ebmar

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Modern textures are still hand-painted. They are just far more realistic due to PBR.

Thanks for the insight! I thought at first they're computer-generated or something. So, is that a specific intention for the game to have this looks rather than the more realistic ones? Or it's just technology speaking? I mean, if this game was developed right now, would it retained the looks as it was seen in the overview?

Edit: I've just read what PBR is, yeah- it's reasonable for games to have the latest technology with them. Moreover if they want to compete in the AAA industries.

Some games use completely procedural textures, especially for relatively simplistic things like stone, concrete, pavers/bricks, dirt, etc. But typically procedural elements form the base layer in the PBR workflow, and hand-painted details are added on top. So for a gun, for example, you'd slap on a procedural metal material on the appropriate parts, use some automated generators to get some initial wear and tear, and then you'd go in and manually paint all the really fine detail.

Modern workflows are really based around using a high poly mesh to generate normal, cavity, occlusion, etc. data and then using that to dictate realistic textures and well as having the game engine fake the appearance of a higher poly count on the low poly model. For older games, like KOTOR, you'd just make your low poly model and then manually paint all the details in the texture. That often lead to something of a stylised effect, as the way you fake it purely in the diffuse is by using shading to simulate light falling across it (think folds in clothes). But that often clashes with the in-game lighting.

Really what you are seeing as "hand painted" is just a lack of realistic lighting and materials. That's what PBR boils down to - making physically correct materials that accurately react to lighting just like they would in the real world (or at least a close approximation to it).

Thank you for the details - that explains and answers a lot!

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Really what you are seeing as "hand painted" is just a lack of realistic lighting and materials.

Yup, I believe you catch what I mean about "hand painted" and I understand them now. Earlier I was also thinking perhaps they're using the same-basic textures and the differences was only on how they're rendered to reflect lights, and your elaboration further corrects it and make it right.