The truth about Realism

[Fanta Grape]

Our passion for realism stems from Doom looking like crap. Don't get me wrong, at the time it looked brilliant and the art direction was nice, but it still looks blocky and poorly formed. As we increase graphics in order to reduce the use of imagination, we also made the association that better graphics means they look more realistic.

 

[Frotality]

we really need to define this; when most think of realism in gaming, theyre really thinking of immersion. realism contributes to immersion, but it isnt intergral, nor is it all that you need. the general idea is that the more 'realistic' the game the more believable it is and the easier it is to get into because of it.

gamers and developers alike often fall prey to the assumption that realistic=immersive, or in developer's case at least try to market games as such. i could go on for days about what makes an immersive game, but the key point ill make is that the contribution realism makes to immersion is all about being believable rather than actually realistic; for things to move in way you'd expect, look more lifelike, but for the most part little beyond that. video games are escapism, and realism is only there to make the fantasy aspect easier to get into, not to overtake it.

that, and real silenced pistols dont sound nearly as cool as the james bond sound effect we all know and love.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Your point? I'm aware that people use a double standard when evaluating games and want suspension of disbelief with realism which is impossible. They want real except for the parts that makes games fun. The problem is that most people don't seem to have a clue about what makes games fun and pile on too much realism or demand too much realism while not realizing what they are losing.

 

[Squilookle]

Most of you have probably at one point complained about how a seemingly realistic game has something unrealistic. This can be for a multitude of reasons, if it's visuals the uncanny valley or the seemingly realistic game did just did something completely over the top, but most of the time it's something that would have helped you if it were realistic. Take dead rising for instance(I know zombies aren't too realistic but besides that it has nothing really else too jarringly unrealistic except for maybe the drink combinations) Somebody might complain that how they shot this redneck multiple times point blank with a shotgun but they probably won't complain about how when frank west gets shot or stabbed he treats it like a punch. People (for the most part) don't want 100% realism in their games, they want the games to be easier on them when they get in these situations.

But how does this make you feel?

As for me it's actually the opposite. I get miffed by realistic bits in arcade games. Things that could have been much more fun if they weren't trying to be realistic. You know, things like flat tyres in Vice City, ammo shortages in Just Cause 2, your character taking damage in car crashes in just about every sandbox in the last 3 years...