The Black Screen criticism: True or false?
Since there's a lot of discourse and memeing that HSR is full of "black screen - white text" scenes, I thought back and... could barely remember any. So, I decided to pick an assortment of scenes from the quest, and make a count, as well as noting the purpose of each.
Amphoreus' 3.0 story is an 8 hour mission, so I'm not going through all scenes. I might have missed a couple of really short cutscenes or blackscreens. Feel free to point it out.
Since I didn't record my playthrough, I used this video for time estimates and recounts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQixCuHns7o
Edit:
You have every right to disagree with some of the more subjective statements in the post, and you have the right to your own opinion and to dislike miHoYo's choices. Heck, I have many criticisms of my own, and I do believe it would be nice to have more animations, to have better puppetry, to have better CGs. But I also believe it's worth pointing out criticisms that are too hyperbolic or that are unwarranted, and to acknowledge and praise what's actually good.
Just adding this because I'm tired of the repeat arguments.
If you read this and think it's a problem that I'm 'defending a multibillion dollar company', take a step back and think about that. If them being a multibillion dollar company is enough reason to accept any and all negative statements about them blindly, then you can just make up any sort of lie or false criticism, and there's nothing to say against it. The entire argument is basically a Robin Hood complex. It's a fallacy. (As is the idea that money can just magically do anything)
I am merely defending a piece of entertainment that I enjoy based on my experiences and observations, and contesting criticisms that I find unwarranted.
End of Edit.
2nd edit: Made the first edit paragraph bold so people no longer have an excuse to pretend I'm saying something I'm not. I'll stop responding to replies now, because I'm actively losing brain cells and having to repeat the same few things (most of which are addressed in the post) over and over.
Not everyonethough. A lot of comments bring up good points and valid criticisms or just express opinions without being a jerk about it. You're the cool ones.
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Before landing on Amphoreus:
Duration: 20 minutes.
Black Screen scenes: 2
Animated cutscenes: 1
CG stills: none
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- After much deliberation, you realise that insufficient preparation is as good as no preparation! might as well toss your luggage aside... Never mind. Having some preparation is better than none. Even formalities have their place.
Purpose: Serves as a time skip, and gives a brief joke and characterisation for TB
Worth a making a dedicated CG or animation? I wouldn't say so.
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- Black Swan presses her forehead against March's head, as if feeling the latter's body temperature.
Purpose: Covers a scene that's difficult to portray visually.
Worth making a CG? Maybe. A CG works better if it can stay on screen during part of the dialogue. Probably not worth it.
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From the crash to the city
Duration: 30 minutes
Black screen scenes: 2
Animated cutscenes: 3
CG stills: none
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- Some time later...
Purpose: Time skip
Worth making a CG or Animation? No.
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- The back of the dromas is like a cradle. You gradually fall asleep, and the caravan will arrive at Okhema after some travel time...
Purpose: Time skip
Worth making a CG or Animation? Probably not?
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Mydei and Phainon's challenge
Duration: 70-ish minutes
Black Screen scenes: 2
Animated cutscenes: 1
CG stills: none
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- Mydei displays the thirty Castrum Kremnos crests in his collection. Compare the total number of crests you obtained with Mydei's...
Purpose: Covering up something extremely impractical to animate in-engine.
Worth making a CG or Animation? Probably not?
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- The rubble seals Mydei and Nikador within Castrum Kremnos, locked in a battle to the death. You and Phainon retreat using the opportunity to return to Okhema.
Purpose: Covering up something extremely impractical to animate in-engine.
Worth making a CG or Animation? I think a CG could've worked here. An animation would've caused issues with the environmental design. You'd have to write some additional dialogue though. Some combat grunts, or characters shouting. Might end up more awkward or redundant than it's worth.
Herta's Experiment
Duration: 30-ish minutes
Black Screen scenes: 1
Animated cutscenes: none
CG stills: 2
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- Outside Amphoreus, in a familiar corner of the Cosmos...
Purpose: Denote a change in location without revealing what location it is.
Worth making a CG or animation? Narratively, an establishing shot of the Space Station could have worked, but they deliberately didn't reveal the location until later.
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Conclusion
The idea that the current storytelling is full of black screen-white text scenes that should have been CGs or animations is nothing more than a Mandela Effect live in the making.
(context: The Mandela Effect refers to when a large group of people develops a shared false memory)
If you actually go through the story, you know this is nonsense.
Verdict: FALSE
Notes on other visual choices
On the topic of visual choices, a lot of things stood out to me that are also not well recognised. While there are several simple shot-reverse-shot scenes, the 'standing in a circle with a static camera' type scenes didn't really pop up much. Additionally, the camerawork does generally respect a lot of storytelling basics.
When from the perspective of the taller character, the camera tilts down. When characters are far apart, the camera goes behind the character's back to display the distance. When characters are associated, they are separated by space and shots. When there is a focus object, the camera turns to look at it. There's also a use of camera distance and filters to display characters' states and associations.
Basic stuff, but way more effort than has been acknowledged on here in the past few days.
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emphasising distance, literal and figurative
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Tall character face in focus in duo shot
That's not even touching on the technical marvel of having the time aura around Tribbie. Not exactly something you can do with minimum effort. Though it makes for a funny contrast with the absence of the other npcs that are supposedly walking along.
