Concept Art Proves Skyrim Was a Looker from the Very Start

[Logan Westbrook]

Concept Art Proves Skyrim Was a Looker from the Very Start

Skyrim's concept art isn't just pretty; it shows how the game came together as well.

Bethesda has released a preview of The Art of Skyrim, the 200-page art book that comes with the game's enormous [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112901-Skyrim-Collectors-Edition-Requires-Enormous-Box] collector's edition. The preview shows two things: firstly, that the studio has some rather talented concept artists, and secondly, that Skyrim [http://www.amazon.com/Elder-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Xbox-360/dp/B004HYK956/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317300608&sr=8-1] looked rather good even before it really existed.

[gallery=496]

The images show an interesting combination of locations from the game. There are two pages that show long-abandoned ruins, and two pages that show the development of two of the game's towns. Sharp-eyed readers will be able to make out the text on the pages as well, which explains why the architecture in the town of Riverwood is so different to that in the former Imperial seat of Solitude.

I'm hoping that Bethesda will eventually release The Art of Skyrim as a standalone product so that people who aren't buying the Collector's Edition - which is probably quite a lot, as it's not exactly cheap - can grab it. Even if you're not especially interested in knowing why things look like they do, if the rest of the art is as good as this, then it's going to be a stunning book.

Skyrim comes out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on November 11th.

Source: Bethblog [http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/09/28/inside-the-art-of-skyrim/]




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[SomeLameStuff]

Jeez, they really want me to buy the collector's edition huh...

I'll see what I can auction off then.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

This seems like proof that, unlike Oblivion, every single town won't look like a rearranged version of the last one. That would be nice.

 

[Inkidu]

Oooh! Pretty! I still wouldn't buy the $150-dollar collectors edition though. If they do give my Gamestop one of those bronze Dragon-Born displays I'm going to ask them to let me have it.

 

[SirCannonFodder]

You know, all this marketing trying to get me to buy the Collector's Edition might be a tad more effective if they'd actually allocated some to Australia, instead of, y'know, having so few here that it sold out within hours.

 

[imnot]

Solitude looks pretty dam sexy.

 

[Klagermeister]

Good. This book along with the game, a dvd and an epic statue shall be mine in just under 50 days!

 

[Therumancer]

I didn't bother with the Collector's Edition because I have no place to put the stuff. Besides I confess to some concern over the quality of statues and such that come with games as despite all the hype they usually wind up being overpriced garbage. Plastic or Resin aren't worth the additional money being asked. I tend to look back at the "Batarang" that came with the Arkham Asylum collector's edition, which was cheap garbage someone scratched up with a key to represent "battle damage", when according to hype it was supposed to be made out of metal.

 

[ZenoX969]

I'm very tempted to buy it because it looks awesome. BUUUUUUUUUUUT.

It's so extremely expensive that it's insane. So when I think about this rationally, I'm pretty sure I won't be buying it. Since it costs 1600 kr here in Sweden. Which is roughly $225 or £144 or 166 Euro. It would be nice to have that huge map, art book and statue. But the collectors edition costs more than 3x times the price of the main game. So I'm just asking myself if the asking price is worth it.

You get a huge plastic (I assume it's plastic) statue that will sit on my shelf collecting dust. A giant art book I'll flip through a few times. And a map of the in-game world. Which I think comes with the main game anyway, though it will likely be smaller and generally in poorer condition. Heard the map with the collectors edition was made of leather or something. And of course the 'Making of' which I would like to see very much. But I'm also guessing that it will be up on youtube or something soon after the game's release anyway.

 

[Mariner]

And a map of the in-game world. Which I think comes with the main game anyway, though it will likely be smaller and generally in poorer condition. Heard the map with the collectors edition was made of leather or something.

\

I was under the assumption that the cloth map comes when the game is preordered and for others is made of paper.

 

[GoodApprentice]

"This seems like proof that, unlike Oblivion, every single town won't look like a rearranged version of the last one. That would be nice."

The hell! Did you even look around when you played Oblivion?

 

[Ayay]

Looks very good . I would love to own a book with art that will not be
in the game .It will be about four dungeons all the time ,Oh they will
look amazing. And all that eye candy will only cost a interesting
story. Still the pictures are nice.

 

[Nurb]

The concept art always looks better than the game.

They need to be figuring out how to make the game look like THAT; stylized, not continually chasing "realism" which ends up making games looking pretty much the same.

 

[trollnystan]

I'm very tempted to buy it because it looks awesome. BUUUUUUUUUUUT.

It's so extremely expensive that it's insane. So when I think about this rationally, I'm pretty sure I won't be buying it. Since it costs 1600 kr here in Sweden. Which is roughly $225 or £144 or 166 Euro. It would be nice to have that huge map, art book and statue. But the collectors edition costs more than 3x times the price of the main game. So I'm just asking myself if the asking price is worth it.

You get a huge plastic (I assume it's plastic) statue that will sit on my shelf collecting dust. A giant art book I'll flip through a few times. And a map of the in-game world. Which I think comes with the main game anyway, though it will likely be smaller and generally in poorer condition. Heard the map with the collectors edition was made of leather or something. And of course the 'Making of' which I would like to see very much. But I'm also guessing that it will be up on youtube or something soon after the game's release anyway.

I got mine for 1200kr. I'll be eating ramen and drinking nothing but water for a few months, but damn it, this is my Christmas present to myself! >_< I think the statue is made of PVC which, though a kind of plastic, is high-quality plastic. (<--- making excuses) Oh and the map is made of cloth =)

 

[shoreleave]

I'm getting tired of this shit. I just got a new job and I'm not getting paid until all my training is done. Every time I come on you guys have something new that makes me want Skyrim even more. It's like you guys don't even care what you're doing to me.

 

[Misterian]

This concept art somehow reminds me of the Fable francise for some reason.

 

[Epona]

Is anyone really surprised that an Elder Scrolls game was a "looker" from conception? In 2006, Oblivion was the best looking game on the 360 and possibly the PC. In 2002, it was probably true of Morrowind too.

Must be a slow news day or the news for Skyrim is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

[DarkRyter]

This concept art could use more dragons.

 

[Eleima]

Gorgeous eye candy, that's for sure. I have a soft spot for concept art, but unfortunately, Bethesda can wave all its fancy art at me, it won't change the fact that I'm not getting the CE. Lack of cash and space have already settled the issue. There's no way I can justify the cost of that dragon statue and no space to stash it in during our move.
Shame, though...

Is anyone really surprised that an Elder Scrolls game was a "looker" from conception? In 2006, Oblivion was the best looking game on the 360 and possibly the PC. In 2002, it was probably true of Morrowind too.

Well, no, not I. I still have a bunch of concept art from Oblivion & Morrowind, and that was gorgeous too. It makes sense that Bethesda would craft their worlds with the utmost care. And honestly, do we expect any less from them?