Poll: Graphics - Quality or Detail?

[WindScar]

I must admit, to everyones surprise, that i prefer high quality, because i just cant stand to see a game that has great potential to be looking worse than a game from 2000 or so. Mercenaries 2 is a good example, because i just sat down and had a little fun with it, blowing shit up, but the graphics were horrible and i just said to myself : "this just totally looks like GTA San andreas." And sold it. You can also try to play Crysis on Low, and then on High, which one had the better gameplay? High ofc, and usually in the past graphic setting didnt affect gameplay, but now, for me at least, it does. at least i say my honest opinion, though i do enjoy Detail like in Company of Heroes and Red Alert 3. It just doesnt quite cut it without REALLY good graphics for me.

 

[FireFly90]

Detail is preferable for me, which is why i like the damage effects on GTA IV and the level of mechanical detail of the cars on Burnout Paradise

 

[searanox]

I think in most cases, "high detail" comes along with "high quality".

 

[Magus44]

Detail. Without a doubt.
A game with good art direction and details in the world is what I like. Games like TF2 and L4D, and WOW and fable 2, all have art and graphics that just works IMO. They're not amazingly technical, but they fit the game world.
Seriously, watch the L4D and TF2 commentaries.

 

[MiketheBassMan]

I would say that World of Warcraft grade graphics are the best you'd ever need. Sure, you could have all the fancy, 'ultra-realistic' effects you see in games like GTA4, but what's the difference? The actual gameplay is all that matters.

Actual gameplay and WoW should not be used in the same post.

I might kindly ask you to step outside.

 

[willard3]

I don't have a preference. My major desire from a game's graphics is FRAMERATE.

 

[SimuLord]

With graphics the #1 thing I'm looking for is functionality---the ability to tell what's going on in the gameworld with as little delay between visual stimulus and intellectual processing as possible.

One of the best games to accomplish this that I've ever seen is Patrician 3, which otherwise has 2D (for a game that came out in 2003!) isometric graphics and a level of detail that brings to mind games from the mid- to late-1990s. The kicker is that everything on the screen is very distinctive and you know at a quick glance exactly what's what so you don't have to waste time processing the visual information before making a decision about what to do with it.

Railroad Tycoon 2 does an outstanding job of this as well (a 1998-issue game) as far as instantaneous strategic planning is concerned. I'd much rather have that (which may explain why I still play and love both games after years and years) than indiscernible browns and grays in 1680x1050 with 16xAA and 16xAF and HDR lighting and what-have-you.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

I'd rather go with High Quality. Details are great when you notice them, but chances are, you won't.

 

[WindScar]

I agree with some of the posts that say that these go hand in hand, Crysis per example did this very well, with both of them going, as well as Company of heroes, mabye we should stop arguing over which is better and demand both to be used? haha

 

[Thunderheavyarm]

I'm a detail-oriented person so this choice was easy. I like it every now and then to see characters have body language. When they're in a good mood and you can tell without reading the dialogue [or hearing it], that's good detail.

 

[Terramax]

Why wasnt' 'originality' put on the voting list? Does that come under quality?

For instance, I love Psychonauts. Even at the time of it's release, there were games with greater quality and detail, but few that matched the art direction.

 

[Breno]

well it will proble be detail but i hate game that go about only half way on graphics and dont have enof time or money to go all the way and dont spend enof time on gameplay only game like halo, gears, Resistance 2 and killzone2 can pull in offf beacause they have enof time and money

 

[Aesthetical Quietus]

Well that's a hard choice. I'd rather have detail though.
It'd be nice to have both.
It'd be even nicer if they all stopped focusing on Graphics and focused on AI, or something similar.

 

[742]

detail.
but graphics are for two things.
looking pretty (not all games do this, and not all should)
telling me what my character just walked into, and whether i should open it, stab it, talk to it, or die horribly.