My point is not that the original movie had a better CGI. I do agree with some of you that the effects were awful already when it came out in 1999.
BUT!
It had more meaning to it than this cartoonish abomination we just witnessed......I had the time to feel for the guy and it also demonstrated Sarevok´s brutal nature mind you more than the scandalous low quality images. They slaughtered half of the dialogue which IS imperative for that intro movie. "There are others", the man said with despair in his voice. It made me think that there was more to this brutality than just another "break a neck and throw the bastard of a roof-Tuesday"
My first post and my first five cents worth.Loved the original start up mode with the philosophy and then the movie.Still awesome i think.No real harm done with the new one either but the original had a bit more depth as to what was about to unfold in the story.I do prefer what they have done with the other cutscenes though,the originals did look a bit dated and blocky.The original intro though,i would have left alone-out and out classic stuff in my opinion.
I don't get how anyone could really think that the new version is better (or, at least, I don't get why people wouldn't think that a new 3D version of the old one, with improved art and rendering, but with the same shots, angles, etc., wouldn't have been better than the cheap motion comic they made).
The new intro has a "flat" feel and has less of an impact not just because of its hand-drawn "2D", but also because it is near motion-less, and, in part because of that, lacking in emotion and not particularly immersive. That said, the actual, literal flatness is also taken to an extreme at the end, with how the logo appears - much less striking than in the original, where the blood of the killed Bhaalspawn flowed between the cobblestones and touched upon the title that then flared up to the epically escalating soundtrack. Overall, the composition of the shots and the angles is kinda poor - less "fluid" - and this contributes to the "flat" feeling of it all.
It's shorter and the cuts are jumpier, both to the detriment of the pacing. There's even a continuity error that stands out, a continuity error both in the cinematic itself and with the in-game version of that scene, in that we don't see Sarevok break the railing - in one shot, they're both by the railing, in the next, the two of them are suddenly out on the roof past the railing, and, if I recall correctly, one can see this crime scene in-game, and see the railing that was broken (in the original intro). Such a "jump" is more acceptable if the cut between the shots is made so as to imply that some time has passed or that something dramatic has happened.
Finally, in part because they shortened it, and removed a few segments, the new intro is also lacking in nuances when it comes to sound, a department in which the original is significantly "richer", and this is another thing that has reduced the immersive quality of the piece, another sense in which the scene is "flat". I also don't see why they omitted the, "[...] there are others [...]" line, which was a good piece of foreshadowing.
So, if anything, I think they should've re-done the intro in 3D with updated art and rendering, and kept pretty much all the same shots and angles, the pacing, the sounds, the same title sequence and not omitted that line from the Bhaalspawn that Sarevok killed. If, however, they didn't have the budget for that, I think they should have left the intro as it was. Even with outdated graphics, the original is still better.
I don't like the intro. The old one was much better. Outro could be better too... And why they completely cut out most of other cinematics? And why in some of those cinematics, music is badly edited? (Friendly Arms Inn anyone?)
Comments
BUT!
It had more meaning to it than this cartoonish abomination we just witnessed......I had the time to feel for the guy and it also demonstrated Sarevok´s brutal nature mind you more than the scandalous low quality images.
They slaughtered half of the dialogue which IS imperative for that intro movie.
"There are others", the man said with despair in his voice.
It made me think that there was more to this brutality than just another "break a neck and throw the bastard of a roof-Tuesday"
Please, just take another look and compare:
The new intro has a "flat" feel and has less of an impact not just because of its hand-drawn "2D", but also because it is near motion-less, and, in part because of that, lacking in emotion and not particularly immersive. That said, the actual, literal flatness is also taken to an extreme at the end, with how the logo appears - much less striking than in the original, where the blood of the killed Bhaalspawn flowed between the cobblestones and touched upon the title that then flared up to the epically escalating soundtrack. Overall, the composition of the shots and the angles is kinda poor - less "fluid" - and this contributes to the "flat" feeling of it all.
It's shorter and the cuts are jumpier, both to the detriment of the pacing. There's even a continuity error that stands out, a continuity error both in the cinematic itself and with the in-game version of that scene, in that we don't see Sarevok break the railing - in one shot, they're both by the railing, in the next, the two of them are suddenly out on the roof past the railing, and, if I recall correctly, one can see this crime scene in-game, and see the railing that was broken (in the original intro). Such a "jump" is more acceptable if the cut between the shots is made so as to imply that some time has passed or that something dramatic has happened.
Finally, in part because they shortened it, and removed a few segments, the new intro is also lacking in nuances when it comes to sound, a department in which the original is significantly "richer", and this is another thing that has reduced the immersive quality of the piece, another sense in which the scene is "flat". I also don't see why they omitted the, "[...] there are others [...]" line, which was a good piece of foreshadowing.
So, if anything, I think they should've re-done the intro in 3D with updated art and rendering, and kept pretty much all the same shots and angles, the pacing, the sounds, the same title sequence and not omitted that line from the Bhaalspawn that Sarevok killed. If, however, they didn't have the budget for that, I think they should have left the intro as it was. Even with outdated graphics, the original is still better.
Outro could be better too...
And why they completely cut out most of other cinematics?
And why in some of those cinematics, music is badly edited? (Friendly Arms Inn anyone?)