Poll: Do graphics need to get better?
- Thread starter 0z0wen
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Graphics must be better because it's a very good point to sale more videos games. Lots of people (like me) are very interested and strict about the graphics.
graphics?
erm how about developers create a better story, better gameplay, hell....even a longer story, a game that spends 2-3 years in development just for me to complete it in 7 hours is not my idea of fun.
erm how about developers create a better story, better gameplay, hell....even a longer story, a game that spends 2-3 years in development just for me to complete it in 7 hours is not my idea of fun.
See that image? That is my favorite video game of all time; a RPG I have finished twelve times, have over thirty files over the years and basically adore it because of the phenomenal character development and dialouge.
So to answer the question: No. I would rather companies focus on what made RPGs fantastic, graphics are nice however I would trade graphical mastery for a superior storyline, character development and entertaining dialouge/VA any day of the week.
There's two sides to graphics, and this is where I kinda go both ways.
1) Graphics technology
2) Artistic use of above.
Graphics technology can continue to advance, but one thing that's striking me is that a lot of 'new technology' looks like utter crap. Look at LAIR, for example. Does it use a lot of the advanced technology? Yes. Does it please the eye? It's going for a pseudo-realistic approach, but everything in it shines as tho it were covered with turtlewax. You see a mountain and it does not look like a mountain looks in a realistic context. The graphics technology is being used, but the lack of artistry is exposed.
It goes beyond polygon mapping, and concept art. The higher the quality the graphics engine, the more effective it is at exposing the artist's lack of mastery.
Compare that to Prince of Persia or Bioshock. These games -ooze- color. Each area has a tone to it, and color is used as a tool to convey emotional impressions about what each location is about. Subtle use of composition, where the technology isn't being showcased, is being -utilized- to present an attractive experience.
Valkyria Chronicles didn't care about pushing a graphical envelope, it developed a graphic engine solely to convey an artistic style. -That- is where technology should be driven.
Does everyone remember Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within? Definately a showcase for what could be done with computer technology. The use of detailing in it was far beyond anything done at the time.
And yet, people couldn't stand how inhumanly robotic everyone moved. The sheer level of detail and perfection only served to make everything creepy, where the imperfections became noticable.
The industry should spend less time looking for bigger/badder/stronger tools and should spend more time developing the skills to use them. Tool development should be made to the demands of artists, not of marketroids. What do you do first? Do you make yourself the ultimate sportscar, or do you get your driver's licence?
1) Graphics technology
2) Artistic use of above.
Graphics technology can continue to advance, but one thing that's striking me is that a lot of 'new technology' looks like utter crap. Look at LAIR, for example. Does it use a lot of the advanced technology? Yes. Does it please the eye? It's going for a pseudo-realistic approach, but everything in it shines as tho it were covered with turtlewax. You see a mountain and it does not look like a mountain looks in a realistic context. The graphics technology is being used, but the lack of artistry is exposed.
It goes beyond polygon mapping, and concept art. The higher the quality the graphics engine, the more effective it is at exposing the artist's lack of mastery.
Compare that to Prince of Persia or Bioshock. These games -ooze- color. Each area has a tone to it, and color is used as a tool to convey emotional impressions about what each location is about. Subtle use of composition, where the technology isn't being showcased, is being -utilized- to present an attractive experience.
Valkyria Chronicles didn't care about pushing a graphical envelope, it developed a graphic engine solely to convey an artistic style. -That- is where technology should be driven.
Does everyone remember Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within? Definately a showcase for what could be done with computer technology. The use of detailing in it was far beyond anything done at the time.
And yet, people couldn't stand how inhumanly robotic everyone moved. The sheer level of detail and perfection only served to make everything creepy, where the imperfections became noticable.
The industry should spend less time looking for bigger/badder/stronger tools and should spend more time developing the skills to use them. Tool development should be made to the demands of artists, not of marketroids. What do you do first? Do you make yourself the ultimate sportscar, or do you get your driver's licence?
My opinion, they'll be better when we can afford buying a fucking decent computer. (resession)
and having good graphics isnt the best thing, Its the story. I'd rather a 2D story with a good plot then something with crysis graphics and a crap story that lets you thinking "...What?" after the game.
and having good graphics isnt the best thing, Its the story. I'd rather a 2D story with a good plot then something with crysis graphics and a crap story that lets you thinking "...What?" after the game.
The cost of making the games so pretty is going up every year all the while the download market with it's 2d graphics is gaining more market share. My guess is that eventually there will be a plateau where everyone relaxes on the graphics end and go back to making the games fun again.
Graphics are fine as it is - and they will only progressiveley get better for less than ten more years until we've pretty much come to precise realism. Maybe less time than that, considering how the game industry is getting bigger, and to stay ahead the big companies need to make better gameplay and graphics Faster. Honestly though, we dont NEED better graphics than the next gens atm - and its not just console, its games, I mean, when the Ps2 was released in 2001 or whenever it was the graphics on those games are absolute Shite compared to one of the more recent Ps2 games. Same when Original Xbox came out, and 360. We dont NEED better graphics already. But if ya stop whining they will come, Hopefully along with some better games.
Personally, I prefer to call graphics, "visuals". "Graphics" imply that it's pushing every pixel it can on a centimeter, or speaking technologically. "Visuals" imply that they worked on the atmosphere and the feel of the game, working on the environment and what you see. "Graphics" and "Visuals" can look near the same, but it's the concept that is different.
Visual design can always improve, or innovate with artistic styles that haven't been seen before.
But I voted yes. Why not? If you can improve graphics/visuals, then you can improve everything else with games, or in simpler terms, if you can advance anything you can improve anything.. Advancing in the graphics department helps the industry evolve and improve on various things. For example, I'm sure that if Crysis level graphics/visuals were available during the N64 era, then we'd see some games chalk full of content.
It doesn't hurt that nicer graphics/visuals is always a good thing, whether it's stylized or realistic.
Visual design can always improve, or innovate with artistic styles that haven't been seen before.
But I voted yes. Why not? If you can improve graphics/visuals, then you can improve everything else with games, or in simpler terms, if you can advance anything you can improve anything.. Advancing in the graphics department helps the industry evolve and improve on various things. For example, I'm sure that if Crysis level graphics/visuals were available during the N64 era, then we'd see some games chalk full of content.
It doesn't hurt that nicer graphics/visuals is always a good thing, whether it's stylized or realistic.