What is the deal with the Doc's character design?

edited October 2010 in Back to the Future
I'm sorry, but both the old and young versions of Doc on the main page scare the bejeezus out of me (sorry if this has been discussed already). He genuinely looks evil and I'm positive it's not intentional, but I truly hope that this is not an indication of how he will look in the game.

Side-note: The version of Doc in the behind the scenes seems like a big jump backward for Telltale in terms of tech, but I'm sure it's an early version for the actors to reference while acting. I hope.

ToMI and Sam & Max's latest season have given me high expectations for the visuals. I hope Telltale is going to continue impressing with better visuals to compliment their lovely stories with each title.

S

Comments

  • JakeJake Telltale Alumni
    edited October 2010
    The Doc you saw in the video is very much in-progress. Not final lighting or animation. That's why it was deliberately shakeycam and has an "in progress!" tag on it. :) The character acting in Back to the Future that I've seen is a big step ahead for us. For the last year, Guybrush in Tales of MI was my favorite Telltale virtual actor to watch go through his paces (with Devil's Playhouse Skunkape, Max, and Papierwaite tied for second), but the tests we've been doing internally for Marty and Doc have given me two new favorites.

    We wanted to give people a glimpse but you're not seeing in-game Doc and Marty doing a song and dance across these videos because we want to wait until we're totally sure they're ready to be shown, before we fully put them out in front of people!

    Full disclosure: I'm not on the BTTF team (at least, not yet) so hopefully I can both speak an opinion that isn't wholly biased, but I've been lucky enough to watch the game build up around me.
  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited October 2010
    sascha23 wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but both the old and young versions of Doc on the main page scare the bejeezus out of me (sorry if this has been discussed already). He genuinely looks evil and I'm positive it's not intentional, but I truly hope that this is not an indication of how he will look in the game.

    Side-note: The version of Doc in the behind the scenes seems like a big jump backward for Telltale in terms of tech, but I'm sure it's an early version for the actors to reference while acting. I hope.

    Yes, he does look evil in the sketches. But after all, he had a pretty eery appearance in the movies as well. He scared me in the movies (granted, I was young), but that made the character so interesting and lovable.

    I have just seen the larger sketches, and I think they're quite brilliant. The only thing troubling me is that they're showing the eye's white below Doc's irises, which has also occured in the work-in-progress video and just looked very bad. This doesn't really happen in real life, except when you're looking way up.

    The sketches place Doc's eyebrows very close to his eyes, which resembles Lloyd quite nicely, while the video places the brows way up his skull (which makes him look rather feminine, I'm sad to say). For now, I'll just trust Jake on that one.

    But I'll watch the further developments in that department with eagle's eyes, I promise! ;)
  • edited October 2010
    Jake wrote: »
    (with Devil's Playhouse Skunkape, Max, and Papierwaite tied for second)
    Ooh yes.
  • edited October 2010
    I think Doc's character design is genius. The long face, sunken eyes, and the hair are all perfect. I hope the in-game model can come as close to that as possible, from what we saw of the in-work model, it needs to be a little darker and "creepier" like people have mentioned. Do you remember Doc's expression when he's tugging on the lightning rod cable that's wrapped around the tree and ends up unplugging it? THAT is EXACTLY the face that is on the character design and I LOVE it completely.
  • edited October 2010
    Jake wrote: »
    We wanted to give people a glimpse but you're not seeing in-game Doc and Marty doing a song and dance across these videos because we want to wait until we're totally sure they're ready to be shown, before we fully put them out in front of people!

    Jake, thanks for putting my worries to rest. I definitely agree with you. Guybrush's design was awesome in ToMI and pretty much everything about Sam & Max's latest redesign (along with the new characters) was just awesome.

    Looking forward to seeing the final product.

    Question: Any info regarding the pre-order option for PSN? I assume we're a month or two away from that?

    S
  • edited October 2010
    I think Doc's character design is genius.

    It appears I am definitely in the minority on this. It's the eyes. The eyes! :)
  • edited October 2010
    For Young Doc, did you guys use an old photo of a younger Christopher Lloyd for the model? It looks darn good, and I can't wait to see how the character is used in the game.
  • edited October 2010
    When a actor can be given lines like Chris Lloyd has, you can't beat it. His development visuals are maybe not ready yet but at least he still has the voice.

    SIDE NOTE: Gotta love the "Out-Takes" from BTTF1.

    MARTY: "So Doc, if this doesn't work out & my dad doesn't kiss my mom, when do you think I'll start to fade?"
    DOC: "Beats the sh*t outta me ..."
  • edited October 2010
    I think Doc's character design is genius.

    Quoted for truth!

    The first time I was the Doc and Marty character art I was shocked at how a totally different visual style could convey the exact same aura the live action counter parts did.
  • edited October 2010
    There's something about Doc's design in the game that I really like, but I can't quite put my finger on what that is exactly.

    I think it's the expression.
  • edited October 2010
    Well, either I'm being brainwashed or I'm coming around regarding the character expression for the Doc. I'm thinking it's the former. You wily TT fans.
  • edited October 2010
    honestly, i haven't liked what i've seen from the in-game Doc character model. shouldn't he be taller and thinner?
  • edited October 2010
    ^
    Read the 2nd post.
  • edited October 2010
    I think it's the expression.

    I think it's a combination of posture cheekbones and mouth and sunken eyes.
  • edited October 2010
    Origami wrote: »
    ^
    Read the 2nd post.

    read it yourself please.
    "Not final lighting or animation"
    that means that the model is supposed to be final. of course Telltale can change it whenever they want, between now and the release, but i don't think so. The model is good, it's just some minor quibbles about height and "rotundness" :P
  • edited October 2010
    I have just seen the larger sketches, and I think they're quite brilliant. The only thing troubling me is that they're showing the eye's white below Doc's irises, which has also occured in the work-in-progress video and just looked very bad. This doesn't really happen in real life, except when you're looking way up.

    This can actually happen in real life. The Japanese call it Sanpaku. The Chinese associate it with imbalance. When the lower whites are visible, the imbalance is biological, and when the upper whites are visible, the imbalance is mental.
  • edited October 2010
    I think Doc's art work make him look like a zombie. I mean look at that expression on his face. "Brainnnnsss... BRAIIINS!!"

    Marty looks cool though, for art work. Nothing else hopefully.
  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited October 2010
    BiggerJ wrote: »
    This can actually happen in real life. The Japanese call it Sanpaku. The Chinese associate it with imbalance. When the lower whites are visible, the imbalance is biological, and when the upper whites are visible, the imbalance is mental.

    Thanks for that link - it's really interesting to look at Kennedy in that new way. ;)

    And in fact, I am quite surprised that in the wikipedia example ("lower sclera visble"), the white below the irises is in no way connected to a specific facial expression. There really aren't any significant muscles that could pull the lower lid down, so his eyes still look relaxed and calm. There is, of course, no resemblance to Christopher Lloyd in this, whose irises normally cut through the rim of his lower lids. His upper sclera is visible quite often, but that is indeed connected directly to facial expression.

    In other words (that's my theory): "Yin Sanpaku" could well be perceived as relaxed expression/ no expression, while "Yang Sanapaku" would always strike you as rather unusual and as connected to a certain expression ("alert/surprised/panicked eyes").

    If someone can find examples to disprove this theory, I'd LOVE to see them.
  • edited October 2010
    Jake wrote: »
    The character acting in Back to the Future that I've seen is a big step ahead for us. For the last year, Guybrush in Tales of MI was my favorite Telltale virtual actor to watch go through his paces (with Devil's Playhouse Skunkape, Max, and Papierwaite tied for second), but the tests we've been doing internally for Marty and Doc have given me two new favorites.

    Glad to hear that! :D
    I've always thought that your games feature the best animation in the graphic adventure market.
  • edited October 2010
    Ofc doc from back to the future had a scary face, he had a cameo in indiana jones and the last crusade when that guy took the wrong cup, before he died he looked like doc brown, couldn't be a coincidence :P .
  • edited October 2010
    I'm still not used to a young Doc Brown without grey hair.
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