Poll: Would you hate it if games LOOKED like real life?

[ClassicJokester]

I think it would be cool to have some games with near-photorealistic graphics, as long as they aren't set on Earth. See, the thing is, I already live on Earth, so I'd prefer games that have the environment artists create unique worlds that I haven't seen before.

Take Halo: Reach as an example. Say what you will about the gameplay, I don't think most people would deny that the environments in the game are nothing short of breathtaking. The artists at Bungie put an incredible amount of work into the creating a world, and it really shows.

 

[Vykrel]

if thats what theyre going for, yeah.

obviously, not all games should look real. i like when games have cartoony artstyles and whatnot.

 

[Estocavio]

Id love it - Itd add a fresh new perspective on things, so long as it didnt sap the games engine capacity too much.

 

[Mr Pantomime]

Itd look weird, but at least the NPCs in Mass Effect would have different haircuts

 

[Brnin8]

Yarp, as long as some games remain in a less realistic/more cartoony style I'll be a happy man.
I just feel that if all games look the same they get boring.

 

[Dimensional Vortex]

Hmmm I think CoD and such would be nice but in all out brutal horror games it might push the envelope a little far, I mean when it gets too much children might start getting more violent because of it and they wouldn't be afraid of raping and murdering... although what I just said is highly debatable

 

[ultrachicken]

If graphics were truly like real life, then I would be put off violent games.

 

[Grey_Focks]

As long as it isn't every game, hell no I wouldn't hate it. Imagine a "real" looking dragon, kraken, werewolf, etc...it would just be AWESOME.

 

[SageRuffin]

Oh, come on. "Real life" games came out for the fucking 3DO.

Look up "American Laser Games" to get a better grasp of what I mean.

 

[adderseal]

Minecraft looks and behaves nothing like real life but it's much better than 90% of realistic games out there.

 

[Fumbleumble]

The only reason I want fully realistic graphics to arrive is so that the whole bloody industry can get over 'photo-realistic' and start putting some real honest to god art behind their 'art' direction'.. No one is willing to actually do something unique with graphics despite the fact that if you can think of it and draw it then you can model it.

If it's not ruined castles/cities, apocalytic wastes or endless landmass, all portrayed in muddy browns then designers don't actually seem to have a clue.

 

[Fumbleumble]

Live-action movies already look like reality, so why not games? In fact, it's already been done in games like Myst and Riven, with footage of living actors incorporated into the game world.

Really?... try the fact that movie effects are rendered one frame at a time and not in real time like games engines are.

 

[AceAngel]

It looked real? Yes, I'm all for it.

If it played real? No thank you, taking 2 shots from a toothpick, before I bleed to death isn't my idea of a fun game.

Also, lacktheknack, there is a large difference between graphical looks and 'atmosphere' Far Cry 2 had the latter, but it didn't 'look' better. Please go and mod both games before commenting on such matter you have no knowledge of.

 

[Versago]

The graphics of a game needs to reflect the game itself.
So a realistic game should look somewhat like real life - conversly, more conceptual titles should stylise appropriately to get the mood accross (e.g. Psychonauts, Brutal Legend... actually just go with Schafter on this one)

However, another answer to your point is this: I would hate it if ALL games looked like real life. Even if they were all perfectly apt in doing so because of their genre or playstyle, it would be TERRIBLE.
The industry could not live without excuses to make badly animated games, becuase
a) they would take FOREVER to make,
b) like you said, bridging the game and reality gap can lead you to get disturbed by killing (although thats a lesser issue i'd say, you don't seem psychotic)
c) to quote a recent LRR podcast - simulating real life is one of the most BORING things you can do

A hyper-real looking game once in a while is good - but personally, i'd put graphics VERY low on my 'reasons to buy list'. Gameplay, story, character, mechanics, longevity, soundtrack, multiplayer options - ALL things that should come before prettyness in my opinion.
And yes Dante's 60hz Inferno, i'm looking at you...

 

[MikailCaboose]

It depends on the game. For FPS's and some RTS's, yeah I suppose it would be good. But then there are games that it just wouldn't work well with at all (i.e Mario).

 

[LittleChone]

No offense, but don't games already LOOK like real life?!?!? No offense, but I'm already losing my perception of reality when playing games; I think we can STOP advancing now.
Seriously, what happen to cartoon graphics? Seriously, I miss those days. Yeah, you have the par-realistic graphics that are a healthy mix in-between, but games like Heavy Rain, Arkam Asylum, and Red Dead Redemption already look like real life!
I miss simplicity.

 

[Super Toast]

Nah. The uncanny valley effect would be overwhelming.