pixels became evil.
Somehow it is strange, because I always thought that things in fiction are less bad than in reality.

[Jeris]

Just looking at the few companions and some early character creator i don't see anything that says they will all look bad. Obviously some will be bad on purpose.

But for example, Giatta I wouldnt say looks terrible as a companion.

I think you see what you wanna see.

[Humpenstilzchen]

Originally posted by Lamiosa:

Because attractive women are somehow bad today. While there are tons of OF and other women doing stuff in reality, in media attractiveness of pixels became evil.
Somehow it is strange, because I always thought that things in fiction are less bad than in reality.

There still games with beautiful women like this one:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422756609

[Lamiosa]

Originally posted by Humpenstilzchen:

Originally posted by Lamiosa:

Because attractive women are somehow bad today. While there are tons of OF and other women doing stuff in reality, in media attractiveness of pixels became evil.
Somehow it is strange, because I always thought that things in fiction are less bad than in reality.

There still games with beautiful women like this one:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422756609

Because they don't care about politics, but purely on making customers happy.

[Deygus]

My guess is they wanted to appeal to old school elderscrolls players, but in general, yeah, I completely agree with you on that. They all look like they were beat up with an ugly stick and that within itself is rather disappointing compared to other modern game characters that look simply astounding. Here it pales in comparison by a long shot.

[Ele]

Originally posted by Humpenstilzchen:

Originally posted by Lamiosa:

Because attractive women are somehow bad today. While there are tons of OF and other women doing stuff in reality, in media attractiveness of pixels became evil.
Somehow it is strange, because I always thought that things in fiction are less bad than in reality.

There still games with beautiful women like this one:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422756609

This I like.

[Bill Gates]

When I first saw the teaser trailer years ago I thought we would have a more gritty looking game. Its the whole look that is off putting to me. its like Veilguard...almost like its fortnite. Just not feeling it.

[Character Name]

I don't think all of the characters are ugly. But yeah, some aren't so hot. That's the main problem with this game, is that the art is not consistent.

[Ele]

Originally posted by Bill Gates:

its like Veilguard...almost like its fortnite.

"Safe Space" atmosphere.

[Bill Gates]

Originally posted by RORSCHACH:

Originally posted by Bill Gates:

its like Veilguard...almost like its fortnite.

"Safe Space" atmosphere.

It just never matched that initial trailer. And I am talking about the trailer when the arrow is shot and we follow it. That trailer really had me hyped. Then the art direction went this way for some reason.

[Xedius]

Originally posted by RORSCHACH:

We all know why.

yep and saying specifically why gets you banned by the devs

[Kyota]

Originally posted by Deygus:

My guess is they wanted to appeal to old school elderscrolls players, but in general, yeah, I completely agree with you on that. They all look like they were beat up with an ugly stick and that within itself is rather disappointing compared to other modern game characters that look simply astounding. Here it pales in comparison by a long shot.

As someone who's played New Vegas, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't say I'm on board with this aesthetic.

Would this have been passable in 2010? Sure. But I'd like to think that the industry has since moved passed that and is working towards better-looking games overall.

Obsidian has proven me wrong, I suppose.

I've also fully completed Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3 (So I am that old-school ES player.)

[Kyota]

Originally posted by Bill Gates:

When I first saw the teaser trailer years ago I thought we would have a more gritty looking game. Its the whole look that is off putting to me. its like Veilguard...almost like its fortnite. Just not feeling it.

The colour clashes both with the characters and the environment are constantly an eye-swore.

I don't understand how someone agreed to this.

[Morgrum]

Originally posted by Kyota:

Originally posted by Deygus:

My guess is they wanted to appeal to old school elderscrolls players, but in general, yeah, I completely agree with you on that. They all look like they were beat up with an ugly stick and that within itself is rather disappointing compared to other modern game characters that look simply astounding. Here it pales in comparison by a long shot.

As someone who's played New Vegas, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't say I'm on board with this aesthetic.

Would this have been passable in 2010? Sure. But I'd like to think that the industry has since moved passed that and is working towards better-looking games overall.

Obsidian has proven me wrong, I suppose.

I've also fully completed Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3 (So I am that old-school ES player.)

Wait Morrowwind is old school ES now?

Jeez I must be ancient sitting in my game drawer is Arena, daggerfall, battlespire, and redguard.