Skip to main content

Dark Souls 2 Mod Dramatically Improves The Game's Lighting And Visuals

When Dark Souls II was shown off at E3 2013, one of the main takeaways from the trailer was its impressive lighting system. Dark areas were intended to be a major component of Dark Souls II's gameplay, forcing players to equip a torch just to be able to navigate through their pitch-black passages.

The graphics engine was designed with the then next-gen PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles in mind, but when Dark Souls II was released on PS3 and Xbox 360 back in 2014, the hardware limitations meant that the ambitious lighting system was scrapped. Now, modder Stayd is working on replicating that original lighting model using Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin on PC.

Gallery image 1Gallery image 2
The original game on the left, and the modded version on the right.
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5

Stayd is an artist and graphics programmer, and has been sharing work-in-progress screenshots of their Flames of Old graphics mod on Twitter. The mod adds some striking updates to the game's lighting that fundamentally changes how Dark Souls II looks. Notable areas like Heide's Tower of Flame and Shrine of Amana look much improved, but the Shaded Woods catches the eye in particular.

Gallery image 1Gallery image 2
The original game on the left, and the modded version on the right.

The lighting is much more natural, especially with the green filter removed, and this allows the texture work in the environment and on the character model to stand out. Stayd has also made some other tweaks, such as removing the trees in the upper left corner to reveal the Shrine of Winter, which adds a sense of scale to the area, and adding more ruins and foliage.

Stayd plans to mod the whole game in this way, and you can keep up with the whole process on their Twitch channel.



from GameSpot - All Content https://ift.tt/37VM8yH
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MediEvil Review - Bones 'n Brawn

As a remaster of the 1998 puzzle-platformer of the same name, MediEvil holds up reasonably well. Its cartoonishly charming characters and varied, if relatively simplistic, level design both stands the test of time and looks better than ever thanks to a complete graphical overhaul. But as much as MediEvil can feel like a warm blanket of nostalgia--especially for those of us who played the game 21 years ago--it also feels incredibly dated, with jittery controls and camera issues that regularly get in the way of progress. You play as Sir Daniel Fortesque, a dead knight who is returned to life when the sorcerer Zarok makes an unexpected return to Gallowmere, bringing with him hordes of monsters. Fortesque remains every bit as charming a character as he was; his gnarled teeth, warbly voice, and single, rolling eyeball lose none of their charisma in the remastering process. Zarok's design hasn't aged well, though, and the new visuals leave him looking like a plastic doll who’s been
Post a Comment
Read more

After Pitching Dragon Age Musical DLC, David Gaider Is Finally Getting To Make His Musical Game

Dragon Age lead franchise writer David Gaider is making a new and intriguing-looking musical adventure game Chorus . As it turns out, the veteran game developer--who left BioWare years ago--has been thinking about making a musical game for a long time. In an appearance at the GameSpot Theatre today at PAX Aus about his new game and studio, Gaider said he in fact pitched musical DLC for Dragon Age during his time at BioWare. The musical Dragon Age DLC could have taken place inside the metaphysical Dragon Age realm called The Fade, he said. It was a semi-serious, semi-joking pitch, Gaider said, but whatever the case, it never happened. Gaider is now getting to realize that dream. His new game, Chorus, is a musical adventure game where they big story beats play out through song. Gaider is working on Chorus with Summerfall managing director Liam Esler (former Obsidian, Beamdog developer), while prolific voice actress Laura Bailey (Uncharted, Gears of War) is voicing the main character.
Post a Comment
Read more