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One of these things is not like the other...

EdwinEdwin Member Posts: 480
edited January 2013 in Archive (General Discussion)
I have never heard the rationale behind such glaringly dissimilar portraits when you compare NPC's from BG1 to their corresponding BG2 portraits. They just don't look like the same person. Did the Art Director drop the ball or what?


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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,964
    Minsc does not approve of your forum posting behaviour
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    edited January 2013
    smeagolheart said:

    Minsc does not approve of your forum posting behaviour

    And he will kick your butt.... For goodness. (joke, not intended to be offensive).

    Seriously, I personally like all of the BG 1 art better except Viconia whom I always thought was a total BABE. Plus she punishes if you do it wrong (and sometimes when you do it right).

    Are you sure of the Minsc portrait? That doesn't look familiar and I have played Baldur's Gate 2 several times. but then not for a few years, so it could be 100% correct.

    In the end, I put it down to a different art director and more pixels leading to the perceived need for more (better?? Worse???) art.

    But in taking a second look, both Imoen and Jahira look older but still the same people. And with what Imoen goes through, she does kind of look like she had to do some rehab on the road there.

    Plus, I am thinking that they took that likeness of Minsc (and Boo) just after he removed Boo from his "Hiding place".
  • TomeTome Member Posts: 466
    The Minsc portrait is a (hilarious) joke, for anyone who didn't get it. :p
  • SplodSplod Member Posts: 114
    edited January 2013
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/09/Minsc.jpg/200px-Minsc.jpg
    What do you reckon? ;)

    Bwuh? What's with image tags not working?
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Minsc and Jaheira look the same. In fact, I believe that Jaheira looks better in BG2.

    Imoen and Viconia had a big change 'cause, well, I think it's because they were ugly *_*
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    DJKajuru said:

    Minsc and Jaheira look the same. In fact, I believe that Jaheira looks better in BG2.

    Imoen and Viconia had a big change 'cause, well, I think it's because they were ugly *_*

    I kind of disagree. I think that Jaheira and Imoen looked better in the original than in the update. Imoen in BG2 just looks like she went through the ringer in Irenicus' dungeon. I think she was much cuter in BG1. Annoying, but cuter.

    Jaheira (who also went through her own trauma) was never my cup of tea in either game.
  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    Edwin said:

    I have never heard the rationale behind such glaringly dissimilar portraits when you compare NPC's from BG1 to their corresponding BG2 portraits. They just don't look like the same person. Did the Art Director drop the ball or what?

    Pretty sure it has a lot to do with a different art director. IIRC, the original director died somewhere in between the making of BG1 and 2.
  • valkyvalky Member Posts: 386
    thanks to DbG I don't have to fizzle around with stupid minsc..so whatever he might look like..I really don't care, as long as he gone...from my existance forever..maybe even mazed...or destroyed by a mere magic missile, cause he is THAT stupid.....ha maybe his hamster eat him alive..id I mentioned, that he is is the most hated person by me? Domo arigatou...now you know of me..cause I actually hate that shit-sicking fucking bastard, who dares to order me around for rescuing one stupid fuckhead.

    Did I mention, I do not really like him ^.^
  • atcDaveatcDave Member Posts: 2,420
    I liked all the BGII artwork better. I usually even change Imoen via Shadowkeeper.

    I love that Minsc! Very funny.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    valky said:

    thanks to DbG I don't have to fizzle around with stupid minsc..so whatever he might look like..I really don't care, as long as he gone...from my existance forever..maybe even mazed...or destroyed by a mere magic missile, cause he is THAT stupid.....ha maybe his hamster eat him alive..id I mentioned, that he is is the most hated person by me? Domo arigatou...now you know of me..cause I actually hate that XXX-XXXXX XXXXXX, who dares to order me around for rescuing one stupid XXXXXXXX.

    Did I mention, I do not really like him ^.^

    Ok, you made your point. Please watch the language.

    Personally, I thought Minsc quite entertaining. And no one delivers MASSIVE critical hits with the same gusto. Plus put him in a party with Jan (in BG2) and prepare to laugh yourself silly.

  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    edited January 2013
    the_spyder said:

    Seriously, I personally like all of the BG 1 art better except Viconia whom I always thought was a total BABE.

    Not surprising, seeing as how her BG2 portrait is pretty much a painted version of a head shot of real life adult model Zdenka Podkapova.
  • EdwinEdwin Member Posts: 480
    @TJ_Hooker ...don't regret that google search...not one bit.
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    edited January 2013
    Splod said:

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/09/Minsc.jpg/200px-Minsc.jpg
    What do you reckon? ;)

    Bwuh? What's with image tags not working?

    Html :)

    image

    Code is < img src="url" > (without the spaces)
  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    edited January 2013
    If I've made anyone curious, here's the image that Viconia's BG2 portrait is based on:

    image
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    edited January 2013
    TJ_Hooker said:


    Not surprising, seeing as how her BG2 portrait is pretty much a painted version of a head shot of real life adult model Zdenka Podkapova.

    Gonna have to look her up at home. Thanks for the tip.

    But I also like her personality. Like I said, if you do it wrong, she punishes. And even if you do it right. LOL.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,964
    edited January 2013
    It really looks like the photo is cut off mid-boobage in that photo. She is an adult and a model apparently.

    edit: also she was Penthouse's Pet of the Year for 2001 apparently.
  • MartoxMartox Member Posts: 6
    atcDave said:

    I liked all the BGII artwork better.

    Funny how tastes can be subjective, i always liked BG artwork better, in fact the fist thing i do before starting a BGII game is installing a decent portrait pack (at least i think it's decent, i made it out of arts i found online).
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    It makes sense that the bg2 portraits would be different. One of the attentions to detail I've always found pretty cool is that the bg2 portraits of characters that were around in bg1 have a bunch of scars on them which is what you'd expect after fighting hobgoblins all over the sword coast.
  • WendschlagWendschlag Member Posts: 33
    Original artwork is better.
  • atcDaveatcDave Member Posts: 2,420
    I definitely liked the original figures; especially armor and shields better.
  • JustariusJustarius Member Posts: 43
    For BG2 I think the art team must have had a facial quirks quota. At times it seems everyone must have a scar or a tattoo or a nose ring. BG1 portraits are less busy.
  • DaelricDaelric Member Posts: 266
    I dunno, I think they dropped the ball on both Minsc portraits. He's one of the best characters in the game and his BG1 portrait he's asleep, and in BG2.. he just makes me very uncomfortable... the way he's looking at you, with his eyes and his creepy smile... and Boo's judging stare as well...
  • The_New_RomanceThe_New_Romance Member Posts: 839
    You've ruined Viconia forever for me. Not that I did like her before... but at least it was an enjoyable Google dire.
  • SplodSplod Member Posts: 114
    @the_spyder
    "Gonna have to look her up at home. Thanks for the tip."

    We all know what that's going to entail ;)
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Splod said:

    @the_spyder
    "Gonna have to look her up at home. Thanks for the tip."

    We all know what that's going to entail ;)

    Yep.

    Google.

    What?
  • lunarlunar Member Posts: 3,460
    I like the changes in Jaheira and Imoen. Imoen espeally, she is not the well fed orphan in Candlekeep no more, no longer stealing pies and cookies from Winthrop. She loses her baby-fat on her cheeks, gets scars, and a somewhat darkened-more serious outlook.
  • rdarkenrdarken Member Posts: 660
    I was always under the impression that the bg 1 portraits were slapped on NPCs without really much thought as to who they applied to. Like they were all really PC portraits, but they needed to give the NPCs something.

    Notice how Jaheira is basically a human in bg1, but they made her look more elven in bg 2.
  • PantalionPantalion Member Posts: 2,137
    Looking at it more closely.... Did Jaheira suffer a headwound? Her eyes have a 5 degree difference from BG 1 to 2.
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