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?
Yes, about as much as they were the last time somebody posed this question. They're always reaching their pinnacle. When that point is arrived at, we'll probably have things like holo-decks. Shit's going to be so zen.
You're going to have to be more specific, Caitseith, since in any respect but graphically, I'd argue we're in the midst of a trough. I certainly can't claim to have played everything, but I'd argue that little of what we've seen last year qualifies as more than "good at best" in comparison to its predecessors.
Baring a technological apocalypse no. There is plenty to improve on, even if you are only talking graphically and as time goes on new technology, techniques and ideas will be developed that will open a whole lot of other avenues to explore (there is also a ton of things they cold bring BACK). Games will continue to grow and adapt as everything around us grows and adapts.
Beside I refuse to believe we are at the pinnacle until we can download ourselves into games...and it feels so lifelike that there are ethical concerns about losing yourself to a digital idealised world because it better than the physical one and about what constitutes "reality" for a person. Where NPC's in the game are advanced AI sparking conflict on what constitutes life and humanity. Where you can rewrite yourself, everything has a price and the entire digital world is controlled by a few very rich corporations who remake the world to their whims and have complete control over everything and everyone.
You will never have to cry cause the future is sold
You can never die and you'll never grow old
Oooohohoh
But everything surrounding you is diiigitaaal!
I think technology for games it where it needs to be.
Not reaching their pinnacle in quality, but on a technical level. Indie games will get better (if I'm being charitable) and AAA or higher-budgeted games will stay at the same general quality for a few years.
I think production values of games are reaching their pinnacle. Not that technology won't continue to evolve and allow for more impressive things, but the cost/benefit ratio will become way out of sync. Already you have 5-year development cycles with 300 people working on 200 - 300 million dollar games. Minus a few developers backed by corporations like Sony and MS or major publishers like EA and Activision I don't see many other developers having the resources.
That is not to say games won't innovate in other areas obviously. Espescially game-design can still improve in a lot of ways.
Yes and no. Because there are N64 games which surpass modern games in terms of game design. Game design has overall become rather streamlined and formula-driven.
edit:
Stop to consider how many games don't allow you to turn the bleeding lights off.
Yes, all art has reached its peak long ago. In the same way all art has just reached its peak today. And all art will some day reach its peak in the distant future.
I don't think so, no. Graphically they've gotten a lot more impressive, but I don't think they've reached any sort of pinnacle mechanically or with writing and story telling. Hell, as far as actual gameplay is concerned, I'd almost suggest it has deteriorated.
Pffft. No. This year being the best for what? I still prefer the early 2000's gaming scene 10 times more than anything recently. They don't even make fucking games I'm interested in! It's absolute rubbish.
And if we aren't talking about just quality, then I still believe there is plenty of room for improvement. As others have already said; mechanically, level design, story writing, character building, etc.
HA. No.
Maybe on the "er realism griphics" scale. But gameplay has been kept on such a tight leash from experimentation so often that i'm just cutting my goddamn fingers off craving some new ideas in THAT department. Luckily studios like Platinum Games, Atlus, and FromSoft actually care about experimenting, so there's that. Just need that to catch on to...
other devs *stares daggers at the Western industry*
Also the writing still ranges from Ok to just plain trite. For some odd reason RPGs have that in the bag, yet no other genre can barely hold a candle to making a decent character, let alone plot.
The stuff they write in games makes me wonder if their staff even knows what classic literature is, that or they complain the letters on page don't look 3D enough.
EDIT:
Or let's just play the blame game for funsies... subject number 1 on the downgrade of video games:
I'm sure we're seeing the limit of what a triple-A developement studio can give without collapsing, but with something as subjective as videogames you can't really reach any sort of pinnacle. Some might say that point is reached with virtual reality, but for me that's likely the point where I stop playing games entirely.
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