Misused: Conspicuous CG

Conspicuous CG is supposed to be about when computer generated imagery sticks out in an otherwise 2D animated environment. However most of the time Is see it used to mean bad-looking CGI in general, regardless of whether the work is animated or not, and also ignores that's its possible for the CGI to be better looking than the 2D animation.

Wick Check:

• Manga.Area 88: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Battle Spirits Shonen Toppa Bashin: Zero-Context Example.
• Film.Birdemic 2 The Resurrection: Zero-Context Example and would qualify as misuse with context as it's a live-action work.
• Anime.Blue Submarine No 6: Zero-Context Example with a lot of wordcruft, it just says that the company that made the work are not known for believably incorporated CG into their works.
• Series.Bosch: Zero-Context Example.
• Disney.Cinderella II Dreams Come True: Zero-Context Example.
• WebVideo.Cinema Sins: Zero-Context Example.
• Dance Battler: Used as part of a sentence, doesn't give enough context.
• Recap.Digimon Frontier E 3 I Wont Allow Bullying Evolution Of Chakmon Of Ice: Zero-Context Example.
• Recap.Digimon Tamers E 30 Urgent Message From The Digital World Culumon Is: Zero-Context Example.
• VideoGame.Disneys Animated Storybook: Just mentions that the crowds are obviously CG.
• Funny.The Dom Reviews: Sinkhole to "let it get dated as fuck within a few years".
• Anime.Dragon Ball Kai:
  • Zero-Context Example.
  • Just mentions that some of the redrawn shots are plainly digital.
• WesternAnimation.Dragon Hill: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Fantastic Children: Zero-Context Example.
• Series.Fated To Love You: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Geneshaft: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex:
  • One Zero-Context Example, and one aversion.
  • Correct.
  • Mentions that a bridge is obviously CG.
• Film.Godzilla Final Wars: Misuse as the work is live-action.
• ShownTheirWork.Girls Und Panzer?: Sinkhole to "rendered".
• Funny.Half In The Bag: Used as part of a sentence.
• Anime.Hamtaro: Just mentions that the Ham-Hams are CGI.
• YMMV.The Hobbit The Desolation Of Smaug: Sinkhole to "pure CGI".
• LightNovel.How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend: Zero-Context Example.
• WebVideo.Incognito Cinema Warriors XP: Zero-Context Example.
• ShoutOut.Jewelpet Sunshine: Used as part of a sentence, doesn't give enough context.
• Manga.Jormungand: Zero-Context Example.
• Series.Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Misuse as the work is live-action.
• WesternAnimation.Kung Fu Panda Legends Of Awesomeness: Zero-Context Example and would qualify as misuse as the work is an All-CGI Cartoon.
• Film.Legend Of The Black Scorpion: Misuse as the work is live-action.
• Recap.Littlest Pet Shop 2012 S 3 E 22 Proud As A Peacock: Zero-Context Example.
• Series.Masters Of The Maze: Just says that for the 90's it was OK, but now is just horrid. Misuse as the work is live-action.
• WesternAnimation.The Mighty Ducks: Zero-Context Example.
• Characters.Persona 4 Antagonists: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Pokemon Destiny Deoxys: Mentions that the movie makes generous use of CG Pokemon, and that it looks ugly.
• NightmareFuel.Power Rangers Dino Charge: Used as part of sentence, but as this is a live-action work even with context it would qualify as misuse.
• PuellaMagiMadokaMagica.Tropes A To F
  • Just mentions that the train tracks are obviously a flat CG surface.
  • Zero-Context Example.
  • Zero-Context Example.
• Animation.Qumi Qumi: Zero-Context Example.
• WesternAnimation.Robotech The Shadow Chronicles: Commented-out Zero-Context Example.
• Creator.Satelight: Zero-Context Example.
• YMMV.Sharknado: Used as part of sentence, but as this is a live-action work even with context it would qualify as misuse.
• Sinister Geometry:
  • Used as part of a sentence, doesn't give enough context.
  • Used as part of a sentence, appears to be correct from the context.
• Film.Skyfall: Sinkhole to "decorative giant komodo dragons". Misuse as the work is live-action.
• Film.Star Trek II The Wrath Of Khan: Misuse as the work is live-action.
• Recap.Supernatural S 03 E 09 Malleus Maleficarum: Misuse as the work is live-action.
• YMMV.Tales From The Crypt: Just mentions that all the CGI in general was well done it can occasionally be off at times. Misuse, not only should it not be on the YMMV page, but the work is live-action.
• Funny.Todd In The Shadows One Hit Wonderland 2015: Sinkhole to "the music video".
• YMMV.Vlad: Misuse. Not only should it not be on the YMMV page, but the work is live-action and it just says that the CGI isn’t the most convincing.
• Anime.The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: Zero-Context Example.
• Anime.Yumeria: Zero-Context Example.

Edited by Anddrix on Feb 28th 2019 at 11:24:24 AM

Excellent OP.

This one has lots of problems. I think that a rename might be on the table, given the prevalence of misuse.

Edited by Fighteer on Feb 28th 2019 at 2:48:19 PM

I'd change it to "Obvious 3D in 2D Animation" or something of that flavor.

Can OP summarize the results?

At a glance:

• Total examples: 56
• Zero-Context Examples or not enough context in a sentence: 32
• Misuse: at least 10
• Correct use: 1

One out of fifty-six has got to set a record for least correct use of a trope.

What's up with the missing 13 examples?

They're among the sinkholes and middle-of-sentence examples. So they could go with ZCE bullet. I didn't give exact figures (I can in a bit if OP doesn't) but even with a rough estimate, we can see there's a lot of misuse.

Seems like people are using this for "any bad CGI" instead of "bad CGI in 2D." The question is, is the first one a trope distinct from Special Effects Failure?

^ It could well be made a subtrope but it's worth noting "bad CGI" can be subjective since CGI looks poor on poor quality rips so it may vary with the viewer.

Special Effects Failure is already YMMV, but Conspicuous CG is not. Likely because, as you said, bad CGI is subjective, but "there's something 3D in a 2D world" is not.

So I guess the answer is that no, "any bad CGI" is not distinct from Special Effects Failure. That specific type of misuse should be moved to Special Effects Failure, no need for making a whole other trope.

Any idea for names? 3DIn2D, 3DInCartoons, CG In 2 D?

Edited by Discar on Mar 1st 2019 at 10:27:08 AM

Having just counted through the results:

• Zero-Context Examples: 29
• Misuse because the work is live-action: 12
• Misuse because the work is an All-CGI Cartoon: 1
• Used as part of a sentence without giving enough context: 5
• Sinkholes: 5
• Aversion: 1
• Other (e.g. Just says that for the 90's it was OK, but now is just horrible... etc): 9
• Correct: 1

Agree with Discar, in that I don't think "Bad CGI" is distinct enough from Special Effect Failure.

As to possible renames for Conspicuous CG how about "3DEffects2DCartoon".

Page names can't begin with numerals. "3D" would have to be written as "ThreeD" instead; this would mean having it as Three D Effects Two D Cartoon, with the custom title "3D Effects, 2D Cartoon".

I think renaming this is a good idea either way.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 1st 2019 at 1:46:15 PM

"3D Effects, 2D Cartoon" gives the impression that the trope is about 2D media that makes frequent use of 3D effects, when even one-off examples would count (such as a 3D vehicle in a single episode of a 2D animated series). I like Brainulator's suggestion of Noticeable 3D in 2D Animation.

I also like that name better; the last sentence was meant to indicate that I prefer a rename, but hadn't really decided on a name at the time. The rest of the post was just commenting that a different suggestion would require a custom title to work, due to technical limitations.

Edit: Testing that name to see if it works without spelling the numbers out, since numerals usually work past the first character of a title: Noticeable 3 D In 2 D Animation.

Edit: Yep, it works. It would just need a custom title to remove the spaces in "3D" and "2D".

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 1st 2019 at 2:27:49 PM

I used "obvious", not "noticeable". Although I guess I would much rather pick a title that make it clear that this is objective.

Oh, okay, understood. Plus a custom title to lowercase the "in".

I'm surprised I even spelled your name right from memory!

Should we have a page action crowner? Single proposition crowner for a rename? Or is renaming Conspicuous CG and cleaning up clearly the next step?

Edited by Tabs on Mar 1st 2019 at 2:54:25 AM

First, I want to know what the OP wants to do with the trope. I assume that would be rename and clean up misuse, but there's also the idea (that I disagree with) that we could just expand the trope to allow such things.

Can we pack "Noticeable 3D in 2D Animation" into a smarter phrase?

I think "noticeable" would be better than "obvious" for an objective trope. The current name's use of a synonym of the latter might be part of why it's used subjectively to refer to badly done 3D, instead the proper use of just referring to a mixture of 2D and 3D.

I definitely think the trope is in need of a rename and clean-up. I'm also not in favour of expanding it to include just bad examples of CGI in other media, as I feel those could just be moved to Special Effect Failure.

Just what I thought. Shall we remove misuse now?

By the way, is the Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness example not within an Art Shift?

Edited by Brainulator9 on Mar 2nd 2019 at 8:29:01 AM

I have no idea the Kung Fu Panda example just says (The grain mill in "Monkey in the Middle". Still looks pretty good, though.).

I agree with using Special Effects Failure to refer to badly done CGI, especially since that trope actually is YMMV.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 2nd 2019 at 2:01:02 PM