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The reason the new PROJECT splashes look so different is because the colors/contrast is WAY off

AFilthyCaitMain·7/16/2019, 6:26:26 AM·51 votes·18,449 views

So to start off, let's go over what colors make up the past PROJECT skins. Let me post some from each line to get my point across. https://www.mobafire.com/images/champion/skins/landscape/master-yi-project.jpg http://lol-stats.net/uploads/qtlqL953MFIielqdMP1lDBkWM5ugW6SToxvQ2oxW.jpeg https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/003/775/650/large/kelly-aleshire-ashe-splash-8.jpg?1477378442 https://www.mobafire.com/images/champion/skins/landscape/katarina-project.jpg https://www.mobafire.com/images/champion/skins/landscape/vi-project.jpg https://www.mobafire.com/images/champion/skins/landscape/jhin-project.jpg

What do all the color schemes have in common? I see huge contrast with the dark blacks and greys, to the bright whites, neons, etc. It feels very much like a neon future. But...

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/229330038959374346/600398113483784192/D_iSbNoX4AECl_b.jpg https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/229330038959374346/600398122551738388/D_iU8vQXoAIzrjW.jpg https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/229330038959374346/600398172514156547/D_iUds2XsAMCVjY.jpg https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/229330038959374346/600398172577071124/D_iUzGJXYAEymLd.jpg https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/229330038959374346/600398172728197131/D_iTu1WWkAcRnkD.jpg

These new splashes are very grey, lack contrast, the neons are not pronounced at ALL. It seems like there are way too many greys and midtones compared to the rest. For me, this completely makes the splashes look way worse just based on the colors chosen. They also kind of seem to lack the 'polish' of the other PROJECT skins for some reason?

I dont know if Riot will even change this as It would require heavy changes to the original art, so im kind of disappointed. You could argue it was an art choice to fit them being 'outsiders', but that doesnt seem to be whats coming across. The result is there just being a lack of interest as theres just no contrast.

28 Comments

łnśane7/16/2019, 1:45:47 PM22 votes

They made those color choices so they can sell chromas*[slayer-jinx-unamused]* which is just.....[slayer-jinx-unamused]

Ackelope7/16/2019, 11:13:28 AM21 votes

it feels like the newer PROJECT skins are almost an entirely different approach to older ones stylistically, most of the newer ones seem much more humanoid and less cybernetic/mechanized. The colors are more strange and varied per skin, where the older skins had one sort of muted color theme throughout the entirety of the skin. There are less purely metallic and robotic looking pieces, more humanoid, curved forms, and pieces that look more like skin-tight bodysuits than some sort of partially mechanical limbs. Maybe they're trying to explore some different segment of the PROJECT timeline, but it definitely feels strange.

PS: I'm strictly referring to the character designs in this comment, I think the post adequately covered the differences in lighting/color contrast in the splasharts.

Sihari7/16/2019, 2:19:41 PM19 votes

Yea... Something about those colors seems wrong... The old splashart had ONE color that was important. That was the theme. One neon color strinking through the dark. Those new ones have more than one neon color and have not enough darkness to contrast this. (Or in the case of Irelia and Jinx not enough neon) Its not that this is bad art... It just doesnt feel like all the other PROJECT skins.

Cojak7/16/2019, 2:01:28 PM19 votes

Old project has a cyborg feel new project has an armor human feel

ADC Yuumi7/16/2019, 1:18:45 PM14 votes

Am I allowed to say these skins seem a little disappointing? I mean, outsiders... sure. But the color mixing and mostly white really kills the theme. It's supposed to be TRON meets Cyberpunk kinda skinline with accents to Metal Gear Rising.

But it's just REALLY lacking the Project feel... especially Pyke and Jinx. Pyke is still taking down fish in his recall and Jinx's gun wasn't well expanded on, nor her look as she still closely resembles Odyssey Jinx.

I should also add that all of their effects are bridging from PROJECT Jhin. Seriously, just make them part of the test subjects instead of trying to force the "We're different" thing if you're gonna use red effects.

CytheGuy7/16/2019, 5:26:06 PM12 votes

I think you hit the biggest point that we're all thinking about, and it's absolutely true.

Another problem I have noticed though is that Jinx, Akali, and Irelia are not as robot-y. Their outfits have fabric in the oddest places for robots! Jinx's pants and Irelia's bodysuit are easily identifiable as not bare robotic limbs. Akali slides past this one in the splashes, luckily for her, but as OP said, the white is not a color to contrast with a dark background and high attention-to-detail of lighting (yes I know her background isn't dark at all).

I don't mind the faces, as Ashe, Katarina, Vi, Vayne, and probable a few others I am missing have faces, so it would not make sense to complain about them. They just contribute to the human feel that the fabrics are giving off, which isn't working in Riot's favor.

HOWEVER, Jinx and Irelia's faces are actually human faces, not reconstructions! There are no seem lines like in Ashe, Katarina, or Vi's faces! Why Riot?

My guess is that the people who did the new line are not the same people who did any of the last 3 and just couldn't mimic the theme well enough. I have nothing against the artists themselves, but I have to admit that they dropped the ball on this one, and should probably give it another try or hand it off to someone who has more experience in style that the original 3 PROJECT releases have.

SEKAI7/16/2019, 4:39:52 PM9 votes

And what's with the girls all needing to have human faces? Can't they be more like Project Yi and Jhin?

And yes, the new Project skins seem to have a totally different theme. What used to be about total or nearly total mechanisation is now for the most part replaced with partial augmentation as it would seem. A pretty big shift in the thematic.

Or that's probably more pronounced because there are more girls in this round of Project skins, who Riot has to insist on keeping them as human looking as possible for some unspeakable reason, so there's that.

AAA Nicole Bahls7/16/2019, 1:56:20 PM6 votes

After observing it for a moment and comparing them to the old ones, anyone can tell that there's one simple element missing on the new splashes: lighting and shading. On the old splashes, you could see how every source of light (especially the neon weapons and gadgets) reflected on the armour. It is light, thus, it's visible on other surfaces.

The work just seems rushed, as if they needed to release this as fast as possible. It's honestly just sad. [slayer-jinx-unamused]

CarameI Frappe7/16/2019, 6:37:46 PM5 votes

... Even their splash arts look weak compared to the first PROJECTS, they lack the theme's vibe entirely. Probably because they look like they're wearing robotic armor rather than being ... robots themselves.

TisBis7/16/2019, 5:30:51 PM4 votes

They're not gonna change shit. I loved the old splashes, dark and dismal with splashes of bright colors on the clothes and accessories. Seeing them next to the new ones makes them look so much worse.

DUDE BRO7/17/2019, 5:47:16 AM3 votes

Probably because the original skins came out years apart, and now they literally just pumped out 5 at once, probably going to add another few right after (like how they did arcade->vice).

Also the fact that the moment the arcade event ends, the project event will start most likely without any accompanying modes. Their attention has definitely turned towards quantity over quality.

QuM1tSuk3 YT7/16/2019, 4:33:54 PM2 votes

I think Riot did it intentionally for a reason

CPU Lyrica7/16/2019, 5:04:08 PM2 votes

Ive taken to calling this set PROJECT: Rejects. as in broken prototypes They don't want anymore. Fits with the Less quality style, and a few other things (for instance how pyke looks a lil broken in the trailer, and WW is The only animal-project, An idea likely scrapped after he failed)

Lost Sh4dow7/17/2019, 11:02:45 AM2 votes

This new PROJECT skin line is not PROJECT, sorry Riot but this is the truth. Everytime i see a PROJECT skin i see dark, robotic Champions that have a story and a motive to be in PROJECT. The last ones, Vi Jhin Vayne , are very good ones really, from the cinamatic to the music, to the skins themselves. One strong point on PROJECT skin line is that they were humans once, and now they are force, most of them, to be robots, and some wants to destroy PROJECT other work for them and that is amazing, plus the ones that don't even care about that (Jhin , Vi ). Until now all skin are full robotic, even Vayne that have a human face, a little robotic, stills fell like a PROJECT, and its a really good skin and from the last skins to this ones all go down hill. i see this skin and i dont see PROJECT i see other game trying to copy the PROJECT from lol. Pyke isn't looking so good. I see a half humanoid that want attention. the skin is leaking something, maybe more robotic ? i realy can't see pyke fitting PROJECT universe. Akali , the 1º human in PROJECT, human face , she looks like she is dressing a armor and notshe been a robot, plusi dont see her in PROJECT. Irelia, the human that thinks that she is a robot, wait really she is using clothes????? what is this???? Warwick actaully a good one is just leaking terror, more monster, more animal, and the back background was dark, the art would be amazing. Now the Jinx , the champ the people want more...... ok i see jinx in PROJECT like a Jhin type of PROJECT, jinx would be cool if she is https://i.imgur.com/KDQ66pV.png a lost PROJECT that is trying to find the truth about her self. and we have this https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_iXAyXWkAEfeEv.jpg , this is not PROJECT this is more like a cyberpunk crossover. this is my opinion was a true fan of PROJECT skin line. i hope riot stop destroing skin line, like Arcade....... feels sad*[zombie-nunu-tears]*

ModRowanstar7/17/2019, 2:58:17 PM1 votes

The only ones I dont like are Jinx and Akali: Jinx because i dont like that champion and Akali because her color scheme is crazy. She needs to look more coherent. The rest look project like for sure especially Warwick. They all have the mechanized style. I know it was mentioned that they look less mechanical and more like wearing armor, but Vayne looks this way too. I think its just a variation as Project released different forms during the war.

General Esdeath 7/16/2019, 10:00:16 PM1 votes

I think the Irelia one would work better if she wasn't taking up as much space. The rain in the back looks nice and obviously needs the lighting but she's too big

Busty Demon7/17/2019, 11:41:14 AM1 votes

Only Irelia is the closest to the theme. The rest are so off looking..

huhndog7/17/2019, 11:45:00 AM1 votes

while the ww skin may be good, its more of a mecha/praetorian skin than a project tbh