I often hear a number of complaints from artists working from game screenshot references, especially for games like GW2 where the lighting and environment are so rich. The most common are:
- The image is too dark
- The character / resolution is too small to discern details
- There aren’t enough angles of the character to make out features
- There are too many pictures to sort through
Fortunately, we have the tools to deal with these problems, especially with the advent of the adjustable FoV. So let’s have a look at each of these problems one at a time.
The image is too dark
This is probably the most common, and fairly easy to avoid. The common trend is to take pictures in Lion’s Arch at night. Problem is, it’s more challenging to make out character details. My easiest advice to get around this is take advantage of places where there’s fixed lighting, such as Honor of the Waves (Always day time), Ascalon Catacombs (Always night), or the character selection menu (Always day), and make small adjustments to brighten the fullscreen gamma. I’ve selected these locations in particular because the color temperature of the lighting is relatively neutral, not changing the looks of your character such as Heart of the Mists might. Let’s have a look at each of those options:
- Honor of the Waves
This one is ideal for daylight character shots. The location is well lit, and with the right settings, you can get shots of your character that show all their details best in daylight. There’s a good spot right at the start of story mode to take pictures:
Honor of the Waves location example
- Ascalon Catacombs
I mention AC because for some characters (especially Sylvari), they have details that only show at night. The dungeon is both well lit, and night, so you can get the best of both worlds. I’d recommend taking pictures right beneath the stairs at the start:
Ascalon Catacombs location example
- Character Selection Menu
This is the cut and dry option. Especially easy to set up character references from here, but with a few drawbacks, such as lacking the character’s feet, and only being able to get so close for details.
The character / resolution is too small to discern details
This one can be a bit tricky, depending on whether or not you’re trying to get a full body shot of your character, or just the bust. Fortunately, thanks to the adjustable FoV settings, we can fix this with a little careful positioning.
- First, you’ll want to tweak your FoV settings in your options (F11). Minimum FoV will produce best results, and depending on if you’re getting full body or head shots, adjusting the camera to character height can also improve your shots.
FoV slider example
- Secondly, it goes without saying, but you’ll want your graphics options to be as high as you can manage. Also worth noting, especially in Honor of the Waves, the “Light Adaptation” setting will drown out your character, so for that, you’ll want it turned off.
Graphics Settings example
- For full body shots, make sure your character is on flat ground. Adjust the camera so the bottom of the window is just below the character’s feet, maximizing the amount of character in the image.
Full body example
- For head shots, position your character next to a wall / pillar / whatever you can find that’s head height, and rotate your camera between your character and that wall. Get as close as possible, while adjusting your character’s position so you’re not clipping through your face. For those with full makeover or hairstyle kits, you can shortcut this by using the kit to get detailed close up shots.
Head shot example
There aren’t enough angles of the character to make out features
This one’s easy. Whenever you’re setting your character up for shots, try 6 different angles to give a better impression of character features (like nose shape, or hair style).
I recommend using a shot from front, back, left, right, and 45 degrees between front-left, and front-right.
6 angle character view example
There are too many pictures to sort through
This one is an amusing consequence of having a good number of references. To spare your artist keeping 6 tabs / images of your character, utilize image editing software to crop your images down to just the character, and set them all up in a single image. Ideally, you’ll want to keep your crops at a consistent size so your image is uniform, and choose a crop resolution that does not shrink your character down.
GNU Image Manupulation Program or Paint.net are two free programs you can use to do this.
Similarly, you can compile all of the above into an album, such as those made available by Imgur, allowing a concise highlight of your character’s distinct features all in one location.
Compiled Character Gallery*
*Thanks Keres!
Cheers comrades! If there’s anything I’ve missed or can improve upon, let me know and I’ll make revisions.
(edited by Invertation.4293)
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