?Realistic? vs. Stylized graphics

[Simbacca]

I was on the Ubi forum during the run up to the release of the most recent Prince of Persian game and saw a lot of flak fly back and forth over the games art design. A number of people felt it was too much of a departure from the Sands of Times more realistic art design. I personally felt, and still feel, that the change in art was a good thing. I was gorgeous, vibrant and made me really want to explore the world. I think ultimately, despite the games other failings; the art design was a good choice.

Now recently the game Borderlands has decided to go with a graphic novel/concept art like look. This didn?t bother me in the least, but other people on the Borderlands forums were up in arms about it. To be fair it may have just been a vocal minority, as many of those initially complainers seem to have mellowed out or jumped on the new art band wagon. Still I heard a lot of people saying the game would feel cartoon or childish with this new art style (go here http://www.borderlandsthegame.com/screens/ for some screenshots), which I do not agree with as I feel the games story, tone and setting will keep it feeling ?mature?.

So my questions are as follows?

How much impact does a games graphics style have on your decision to buy?

How do you determine which art style (realistic/stylized) is more appropriate for a game?

Which style would you like to see more of and why?

 

[suhlEap]

i like both, it really depends on the type of game it is really. some games work with realistic graphics, whereas some seem a little silly. all depends on the game itself!

 

[slevin8989]

1. As long as the game dosen't look like crap graphics don't matter
2. Theres no set of style for a certain game
3. Just a vibrant setting

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Are graphics really that important as long as the game is fun?

 

[SharPhoe]

All that matters to me is that the look fits the game.

 

[NeonZombie]

I much prefer stylized.

Okami
The legend of cellda
Tales of vesperia
Prince of persia 09 and
the naruto games

are all great examples of this style of graphics working well and it mixes things up a bit

 

[Rigs83]

I think you see designers clashing with realism because if everything look real than everything looks like everything else. I actually stopped being an avid gamer since Microsoft introduced suck into the industry.
The graphics don't mean anything to me and I leave the design decisions up to the actual designers to decide.

 

[InProgress]

The graphics style doesn't really impact my decision whether I want to buy it or not, however the concept behind it does.

I determine whether or not a game should be stylised or not is by reading the basic plot and by seeing the setting. For example: stylised characters don't go well in a horror game, and realistic characters and the likes don't go in a whacky Banjo Kazooie like game.

I'd want to see more stylized art style, mainly because everyone is striving so badly for realism it takes the fun out of games.

 

[Dottie]

I think That every artist has there own style and if they tried to go for absolute realism most games would look like crap,for example look at gears of war the people aren't like cartoons or anything but it would be hard to find someone that actually looks like that.

 

[Bellvedere]

Yeah it really depends. Sometime stylized graphics are really refreshing. Especially since I think it allows more flexibilty in the environments and story whereas you play something realistic like fallout or crysis and the landscapes are all very similar.

Also I'd like to draw attention to the WII or PS2 - they obviously don't have the graphics or proccessing capabilites of (other) 7th gen. consoles and I thought that shaun white snowboarding had the right idea (the only one) when they made stylized graphics for the WII version. Compared to something like the force unleashed where the envirnments were too large for these consoles, which lead to the PS2 and WII versions being heavily critized.

 

[solidstatemind]

You know, I like stylized graphics moreso than realism. With the power of graphics cards these days, realism isn't that hard of a goal to accomplish. There is more of an aesthetic to be achieved if you infuse a game with a sense of style. Of course, it's a lot easier to either completely fail or limit the appeal of your game if you strive for style rather than just going for the default 'realism'.

To answer your questions specifically:
-not much really. I do give games with style a bit more leeway, but I can't think of a time where it was the deciding factor in a game purchase.

-I think it's up to the writer to determine the style. After all, style is going to go a long way to setting the mood and atmosphere, and since those elements support the story, the decisions should flow from there. (I think many game designers forget that.) For example, it would be a bit incongruous to have a hyper-violent killfest done with 'Hello Kitty' style graphics... well, unless you were intentionally going for that sort of irony.

-I like Noir, but it's really easy to be ham-handed and overdo it (qv. Max Payne, although some argue they were intentionally overdoing it). You see a lot of games with 'grainy film' features, and it can get annoying really fast.

 

[Flunk]

Either or, I like a nice mix. Although I do have a problem with games that do the entirely grey and brown thing because it's boring, even reality is more colourful than that.

 

[APPCRASH]

I hate when people complain about games that try going for the realism view having "the brown shade of crap" appearance. I'm sorry but the real world isn't full of bright vibrant landscapes. People need to realize that most of Earth after industrialization looks like one big poop smear.

 

[GothmogII]

The graphics style doesn't really impact my decision whether I want to buy it or not, however the concept behind it does.

I determine whether or not a game should be stylised or not is by reading the basic plot and by seeing the setting. For example: stylised characters don't go well in a horror game, and realistic characters and the likes don't go in a whacky Banjo Kazooie like game.

I'd want to see more stylized art style, mainly because everyone is striving so badly for realism it takes the fun out of games.

Stylised characters don't go well in a horror game? That so my good friend? Meet Gregory Horror Show then:

Anyway, I'd think that no graphics are -realistic- strictly speaking, you want that you'd be playing a full motion video game with actors. But I get the concept, some games strive for a less stylised look than others. I don't think it really matters though, as others have said, if it fits the game it fits the game.

 

[Ushario]

I personally have no problem with either stylised or realistic as long as the game does it well.

 

[InProgress]

Stylised characters don't go well in a horror game? That so my good friend? Meet Gregory Horror Show then:

Anyway, I'd think that no graphics are -realistic- strictly speaking, you want that you'd be playing a full motion video game with actors. But I get the concept, some games strive for a less stylised look than others. I don't think it really matters though, as others have said, if it fits the game it fits the game.

That image made me laugh. Anyway, I was generalising in that statement, hence the "For example" part. And yes, I do agree that games are continuosly pushed towards the whole interactive full motion movie idea. Which is sad. Let's hope that gaming is in the roman/greek phase of it's history as an art.

 

[Simbacca]

I hate when people complain about games that try going for the realism view having "the brown shade of crap" appearance. I'm sorry but the real world isn't full of bright vibrant landscapes. People need to realize that most of Earth after industrialization looks like one big poop smear.

I disagree

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs19/f/2007/274/b/7/Just_Cityscapes_by_mARTadinata.jpg

http://realitydream.deviantart.com/art/Hungarian-cityscapes-pt-III-108294924

http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs24/f/2007/311/0/f/Landscapes_05_by_Alexkcl.jpg

http://realitydream.deviantart.com/art/Hungarian-cityscapes-pt-IV-109178373

http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/109/c/c/Landscapes_01_by_Alexkcl.jpg

http://realitydream.deviantart.com/art/Hungarian-cityscapes-pt-IV-109178373

http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs29/f/2008/064/0/8/imperturbability_by_werol.jpg

http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs37/f/2008/251/e/9/miracle_road_by_werol.jpg

http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/226/3/5/City_Of_Blinding_Lights_by_Marinshe.jpg

http://monteycarlos.deviantart.com/art/City-of-Lights-48528684

 

[Kain904]

The problem with realism graphics is that they are really sucking the life out of games, weather its really the only thing people notice about them or that the developers put more effort into the graphics then the playability of the game.

Even with asome of the best graphics around i rearly find myself being interested in a game for more then 2-3 days anymore.

 

[Mezrev]

I have to say that overall I prefer stylized graphics. Most games aiming for realism just look... bland. Though obviously stylized graphics don't fit in every game. But when done properly, I find them a lot nicer than poor attempts at realism.