Gametrailers Resident Evil Retrospective (Episode 6 up now)

Anyone who has ever watched any of Gametrailers series Retrospectives should know that they are pretty damn entertaining, and now it's the turn of one of my favourite series: Resident Evil.

Episode 1: Horror Survives (17:09)
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Episode 2: Fall of Raccoon City (19:06)
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Episode 3: Umbrella Expands (18:24)
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Episode 4: Biohazard Breakout (18:53)
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Episode 5: Evil Reborn (19:17)
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Episode 6: The Files (22:42)
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Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Watched it earlier. It's good. Back when Resident Evil was survival horror... not survival tagteam.

I want RE on my PSP. Anybody know how I can do it?

KKLEIN wrote:I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Because the latest generation of consoles can render environments with a similar level of detail in real time and you don't have to put up with fixed camera angles?

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

I'd love to see an HD version of that game as well as an HD remake of Resi 2.

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Agreed. It still looks great, and my dream is that one day they'll give Resi 2 the same treatment as it's my favourite in the series. Hell, I'd even take a straight port of 2 on the DS as outside of the Gamecube remake the DS version is my favourite version of the original game.

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

It's a techique that is often used, actually - just in conjunction with other tricks.

Skyboxes in FPS's, for example, are usually a variation of the prerendered backdrop trick.

But it's not often used for scenery close up because it leads to very bad, or very scripted looking - interaction with the environment, which is anathema to this generations games.

Dandy Kong wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Because the latest generation of consoles can render environments with a similar level of detail in real time and you don't have to put up with fixed camera angles?

But think of the processing power they could free-up - power that could be put towards the characters! Also, there is nothing wrong with fixed camera angles.

TheTurnipKing wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

It's a techique that is often used, actually - just in conjunction with other tricks.

Skyboxes in FPS's, for example, are usually a variation of the prerendered backdrop trick.

Skyboxes? What are they?

mic wrote:

TheTurnipKing wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something. It genuinely wouldn't look out of place on a next gen system.

I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

It's a techique that is often used, actually - just in conjunction with other tricks.

Skyboxes in FPS's, for example, are usually a variation of the prerendered backdrop trick.

Skyboxes? What are they?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skybox_(video_games)

mic wrote:

Dandy Kong wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Because the latest generation of consoles can render environments with a similar level of detail in real time and you don't have to put up with fixed camera angles?

But think of the processing power they could free-up - power that could be put towards the characters! Also, there is nothing wrong with fixed camera angles.

Not regarding your feelings about Sheva, do you think the characters in RE5 need a lot more detail?

And about fixed camera angles, that's a matter of preference. I always thought that of the fixed angles that they were a result of technical limitations rather than something that added anything to the game. Plus they seem to be linked to that horrible control system of the first RE games.

I knew that! I just didn't know what the technique was called. It's very clever isn't it? I never would have guessed that's how they did the Citadel in HL2...

edit - @ Turnip

Dandy Kong wrote:

mic wrote:

Dandy Kong wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:I think pre-rendered backdrops still work really well - I don't know why they're not used any more.

Because the latest generation of consoles can render environments with a similar level of detail in real time and you don't have to put up with fixed camera angles?

But think of the processing power they could free-up - power that could be put towards the characters! Also, there is nothing wrong with fixed camera angles.

Not regarding your feelings about Sheva, do you think the characters in RE5 need a lot more detail?

And about fixed camera angles, that's a matter of preference. I always thought that of the fixed angles that they were a result of technical limitations rather than something that added anything to the game. Plus they seem to be linked to that horrible control system of the first RE games.

They have their places. It's like flip screen vs scrolling 2D games. There's something very psychologically satisfying about finally reaching the current screen and seeing what's revealed. And of course, it goes very well with the concept of horror, where what you can't see is often more terrifying than what you do see (example: Dead Space, Doom 3).

Dandy Kong wrote:Not regarding your feelings about Sheva, do you think the characters in RE5 need a lot more detail?...

Well, not need, exactly - I thought the GC resi's were as good as it needed to be... but RE5 is not exactly CGI quality, is it? Is CGI quality achievable, do you think? If so, then surely it would need a great deal of pre-rendered trickery to be a viable option...

Dandy Kong wrote:...And about fixed camera angles, that's a matter of preference. I always thought that of the fixed angles that they were a result of technical limitations rather than something that added anything to the game...

I always enjoyed the variety in sometimes seeing the characters face-on during the heat of battle, while firing their weapons, or even just while walking backwards - something you NEVER see anymore outside of a bloody cutscene.

Dandy Kong wrote:...Plus they seem to be linked to that horrible control system of the first RE games.

Grumblegrumbleamatuergrumble...

Actually, the movement control scheme hasn't changed, only the perspective (and of course the more precise aiming).

Gandalf wrote:Watched it earlier. It's good. Back when Resident Evil was survival horror... not survival tagteam.

I want RE on my PSP. Anybody know how I can do it?

I decided to bite the bullet and buy all 3 PS1 RE games off of the Japanese PSN.

DrPepperMan wrote:

Gandalf wrote:Watched it earlier. It's good. Back when Resident Evil was survival horror... not survival tagteam.

I want RE on my PSP. Anybody know how I can do it?

I decided to bite the bullet and buy all 3 PS1 RE games off of the Japanese PSN.

Oooh, do you have the links / details for that please, matey?

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something.

So this was a remake for GC of RE1? How the f*ckity-f*ckwits did I miss that..? Does anyone have the exact title it was released under - I don't think they gave it in the GT movie.

Cal wrote:

KKLEIN wrote:Graphically the GC version is quite something.

So this was a remake for GC of RE1? How the f*ckity-f*ckwits did I miss that..? Does anyone have the exact title it was released under - I don't think they gave it in the GT movie.

It was just called "Resident Evil"


colloquially known as REmake.

TheTurnipKing wrote:It was just called "Resident Evil" colloquially known as REmake.

Thanks, fella. Just have to track down a copy now... I know I have RE4 for GC and I think one or two others including Zero (or that could be on PS2). Amazingly, I have never played my copy of RE4 (too scared).

Cal wrote:

TheTurnipKing wrote:It was just called "Resident Evil" colloquially known as REmake.

Thanks, fella. Just have to track down a copy now... I know I have RE4 for GC and I think one or two others including Zero (or that could be on PS2). Amazingly, I have never played my copy of RE4 (too scared).

Zero was. I think, a Gamecube exclusive, though there was a Wii version released in Japan, was it?