Poll: Are games reaching their pinnacle?

[CrystalShadow]

I think we're getting close to what can be accomplished with the conventional model of gaming... It'll be some time yet before it's EASY to do what the AAA games are doing, but we are well into 'diminishing returns' territory, at least on a technical level. Games may improve in other ways, but graphics are getting to the point where the effort needed to improve them further is way out of proportion to what benefit you get from doing so.

But... There's still a long way to go in other areas...

I think the concept of games with a screen and conventional controller (or keyboard & mouse for PC games) are starting to hit the limits of what's plausible for that arrangement. Any improvements from here are going to be quite minimal, unless someone comes up with a radically new game style...
About the only area that could still seriously improve for games using the traditional hardware and input devices we've had for about 35 years is AI... That is still quite pathetic. But aside from that, it's hard to see how you could improve much on any other aspect of AAA games...
Sure, if the tech improves enough, even low-budget indie games could eventually reach the kind of levels current AAA games are at, but this won't fundamentally change the fact that we are very close to a peak with many areas of conventional game design...

To expand much beyond that, we have to look to changing both how we perceive virtual worlds, and how we interact with them...

We desperately need massive improvements in how input devices work... And wether we go with VR (whether a headset or even matrix style) or something more along the lines of the holodeck, it would still require a radical shift away from just having a rectangular flat screen...

And that doesn't even begin to cover the fact that games so far only deal with basically 2 senses. Vision, and sound. (And some tiny minimal efforts towards touch, such as rumble features)

Those areas could improve a huge amount, but it does require getting over the idea that a game played on a screen with a controller is all we ever need, and that anything beyond that is a 'gimmick' and shouldn't be bothered with...

 

[KazeAizen]

In terms of graphics, there is so far to go. Gameplay? Gen 6 was capable of about anything I'd want. It's just a matter of applying it.

Being frank. I really don't want to see that. The bleeding edge doesn't make games look good. Quality art direction does and the people that don't understand that are stupid.

 

[Keoul]

Virtual reality duh.
Until we got fancy holodecks that can simulate reality so perfectly that people often forget they're in a game then we got plenty of places to improve.

More realistically graphics is at a fantastic point at the moment. Gameplay and Storylines still need work though, another major issue that needs solving is DRM. When something so bad that it makes the game literally unplayable (see diablo 3 and sim city) then clearly there is a problem.

 

[Rattja]

Well no, we have a long road ahead until we reach the top. We are not even doing the best we are currently able to do, so no, not at all.

First we need to get games that combine complex and deep game mechanics together with good graphics and story, not one or the other. Then we need viritual reality.
When we reach that point, that's where I fail to see where to go next.

 

[aozgolo]

I hope we are plateauing graphically so that game developers can start pushing the boundary in other aspects of gameplay, but I doubt that's true.

 

[G00N3R7883]

There are lots of things that can be improved in games. My number one desire is to see AI improve for both enemies and friendly NPCs. After that, I want to see games designed with multiple quest solutions and branching narratives - and not just in RPGs but all genres.

 

[loa]

The AAA game industry is slowly crawling out of a black and brown ditch, far away from its peak as far as I am concerned.

 

[Vivi22]

Once again I ask to the members of the Escapist their opinions. I really have no insightful thoughts about this topic. No context other than what do gamers think? Are we seeing this year (or next one) the best that gaming will ever be able to offer? If not, what else is left to create or to improve?

This question makes about as much sense as asking if books or movies have reached their pinnacle. That is to say it makes no sense. It's completely unanswerable because the question itself doesn't actually mean anything.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

Nah, don't be daft. They haven't even bothered innovating much more than graphics and thats still a fairly long way from where they want to get it. I have been playing games from the late 90's/early 00's recently and i can say with great sadness that the gaming industry as a whole has seemingly given up trying to do much more than make games look pretty.

Polish that turd all you want but if the core elements are weak and childish then the best graphics in the world won't make the game any better.

 

[Smooth Operator]

For people without imagination games probably soon will be at their end yes, one solid photo-realistic game and that is their gaming life done.
But for everyone else there is absolutely no limit, whatever you can imagine will some day be done. Or if it's not convincing enough, books have been around for 5000 years did you see them reaching a pinnacle that will never be surpassed?

 

[gorfias]

In terms of graphics, there is so far to go. Gameplay? Gen 6 was capable of about anything I'd want. It's just a matter of applying it.

Being frank. I really don't want to see that. The bleeding edge doesn't make games look good. Quality art direction does and the people that don't understand that are stupid.

Art direction matters. For instance, most people seem to agree that Bioshock 1 had superior graphics to 2. But the art direction in 2 was so much better.

But you look at the Wii vs. Wii U, using very similar art direction? They're really done something special and I give them kudos for it. And I think there is plenty of room to grow.

But the original Xbox and PS2 controllers really did what I want. Games like G-d of War, Halo2, Ratchet and Clank showed that there is only so many new ways to play.

 

[RiseUp]

This is like asking if film reached its peak by the mid-1930's, or even that it has since or ever will. It's impossible to nail down the objective quality of an entire art form, but I will say that games have a lot of room to grow, and that we should see better and more ambitious games outside of the stagnant AAA market as people continue to iterate and experiment.

 

[angryscotsman93]

Well, let me ask you a question: has literature reached its pinnacle? What about painting? Theater? No? Neither have games, because I honestly don't consider it to be possible.

Now, just to make sure we're on the same page, here, my definition of "pinnacle" is "perfection": as in, "We have reached the absolute peak of what is possible with our medium, and there's no way in hell we can ever do better." And that's straight up impossible. True perfection is nearly unreachable, even in theoretical matters (where's my 100%-efficiency engine, SCIENTISTS?), and when you add in subjectivity, where everyone has their own standards for what constitutes the pinnacle of excellence, you just can't please everyone to the point that everyone agrees it's perfect. And that's the way I like it. I don't know about you, but I find the idea of truly reaching perfection to be absolutely depressing. Imagine playing a game so utterly amazing, that every other game in existence feels like playing the Starship Troopers video game while a black-belt kicks you in the groin- I can't help but feel like life would be unbearable after that, because THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.

So long as perfection remains just out of reach, people will continue to strive for it, and will continue to make amazing, wonderful things. And I'm looking forward to that.

 

[mecegirl]

As a whole? No. The AAA industry perhaps, but that seems to be a self imposed limitation than anything. But right now it seems to me that with the strides taken on the independent side of things we still have a long way to go. Nothing can reach new heights unless risks are taken, and unless seemingly out there ideas are followed up on. the AAA industry has all but given up on pushing the envelope on everything but HD graphics.

 

[Silence]

Not even CLOSE.

If you can name me instantly 5 games which have a great and memorable story AND incredible gameplay, I will say to you, that maybe games know what they are now.

But pinnacle? What?

 

[FPLOON]

I wish... but, then I slap myself and say "No you don't!" before I reply back with a "SETTLE IT IN SMASH!!" reference...

Other than that, the "pinnacle" in question is more subjective than the diversity in video games... and the latter covers more bases than an average RTS match...

 

[Rednog]

I think right now games are stagnant, if anything. Gameplay has been at a point where no one is really going out of their way to shake things up. Most games introduce their mechanics in the first few minutes and you're pretty much done with it. Which is really a shame, because when a game extends out for 10+ hours and I'm just doing the same thing in different environments I get a little bored.
And we all know that graphics are no where near peaking, look at e3 demos from this year, last year, and the year before that. All those pretty screen shots and beautifully rendered clips...yea no one has delivered those yet.