From an artistic perspective, I would have kept some of the delineations on the skin, but perhaps with a slight blur to fade the linework and with the opacity a little lower. Otherwise, I do enjoy the unique graphics of Paralives quite a bit! The clothing layering reminds of Sims 2 Console, which nailed that feature.
I am no artist, but from what you describe, I agree, I think. I feel like the before tends to be too harsh while the after feels a bit of an overcorrection.. yet I do still mainly like the art as a whole too. OOH! I adore sims 2, but admittedly I have only played on pc and Mac; what was the console version like
@@SimmerErin Paralives definitely has a tricky balance with the linework (especially with the avatars), but honestly it does not bother me much in light of all the other cool features coming. Sims 2 for console is a classic. It plays quite differently (and is not as expansive), but was known for clothing layering, special effect recipes, some interesting zany objects, and also the immersive conversation mode that were different from the PC version.
@@TownieSimBuildshonestly i’ve liked every iteration. i loved the harsh lines and i’m happy with the toned down ones. it would be nice to have it as a setting but like you say i’m so excited for everything else that i’m not too worried about it 😅
Couldn’t agree more! The art style is SO unique and also very nice to look at. I didn’t even mind the ‘harsh lines’ of the previous models but the new softer lines just take it to the next level. I cannot wait to play this gaibe
I thought the same thing about the upper arm hair, it looked like stretch marks to me. I'm not sure how I would change it, but I don't think 'hair' when I see it.
I also like both the before and after, I think slightly preferring the after but basically entirely due to how the backs look. With the body hair... I have more body hair than I wish I had, but I don't typically use body hair within video game create a characters because it usually looks 'painted on' to me. I think Paralives' art style's colour sketches vibes for the characters hugely help mitigate this problem, since I wouldn't be expecting anything with more depth than whatcreate a characters typically provide (...Maybe it's better in Sims 4 than it was in Sims 3, for whatever reason I didn't get into Sims 4, but outside of the Sims I can't think of any games which gave me the option for body hair where I liked how it looked). I could see myself giving characters in Paralives bodyhair in a way I just... Don't... in most games.
ahh! that's a pretty interesting perspective, and I see what you mean. I usually don't bother with adding body hair at all myself, tbh 😆 it oddly almost always looks off to me and it's an extra step I don't bother with. facial hair, sure, but I tend to never use body hair lol. Your perspective gave me something to think about
I like the after, before I always thought that the lines were too heavy. I'm also with you on the heaviest body hair looking a bit off. Speaking of body hair, if you haven't seen the "Shaving Hal" bit from the first episode of Malcom in the Middle you should take a look.
I'm also fine with either but with a preference for after. The before could come across as dirty lines in certain poses and lighting conditions. I prefer the darker body hair but I hope they can add more than just different shades of the same hair. It really needs options for less and more body hair, not just lighter shades. It's best I don't talk about fishnets....hmm, fishnets. 😁 j/k....maybe. I'm definitely looking forward to the layering, it's something many other character creators miss by only offering mix and match or full outfits.
I saw someone else say dirty and didn't understand- do you mean it looks messy? they did say there were various options for body hair, so fingers crossed for that Yeah, layering is honestly really awesome because it expands how you can use single pieces so much
@@SimmerErin I can't speak for the other person but I meant dirty as in filthy. If there's too many lines it could possibly make them look unwashed instead of clean skinned. It's hard to say with only that one view but it was my first thought.
I think I generally prefer the “afters,” especially for the knees. I do think that paras with a bit more muscle should show that, but I hope that they use more shading for that, rather than just lines. The clothing looks fun (and they had a fun way of showing it off!); my favorite was the cable knit sweater which was gorgeous. Thank you for the update!
yes, the knees are what I prefer the changes for most too I agree too that the muscles- at least for some paras- maybe, could be somewhere in between and honestly adding more shading is a smart way that could be accomplished
it is relaxing, for now lol to cover. I find a need to do it to break up other coverages even more myself and the comments sections I see. a rather different mood.
My biggest gripe atm is that the background objects do not match the art style of the Paras, but maybe that is something they are working on. It is very glaring in this clip in particular.
I think the outline of the para's look good now, but the details should be a bit more defined, not as much as before, but somewhere in between what it is now and before.
I'm glad they're toning down the "lines" around the knee. The original ones just didn't look like something on a real person. The other one looked more realistic, but still in a cartoony way. With the body differentiation, I didn't see much difference. Neither looked like something a human in cartoon form might have. I'm glad to see that they're continuing to try to improve it.
yes, I think the knees are the biggest improvement here. I imagine getting the style down and balance is tough- even for an artist. It def looks better to me there
i rlly feel like the only one who liked the lines on the back and knees 😅 it just felt nicely stylised to me and they would appear at both higher and lower weights so to me it makes sense to have it all over, and it helped to see the anatomy in the back also have you been keeping up with dev chats? i think anna is working on the school system’
there are almost always others ha. It may not be as popular but that doesn't make it wrong: art of any kind is oh so subjective. so hearing different perspectives I think is very interesting and also valuable honestly, I have had essay grading, job interviews etc etc and I have browsed some but not been keeping up~ but I will see if there is something interesting once I can
I'm not a huge fan of the hand drawn look. The lines appear too dark to me, I think they should soften them just a little bit. The layered clothing I am definitely a fan of, and those rain boots with daisies are adorable. The body hair is ok, honestly though, I probably won't use it too much. I am really looking forward to early access. Seeing these things in action for myself may change my opinions.
it's certainly not a style for everyone. When I first saw paralives, I was eh about the art and here for the gameplay.. it grew on me over time ha. But it doesn't have to be everyone's cup of tea- and def I also think there are areas they could improve too tricky thing is, it seems like there's a wide array of opinions especially on the outlines daisy boots are cute I agree awesome to have an open mind, too!
The Paralives team is doing a great job on clothing variety. In my opinion the knees and the back lines look much better but I'm not a fan of the body hair at all looks like a kid played in paint a couple minutes making random thick lines when its colored blue just wow.
Looks like a good showcase of clothing items! Knowing these can be customized to our liking. Also, nice little trivia that you were a footballer irl =). I'm not much of an athlete but I dabbled in cheerleading on the side.
oh cool! I also ran cross country and track- distance running. that is what I was best at- did that though high school and would have done so in university had I been healthy. I also did dance for fun but my was I terrible
@@SimmerErin I don't want to be mean, maybe I'm expressing myself poorly but I have the impression that the physical features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) of the Parafolks don't stand out up close or from afar on the screen. Perhaps the physical features are much too fine compared to the environment.
@@Rou99995 you're not being mean. You're just expressing your opinion, and I don't think in a rude way either. What do you think would most improve it?
@@SimmerErin I think the Paralives team really needs to keep the parafolks graphic style. However, I think that by adding different thicknesses of lines, shadows with different contrasts, values it could be really !
having all paras have sticking out shoulder blades like that just makes no sense especially for this para who is pictured as the sample.. hes not a super fit guy so being able to see that is weird. on super high end low fat end of the body mass scale only it makes sense lol to see it on "normal" average body type no realistic.. i like the changes they are making
@@SimmerErin They look so flat, like a comic book flat. There is no dimension or even shading to to show any curves, just some lines. It doesn't feel like a simulation to me.
@@SimmerErin When they first showed us an example of their avatars, that were still being developed. I didn't like the style, but I did expect they would at least make them look dimensional, as a human is, like Sims, who's looks and actions simulate real people, even though they aren't totally life like, the fun of playing sims is the enjoyment of watching them simulating life situations. That is important to my enjoyment. At this time we are flooded with games, and just about every other computer avatar in a game looks like, a simulation of a real person or creature etc, regardless of if the game is a simulation, or fantasy, or role play. I just didn't expect them to look so flat, and sketched. Its hard to put into words, but I feel like the look of the game is the first impression, and important to a player to feel immersed. As a child I had barbies, and I had paper dolls. My first choice was Barbie, as I could see all of her sides, I could dress and undress, and hold her, and pretend she was doing human things. With a paper doll, a sketch, I could only cover parts of her, with a sketch of a different outfit, but I can't move her arms, or legs, or change her pose, I can't pretend she is dancing, or walking or doing simulations of people. As an adult who plays all sorts of games, I don't see the fun in playing electronic paper dolls. Even in older versions of Sims, when the meshing of clothing wasn't created into a mesh, the technology wasn't there yet to run them without issues yet, they had artists that put in shading, and definition, in a artistic way that looked like there was really folds and pleats and curves. What I saw of your examples, was what I expect from a Alpha game, that is using place holders while the avatar design is being created and tested on different processors. Today the game world no matter what types of games you like is very competitive, and the gamers have become more vocal about things they don't like, and the public can make or break a game. I am not trying to do that, but this game is not ready, and its not because of comparing a before and after, its just not what people expect from a simulation of real people.
From an artistic perspective, I would have kept some of the delineations on the skin, but perhaps with a slight blur to fade the linework and with the opacity a little lower. Otherwise, I do enjoy the unique graphics of Paralives quite a bit! The clothing layering reminds of Sims 2 Console, which nailed that feature.
I am no artist, but from what you describe, I agree, I think. I feel like the before tends to be too harsh while the after feels a bit of an overcorrection.. yet I do still mainly like the art as a whole too.
OOH! I adore sims 2, but admittedly I have only played on pc and Mac; what was the console version like
@@SimmerErin Paralives definitely has a tricky balance with the linework (especially with the avatars), but honestly it does not bother me much in light of all the other cool features coming. Sims 2 for console is a classic. It plays quite differently (and is not as expansive), but was known for clothing layering, special effect recipes, some interesting zany objects, and also the immersive conversation mode that were different from the PC version.
100%
@@TownieSimBuildshonestly i’ve liked every iteration. i loved the harsh lines and i’m happy with the toned down ones. it would be nice to have it as a setting but like you say i’m so excited for everything else that i’m not too worried about it 😅
@@cryingwatercolours Yes, totally agree! The game looks beautiful, and the skin detail is only a minor quibble overall.
I love the attention to detail that the Paralives’ team has. It’s these small touches that makes the game immersive. Great reporting, Erin 😊
yes it definitely can! I think in many ways, it also shows a lot of care for what they are creating
I love the art style of Paralives, it’s right up my alley! Can’t wait for more reveals about gameplay features.
Couldn’t agree more! The art style is SO unique and also very nice to look at. I didn’t even mind the ‘harsh lines’ of the previous models but the new softer lines just take it to the next level.
I cannot wait to play this gaibe
Just waiting for this game to come out to finally light the fire under EA
I think more games in the genre could be healthy for the genre. I don't think paralives by itself will do that- to EA as a whole
I like the changes to the skin details. 👍 And love how you can layer clothing!! Thanks for the info! 🤗
oh yes the layering is soo cool because it adds to the number of combos and outfit possibilities. with that, the color wheel etc, less can be more
The Stanley cup on the treadmill at the end 😂
😆 love their humor
I am really appreciate that they take some good critisms.
yes, definitely good to see. and I think so far they have had a good balance of critique and also deciding what makes sense for their game
The small details will always be appreciated in my eyes. The PL definitely knows how to do art for sure!! 🎨
I think it shows how much thought goes into things too
I thought the same thing about the upper arm hair, it looked like stretch marks to me. I'm not sure how I would change it, but I don't think 'hair' when I see it.
there is something.. a bit off about it? seems a bit different than their approach to chest hair
I also like both the before and after, I think slightly preferring the after but basically entirely due to how the backs look.
With the body hair... I have more body hair than I wish I had, but I don't typically use body hair within video game create a characters because it usually looks 'painted on' to me. I think Paralives' art style's colour sketches vibes for the characters hugely help mitigate this problem, since I wouldn't be expecting anything with more depth than whatcreate a characters typically provide (...Maybe it's better in Sims 4 than it was in Sims 3, for whatever reason I didn't get into Sims 4, but outside of the Sims I can't think of any games which gave me the option for body hair where I liked how it looked). I could see myself giving characters in Paralives bodyhair in a way I just... Don't... in most games.
ahh! that's a pretty interesting perspective, and I see what you mean. I usually don't bother with adding body hair at all myself, tbh 😆 it oddly almost always looks off to me and it's an extra step I don't bother with. facial hair, sure, but I tend to never use body hair lol. Your perspective gave me something to think about
I like the after, before I always thought that the lines were too heavy. I'm also with you on the heaviest body hair looking a bit off.
Speaking of body hair, if you haven't seen the "Shaving Hal" bit from the first episode of Malcom in the Middle you should take a look.
will do!
I'm also fine with either but with a preference for after. The before could come across as dirty lines in certain poses and lighting conditions. I prefer the darker body hair but I hope they can add more than just different shades of the same hair. It really needs options for less and more body hair, not just lighter shades. It's best I don't talk about fishnets....hmm, fishnets. 😁 j/k....maybe.
I'm definitely looking forward to the layering, it's something many other character creators miss by only offering mix and match or full outfits.
I saw someone else say dirty and didn't understand- do you mean it looks messy?
they did say there were various options for body hair, so fingers crossed for that
Yeah, layering is honestly really awesome because it expands how you can use single pieces so much
@@SimmerErin I can't speak for the other person but I meant dirty as in filthy. If there's too many lines it could possibly make them look unwashed instead of clean skinned. It's hard to say with only that one view but it was my first thought.
I think I generally prefer the “afters,” especially for the knees. I do think that paras with a bit more muscle should show that, but I hope that they use more shading for that, rather than just lines. The clothing looks fun (and they had a fun way of showing it off!); my favorite was the cable knit sweater which was gorgeous. Thank you for the update!
yes, the knees are what I prefer the changes for most too
I agree too that the muscles- at least for some paras- maybe, could be somewhere in between and honestly adding more shading is a smart way that could be accomplished
I’m so glad they fixed the knees. I can’t wait until early access.
yeah, looks better for sure!
100th like
Im happy about Paralives, I also feel like people have more realistic expectations now than they did some years ago.
yeah, for now those expectations seem to have toned down- maybe due to additional life sims coming up too
Man!! When I listen to video on Paralives I feel so stress free compare the annoyance and fed up of Sims video over what has broken or sims news.
it is relaxing, for now lol to cover. I find a need to do it to break up other coverages even more myself and the comments sections I see. a rather different mood.
My biggest gripe atm is that the background objects do not match the art style of the Paras, but maybe that is something they are working on. It is very glaring in this clip in particular.
It's actually by design. in a previous interview, they explained they wanted paras to pop up vs blend in with their environment
I think the outline of the para's look good now, but the details should be a bit more defined, not as much as before, but somewhere in between what it is now and before.
see I think that is where I am too, mostly. the before seems a bit harsh while the after feels a little overcorrected
I'm glad they're toning down the "lines" around the knee. The original ones just didn't look like something on a real person. The other one looked more realistic, but still in a cartoony way. With the body differentiation, I didn't see much difference. Neither looked like something a human in cartoon form might have. I'm glad to see that they're continuing to try to improve it.
yes, I think the knees are the biggest improvement here. I imagine getting the style down and balance is tough- even for an artist. It def looks better to me there
i rlly feel like the only one who liked the lines on the back and knees 😅 it just felt nicely stylised to me and they would appear at both higher and lower weights so to me it makes sense to have it all over, and it helped to see the anatomy in the back
also have you been keeping up with dev chats? i think anna is working on the school system’
there are almost always others ha. It may not be as popular but that doesn't make it wrong: art of any kind is oh so subjective. so hearing different perspectives I think is very interesting and also valuable
honestly, I have had essay grading, job interviews etc etc and I have browsed some but not been keeping up~ but I will see if there is something interesting once I can
The clothing is actually really nice. They fit well on the para. And I do enjoy the style of clothing is something someone would actually wear.
it's cool to see they have shown modern, cozy, and also some retro styles
wonderful video friend
thank you
@@SimmerErin yqw friend
I'm not a huge fan of the hand drawn look. The lines appear too dark to me, I think they should soften them just a little bit. The layered clothing I am definitely a fan of, and those rain boots with daisies are adorable. The body hair is ok, honestly though, I probably won't use it too much. I am really looking forward to early access. Seeing these things in action for myself may change my opinions.
it's certainly not a style for everyone. When I first saw paralives, I was eh about the art and here for the gameplay.. it grew on me over time ha. But it doesn't have to be everyone's cup of tea- and def I also think there are areas they could improve too
tricky thing is, it seems like there's a wide array of opinions especially on the outlines
daisy boots are cute I agree
awesome to have an open mind, too!
The Paralives team is doing a great job on clothing variety. In my opinion the knees and the back lines look much better but I'm not a fan of the body hair at all looks like a kid played in paint a couple minutes making random thick lines when its colored blue just wow.
the body hair still seems a little off, yeah. Granted, I realize I tend to not bother with body hair ha
Looks like a good showcase of clothing items! Knowing these can be customized to our liking.
Also, nice little trivia that you were a footballer irl =). I'm not much of an athlete but I dabbled in cheerleading on the side.
oh cool!
I also ran cross country and track- distance running. that is what I was best at- did that though high school and would have done so in university had I been healthy.
I also did dance for fun but my was I terrible
The art style makes them look "dirty" to me, i can't really explain why.
dirty?
I have the impression that the graphic style of Parafolks has regressed.
interesting. how so, and from what point?
They appear identical to me. The only alteration they made was to slightly soften the lines on the body.
@@SimmerErin I don't want to be mean, maybe I'm expressing myself poorly but I have the impression that the physical features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) of the Parafolks don't stand out up close or from afar on the screen. Perhaps the physical features are much too fine compared to the environment.
@@Rou99995 you're not being mean. You're just expressing your opinion, and I don't think in a rude way either.
What do you think would most improve it?
@@SimmerErin I think the Paralives team really needs to keep the parafolks graphic style. However, I think that by adding different thicknesses of lines, shadows with different contrasts, values it could be really !
The after better.
While I'm okay with the cartoony style of the Parafolks, I'm not a fan of the hand-drawn body details/muscles. It doesn't feel natural to me.
how do you think it could be best improved?
having all paras have sticking out shoulder blades like that just makes no sense especially for this para who is pictured as the sample.. hes not a super fit guy so being able to see that is weird. on super high end low fat end of the body mass scale only it makes sense lol to see it on "normal" average body type no realistic.. i like the changes they are making
so more adjustments based on body composition, perhaps a sliding scale in the paramaker?
It was a no from me, since I first saw Paralives years ago. This, wow, what happened? Hard no, I can't .
No one is forcing you to watch or play it.
interesting, what don't you like or feel is worse
@@SimmerErin They look so flat, like a comic book flat. There is no dimension or even shading to to show any curves, just some lines. It doesn't feel like a simulation to me.
@@jc478 where or when do you feel they felt less flat? thanks!
@@SimmerErin When they first showed us an example of their avatars, that were still being developed. I didn't like the style, but I did expect they would at least make them look dimensional, as a human is, like Sims, who's looks and actions simulate real people, even though they aren't totally life like, the fun of playing sims is the enjoyment of watching them simulating life situations. That is important to my enjoyment. At this time we are flooded with games, and just about every other computer avatar in a game looks like, a simulation of a real person or creature etc, regardless of if the game is a simulation, or fantasy, or role play. I just didn't expect them to look so flat, and sketched. Its hard to put into words, but I feel like the look of the game is the first impression, and important to a player to feel immersed. As a child I had barbies, and I had paper dolls. My first choice was Barbie, as I could see all of her sides, I could dress and undress, and hold her, and pretend she was doing human things. With a paper doll, a sketch, I could only cover parts of her, with a sketch of a different outfit, but I can't move her arms, or legs, or change her pose, I can't pretend she is dancing, or walking or doing simulations of people. As an adult who plays all sorts of games, I don't see the fun in playing electronic paper dolls. Even in older versions of Sims, when the meshing of clothing wasn't created into a mesh, the technology wasn't there yet to run them without issues yet, they had artists that put in shading, and definition, in a artistic way that looked like there was really folds and pleats and curves. What I saw of your examples, was what I expect from a Alpha game, that is using place holders while the avatar design is being created and tested on different processors. Today the game world no matter what types of games you like is very competitive, and the gamers have become more vocal about things they don't like, and the public can make or break a game. I am not trying to do that, but this game is not ready, and its not because of comparing a before and after, its just not what people expect from a simulation of real people.