This isn’t exactly new news but Team Fortress 2, the team based multi-player shooter from Valve, with its ravishing attractive graphics have piqued my interest ever since a colleague’s recommendation months ago. Knowing full well the absolute depths of insufferable addiction that I will descend into should I ever embark on this game I have hitherto managed to keep it at arm’s length, ( “Why even resist ?” my friends beguiled. ) but cat knows how long more I can persevere.
That aside, TF2 still warrants further investigation because of its amazing artwork and brilliantly designed characters. The cast, with their stumpy frames and stocky appendages, immediately reminded me of Mike Mignola’s (Hellboy) artwork, but apparently their looks were based on the work of the late American illustrator J. C. Leyendecker.
Now if only they would publish an “art of” book for Team Fortress 2, me and my colleagues will be so thrilled.
Resources >>>
Team Fortress 2 feature article from CGSociety
Wikipedia Entry on illustrator J. C. Leyendecker
Team Fortress 2 official page
All images property of Valve Software.
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December 13th, 2007 at 7:09 am
I think it actually look incredibles-ish… the style, period, setting lighting etc…
And balls up to them to actually deviate from the realistic look of the rest of the FPS games out there.
I hope it plays as stylo milo as it looks. Looking forward to it.
December 13th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
It’s really fun but they need to release more maps reeaaal soon. I love how the spy wears a paper mask when he is disguised. 😛
December 13th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Yeah, the unique retro art style of TF2 is one thing that really attracted me to the game. It’s wonderfully unique in a world full of hyper-realism clones with recycled art and gameplay. 🙂
December 14th, 2007 at 1:42 am
Talking about retro/art deco art in games, I’m looking forward to the Fall 2008 release of the RPG Fallout 3.
December 15th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I’m really looking forward to playing this…once Freedom ends !
December 17th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
i am a hardcore fan haha, got it as soon as it was released!! i used to play tfc and during then already rumours of tf2 was around. i m glad it finally came out. the design cant be any better. my first thought was pixar’s incredibles.
December 21st, 2007 at 8:30 am
I would be such a happy girl if they published an art book! In the age where every new game is vying for ultra realism, TF2 is completely refreshing. The designers are bringing imagination (and sexy) back to games!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Artbook Artbook ! :p
I’m so tempted to get the orange box…I heard Portal’s quite a game too. Soon !!
December 23rd, 2007 at 4:52 pm
i guess all design process are the same..silhouette, design…finalise design…That’s the easiest way too..thanks for the recommendations. ^^
December 28th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
I’ve been playing TF2 for a grand total of about 3 hours and am totally blown away by the graphics- I completely SUCK at game play so far, but man-o-man I look good dying with TF2’s artistic styling 🙂
I concur with the earlier post- when I saw the first previews of TF2 I immediately thought of The Incredibles with guns; I wasn’t sure how it was going to play with the uber-realism crowd of gamers these days, but it seems to have gotten off to a rousing start. I’ve got a number of games loaded on my PC, but I have a feeling most of them will fall by the wayside for some time as I satisfy my new-found Team Fortress 2 craving 🙂
BTW, where did the artwork above come from? I’d love to get my hands on a copy of the Pyro’s Flamethrower poster!
January 12th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Portal is fun looks like TF2 shows that West Developers shooters need not be all realistic shooters. Yes I want an artbook too valve!
September 14th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
When I first say the game, I was blown away. It’s amazing every time I think of how they can use super-stylised characters for the game.
April 19th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Dude, Valve needs to release an “art of” book RIGHT NOW. I don’t play video games and I WANT TO PLAY TF2. This is a big deal. BIG.
Also, major props for styling the look after the art of J. C. Leyendecker. If you don’t know who that is look him up in a BOOK. The internet doesn’t have very many pictures, and even fewer are good looking. Leyendecker man, just to give you an idea, this is the man to whom ROCKWELL bowed (btw, Norman Rockwell was considered a GOD of Illustration). So. Kind of a big deal.
All things considered, this game was in production for… 9 years? There’s gotta be enough material there to put out a book. Come on. I’d buy it. And you know you would too. :3