What's more important to Game Design? Creativity or Polish?
- Thread starter Crunchy English
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I'll take either. I love to see something new, especially if it mixes creativity and polish *cough*OKAMI&BEYONDGOODANDEVIL*cough*
I love seeing new ideas, but it's a shame when great ideas get put into a game that can't pull them off. I can also enjoy a well-made but stereotypical game, but it has to have a good story. Really, as long as a game has a good story and gameplay that doesn't completely suck, I'll play it.
I love seeing new ideas, but it's a shame when great ideas get put into a game that can't pull them off. I can also enjoy a well-made but stereotypical game, but it has to have a good story. Really, as long as a game has a good story and gameplay that doesn't completely suck, I'll play it.
Ctreative story and gameplay is what I love. Graphics can suck dick as much as they want, I won't mind just so long as story and gameplay rock. Though it does help to have good graphics IN ADDITION.
An example from what I've played is Echochrome. Amazingly intuitive concept, the graphics are good, and it's fun. Though it's a puzzle game so it doesn't have much of a story. Unless you count getting art Manichean from point A to points B,C, and D for no explained reason. *chuckle*
An example from what I've played is Echochrome. Amazingly intuitive concept, the graphics are good, and it's fun. Though it's a puzzle game so it doesn't have much of a story. Unless you count getting art Manichean from point A to points B,C, and D for no explained reason. *chuckle*
One of the PS3's Exclusive games. I hesitate to call it a Tomb Raider clone, as I'm told it's much better, but that's the best way to give you an idea of it.ArcWinter said:
Creativity. Honestly, I'll forgive glitches in games as long as my world is huge, creative and fun, and offers me a different way of playing games. But, creativity also has to be implemented well. Not necessarily 'polish', mind you, but sometimes people put original features into games in a way that just doesn't work. Like, for example, Mirror's Edge. Quite an original implementation of a concept and a different looking world to most of the ones out there, but it didn't make for a great game in practice.
But, then, I'm a games are art hippie, and, beyond that, I'm willing to sacrifice my gamerscore in order to play games that I think are genuinely good and different rather than simply splurge money on 100 different clones of the same basic concept. And I can't comment on Uncharted specifically because I don't have a PS3, but, from what I've heard, it's not only the polish that makes it appealing, but a creative implementation of a lot of old standbys that keeps the game fun and interesting. Just because it's been done before doesn't mean it can't be done creatively. Of course, I could be wrong, but I'm just giving it the benefit of the doubt, because it would be dickish of me to judge a game I haven't played.
But, then, I'm a games are art hippie, and, beyond that, I'm willing to sacrifice my gamerscore in order to play games that I think are genuinely good and different rather than simply splurge money on 100 different clones of the same basic concept. And I can't comment on Uncharted specifically because I don't have a PS3, but, from what I've heard, it's not only the polish that makes it appealing, but a creative implementation of a lot of old standbys that keeps the game fun and interesting. Just because it's been done before doesn't mean it can't be done creatively. Of course, I could be wrong, but I'm just giving it the benefit of the doubt, because it would be dickish of me to judge a game I haven't played.
After equipping her epic fire resistance bulwark, Valate is ready to set off into the storm.
I prefer creativity, one word: Psychonauts. Or two: Voodoo Vince (I LIKED IT! Your opinion will not affect this!)
I prefer creativity, one word: Psychonauts. Or two: Voodoo Vince (I LIKED IT! Your opinion will not affect this!)
Polish. A polished bland game can stand on its own and even be fairly good, often the creative one can't because it'll be rendered unplayable. Both is best of course.
Ultimately, polish is more important than creativity. It doesn't matter how good an idea is, if it's not well executed it remains nothing special.
Creativity, if left unchecked, is an engine of distaster and destruction in an endeavor as complex as the production of a video game. How many times have we played a game that seemed like it was "90% there" but that last bit of polish resulted in a game that was virtually unplayable?
Creativity, if left unchecked, is an engine of distaster and destruction in an endeavor as complex as the production of a video game. How many times have we played a game that seemed like it was "90% there" but that last bit of polish resulted in a game that was virtually unplayable?
John Ramero once ran a little company called Ion Storm who had the motto "Design is Law". John spent four years and gave us Daikatana as an example of what this ethos let loose can bring. A game who'se cycle never ends, that eventually must be aborted out the door in the hopes of recouping some of the losses. The Company, Ion Storm, who created my favorite game of all time (Deus Ex), folded shortly thereafter. Every game (including Daikatana) that the company produced presented ideas that, at least at the probable moment of conception, where utterly brilliant. Yet when left to fester in interminable development cycles these ideas, while perhaps exciting, were inevitably stuck inside games that simply weren't a lot of fun to play.-Stranger- said:
Here's the bottom line: A game, regardless of who makes it, is an enterprise designed to make money. Morever, any game has a maximum amount of money that it will make over the course of it's market life. The companies that have made the best games have done so because they have proven capable of rectifying the compulsion to try something new and interesting with the understanding that they have a limited number of man-hours to get the product out the door. A great idea in a bad game doesn't change the fact that you have a bad game. But a game can bring nothing new to the table and still be remarkable if it demonstrates proper execution and polish.
The Games are Art people have a point hidden somewhere in their ramblings; that video games are a creative medium that is fully capable of engaging the emotions and imagaination of an audience. What these same people choose to ignore is most developers do this sort of work for a living and can't afford to produce unplayable products that the market rejects. Ultimately, if a game developer is smart, they make decisions based on what's best for the company, not what's best for their creative ego.
Hmmm... Psychonauts... I watched the trailer for that so much, but never actually played it. I ended up playing Blinx the Time Sweeper instead. now that was a good game. well, hard. I prefered Blinx 2 for gameplay. far easier for people like meValate said:
*ahem* OP: I'd personally say creativity. If the game is on PC, and it's slighly on the unpolished side, chances are there is a mod somewhere to deal with that. and you wouldn't see an unpolished game on a console nowadays. Or at least I don't.
I'm not too worried about creativity. Some of the best games I ever played were also some of the least innovative and creative. However, unpolished games can really leave a bad taste in your mouth.
polish is much more important, because you only need a speck of creativity in your design to make it original, but a fuckton of polish to make it actually be a good game. furthermore, too much creativity can make a game into a prickish arty statement instead of it being fun. case in point; games like dues ex machina by that british guy or that graveyard game...
I'd definately say creativity over polish.
While I acknowledge the fact that polish is important, it's the core creativity that i feel can really make or break a game.
While I acknowledge the fact that polish is important, it's the core creativity that i feel can really make or break a game.
Seems like a split decision, just about down the middle. So what have we learned kids?
1) Playing a game that isn't polished up to spec is a frustrating experience, but on the whole we're willing to overlook it in favour of something new and fresh.
2) Some people want design added to options, but the John Romero argument provides a strong counterpoint.
3) We'd all rather not have to choose.
4) Lots of people are scared because it seems that the basic economic realities of the industry make polish AND creativity suffer.
5) A lot of you are racist against a small Eastern European nation whose name happens to be a terrible pun.
That's... all rather depressing actually. Anybody wanna add something?
1) Playing a game that isn't polished up to spec is a frustrating experience, but on the whole we're willing to overlook it in favour of something new and fresh.
2) Some people want design added to options, but the John Romero argument provides a strong counterpoint.
3) We'd all rather not have to choose.
4) Lots of people are scared because it seems that the basic economic realities of the industry make polish AND creativity suffer.
5) A lot of you are racist against a small Eastern European nation whose name happens to be a terrible pun.
That's... all rather depressing actually. Anybody wanna add something?