Low quality textures, even for recently added items like the Celestial Orb? What's the process?

[lakhnish]

So my friends and I have noticed that when you zoom in on a lot of items, a lot of said items in their default textures are very low quality in terms of their resolutions while others seem to be of higher resolution.

Originally, I though that it was a legacy issue, meaning that items that have been in the game the longest are low quality while recently added items would be of higher quality. That doesn't seem to be the case, since the recently added items in the Celestial Orb Update are low quality while some items that have been in the game for a long time are of high quality. (The mini sign drawings are high quality while the minisign itself is not btw, but that could be for another reason I don't understand.)

Not only that, some stuff is high rez when holding in your hand, but not on the floor when zoomed in. Others are of higher rez on the floor, but not when you hold/wear it (I'm thinking Bee Queen Crown.) It seems very inconsistent.

Here are some examples of items that I use very frequently, that don't have an alternative skin.

Low rez items:

Celestial orb items

Spoiler

Thulecite Crowns & Belt of Hunger

Spoiler

Krampus Sack

Spoiler

Moon Caller and Star Callers

Spoiler

Surprisingly High Rez Items without an alternative skin:

Ice Cube and Dapper Vest

Spoiler

I could go on forever, (especially with boss loot and if I include items that have an alternative skin), but that's not the point. Although its not noticable when playing the game zoomed out like most people, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, since I actually do zoom in a lot in the game to get a closer look at stuff and especially when I take group pictures, where it becomes especially noticeable.

Going back and redoing the original textures doesn't sound like a good use of the devs time since there is just so many items that are like this. But should that mean that future items in the game should also suffer the same fate? Or is the plan just to reskin everything via the Twitch campaign or purchasable skins? That would still leave the original texture to be low quality, though that would keep the twitch campaigns going forever, if I'm being honest.

I'm not an artist by any means, so I have absolutely zero insight into why some textures become high rez while others are low rez. Is it a function of limited time? Is it something software or development related? I would love to see items be of a higher quality without having to use a skin, but if that's not possible, I'd understand. Thanks.

*NEW*

Video showcasing the low-resolutions of the majority of craftable items and some Boss Mob Drops as well.

Spoiler

 

 

[ShadowDuelist]

Maybe the community could re-do these and for the modders of those accepted with high enough quality, the prize would be a special in game badge, portrait, and/or spools. I bet a lot of people would support this.

[4 Da LOLs]

1 hour ago, ShadowDuelist said:

Maybe the community could re-do these and for the modders of those accepted with high enough quality, the prize would be a special in game badge, portrait, and/or spools. I bet a lot of people would support this.

if we were to do this i'd be lovin it

[lakhnish]

2 hours ago, ShadowDuelist said:

Maybe the community could re-do these and for the modders of those accepted with high enough quality, the prize would be a special in game badge, portrait, and/or spools. I bet a lot of people would support this.

I'm not against the idea, per-say, but I honestly think that's it just too daunting a task. The reason I say that is because what I originally wanted to do was compile a list of everything in the game that was low-rez. I thought it would be simple, until I started doing it of course. 

What I started documenting were all the craftable items in the crafting tab, which amounts to 18 different crafting tabs (Tools, Light, Survival, Food, Science, Fight, Structures, Refine, Magic, Dress, Celestial, Mad Science, Ancient, Cartography, Offerings, Critters, Sculptures, and Books).

Now, that's already a ton of of low rez items in each category all ready, and I would also have to account for character-specific items (Abi flower, Maxwell's and Wicker's books, etc.) It sounds daunting, but with some time, I could do it. 

What ultimately made me quit documentation was the fact that these crafting items needed items to make them in the first place. That would mean I have to do is document all the non-craftable items (Sticks, Twig sapling, Cut Grass, Grass Tuft Item, ALL the crockpot recipes inside and outside of a crockpot, items on drying racks, every mob drop item, like Slurper Pelts, Monster Meat, etc). The thought of doing that all made me quit documenting it all.

There are just so many items that are low-rez, which even included recently added items like the Celestial Orb content and even the Pig King Shrine (the mud is high rez, but the shrine itself is low-rez), that I just become really curious into what the process was for the creation of these textures in the first place.

My expectations are that future content added to the game will also suffer the same fate. However, I also think that what the Twitch campaigns are trying to resolve, as it would probably be a more productive use of the devs time to make skins for those items rather than just do it for the sake of doing it. Again, I'm not an artist, so some insight on the process will help me understand this a lot better.

I should have posted this in the General Forums since it's probably more appropriate there, but too late now I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ShadowDuelist]

1 hour ago, lakhnish said:

That would mean I have to do is document all the non-craftable items (Sticks, Twig sapling, Cut Grass, Grass Tuft Item, ALL the crockpot recipes inside and outside of a crockpot, items on drying racks, every mob drop item, like Slurper Pelts, Monster Meat, etc). The thought of doing that all made me quit documenting it all.

Thats the thing, you were documenting it all alone. If this becomes a gradual community project, im pretty sure it can be subdivided in multiple categories, and ultimately make progress if a lot of people are into it. A good example would be the wiki, although not perfect, it would be an oddysey for a single person to make, but over time and with a lot of people into it, it started rolling.

The game is regarded with much love and there are hundreds of active modders at the moment, this surely counts as a plus for any project of this sorts. Specially if there is any sort of official incentive from klei, with in game rewards.

[4 Da LOLs]

3 hours ago, lakhnish said:

I'm not against the idea, per-say, but I honestly think that's it just too daunting a task. The reason I say that is because what I originally wanted to do was compile a list of everything in the game that was low-rez. I thought it would be simple, until I started doing it of course. 

What I started documenting were all the craftable items in the crafting tab, which amounts to 18 different crafting tabs (Tools, Light, Survival, Food, Science, Fight, Structures, Refine, Magic, Dress, Celestial, Mad Science, Ancient, Cartography, Offerings, Critters, Sculptures, and Books).

Now, that's already a ton of of low rez items in each category all ready, and I would also have to account for character-specific items (Abi flower, Maxwell's and Wicker's books, etc.) It sounds daunting, but with some time, I could do it. 

What ultimately made me quit documentation was the fact that these crafting items needed items to make them in the first place. That would mean I have to do is document all the non-craftable items (Sticks, Twig sapling, Cut Grass, Grass Tuft Item, ALL the crockpot recipes inside and outside of a crockpot, items on drying racks, every mob drop item, like Slurper Pelts, Monster Meat, etc). The thought of doing that all made me quit documenting it all.

There are just so many items that are low-rez, which even included recently added items like the Celestial Orb content and even the Pig King Shrine (the mud is high rez, but the shrine itself is low-rez), that I just become really curious into what the process was for the creation of these textures in the first place.

My expectations are that future content added to the game will also suffer the same fate. However, I also think that what the Twitch campaigns are trying to resolve, as it would probably be a more productive use of the devs time to make skins for those items rather than just do it for the sake of doing it. Again, I'm not an artist, so some insight on the process will help me understand this a lot better.

I should have posted this in the General Forums since it's probably more appropriate there, but too late now I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

if we get an organized team say one does all items from somewhere and another somewhere else if we get enough people and a good system then it would work

[lakhnish]

5 hours ago, 4 Da LOLs said:

if we get an organized team say one does all items from somewhere and another somewhere else if we get enough people and a good system then it would work

I currently have a vast majority of the crafting tabs ready for documentation.

EDIT: I had a big text here for documentation and what not. That was taking too long, so what I decided to do is just record it all, as that would be much easier for presentation and documentations purposes. If you want access to the excel sheet, DM me and I'll link you.

[4 Da LOLs]

if i was technologically inclined i would help you but l have no idea how to do this i am sorry

[. . .]

I'm pretty sure every texture drawn by Klei they have high quality versions of them in vectors drawings, but they for seemingly no reason downscale everything making them look horrible in game excluding a few items which can be equipped on players and skins...

 

These are some old textures which was removed from the game because of being too HQ and replaced with LQ textures 

HQ Fire Pit

HQ Pig Guard Totem

HQ Slurtle

HQ Spider Queen

HQ Spider

Example of the HQ High res textures they use in wallpapers I believe for the ps4 version or something

[eternalLocket]

7 hours ago, Warbucks said:

I'm pretty sure every texture drawn by Klei they have high quality versions of them in vectors drawings, but they for seemingly no reason downscale everything making them look horrible in game excluding a few items which can be equipped on players and skins...

 

These are some old textures which was removed from the game because of being too HQ and replaced with LQ textures 

Maybe they were downgraded to make sure everything matched up in-game? Or maybe they felt the hq versions took away from the gritty feel of the game?

[lakhnish]

8 hours ago, Warbucks said:

I'm pretty sure every texture drawn by Klei they have high quality versions of them in vectors drawings, but they for seemingly no reason downscale everything making them look horrible in game excluding a few items which can be equipped on players and skins...

Do they have to do a downscale? I don't see a reason for why they would purposely make HQ textures only for the end product to be LQ.

[Lakurius]

i want high quality items

[lakhnish]

I've finally had time to post this video showcasing the majority of the crafting menu items as well as some mob drops (I missed some stuff here and there). This does not include the new stuff that Winona has as this was made before that (but her stuff also shares the low-rez fate).