They see me trollin’, they hatin’
I can’t even put into words how fucking ridiculous that statement is. You are a fucking silly boy.
That’s basically what art is. Good artists borrow, great artists steal. Regarding TF2 and Left 4 Dead - IIRC their art styles are based on early 20th century advertisements and old horror movies, so that’s hardly original by your definition.
Anyway, the mash-up of different styles was intentional - I believe it was meant to underpin the encroachment of the alien onto the familiar by taking the comparatively soft, traditional architecture of Eastern Europe and juxtaposing it with the very hard, geometric and asymmetric architecture of the Combine. They didn’t just throw two styles together for the lulz, they had a very specific reason for putting them together. I personally think it’s fantastic, especially how the Combine aesthetic bleeds over into everything they make, even stuff that’s based on Earth technology. And while it looks simple, it’s very hard to replicate, as you can see from some of the mods that try but don’t really get it.
That said, regarding Antonov’s reasons for leaving, trunk_slamchest does have a point. If you’re going to be a concept artist on a projects like these, you can’t take offence every time the work you produce isn’t reflected in the final product, or you’d go mad. That’s the point of concept art - you throw all kinds of ideas at the wall and see what works. The people at Valve obviously collectively decided to go in a more subtle direction than his earlier concepts (and for all we know he was among those who decided). Also, I wouldn’t describe it as a 180 spin - Half-Life 2 is pretty damn dark as it is. Just because it’s not constantly night time with smoke billowing everywhere doesn’t mean it’s suddenly cheery, it’s just not as overt with its imagery, and I actually think his ideas are very much reflected in the end result.
I’m inclined to take him at his word - that he just wanted to go in a other directions and take creative risks in a way that he couldn’t in a big studio like Valve. Speculating that he has some kind of secret grudge against them seems unfair to him, IMO.
ART DIRECTOR.
He was a concept artist too, since he drew concept art. Also Valve doesn’t seem to have hugely set roles for people, so he most likely did both (and my point about taking offence still stands).
You act like getting upset is something that you have to decide. Feelings are unreasoning impulses, and if most of your hard-work was canned due to some bullshit, you would be upset, too. Regardless of how the development process works.
Have you seen his work that was scrapped?
Damn it now you’re making me want to leave Valve… even though I’m sure a lot of that isn’t directly his work.
As an art director, I like to think a lot of the work is under his direction anyways, so he deserves some -if not most; not sure how much control he had- credit.
Regardless, the visual atmosphere is like Cybergoth and Auschwitz had a baby; it’s truly something special.
Oh, he definitely does. I’m just under the impression that most of the focus of his (and his department’s) work was focused on the more visually “out there” stuff that was all cut out.
I would have loved to see stuff like that in the game
I suddenly feel like attempting to recreate the third image in CryEngine 3.
Seriously, it’s foreboding yet beautiful at the same time.
The use of color also reminds me very much of Unreal.
Yeah, it’s something else. It beholds you – I find this song and this song go with those pictures great. Not to throw song I like at you, but if your a fan of submerging yourself in moods and mindsets, than they should help.
The first one not so much, but the second one totally. NIN would totally fit there too imo. Example, example, example. Or some older dubstep. Example, example.
The second you mention NIN I knew you were going to post something from Trent’s ghosts – good albums.
They are indeed. Favorite albums with The Fragile.
Hey! The fragile is my favorite album, too. 
Next one for me is The Slip. There is something dark, rough and techno-ish you quite don’t get in the other ones.
You seem to think you know an awful lot about HIS personal feelings & reasons for leaving. Have you ever considered maybe you’re just projecting?
How about when only two fucking centimeters are still on the ledge?
Well yeah, you don’t decide to get upset, but when this sort of thing is part of the job description it’s something you have to be able to live with it as a professional, and Antonov seems like a professional to me. We don’t know the inner workings of Valve at the time, so we can’t say whether why they went in a different direction was bullshit or for good reasons (that he agreed with), and made the final product better. What they had obviously looks awesome to us, but I’m sure they had good reasons for taking it the way they did. Also, most of those pictures aren’t even his, they’re by Dhabih Eng, who still works at Valve.
And I don’t know, I think I’d be chuffed that my work had a significant impact at all. It’s not like they just chucked all his work in the bin and did something completely different, his aesthetic is still clearly visible in the final thing, and even after he left.
That’s what I mean. We don’t know anything about his reasons for leaving other than what he’s told us, and nothing he’s said leads me to believe he’s bitter about some of his work not being used. Assuming what his personal feelings are is doing him a disservice.
We are just talking possibilities, really. Genuinely, none one of us actually know why he left for sure – like you said. I don’t think it’s necessary to defend any one position more than another; I wouldn’t even defend my position simply because I don’t really know anything for sure. Hell, you’re probably right when it comes down to it, but it’s still fun to talk about the beta and possible reasons.