future tone and megamix graphics

[Buwako]

theres a lot of debate on whether the future tone or megamix graphics look good. from what i've seen, most of the people are on the future tone side, but a small bundle prefers the megamix. imo, im also on the future tone side, because i think that megamix makes the pvs look like they were created in mmd, which for a game known for its high quality pvs, megamix's graphics doesn't give it a good look, especially for what is technically a remaster for most songs in game.
on the other hand, people argue that future tone makes the models look uncanny and doll like. which although it's not that big of a problem for me, i can definitely see where they are coming from. and it definitely doesn't fit some of the songs.

you can vote on this poll here if you'd like. im interested in seeing you opinion.

 

[MagicalMiku]

why not both? hehe
Future Tone style comes from the Arcade, and yes, they are made to resemble a scale figure (in fact, SEGA released many prize figures based on Future Tone style modules).
Megamix graphics I think is better when playing on Switch, or with PC at some lower settings. The developers wanted to give the feeling of PSP/PS Vita games. Some stages (from the PSP games and first Project Diva f) are very good with Megamix graphics, while the newer stages with more effects and shadows are better on the Future Tone style. It really depends on the stage, and that's the nice thing of Project Diva series: there are so many customization options to choose from!
(also, some modules in some stages are better with one style or the another)

 

[Bookworm2]

I personally prefer the cel-shaded graphics of Megamix, because I first played Megamix, but I can't deny that Future Tone's graphics are good as well.

 

[Grzesiek11]

I'm pretty sure the only reason MegaMix uses cel shading is because it has to run on the Switch, and this lets them get away with less detail while still looking good. While yes, it looks quite good, idk why would you use it over FT if given the option.

Earlier games did use cel shading in some PVs, like in the "manga" parts of the Suki Kirai one. It was a stylistic choice for those specific PVs, but I doubt applying it across the whole game was.

I also disagree with that it's meant to look like the PSP/Vita games, while those don't look like FT either, they are very much trying to look as 3D as possible.

 

[Blue Of Mind]

I've thrown my vote towards Megamix - Future Tone's graphics have never done anything for me, and to honest, I've always found them a bit uncanny valley? FT's textures are too shiny and realistic looking for overly anime-style characters like the Cryptonloids. Megamix's cel-shading on the other hand feels more correct for the Cryptonloids, and doesn't trigger anything uncomfortable in my brain.

If it had been an option, my vote would have gone much further back to the PSP game graphics. Looking back, they were the perfect mix of "anime, but not too cartoony or realistic", if any of that makes sense. That graphical style now feels nostalgic to me, especially since we now seem to be in an era where fans want more realism from the Cryptonloids, not just in their voices but their designs, even though they were never designed to be realistic characters.

 

[MagicalMiku]

Project Diva Arcade (and also Arcade Future Tone) were in fact based on Virtua Fighter engine, since the arcade dev team was the same, and at the time was the perfect choice for getting stable 60fps on the arcade machine and instant button detect. Some effects were toned down for a more anime looking, but as you said, sometimes there is still a "strange" feeling, something you don't feel on the psp-ps3-vita games. The PSP games were made by Dingo (they made also some Fire Emblem, Mr Driller and Pokemon games), while Project Diva f and Diva X by the Sega home team that also made Sakura Wars and Valkyria Chronicles series
And yes, the less realism, the better, in fact for Mega39s I feel the Switch version with the low resolution and details is much better compared to PC version(●'◡'●)
(on gamebanana website, you can actually find mods for Megamix pc that allow the use of psp and diva f models)
Sakura Wars and Valkyria Chronicles:

 

[sunnyp4rk]

Megamix for me. I've never liked how the Future Tone graphics looked. Megamix has a charm for me and I will die on this hill.

 

[KyrenInutilis]

future tone my beloved. i stand by this

 

[Beananium]

I prefer Future Tone slightly. I think Megamix's cell shading can look really good, but its also really saturated to me. The character's color palates (particularly their hair) are already so bright (causing eyestrain), and some songs don't suit the cell-shading to me. Future Tone is just easier on the eyes due to not being as bright, though Future Tone does lean into a bit too detailed in some aspects and not detailed enough for others for me... I think my favorite style is the PSP games style of graphics (i have a crunchy graphics bias) and F/F2nd/X for more "updated" graphics without leaning too heavy into a color explosion or a mis-match of details.

That being said, I think they still both look pretty good, and I really do like Megamix + giving the option for both graphical styles ^^

 

[lynnquote]

The missing shading in the Megamix graphics tends to make PVs seem way less atmospheric
and also loses any definition in facial and hand movements.
It's too flat. And it makes everyone's eyes brighter than the sun.
If they had gone for a more pastel palette as opposed to the...
whatever style of palette they use, and added a bit more shadow,
it'd be more tolerable for me.
I think the Cryptonloids are better suited with watercolor styles, so I prefer the Future Tone graphi0cs
for being closer to that. Even the PSP/VIta F graphics had more contrast than whatever cel shading Megamix is doing,
and the shiny flat texturing of hair makes Miku's twintails look like long greasy tentacles,
while there was at least some hair grain to the portable games.
The characters not matching the ambient light color makes them stick out like a sore thumb,
and definitely shows that this effect wasn't meant to be copy pasted through all the music videos.
It just cheapens the game to me, like an amateur demo project as opposed to a 60$ SEGA game.
It fails to look like a proper anime style, and undoes all the effect and detail you'd get from fully modeled 3D graphics.
I would rather they just flat out use the F/X models again, or re-model everything and optimize a fresh new style of graphics,
rather than just applying a one-use shader effect to the entire game unplanned.
But they don't have the budget for that, I know.
I think the "doll" or "action figure" style of Future Tone is way more interesting, and is also
the intended look of these models, because they were designed with more detailed lighting in mind.