Lara In-game vs Concept

[Transgress]

This has always got me wonderin'

Lara Concept


Lara in trailer

Okay, so i see the resemblance.

However, if we look at her in-game :confused:





It looks like they strayed away completely, chubby cheeks, etc.
The models they used seem way different, anyone have any additional info on the in-game model relating to the concept?

[LARALOVERnr.1]

I indeed can't see any resemblance in the first in-game picture, but in the second I can. It's just less detailed and realistic as the Concept/CGI one. I think they used the same model, but the difference in lighting and realism (Concept art and CGI always look waaaaaay better than in-game) make it seem like they used different models.

[d1n0_xD]

In-game Lara is still ok to me, the top in-game picture is fine, but the bottom, let's just say the angle isn't right... I like her in-game model :D

[LadyRufina]

Remember they have got over a whole year to tweak and so on so I'm sure she'll look more realistic. The in game Lara really does look like a younger Lara of the Legend series, just a bit more of a baby face.

[Transgress]

Remember they have got over a whole year to tweak and so on so I'm sure she'll look more realistic. The in game Lara really does look like a younger Lara of the Legend series, just a bit more of a baby face.

Idk...... Do developers change character models after they've shown their game to the public? Can't think of any examples, unless someone can help me out.

[LadyRufina]

Idk...... Do developers change character models after they've shown their game to the public? Can't think of any examples, unless someone can help me out.

I'm not saying completely overhaul her. But tweak as in just change it a little if the fans dislike her and so on. With a year to develop they'll have plenty of time to add detail to everything.

[GemmaDarkmoon]

They are bound to be very as they are different things. The top image is concept art being more an artists interpretation of the new Lara rather than directly the Lara we will see in game. There is also always a smallish difference between Lara in a cutscene and Lara in free play in all TR's (except perhaps legend).

Personally I the trailer one looks the best as the proportions are just perfect for her face and she does have that look of a younger version of LC from previous games. The top one of the in-game looks good but the bottom one and the concept art don't capture as much of Lara's look.

[Transgress]

They used a 3d model to make the concept art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMmqmVQHfLs

Im no expert at this stuff, but wouldn't it be easier to just copy the dimensions from this model and port it in-game? Im still convinced they used a different model.

[sierra xb]

well there are some differences, but I'd take a guess that most of those in-game shots are preliminary versions at best because they seem to be different even from the Lara in the game demo.

[Error96]

I can see a big improvement in the in-game/trailer ones over the concept art. The way Lara's hair rests and the pronounced shape of her chin make the concept art Lara look way too masculine. Not right at all. Looking at the other 3 pics I can see the femininity back and so much softer lines. I really hope they stick with that and forget the top pic.

[Ivana KC]

I can see a big improvement in the in-game/trailer ones over the concept art. The way Lara's hair rests and the pronounced shape of her chin make the concept art Lara look way too masculine. Not right at all. Looking at the other 3 pics I can see the femininity back and so much softer lines. I really hope they stick with that and forget the top pic.

Gotta agree with ya on that.

Still, I think that second pic from the trailer looks the best. I can't stand in-game model because her face just doesn't fit. I suppose CD still has time to change that. Besides, we all know that in-game model is always different from the concept art.

[Elliot Kane]

Not a fan of 'concept art Lara'. I keep expecting her to put on a helmet and announce "I am the Law!" with that chin. FAR too Judge Dredd.

Trailer Lara looks pretty good. The other one, less so.

But hey - early days. And I'm expecting vastly better than any of them for the finished version, honestly.

[Flintmelody]

Wow. I REALLY love the image from the trailer it just so beautiful and clearly Lara. I agree with all of you on the other images and the concept art one is my least fav.

[TranceTrouble]

hmm very nice to see that video of creating the art, big respect for all those graphic workers out there. but got to agree in the game she has that younger, uncovered female look that i kind off except for this game.

[RosePetals]

Character models tend to change during the alpha stage of gaming development, so this is to be expected. Some developers even change character designs at the last minute.

Anyway, I love her in-game model than the concept art/trailer ones. And she moves so naturally in the demo even though the animation was still a bit chunky. :)

[Ants_27_]

I've no idea if this is my 'male' views and traits but...

I can see a difference in Concept as I'd find it fascinating if a game looked identical to it's concept, but I can say I've never once considered her 'masculine' nor looked at the game-play stuff and said "Wow, she doesn't look like such-a-game model". I never look and compare models from past game so as long as the game works I'm not that bothered.

This is how bad I am... she could be obese and I wouldn't turn around and make a comment.:lol:

I'm more of a bloke to get annoyed at change of voice actors as it takes away fro me, the same with films that change their actors to play the same role.

[Transgress]

I thought that she looked pretty good in the concept, never thought it was too masculine, gave her kind've a tougher look. Maybe its just me :P

[Hoodedclaw]

Yes I see. They dnt look the same?

They do alot of tweaks between the art and to her in the game that's why.

But yes I see that they dnt look the same.

[Charlie.T.Raider]

I find she has a much more rounded and feminine face in the trailer and the game shots. Maybe it's the colour scheme, the wounds or the face shape but for some reason the concept seems too tomboyish.

[QiX]

http://driber.net/os/tr9/thumbs/Lara-Concept.jpg

IMO, this is the ultimate Lara, this is how I'd like to see her for the next fifty years or more, just adding texture and mesh detail as the next console generations are improved. The CGI trailer model is almost as good, but I'd tweak her facial and bodily proportions just a tad bit. But in regards to the game demo I didn't feel like it was the same Lara. OK, we saw an early alpha demo, the character models are far from the final form. But I do want to see it improved on the final game. The closer to the concept art the better, but I'd be happy with a CGI trailer look too.

[Transgress]

Agreed ^
Concept art lara lools like a survivor, rugged and tough, but she still retains the look of a teenage girl. Concept art is
more fitting to the setting. She doesnt look like a guy to me at all .

[Andy64]

http://driber.net/os/tr9/thumbs/Lara-Concept.jpg

That picture represents everything I DON'T like about the reboot. Complete disaster that I wouldn't give a 1/10 to. If she ever looked as bad as that in a game I wouldn't be buying it. A hideous hairstyle, ugly clothes no femininity and a body shape nothing like Lara's usual hour glass. I do not see anything of Lara what so ever there.

I have to say the trialer Lara is a million times better. Now there she does look like Lara. The facial proportions are perfect.

[d1n0_xD]

^ Well, nice hairstyle and a clean evening gown is surely something you find yourself wearing after a shipwreck :D

[sierra xb]

^ Well, nice hairstyle and a clean evening gown is surely something you find yourself wearing after a shipwreck :D

well you DO know that blood-soaked bandages are this year's fashion statement :lol: should be seeing them in all of the upscale retail stores this fall

[GemmaDarkmoon]

I think to go as tomboyish like the image Qix posted wouldn't be so good for the series or Lara's role in pioneering the role of the gaming female. Undermines it a bit if she embodies too much masculinity and loses the distinction.

well you DO know that blood-soaked bandages are this year's fashion statement :lol: should be seeing them in all of the upscale retail stores this fall

Indeed. It's the in-look :lol:.

[Elliot Kane]

That picture represents everything I DON'T like about the reboot. Complete disaster that I wouldn't give a 1/10 to. If she ever looked as bad as that in a game I wouldn't be buying it. A hideous hairstyle, ugly clothes no femininity and a body shape nothing like Lara's usual hour glass. I do not see anything of Lara what so ever there.

I have to say the trialer Lara is a million times better. Now there she does look like Lara. The facial proportions are perfect.

I agree completely. If 'd seen this randomly posted somewhere, I'd never have guessed it was supposed to be Lara. It looks nothing like her in any way.

The body shape is totally wrong, the face is wrong - just everything about it is wrong.

Trailer Lara I love, but she looks nothing at all like the concept art picture. Which is as it should be, IMO.

[QiX]

Again, that tomboyish looks talk. The concept pic is not tomboyish at all, it's an attractive girl after surviving a shipwreck, you didn't really expect one in this situation would dive into a sinking ship to salvage shampoo, hair conditioner, make-up kit and a bag of clean clothes, do you? What next? Won't anyone say she looks like Justin Bieber?

[d1n0_xD]

^ Agreed completely! The only weird-looking picture was concept-art from 2009 where she holds that torch with her left hand, she looked older than in any game :p

[dark7angel]

Again, that tomboyish looks talk. The concept pic is not tomboyish at all, it's an attractive girl after surviving a shipwreck, you didn't really expect one in this situation would dive into a sinking ship to salvage shampoo, hair conditioner, make-up kit and a bag of clean clothes, do you? What next? Won't anyone say she looks like Justin Bieber?

I also agree with you!:thumb:

[Transgress]

Well i just got into the series, probrably pretty young compared to you guys on the forums. The old Lara never attracted me to play her games, way too exaggerated. Times have changed, the old Lara was based on crazy fun without a relatable protagonist, almost like duke nukem (the impression i get when i first look at her, haven't actually played any games or engaged in story). The new one is much more believable, and the new rough survivor look on a teenage girl just blasts all paradigms away. That's what got me interested.

[Flintmelody]

I agree completely. If 'd seen this randomly posted somewhere, I'd never have guessed it was supposed to be Lara. It looks nothing like her in any way.

The body shape is totally wrong, the face is wrong - just everything about it is wrong.

Trailer Lara I love, but she looks nothing at all like the concept art picture. Which is as it should be, IMO.

That is perfectly how I feel. It isn't about her looking more rugged because of the situation. Is just that in the picture she does (despite what some have said) look like a tomboy which is just so not compatible with Lara. No real trace of Lara there. I am so glad CD clearly swayed away from that with the trailer video and there maybe some better stuff coming from that.

Well i just got into the series, probrably pretty young compared to you guys on the forums. The old Lara never attracted me to play her games, way too exaggerated. Times have changed, the old Lara was based on crazy fun without a relatable protagonist, almost like duke nukem (the impression i get when i first look at her, haven't actually played any games or engaged in story). The new one is much more believable, and the new rough survivor look on a teenage girl just blasts all paradigms away. That's what got me interested.

I feel the complete opposite having played the series since the start. Yes the original Lara was exaggerated but is all part of it and was that image that spread her name across the globe. I love all the crazy fun and reckless stunts she got up to and I actually really liked the fact she was clearly different from a normal person in looks and abilities.

I find it quite annoying that you can go in so strong about the older Lara being 'unrealatable' and 'less believable' without playing any of the games. Give the girl a chance. Get to know her, see her wonderful attitude quirkyness and sense of humor. Maybe you will find her in-game form too exaggerated to make her believable but maybe not. Without playing her in the context of the game how can you know? Try picking up some TR games from a second hand shop or PSN/X-box live. They are immense fun and something I would recommend everyone to play (First 3 and Legend in particular).

[QiX]

As a kid I enjoyed those reprises of Batman's old series on TV, psychedelic colours, camp humour, Robin with those "Holy guacamole, Batman!" speechlines, comic book styled onomatopoeia etc. It was awesome at its time. I grew up with that Batman. As a teen I borrowed The Killing Joke, Arkham Asylum and The Dark Knight Returns from a friend and read the three books within a week. I'm still trying to find where my jaw dropped then. Abandoning that childish and camp TV series gave Batman a whole new depht and density.

I'm playing Tomb Raider since TR2: Golden Mask and I always loved the series, some games more than other of course. But as CD started to release images and info on the next TR I started to get more and more excited about it. It feels like we're finally getting serious. Not that I hate the 'old Lara', so to speak. But now that I look back she looks so, ermm... Adam West. Let's not get attached to the memories and let her grow up, shall we?

[Elliot Kane]

Sorry, QiX, couldn't agree less with any of that.

Alan Moore and Frank Miller between them redefined the entire superhero genre in US comics. The original Tomb Raider games did pretty much the same thing with computer games, it was that seminal. So the best comparison is between the works you mentioned and 'Old TR' not 'New TR'.

Maybe 'New TR' can do it again, who knows? But that's asking a great deal.

***

I'd also like to point out at this stage that I have never said 'Concept Art Lara' looks like a tomboy. It just doesn't look anything like Lara Croft in terms of either face or body shape, to me.

[QiX]

Sorry, QiX, couldn't agree less with any of that.

Alan Moore and Frank Miller between them redefined the entire superhero genre in US comics. The original Tomb Raider games did pretty much the same thing with computer games, it was that seminal. So the best comparison is between the works you mentioned and 'Old TR' not 'New TR'.

Maybe 'New TR' can do it again, who knows? But that's asking a great deal.

***

I'd also like to point out at this stage that I have never said 'Concept Art Lara' looks like a tomboy. It just doesn't look anything like Lara Croft in terms of either face or body shape, to me.

I know what the original Tomb Raider games represented at that time. I was there. I'm just stating my opinion: after fifteen years the classic Lara looks shallow and cartoony to me. Maybe it's just my eyes. But I asure you I can smell what those guys at Crystal Dynamics are cooking for us. And it smells yummy :D

Let me add that I was not talking about you when I mentioned tomboyism etc. Namely GemmaDarkmoon and Andy64 used "tomboyish" and "no femininity" respectively as they referred to the concept art pic I used on my post. No offense meant to you or any of them. This is a debate, I'm simply expressing my particular point of view.

[Flintmelody]

As a kid I enjoyed those reprises of Batman's old series on TV, psychedelic colours, camp humour, Robin with those "Holy guacamole, Batman!" speechlines, comic book styled onomatopoeia etc. It was awesome at its time. I grew up with that Batman. As a teen I borrowed The Killing Joke, Arkham Asylum and The Dark Knight Returns from a friend and read the three books within a week. I'm still trying to find where my jaw dropped then. Abandoning that childish and camp TV series gave Batman a whole new depht and density.

You are comparing a camp 60's TV show with a massive Hollywood movie done over 40 years later. If TR is still around in another 30 years then it is bound to have all 3D effects that makes all games from this era look very old. Black Knight is a fantastic movie but that doesn't dispel the ridiculousness of the comparison. The original games and Lara's image are landmarks in gaming history and not something to be written off trivially.

Back to the issue pretty much everyone on here said they loved the Lara look seen in the trailer, myself included. From what I can see ALL the negative comments against the tomboy thing are directed at the concept art pic and not Lara's look in the actual game pics.

[Elliot Kane]

I know what the original Tomb Raider games represented at that time. I was there. I'm just stating my opinion: after fifteen years the classic Lara looks shallow and cartoony to me. Maybe it's just my eyes. But I asure you I can smell what those guys at Crystal Dynamics are cooking for us. And it smells yummy :D

Let me add that I was not talking about you when I mentioned tomboyism etc. Namely GemmaDarkmoon and Andy64 used "tomboyish" and "no femininity" respectively as they referred to the concept art pic I used on my post. No offense meant to you or any of them. This is a debate, I'm simply expressing my particular point of view.

All opinions, QiX :) S'what a discussion forum is for, right? :)

I always like comparing Core Lara with the old 80s action films - the kind Arnie & Sly used to make, with the indestructible heroes who could carve their way through armies with a laugh and a quick quip. Those were great films, but then Die Hard came along and changed the genre entirely.

In a post-Die Hard world, it was just no longer possible to make the old style films.

Lara is faced with a similar problem, and with one that's worse. The similar problem is that as computer games have grown more intricate, the demand for stronger characterisation and more in depth story has grown with it.

Lara is 'Arnette' in a world where she needs to become 'Brucette'.

And that is the second - and far larger - problem. Lara is the world's most famous game heroine. I think that's pretty much indisputable. Everyone knows who she is and what she looks like. Even people who have never played a TR game in their life know and recognise her.

And now she needs to change. To show the world a whole new Lara, while at the same time keeping enough 'Old Lara' to keep her current fans interested. She needs to be a deeper, more compelling and more human character, yet still clearly the same girl.

That's one heck of a balancing act! And one heck of an interesting project... I almost envy the writer who got to work it all out, in fact... :D

[QiX]

You are comparing a camp 60's TV show with a massive Hollywood movie done over 40 years later. If TR is still around in another 30 years then it is bound to have all 3D effects that makes all games from this era look very old. Black Knight is a fantastic movie but that doesn't dispel the ridiculousness of the comparison. The original games and Lara's image are landmarks in gaming history and not something to be written off trivially.

Back to the issue pretty much everyone on here said they loved the Lara look seen in the trailer, myself included. From what I can see ALL the negative comments against the tomboy thing are directed at the concept art pic and not Lara's look in the actual game pics.

Not exactly: I'm comparing the camp sixties TV show with three graphic novels from the late eighties. Anyway I was not born yet when the show was aired, a local TV channel used to reprise the series when I was a kid. So to my personal experience there was about five years between the Adam West's Batman and Arkham Asylum, the latest of the books, when I was already a teenager.

I'm not really making fun of the camp TV series, it was awesome at it's time. The comedy approach made Batman the most popular super hero in the late sixties and through the whole seventies. It was still popular in the eighties, when I got to know it. Everybody loved that TV show. I only brought that Batman to the debate contrasted to the comic books in the eighties to illustrate my point: even awesome characters get old.

Lara was following the same path. Witty-sexy-archaeologist-saves-the-world-from-evil-goddess was a successful formula for a while, but gamers would get tired of it eventually. If they didn't shake the dust off of it and brought something fresh the sales would suffer.

As you can see I agree with you and Elliot in almost everything, except for one thing: that concept art of Lara that I brought to the thread. That is the perfect ammount of change that I wanted to see. That Lara is the one that perfectly matches the overall game concept, the ambience and feel of a shipwreck in a remote island. After seeing the trailer and demo footage I felt like they gave one step back, then another. Like: "Hmm, they are not reacting well to the new Lara. Let's put something of Underworld Lara back. Better not to push it too hard."

[Error96]

If they didn't shake the dust off of it and brought something fresh the sales would suffer.

As you can see I agree with you and Elliot in almost everything, except for one thing: that concept art of Lara that I brought to the thread. That is the perfect ammount of change that I wanted to see. That Lara is the one that perfectly matches the overall game concept, the ambience and feel of a shipwreck in a remote island. After seeing the trailer and demo footage I felt like they gave one step back, then another. Like: "Hmm, they are not reacting well to the new Lara. Let's put something of Underworld Lara back. Better not to push it too hard."

They did need a major shift after Underworld had seemed to go backwards in series direction from Legend and the doppelganger's potential had been for the most part wasted. The developers have given the series that needed push forward this time with the open world island, M-rating and proper aiming combat.

Concept art is always an over-exaggeration of in-game look so I don't think the intention was ever to go as far as that. I am so glad they didn't as that picture doesn't resemble Lara much and though you may have been happy with that shift I would have been gutted. This is a big difference between evolving a character and just slaming a character's name on someone else. The trailer is the former and the concept art you showed is the latter. I am completely convinced they got it right not to go further.

[Transgress]

On the topic of concept art...

Ezio Concept



Ezio In-Game



Nathan Drake Concept (not sure)



Nathan Drake In-Game

[LARALOVERnr.1]

No offence, but Ezio looks TERRIBLE in-game :S

[dark7angel]

No offence, but Ezio looks TERRIBLE in-game :S

That's exactly what I was thinking!!!!!

[Elliot Kane]

No offence, but Ezio looks TERRIBLE in-game :S

Agreed. Vastly prefer the concept art on that one!

[Transgress]

That's a pretty bad picture... I was too lazy to find a picture of a close-up on his face while he was in a brighter environment.

[larafan25]

That picture represents everything I DON'T like about the reboot. Complete disaster that I wouldn't give a 1/10 to. If she ever looked as bad as that in a game I wouldn't be buying it. A hideous hairstyle, ugly clothes no femininity and a body shape nothing like Lara's usual hour glass. I do not see anything of Lara what so ever there.

I have to say the trialer Lara is a million times better. Now there she does look like Lara. The facial proportions are perfect.

That's what we call, a human.

________________________________

Not meaning to offend, but this will. I hate when we compare stuff with the wrong images. First off, the GI cover render of Lara is CGI Lara, just with added effects. The piece of "concept art" floating around has the same head from the GI cover, if it's not obvious. The body is the concept and they slapped the GI head on.

This is the original head seen on Lara's concept body in the GI article...

http://driber.net/os/tr9/Game-Informer-BG.jpg

So that is concept Lara.

We compare her to CGI Lara...

http://driber.net/os/tr9/Tomb-Raider-Game-Informer-Announce.jpg

...and finally to in-game Lara who looks different from varying angles....

http://driber.net/os/tr9/Scavenger_Den_8.jpg

But obviously still resembles CGI Lara...

http://driber.net/os/tr9/screenshot01_16-9.jpg

The similarities are less visible, or physical seeming. It's more a kind of motion and character to her that sticks from the concept to the in-game model IMO.

[d1n0_xD]

Well, recently I found this in-game picture and she looks pretty darn well :D

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsplpmLJn11qm5xaco1_500.png

[LadyRufina]

^ Good pic. And I don't think concept, in-game and trailer Lara vary much at all. Of course they're going to be different otherwise what's the point? But I still can recognise them all as what a young Lara would look like.

[Denis..]

no offence.. to me the ingame lara's face looks like a fat girl,
her chicks are awfully round and she looks very sweet, not beautiful!
make her chicks less round and her body slimmer and only then she would maybe, look so gorgeous as the lara in concept..

[gitb90]

I just noticed Lara has some earrings in. That is an unusual but perfect touch, something i've never seen Lara with. Brilliant.

[Anvie]

I hope she will not look like her model extracted from the first serie of screenshot, if there's no improvements I want them to make a new model

[larafan25]

no offence.. to me the ingame lara's face looks like a fat girl,
her chicks are awfully round and she looks very sweet, not beautiful!
make her chicks less round and her body slimmer and only then she would maybe, look so gorgeous as the lara in concept..

The decision to give her softer cheeks was already explained.

For the sake of emotionalism I would have liked to see a very thin and frail Lara with hollow cheeks...

But for the sake of being normal and nice, I'm just going to disagree with you about making her thin. You don't seem to want that for any good reason, which is gross.

[Denis..]

The decision to give her softer cheeks was already explained.

For the sake of emotionalism I would have liked to see a very thin and frail Lara with hollow cheeks...

But for the sake of being normal and nice, I'm just going to disagree with you about making her thin. You don't seem to want that for any good reason, which is gross.

lol boy,
well yeah dont chance her body its ok whatever, but the face is awful..

[kadosho]

Curious why we had to go back to an origin tale. But it should be redeeming, with Lara still being a young woman. I don't think we can "judge a book by its cover" just yet. Maybe the design team wants to see if this new look for the character may grow on us.

[Scion_Powered]

The in-game and trailer have much softer features than the concept art which I really love. Looks more like Lara. The concept art heavy pronounced features didn't really suit her much.

[LadyRufina]

I really love the concept art of her with the face on the parchment effect. I think that's a beautiful yet strong look on Lara. It's the best look yet I think...

[Transgress]

On the fourth podcast, Karl said that most of Lara (including her face) was locked and will not change.... So that could either suck or be great depending on your opinion. Im not gonna lie, im kinda disappointed, but ill wait and see.

[d1n0_xD]

^ I don't know, her face looks great in-game IMO, so I'm glad they're not gonna "tweak" her a little bit more xD