Most definitely urban. Fallout 3 DC ruins, Crysis 2, Metro 2033, Homefront. Those sort of games.
Favorite environment in a game?
- Thread starter Sean Hollyman
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I hate to say something so recent, but Heng Shai from Human Revolution would be right up there. Absolutely blew me away.
I would have to say Forests. Quiet, serene, maybe a babbling brook near by that leads to a lake with a dock that you can fish off of. Lots of falling leaves, logs and wild life. Examples would be Elwynn Forest in World of Warcraft and most of Metal Gear Solid 3.
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Either deep jungle (like in BF 'Nam) or Urban ruins (Fo3). I like springing ambushes on people so I love the idea of placing like a bergan full of C4 on the road over 50m of distance and noone noticing because there's rubble. Or hiding just 5 meters away from a patrol, unseen due to the foliage.
space stations, space colonies, futuristic cities
angles, smooth surfaces, improbable designs
Most recently, Upper Hengsha of DX:HR blew me away. Other than that, HL2's citadel (big reason why Ep1 is kinda awesome), Mirror's Edge, even the temples in AssCreed. Surprisingly, Mass Effect gets it wrong a lot, though I love the ring-view on the citadel.
angles, smooth surfaces, improbable designs
Most recently, Upper Hengsha of DX:HR blew me away. Other than that, HL2's citadel (big reason why Ep1 is kinda awesome), Mirror's Edge, even the temples in AssCreed. Surprisingly, Mass Effect gets it wrong a lot, though I love the ring-view on the citadel.
I really enjoy the more "out-of-the-ordinary"-ordinary places that you can find in various games. Kind of like in the Alice games.
I also enjoy the kind of dystopian/orwellian kind of places, such as in Half-Life 2 or Timeshift, and they can always work well. Modern sci-fi environments and futuristic cities ala Blade Runner are also really sweet, and honestly not used that often. Kind of sad, but makes me look forward to Prey 2 even more.
The more post-apocalyptic takes on future environments are also great, such as in Fallout 3.
Also good are the more dark, gothic environments such as in the Castlevania games, which come off as creepy, yet intriguing and with a sense of mystery. I thought it was very effective in Curse of Darkness, because everything seemed to have a backstory of it's own. It's part of what makes me want to keep playing.
One more; I like the very empty, open areas such as in ICO or Shadow of the Colossus, that truly give a sense of loneliness unlike anything else.
And finally, anything steampunk.
I also enjoy the kind of dystopian/orwellian kind of places, such as in Half-Life 2 or Timeshift, and they can always work well. Modern sci-fi environments and futuristic cities ala Blade Runner are also really sweet, and honestly not used that often. Kind of sad, but makes me look forward to Prey 2 even more.
The more post-apocalyptic takes on future environments are also great, such as in Fallout 3.
Also good are the more dark, gothic environments such as in the Castlevania games, which come off as creepy, yet intriguing and with a sense of mystery. I thought it was very effective in Curse of Darkness, because everything seemed to have a backstory of it's own. It's part of what makes me want to keep playing.
One more; I like the very empty, open areas such as in ICO or Shadow of the Colossus, that truly give a sense of loneliness unlike anything else.
And finally, anything steampunk.
I can't give you a single answer to that question, because my favorite environment is any environment that evokes the same feelings as any Team Ico game.
Lonely, barren and mysterious.
Doesn't have to be completely devoid of life, as long as it still feels like those three things.
Edit: Huge fan of Oddworld, too. So add quirky and extraordinarily varied to the list.
What ever happened to Oddworld games anyway?
Lonely, barren and mysterious.
Doesn't have to be completely devoid of life, as long as it still feels like those three things.
Edit: Huge fan of Oddworld, too. So add quirky and extraordinarily varied to the list.
What ever happened to Oddworld games anyway?
I tend to like urban areas, especially if parkour is involved. It's why I liked Mirror's Edge so much. Failing that, laboratories, like Aperture or the cleaner areas of Black Mesa. I just like the sterile atmosphere that they give off.
I don't have a favourite type, but if there was a guideline on how to make a good environment, they would have to turn straight to Fallout 3 to get their tips, the Capital Wasteland was so immersive.
I remember the forests in Metal Gear Solid 3 - Snake Eater
those places always had a very nice feeling to them, shame its actually just a linear path, would love to see a game that had such spaces in the open as a sandbox - oblivion comes close though, with a few mods.
those places always had a very nice feeling to them, shame its actually just a linear path, would love to see a game that had such spaces in the open as a sandbox - oblivion comes close though, with a few mods.
The land of chocolate lesbians.
In all seriousness though, probably some kind if ice theme. I loves me some snow.
In all seriousness though, probably some kind if ice theme. I loves me some snow.
I've always been fond of ice castles, like the Snowpeak Ruins in Zelda Twilight Princess or the snow field's dungeons in .hack. I just like the air of mystery and feelings of oppression that come from them.
Lots. To narrow it down some, though...
1. Natural places with broken-down machinery, minus the dark atmosphere that often goes along with this concept, and preferably with lonely, atmospheric wind blowing (examples: all of Riven [http://www.mystjourney.com/img/screenshots/riven-56.jpg], and Lehon in KOTOR [http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/f/fb/RakataPrimeConcept.jpg]).
2. Peaceful, misty deciduous forests with green rivers and, preferably, rafts (example: Carpenters' Landing in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/img_20070521_195824.png]).
3. Enormous waterfalls (example: Misareaux Coast in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/img_20080309_152738.png]).
4. Hovering landmasses (example: Riverne in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/Riverne2.png]).
(Yeah, I liked FFXI's scenery a lot.)
Also I have no examples for these, but...
5. Extremely tall, steep, snowy mountains.
6. Arctic areas with auroras and ice caves.
7. Any cities with an Arabic feel.
8. Bioluminescent forests.
9. Any place that has an extremely alien feeling to it, like nothing I've ever seen before.
1. Natural places with broken-down machinery, minus the dark atmosphere that often goes along with this concept, and preferably with lonely, atmospheric wind blowing (examples: all of Riven [http://www.mystjourney.com/img/screenshots/riven-56.jpg], and Lehon in KOTOR [http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/f/fb/RakataPrimeConcept.jpg]).
2. Peaceful, misty deciduous forests with green rivers and, preferably, rafts (example: Carpenters' Landing in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/img_20070521_195824.png]).
3. Enormous waterfalls (example: Misareaux Coast in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/img_20080309_152738.png]).
4. Hovering landmasses (example: Riverne in FFXI [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/valkea_lumme/FFXI/Riverne2.png]).
(Yeah, I liked FFXI's scenery a lot.)
Also I have no examples for these, but...
5. Extremely tall, steep, snowy mountains.
6. Arctic areas with auroras and ice caves.
7. Any cities with an Arabic feel.
8. Bioluminescent forests.
9. Any place that has an extremely alien feeling to it, like nothing I've ever seen before.
I'm disappointed in this thread. I was hoping for specific places, not generic categories. I will name specific places anyway. In no particular order:
1. Skies of Arcadia: The overworld.
This game was set in a massive world of sky islands with apparently no ground. The entire world is floating in the sky, and you can fly around it in an airship. It featured many silly and impossible things, like an island with a waterfall that just pours off the edge into nothingness. The whole game was beautiful and anyone who hasn't played it should be ashamed.
2. Skies of Arcadia, the Ice Temple. I forgot it's real name, but generally there was some sort of ice themed city that was one of the major dungeons. This place was memorable for being built on the underside of an island. the whole temple is walkways between buildings for the most part. But the buildings are built upside down, with their foundations on the cieling, extending downwards towards the infinite nothing below. plus it had nice music.
3. Final Fantasy IX: Burmecia, the City of Eternal Rain.
Exactly as the name implies, burmecia was a city where it rained perpetually. You never get to see the city in its prime though, only in ruins during the alexandrian invasion. It has the most haunting, lonely, and depressing music i've ever heard, and i can still remember every note to this day. the track is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVRiiWJmSjo
1. Skies of Arcadia: The overworld.
This game was set in a massive world of sky islands with apparently no ground. The entire world is floating in the sky, and you can fly around it in an airship. It featured many silly and impossible things, like an island with a waterfall that just pours off the edge into nothingness. The whole game was beautiful and anyone who hasn't played it should be ashamed.
2. Skies of Arcadia, the Ice Temple. I forgot it's real name, but generally there was some sort of ice themed city that was one of the major dungeons. This place was memorable for being built on the underside of an island. the whole temple is walkways between buildings for the most part. But the buildings are built upside down, with their foundations on the cieling, extending downwards towards the infinite nothing below. plus it had nice music.
3. Final Fantasy IX: Burmecia, the City of Eternal Rain.
Exactly as the name implies, burmecia was a city where it rained perpetually. You never get to see the city in its prime though, only in ruins during the alexandrian invasion. It has the most haunting, lonely, and depressing music i've ever heard, and i can still remember every note to this day. the track is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVRiiWJmSjo
I tend to like natural enviroments with some clean, symetrical architecture added in.
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[sub]Yes, just like in Halo 1-3. Shut up. I'm not praising Halo, I like it for including the type of enviroment I like, not the other way around. Honest.[/sub]
Capcha: entaiday 2008.
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[sub]Yes, just like in Halo 1-3. Shut up. I'm not praising Halo, I like it for including the type of enviroment I like, not the other way around. Honest.[/sub]
Capcha: entaiday 2008.