The problem with graphics is that a certain level is considered mandatory, especially if you are making a AAA game. Games need to have solid gameplay first, graphics second. But if you look at indie (not all some have excellent graphics) it is easy to see that poor graphics do not equal good gameplay.
It is easier to do good graphics as well, this is why so much gameplay is copied. You don't need to wait until launch to be sure the backgrounds look good. Also in an evolving game, mostly MMO's, you can foul the gameplay play up not sure that has every happened to graphics.
It is a perennial problem and the existence of indie is partly due to this issue. That said I am a huge graphics fan and have a hard time with simplistic graphics myself. Lotro was mentioned, that is decent standard even today, but less than that and I start to have doubts.
The problem with graphics is that a certain level is considered mandatory, especially if you are making a AAA game. Games need to have solid gameplay first, graphics second. But if you look at indie (not all some have excellent graphics) it is easy to see that poor graphics do not equal good gameplay.
It is easier to do good graphics as well, this is why so much gameplay is copied. You don't need to wait until launch to be sure the backgrounds look good. Also in an evolving game, mostly MMO's, you can foul the gameplay play up not sure that has every happened to graphics.
It is a perennial problem and the existence of indie is partly due to this issue. That said I am a huge graphics fan and have a hard time with simplistic graphics myself. Lotro was mentioned, that is decent standard even today, but less than that and I start to have doubts.
It not like Indie game can't have good graphic , it's just that they don't chose to have good one . It's more like taste of maker instead best design chose .
Lots of western game makers have heavy taste on graphic
The problem with graphics is that a certain level is considered mandatory, especially if you are making a AAA game. Games need to have solid gameplay first, graphics second. But if you look at indie (not all some have excellent graphics) it is easy to see that poor graphics do not equal good gameplay.
It is easier to do good graphics as well, this is why so much gameplay is copied. You don't need to wait until launch to be sure the backgrounds look good. Also in an evolving game, mostly MMO's, you can foul the gameplay play up not sure that has every happened to graphics.
It is a perennial problem and the existence of indie is partly due to this issue. That said I am a huge graphics fan and have a hard time with simplistic graphics myself. Lotro was mentioned, that is decent standard even today, but less than that and I start to have doubts.
It not like Indie game can't have good graphic , it's just that they don't chose to have good one . It's more like taste of maker instead best design chose .
Lots of western game makers have heavy taste on graphic
No, Indie game developers most often don't have the resources to do state of the art graphics, unless the game has only few assets. This is why they often instead focus on gameplay innovation (many new pixel art platformers) or complexity (prison architect/rimworld etc). There is also clearly a market for that, where gamers favour gameplay > graphics.
If for example Prison Architect would have to be recreated in state of the art 3D, development time would become a lot longer. It is not that they would not like to do it, it is just that it would not be possible to do this with 1 or 2 people. It is not the 80s anymore, great programmers are rarely great artists anymore or the other way around. So you would need more people and a lot more hardware investment.
The problem with graphics is that a certain level is considered mandatory, especially if you are making a AAA game. Games need to have solid gameplay first, graphics second. But if you look at indie (not all some have excellent graphics) it is easy to see that poor graphics do not equal good gameplay.
It is easier to do good graphics as well, this is why so much gameplay is copied. You don't need to wait until launch to be sure the backgrounds look good. Also in an evolving game, mostly MMO's, you can foul the gameplay play up not sure that has every happened to graphics.
It is a perennial problem and the existence of indie is partly due to this issue. That said I am a huge graphics fan and have a hard time with simplistic graphics myself. Lotro was mentioned, that is decent standard even today, but less than that and I start to have doubts.
It not like Indie game can't have good graphic , it's just that they don't chose to have good one . It's more like taste of maker instead best design chose .
Lots of western game makers have heavy taste on graphic
No, Indie game developers most often don't have the resources to do state of the art graphics, unless the game has only few assets. This is why they often instead focus on gameplay innovation (many new pixel art platformers) or complexity (prison architect/rimworld etc). There is also clearly a market for that, where gamers favour gameplay > graphics.
If for example Prison Architect would have to be recreated in state of the art 3D, development time would become a lot longer. It is not that they would not like to do it, it is just that it would not be possible to do this with 1 or 2 people. It is not the 80s anymore, great programmers are rarely great artists anymore or the other way around. So you would need more people and a lot more hardware investment.
Dammit you made me agree with Gdemami, I have standards you know.
I would say lots of eastern game makers have a heavy taste for graphics as well, BDO is arguably the best MMO for graphics there is. Indie graphics could be better, but as SFG mentioned something else has to take a hit, a big hit.
I value style and artistic direction far more than graphical fidelity; however, having both is nice -- albeit extremely rare. I'm learning quickly that older games had far more style and artistic direction than the newer generation of games. While the older might look dated it doesn't take long to appreciate the style and feel like part of the world.
Too many games opt for photo realistic graphics while neglecting to make their game feel anything more than generic.
(Geez, a delete5230 thread that actually makes sense *and* I agree with the premise? I should go play the lotto today.)
I'd be really happy if all of these companies would pump the brakes on the photo-realistic graphics development for a while and instead refocus on NPC AI.
Truth be told, NPC AI is garbage. It's decades old. In fact, the last game that I can honestly remember even making a point of it's "exceptional AI" was FEAR... released in 2005. Since then, I can't remember a single game that touted how good and advanced it's AI was.
Some AI feels like it has taken a step back from where FEAR started in 2005. The Fallout Series is one of them. Enemy NPC's in Fallout are hilariously trash. Since they can't even do something as simple as taking cover, the game resorts to teleporting them around in your field of view whenever you go to shoot at them.
Try it yourself and really pay attention the next time you aim at a Fallout 4 NPC. Record it and slow it down if you have to. The NPC's will teleport to the left and right to get out of your sights. I'm not talking a natural human movement to the left and right. Natural as in turning and running for cover, or diving behind a wall. No, they literally just teleport to one side or the other at 2-5x normal walking speed.
The NPC AI is the last you need in a MMO game. It is simply pointless. As there is nothing more challenging than the other players.
It's only pointless if the game is built around PvP. For PvE games good AI is essential.
Comments
It is easier to do good graphics as well, this is why so much gameplay is copied. You don't need to wait until launch to be sure the backgrounds look good. Also in an evolving game, mostly MMO's, you can foul the gameplay play up not sure that has every happened to graphics.
It is a perennial problem and the existence of indie is partly due to this issue. That said I am a huge graphics fan and have a hard time with simplistic graphics myself. Lotro was mentioned, that is decent standard even today, but less than that and I start to have doubts.
I would say lots of eastern game makers have a heavy taste for graphics as well, BDO is arguably the best MMO for graphics there is. Indie graphics could be better, but as SFG mentioned something else has to take a hit, a big hit.
Too many games opt for photo realistic graphics while neglecting to make their game feel anything more than generic.
(Geez, a delete5230 thread that actually makes sense *and* I agree with the premise? I should go play the lotto today.)