The Evolution of the Burn Effect

[Miru]

Something I've noticed is that older fighting and sometimes beat-em-up games tended to have a really cool looking, but uniform, appearance for players who got burned. They'd be wreathed in fire and have no features visible except their outline as they are covered in thick layers of flame. In newer games, characters are either given cartoon-like ash face effects or simply change color.

Why did this happen? Which do you prefer?

 

[NED]

oldschool! 8)
without hesitation.


the new way can be a good way to create lots of burning animation for all size characters... Juggy, Hulk...

 

[Bloodbane]

Why did this happen?

The answer is simple, simplicity and efficiency. Using generic effects or methods to show burn and shocked effect costs less time (to set those to each character) and space (to store those effects)

Which do you prefer?

I have to see the new effects you mentioned before comparing

 

[rafhot]

capcom  used the generic buring man in flames in sf2, then  in darkstalkers each one have his on burn sprite, and then on cvs the burn was a transparent flame effect binded into the character

if im making a game that uses tranparency in effects i will use tranparency and the cvs style flames, shock and such

but if im making a game that does not use transparency or are doing a remake i will stick with the source material

the darktalkers flame style never atracted me