you know what?...fuck it....graphics ARE important

[TehCookie]

I felt more immersion in older games where you had to use your imagination to fill in the games and the graphics were just the outline. I didn't notice the polygon people since when I looked at it I saw in my mind a completely different picture in my mind like reading a book. The more realistic graphics are the less I am going to imagine and cover up the mistakes so new games look worse to me since I'm finally noticing that stuff.

 

[Zouriz]

I don't think graphics are that important. Take Silent Hill 1 for example. It looks like crap now, but it gives the game a certain atmosphere that I love. Besides, if it plays good, who cares if it doesn't compare graphically to the newest games?

 

[Vault101]

I feel really bad for you guys. I'm able to enjoy any game that has graphics that sufficient convey to me what's going on.

On the bright side some of you probably "get" dancing.

I guess your lucky

and no...I don't "get" dancing....in fact what I don't "get" is:

"hey! she isn't dancing, she must be really sad and she's probably really shy and needs somone to coax her out of her shell so she can dance and be happy!"

"yeah, I'm shy and I apreciate your thourght, I really do....BUT FUCK OFF AND STOP TRYING TO GET ME TO DANCE!"

 

[Altorin]

well, aesthetics are more important. a Realistic Aesthetic from anything older then this generation is going to look pretty shitty. But the more stylized something is, the more it will hold up, and the more stylized it is, the less it's dependant on the best and brightest graphics.

It's kind of like the uncanny valley.

Captcha: Lincoln - Describe this Brand with Any Word(s)
Big Hat

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Okay then..... that's cool, now I'm just going to go back and play Minecraft now.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I feel really bad for you guys. I'm able to enjoy any game that has graphics that sufficient convey to me what's going on.

On the bright side some of you probably "get" dancing.

I'm with you on the graphics. In fact, not only am I able to enjoy any game that has graphics that sufficiently convey what's going on, I've got a weird ability to be wowed by a games graphics as a product of their time, instead of looking at them through modern eyes. I've been playing PS2 games picked up from Gamestop's $4.99 and under bin all day, and some of them still impress me. Heck, Omega Boost on the PS1 impresses me.

Oh, and bonus? I enjoy dancing. Although I'm sure a lot of people in here are better at it than me -- I'm too stiff to do it right sober, and even after a few drinks to loosen me up, I'm still not exactly good.

 

[Vault101]

well, aesthetics are more important. a Realistic Aesthetic from anything older then this generation is going to look pretty shitty. But the more stylized something is, the more it will hold up, and the more stylized it is, the less it's dependant on the best and brightest graphics.

It's kind of like the uncanny valley.

Captcha: Lincoln - Describe this Brand with Any Word(s)
Big Hat

I understand the argument....but TBH I don't think everything should be "stylised"

I'm with you on the graphics. In fact, not only am I able to enjoy any game that has graphics that sufficiently convey what's going on, I've got a weird ability to be wowed by a games graphics as a product of their time, instead of looking at them through modern eyes. I've been playing PS2 games picked up from Gamestop's $4.99 and under bin all day, and some of them still impress me. Heck, Omega Boost on the PS1 impresses me.
.

while you can blame somone for being ignorant/vlosed minded...you can't blame somone for veiwing/experiencing...say a picture or somthing in a different way, and how much they do or don't get out of it...I feel in some cases thats the thing here

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

well, aesthetics are more important. a Realistic Aesthetic from anything older then this generation is going to look pretty shitty. But the more stylized something is, the more it will hold up, and the more stylized it is, the less it's dependant on the best and brightest graphics.

It's kind of like the uncanny valley.

Captcha: Lincoln - Describe this Brand with Any Word(s)
Big Hat

I understand the argument....but TBH I don't think everything should be "stylised"

I'm with you on the graphics. In fact, not only am I able to enjoy any game that has graphics that sufficiently convey what's going on, I've got a weird ability to be wowed by a games graphics as a product of their time, instead of looking at them through modern eyes. I've been playing PS2 games picked up from Gamestop's $4.99 and under bin all day, and some of them still impress me. Heck, Omega Boost on the PS1 impresses me.
.

while you can blame somone for being ignorant/vlosed minded...you can't blame somone for veiwing/experiencing...say a picture or somthing in a different way, and how much they do or don't get out of it...I feel in some cases thats the thing here

Which is why I called myself the weird one for being able to do that XD

I think the reason I see old games that way is because I know what the hardware they were developed for is capable of from experience, and any time I see something that really pushes the limits of said hardware, it impresses me. It helps that the limit pushing games tend to have good art design, too.

 

[Vault101]

Which is why I called myself the weird one for being able to do that XD

I think the reason I see old games that way is because I know what the hardware they were developed for is capable of from experience, and any time I see something that really pushes the limits of said hardware, it impresses me. It helps that the limit pushing games tend to have good art design, too.

I remember when first booting up the original Deus Ex I was like "oh my god! the floor is all relfective and shiny!...I didnt know they could do that!"

also in banjo tooie there is a mirror...like a literal 100% reflective mirror which I think its pretty impressive

 

[Altorin]

well, aesthetics are more important. a Realistic Aesthetic from anything older then this generation is going to look pretty shitty. But the more stylized something is, the more it will hold up, and the more stylized it is, the less it's dependant on the best and brightest graphics.

It's kind of like the uncanny valley.

Captcha: Lincoln - Describe this Brand with Any Word(s)
Big Hat

I understand the argument....but TBH I don't think everything should be "stylised"

did I say everything should be stylized?

The only conclusion I made was the exact same conclusion you made - old game graphics suck, and sometimes, it makes them unplayable. However, that happens more noticeably if the game doesn't have a distinct art style. Look at a game like Super Mario 64, vs, say, Metal Gear Solid. Graphically, they're about the same, but Mario 64 uses more color and gives its characters a cartoony appearance, so the effect of the lowered graphical fidelity doesn't show as badly - they're still making mario games that look basically the same. Metal Gear Solid 4 looks nothing like Metal Gear Solid.

Note that I actually enjoy MGS and can look past its dated graphics, but it's also one of the best looking realistically styled games on the PS1. So if I went with MGS I couldn't be accused of cherry picking a turd to put up against Mario 64

 

[Smeggs]

They matter, but...how do I put it into words?

Graphics should go with the game they are in, games should not be forced into going with the graphics.

Take Minecraft, for example. The cutesie (some call it ugly) little 2D pixelated graphics on that game work insanely well with the overall feel of the game. Any HD texture packs may make it prettier, but it keeps with the feel of the game.

I'd hate if I suddenly went into Minecraft and suddenly everything went BAM! THREE DIMENSIONS! SUPER DETAILED TEXTURES! Because it would completely change the way the game felt.

Likewise, I'd hate if I went to play Reach and suddenly everything has fucking playdoh textures.

I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone else...

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Which is why I called myself the weird one for being able to do that XD

I think the reason I see old games that way is because I know what the hardware they were developed for is capable of from experience, and any time I see something that really pushes the limits of said hardware, it impresses me. It helps that the limit pushing games tend to have good art design, too.

I remember when first booting up the original Deus Ex I was like "oh my god! the floor is all relfective and shiny!...I didnt know they could do that!"

also in banjo tooie there is a mirror...like a literal 100% reflective mirror which I think its pretty impressive

That impressed me in Deus Ex, too. In fact, pretty much everything on Unreal Engine 1.x is impressive for the time; that was a beast of an engine. I didn't know about the Banjo Tooie mirror, but there's one in Mario 64. I remember reading that instead of doing an actual reflection, they made it another room separated by an invisible wall and with another Mario model inside. Really cool stuff.

 

[Vault101]

That impressed me in Deus Ex, too. In fact, pretty much everything on Unreal Engine 1.x is impressive for the time; that was a beast of an engine. I didn't know about the Banjo Tooie mirror, but there's one in Mario 64. I remember reading that instead of doing an actual reflection, they made it another room separated by an invisible wall and with another Mario model inside. Really cool stuff.

yeah..I think that was probably what they did there as well...when you think about it you don;' often see real reflections in current games eather....only one I can think of is Bioshock 2 or portal

 

[BLAHwhatever]

For me it's the often-discussed aesthetics vs graphics
If the aesthetics are well-done graphics aren't that important.
I think The Void is a good example of that. Most of the game is set in a grey-black outdated-engine mish-mash graphicwise, bringing colour to the void looks like drawing runes in the first Black and White. Unenjoyable game, right? Well, wrong. This game is a masterpiece to me. And will still be later, of that I'm sure.

What I do dislike in modern games concerning graphics is when a game looks half-finished. You know, super-HD characters, super-hydro-flexible-voxel9000-hyper-animated water gushing on a beach that looks like drawn by a five-year-old with wax-crayons on cardboard.

I also think that graphics are much more important in Ego- and 3rd-person shooters than in any other genre. Another round of Baldur's Gate. np. Popping in some Dungeon Keeper? Hell yeah! Digging out my SNES to play some old games? Where's my shovel and dustrag?
Another round of Halflife 1? Ehm.... Deus Ex? Well... uhm Turok? Heavy Metal F.A.K.K 2? God no, get AWAY from me.

I'll still say that to me, graphics aren't important, and I'll invite anyone that calls me a hypocritical arse-face to watch me sink a day into dwarf fortress. Which by the way is one of the best games ever. Oh yeah.

 

[bafrali]

Of course they are important...just not as much as say, art direction, level design or gameplay.

And how dare you pitiful human being dare insult the brilliance that is Deus EX? I demand blood...in pixels

 

[Vault101]

And how dare you pitiful human being dare insult the brilliance that is Deus EX? I demand blood...in pixels

noooooo....don't send JC denton after me!

 

[electronicgoat]

Yeah I'm having a problem trudging through Deus Ex since everyone looks the same and kind of more enthralled to play something like Dark Souls.
Basically, graphics are the most important thing in video games ever and anyone who disagrees is a commie.

 

[Frankster]

Can't you just dl some high graphic mods for Deus Ex?

Anyways, esthetics and graphic horsepower can be a good thing that helps you immerse yourself in the game, you mentioned mass effect series and I 100% agree with that, I was litterally blown away when playing me2 because I did not expect the game to appear so good on my laptop. It was like playing a movie and I wouldn't have gotten so sucked into the game if it was say...kotor graphics.
Your other example, deus ex human revolution is also a good looking game where the visuals hook you in and even the choice of gold and black filter helps reinforce the game esthetic.

So yeh, nice graphics can help. And it's true that playing early 3d games now can be painful for some people not raised on the ps1 generation (il maintain that 2d games age better regardless though, in the same way a classic hand drawn cartoon ages better then early 3d graphic cartoons like euh...reboot? xD).
But I won't go all out and say it's important, only a nice bonus.

 

[bafrali]

And how dare you pitiful human being dare insult the brilliance that is Deus EX? I demand blood...in pixels

noooooo....don't send JC denton after me!

Sorry but his vengeance is augmented so i can't do anything anymore

What a shame...

 

[Vault101]

Sorry but his vengeance is augmented so i can't do anything anymore

What a shame...

nooooo....he's after my high resoltutionas polygons!..he'll suck them right out....what a rotten way to die!