It looks like SD is going for the classic LoTR feel for this and I that is a good thing especially since retro gaming is a hot thing and more importantly because the gamer is likely well into their 30 now and will have lots of memories of the time of tabletop still in their heads with lots of positive recollections associated with them. Never under estimate the effects of forgotten youth with weekends of never-ending fun and nostalgia that can trigger memories with visual stimulation. I suggest for people to look up the names of the artists I listed prior if you are not famillar with them. When I think to the 70s & early 80s it is the work of those guys that I clearly see in my mind.

is this game made using flash?

Why did my post get deleted.  I did not break any rules.  I asked a simple question.  Is this game made using Flash?

Your post wasn't deleted Oo I see it just above your.

Um...  why on earth would they make this game using flash?

That's something you'd do for a browser based game, not a real game.

It's full 3D, iirc, and flash is astoundingly bad at 3D (IE can't handle it at all) and actionscript isn't nearly complex enough to make a game, so no. It's based of the Soctety engine, which is a modern 3D engine with a lot of snazzy features.

And the fora here are occasionally a bit flaky, posts occasionally go awol, don't sweat it.

For those of you booing the graphics, Brad said on the CivFanatic's forums that they are likely to change. 'Course, enough people like them, and they might keep them

I love the map, keep the map, the rest I like but won't be too sad to see go if it does.

Did anyone else instantly think of Dragon Quest from these shots? I really like it myself as the art design for DQ8 added a great feel to it, plus what's being shown makes me think my P4 might possibly be adequate   even though I'm aware this is very early. Anyways, I think I'd prefer this to something realistic like Conan (not that I dislike Conan at all). Good to see you guys have yet another game I'm very much interested in (even if I don't tend to be able to play TBS' well if it's one I find interesting, this still sounds good from the little that is out ).

Well I seriously hope the graphics get a HUGE overhault, this looks like child's game! You know like for like preschool kids that dont know better

I am still interested but as these graphics stand its quite a turn off.

Now if the graphics look similar to the box art I will be impressed.

My two cents on the graphics: I quite like the current state of the "map" screenshot that has been posted and I wouldn't mind if that didn't change all at between now and release. The two "game world" screenshots in the OP, though, need to have significantly more detail added to their textures before I'd be happy. The overall style is fine and I like the look of the interface panel at the bottom of the screen (it looks very crisp and detailed). If the textures on the land, trees and castle walls are improved to match that, then I'll be perfectly content. At the moment, though, it does still look rather...childish.

- Ash

Hi, folks,

Hey, has anyone seen any information about whether mixed magical styles will be available?  Some life + fire magic, for example?

Put me in the "graphics look great" category.

While you're at it, go ahead and drop me in the "amazing, deep game mechanics with multiple options are better" category, too.

Winni

I agree the map is great but the remaining two are REALLY bad.

Black borders and somewhat pale textures with lots of "smudged" colors make screenshots look like a bunch of flat cardboard cutouts. Graphics is okay, but it needs a better representation of volume. Different lighting? Higher contrast? No borders? I don't know, but it needs something different.

Which is why they said on multiple occasions that the graphics aren't finished and lightning and shadows will get changed/tweaked quite a lot.

It's coming out in 2010, people, that's the alpha stage we're in now, not the finished product.