Age of Decadence - Screens & Combat Teaser
 

I was on my way to check out the Iron Tower forums to do a roundup on The Age of Decadence but stopped at NMA, only to find they'd already done it. This thread has a nice collection of links offering some new concept arts, shots of the world map as artist Oscar develops the concept further, a pair of barracks screens and a 30 sec teaser of the long-anticipated second combat trailer that should be released soon.
More information.

Note the concept art and world map can only be seen when logged in.

That happens whenever a user uses an "attach image" feature rather than an img src. It's a bit annoying for outside users, I'll ask VD if he can turn it off.

Well, that settles the question of whether they're using heavy dark lines in every texture. How many barrels do you see in this screenshot? No peeking at the original.

11?

That's ridiculous, that's not even funny (<- reference, not an actual remark)

Well I like it very much. Looks excellent. This combat video is much smoother than the one released a little while ago.

The map screens are fantastic as well, it's what I was hoping for when I last saw the earlier map drafts.

Good work, The Age of Decadence team! :)

I love that zoomed out view. The lack of cutting edge eye candy means there is more artistry.

Along with Eschalon, this is evidence of a traditional CRPG revival.

That's interesting because they're so different.

Eschalon is just a copy of traditional cRPG design. It doesn't intend to innovate anything and hence it doesn't. Thomas just doesn't feel he needs to, and I think he's right, it's not like he's producing a kind of games that are a dime a dozen right now.

But AoD is different, it is in fact moving the cRPG genre "forward", so it's not just a revival of traditional cRPG design. It's not like the VD has always been against change and just wants a duplicate of mid-90s RPG design, he would just like to see cRPGs evolve in a different direction than the BioWare school. And that's what he's doing.

If only he wasn't so conflict oriented when talking to people I might actually be more interested in his game.

What exactly does "conflict oriented when talking to people" that mean, good sir? Most conflicts I've had a misfortune to participate in were created long before I joined them.

Btw, what does your affection toward a developer (or lack thereof) have to do with your interest in games? Just curious.

Dude, don't be so contentious.

The lol.

+1 here

True, but I never claimed they were both/equally progressive.

IOW, I prefer to see Eschalon as retro-traditionalist, and Age Of Decadence as nuevo-traditionalist.

But I still would say they indicate a traditional CRPG revival, as neither faithfully embrace the new-school, click-heavy, eye-candy laden, FPSization model.

Most creative minds aren't silent conformists (unless they are Beth-Bots, of course. But then again, are Beth-Bots *really* creative ?).

Give me a dynamic, outspoken, provocative artist anytime, over those metrosexual cliqueish types (who are so scared of being politically incorrect, and tremble at the thought of stepping on someone's hyper-sensitive toes).