Poll: Where graphics matter to you (if they matter at all)

[pspman45]

Some people praise games for graphics, and others say graphics do not matter at all. For the record, I am speaking about graphics, the technology behind the looks, and not the aesthetic (though that is important too).

I do not want to hear that _____ game was made in the 90's and was still good, so graphics do not matter. I am asking about from a modern viewpoint, about games to come out recently or in the future.

my vote is Sometimes. I believe that it varies due to the amount of content in the game. A game like Mortal Kombat (2011) should have nice graphics (which it does) because it is a 2D fighting game, and is still worth $60. Games like Just Cause 2 or Mass Effect, however, do not need to have great graphics because of the vast amount of content

I also think that hand-held games need to worry a bit less about graphics, and more about loading times, seeing as they are pick up and play consoles.

So Escapists, what are your opinions?

 

[kaioshade]

Graphics are only one part of the equation. This is coming from someone who regularly plays Cave games, which are not exactly known for their cutting edge graphics. As long as the game looks reasonably good, i am fine.

 

[The Madman]

Depends on the game and what its trying to achieve. If it's a heavily mechanic based game such as Dwarf Fortress then no, visuals aren't terribly important. That game looks like absolute shit and I still play it regularly because it's not the sort of game in which visuals are a terribly important element of the gameplay. Could help, certainly, but it's not essential.

Now a game like STALKER which is heavily reliant of ambience and player immersion requires decent visuals at the very least. When you're trying to suck the player in and make the world an experience rather than simply a platform, if that makes any sense, that's when graphics matter.

 

[Flaming Narwhal]

What matters to me is whether or not the graphics fit the game, or are interesting to look at. Wind Wakers graphics worked because it fit the whimsical, kid's adventure cartoon feel of the game, and were very stylized and interesting. I'm not saying that photo-realism is a bad thing, but think if Street Fighter IV went that way... pretty disturbing with Chun-Li's thighs right?

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I really don't like old 3d graphics I think they have aged really badly (unmodded Morrowind as an example) I like 2D Pixel Graphics I can play SNES and Terraria happily. I also love playing Dwarf Fortress. However, blocky old 3d graphics just make me feel really unimmersed.

I enjoyed the old 3d games at the time but now they just seem really bad.

 

[Chibz]

Graphics? Almost never. Aesthetics, yes. They mean a fair bit.

 

[Savagezion]

Every game should be graphically capable of portraying to the user what they are meant to represent. An example of a game failing to do this is Dwarf Fortress. It is very hard to know what the hell is going on in that game without researching it. That doesn't mean the game fails, just that it's graphics do. Minecraft is really pushing the limits of what it's graphics can support.

For me a game has to be able to let me look at object in the game and know roughly what it is trying to represent. Not many games come out now that are truly poor graphics by themselves. Now comparing them, sure some are technically worse than others. But I grew up playing Atari 2600, NES, SNES, etc. So I am pretty lax on these games today. I don't even understand the need for Crysis like graphics. it's cool yeah, but there were a lot of cons to those kinds of graphics when that game was released.

 

[Toar]

A Good game, a REALLY GOOD GAME, relys not on graphics. It relys on everything including graphics. The story is just as important as the way the game looks. Look at Duke Nukem, we can all tell it's been meshed together hasily in spite of the years working on it. It's a mess even with the good graphics because of the story (and the graphics aren't that great).

Play FFVII, Resident Evil 2, and some other 98' games to get a good feel for games back then and then you can pass judgement.

 

[superstringz]

Dwarf fortress, Minecraft, Nethack/SLASH'EM, Elona, Iji, Cave Story, Shinjen. I prefer massively deep and complex game mechanics that allow for everything and anything, with a little reflex action thrown in on the side.

 

[Biosophilogical]

I think graphics can show the amount of heart/effort put into a game, because a game with crap graphics when it could have had better just says "Well fuck it, good enough". I think most people will agree that when the developers put their heart into a game it tends to show in a positive way. So if a new game has 90's graphics for no reason, then it seems like a slack effort, but as for the appeal of the graphics themselves ... they need to be able to support the art style of the game. I mean, you don't expect detailed facial animations in a pokemon game, because that isn't part of pokemon aesthetics, but when you have bland, two dimensional faces in a current generation, 3-d game that focuses on realism, it really is a let down. So 'it depends' is the best option.

 

[DustyDrB]

They matter, though less than other aspects of the game (Gameplay is always higher on the list, and story is more important if it is actually a story-focused game. Story matters more for Mass Effect and Alpha Protocol. It matters less or none in Zelda, Mario, or Bayonetta). Art style is another thing that's almost always higher on the list, as there are many graphically awesome games that I hate due to a dull or abrasive art style.

 

[Tastum]

Depends. If good graphics are core to the way the game plays, yes. But I tend to not play games that are about spectacle, not owning a current-gen console other than my DS.

Given that I actually play said DS a lot, it should be no surprise that I prefer a focus on aesthetics than pure graphics muscle.

 

[Louzerman102]

sometimes, a game with a good frame rate is more important than a super ultra realistic game that lags during explosions. Also if the trade off is worth it, example, older graphics for more characters on screen.

 

[Zhukov]

Yeah, graphics matter. It's a chiefly visual medium, of course they matter. I wouldn't say they're the most important thing, but I appreciate when they're done right.

In particular, animation. I can handle blocky models and crummy textures, but if people don't move right, it's going to decrease my enjoyment of the game.

At this point I would usually start ranting about the difference between technically good graphics and good visual design. However, the Extra Credits folks already covered that quite nicely. So yeah... what they said. I do love me some good visual design.

 

[Matthew Kjonaas]

In portal they had to cut back and I did not care but if it is a "remastered" game they have to improve the graphic or games the game says it is the most realistic shooter so far.

 

[Kae]

As a PC gamer with an utterly shit PC they are extremely important and the less graphically impressive game is the better one for me, this has forced me to become a retro PC gamer, and also I'm not exactly a PC gamer by choice but since my consoles burned in a fire last year I really have no choice now specially with no disposable income.

 

[SoranMBane]

Every part of a game is important, and with graphics, just like all other parts of a game, it's largely a matter of how it's utilized in creating a comprehensive and consistent experience. Anyone who says that "aesthetics matter but graphics don't" is lying. The graphical capabilities of the game have an enormous role in dictating what the aesthetics, and thus the tone, of the game will be. Having low-end graphics means you have to compensate by simplifying the aesthetic, which can lead to some fairly interesting, unique, and endearing visuals (Minecraft is a good example). Higher-end graphics allow for more detailed aesthetics, which can be breathtaking and really add to the experience if done right (the Crysis games, Dead Space 2, and Assassin's Creed are good examples of this). For a good analogy, I'd liken it to having to choose between either using a very fine-pointed brush or a fat brush to make a painting. Neither tool is "better," but the decision still matters because it's going to have an impact on what you're going to be able to paint and what techniques you have to use to paint it.

 

[jimahaff]

Graphics don't matter at all on games that I know are older. I already expect the graphics to be poor, so I really don't care. I also don't really care about a game having THE BEST GRAPHICS EVAR!!!
As long as I can tell what is going on then I don'care. Even if it is good graphics getting in the way it bugs me; the dust in Battlefield bad company really started to mess with me after a while. Really good graphics can get me to stop and look around and appreciate the work that went into it, and then value the game a little more; but I will never buy a game because of the graphics, aesthetics maybe, but never graphics.

 

[McMullen]

Graphics are important to me for worldbuilding purposes. Read Dead Redemption is a perfect example of graphics done right. The terrain, vegetation, rocks and lighting are so spot-on that while playing I get tactile and olfactory memories of my own time in deserts (my favorite climate).

Just Cause 2 and Assassin's Creed are other good examples. Anytime they really bring a world to life.

On the other hand, sometimes it helps to be a bit more stylized. I realize I am almost certainly in the minority here, but for all the misery of Halo's library, it had a very aesthetically pleasing minimalist aesthetic in terms of the level geometry which, coupled with the orange and blue lighting, made it one of my favorite levels to look at in CE. All of CE was actually pretty nice and colorful, nearly cartoonish in some parts (I was shocked when MovieBob as The Game Overthinker lumped it with the other "Real is Brown" games; two levels take place in a purple and teal alien ship!).

When I saw the trailer for the anniversary edition with it's HD graphics and far more intricate textures, I saw the library the way it seems everyone else sees it. My heart fell. But I still have that disk, dammit, and they'll never be able to take the CE library away from me!