Poll: Are graphics taking over story/gameplay?
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for consoles, there are few games that feed only on story. Generally they make the thing shiny, and have an online multiplayer arena, then they don't really need a story if noone even bothers with the campaign and just skips right to the interactive stuff. Handhelds however, seem to keep strong in the story writing, and lo and behold, they have worse graphics. It seems to me that when a production budget gives you enough money to make a game, they can either spend it on a better writing staff/ voicing staff, or just use the geeks they got already to make it look better (which generally makes the game sell). So yes, graphics are chosen, on most parts, over the story of the entire game for lack of a better word, laziness.
There does seem to be a trend for games to focus more on the graphical side of things, but there are also plenty of games that have both good graphics and good story/gameplay.
My belief is that there are three fundamental properties you can build on to make a game: gameplay, story, and presentation (including graphics, but also sound effects, music, etc.) For any given developer, it's usually wise to emphasize 2 of those qualities to make the most out of their budget, and put the rest into marketing. instead of divvying it up equally. Traditionally, presentation and gameplay take precedence over story, and the general populace approves.
Games with a good story have, also historically, had either shit graphics or wonky gameplay, tragically. And the developers brave enough to try to have a good story, great presentation AND awesome gameplay usually have little money leftover for marketing their game, so it isn't well received by the public (see Okami, Psychonauts, Final Fantasy Tactics, and every other game we've mentioned in that one thread we do every month or so).
That's just the hard truth, I guess.
Games with a good story have, also historically, had either shit graphics or wonky gameplay, tragically. And the developers brave enough to try to have a good story, great presentation AND awesome gameplay usually have little money leftover for marketing their game, so it isn't well received by the public (see Okami, Psychonauts, Final Fantasy Tactics, and every other game we've mentioned in that one thread we do every month or so).
That's just the hard truth, I guess.
I hate to say it but Yes, more and more often people are using "but its so pretty" as an argument for a game that isn't good.
Its the sad, hopefully people will wake up and stop buying games that suck just because their pretty. otherwise companies are just gonna keep making them.
Its the sad, hopefully people will wake up and stop buying games that suck just because their pretty. otherwise companies are just gonna keep making them.
It's more than true, that these days graphics tend to be more of interest than story. There are some games, that combine jaw-dropping graphics with great plot (MGS4, Mass Effect), but most of them wander around graphics-only (I'm looking at you, Alone In The Dark, your plot is a big load of crap).
Well, that's a thing, they've also said when Medal of Honor came out. And Far Cry.EmileeElectro post=9.69238.653765 said:
CGI can be better, but it would need us to have hundreds of gigabytes of RAM, GPU and CPU memory, to, for example, make different fingerprint on each finger. Or to get all hair strands animated in real time. Or water physics.
Computer graphics can improve, the limit haven't ended yet
Bad example. If you compare Mass Effect to Baldur's Gate II, you'll see that it has been extensively dumbed down. You can't even do extremely basic things like choose what weapons you're carrying (yes, your engineer must have an assault rifle, shotgun and sniper rifle at all times) or take off your armor, and there isn't really even an inventory anymore. It's nice that you can customize your character's face so well, but beyond that the only thing you can choose is a class (psych profile and pre-service history are largely meaningless). The gameplay mechanics are really simple, and the shooting doesn't hold a candle to R6 Vegas or Gears of War.42manZ post=9.69238.653712 said:
The presentation is good when it comes to character models, voice acting and such, but they even dumbed down the damn level design. The playable areas of the Citadel consist of improbably tiny rooms with a couple of people standing around. The level design was meant to be functional, only providing what is necessary for playing the game. Things like realism and atmosphere were never a consideration. Baldur's Gate II, released almost eight years ago, gave you the impression that you were in a real city that wasn't built around the player character.
As for the story, it's pretty good. Quite imaginative and well told. But deep? I don't see how.
I have not played MGS4, but I know the story has to be dogshit. I've played the first game, seen the retrospectives for the second and third and listened to people talk about the fouth, and it is some incredibly goofy nonsense. Furthermore, when you consider how stupid and ignorant most gamers today are, I'm somewhat sceptical when they praise MGS4 to high heaven.
I dont think graphic have taken over, but developers do put to much of an emphasis on them. Gears of War had the potential to have a good story, but it was crap. Maybe if EPIC put less time on the gore physics and more into the story. Now odds are that GoW2 will have a crappy story as well because it has to take off from the first one.
Well, actually play the game and make your opinion. I personally loved the MGS storyline, despite what you people say about crazyness, atleast it sets itself apart from other games.frontier psychiatrist post=9.69238.653885 said:
Anyway, aside from games that try to sell themselfs only on graphics (Crysis) I think there's a healthy balance of Graphics and Gameplay/story atleast from what I've been playing (Uncharted
rake's Fortune, MGS4, Oblivion, Ratchet and Clank Future, CoD4). It's not a fad, but it's not a plauge either.
Are graphics becoming more important? No.
Are they getting more attention? Yes.
There is always going to be a certain sect of gamers who ask "why" a character is collecting rat pelts or whatever. And lacking a good narrative is still something games are punished for. Just about any Game Trailers review (just as an example) will have a story segment. Graphics are just easier to compare. Graphics are just a more surefire way to boost that review score. It's easier to tell what looks real than it is to tell what inspires realistic emotional responses.
Just for the record though, I don't care what a game looks like, or whether it has narrative or not, as long as it's fun. Civilzation Revolution on the DS has no story, meager graphics and is still dominating my DS lite's game slot.
Are they getting more attention? Yes.
There is always going to be a certain sect of gamers who ask "why" a character is collecting rat pelts or whatever. And lacking a good narrative is still something games are punished for. Just about any Game Trailers review (just as an example) will have a story segment. Graphics are just easier to compare. Graphics are just a more surefire way to boost that review score. It's easier to tell what looks real than it is to tell what inspires realistic emotional responses.
Just for the record though, I don't care what a game looks like, or whether it has narrative or not, as long as it's fun. Civilzation Revolution on the DS has no story, meager graphics and is still dominating my DS lite's game slot.
I don't have a PS3 and I can't afford to buy one (not that I even would, unless they release something very interesting for it).Jumplion post=9.69238.653945 said:
Oblivion's story is poop and the gameplay is dull. CoD4 has an incoherent story.Anyway, aside from games that try to sell themselfs only on graphics (Crysis) I think there's a healthy balance of Graphics and Gameplay/story atleast from what I've been playing (Uncharted
Wow, never have I seen such an outstanding observation of someone's opinion about two games that he just happend to not like.frontier psychiatrist post=9.69238.653970 said:Oblivion's story is poop and the gameplay is dull. CoD4 has an incoherent story.Anyway, aside from games that try to sell themselfs only on graphics (Crysis) I think there's a healthy balance of Graphics and Gameplay/story atleast from what I've been playing (Uncharted
You're thoughts on a game does not make it true, Oblivion didn't have the best story EVAR but it was alright, and CoD4 was also average. Not the best, but compared to the graphics they were both average.
Oblivion doesn't even have a alright story....its just bad.Jumplion post=9.69238.653980 said:Wow, never have I seen such an outstanding observation of someone's opinion about two games that he just happend to not like.frontier psychiatrist post=9.69238.653970 said:Oblivion's story is poop and the gameplay is dull. CoD4 has an incoherent story.Anyway, aside from games that try to sell themselfs only on graphics (Crysis) I think there's a healthy balance of Graphics and Gameplay/story atleast from what I've been playing (Uncharted
You're thoughts on a game does not make it true, Oblivion didn't have the best story EVAR but it was alright, and CoD4 was also average. Not the best, but compared to the graphics they were both average.
incredibly goofy, sure, but that's a huge part of what makes it so different and exotic from all that generic fantasy/sciencefiction dogshit. But thankgod it's not a simple game 'for everyone' so you canhate it and call it 'MGS4 the movie'
(other poster that was)As for the poll, I voted YES. If you compare the manpower that goes into the graphical part of game development today to before... it's just huge. And it sells too. So... yeah
An even BETTER observation.derpa post=9.69238.653985 said:Oblivion doesn't even have a alright story....its just bad.Jumplion post=9.69238.653980 said:Wow, never have I seen such an outstanding observation of someone's opinion about two games that he just happend to not like.frontier psychiatrist post=9.69238.653970 said:Oblivion's story is poop and the gameplay is dull. CoD4 has an incoherent story.Anyway, aside from games that try to sell themselfs only on graphics (Crysis) I think there's a healthy balance of Graphics and Gameplay/story atleast from what I've been playing (Uncharted
You're thoughts on a game does not make it true, Oblivion didn't have the best story EVAR but it was alright, and CoD4 was also average. Not the best, but compared to the graphics they were both average.
Oblivion didn't have the best story ever, but it certainly wasn't the worst. Atleast, the worst i've played.