MMORPG.COM News: Editorial: Do Graphics Make Games?

Dana

Guest Writer Andree Ehrig looks at graphics and what they mean to a game in this new editorial. It is an age old debate that has fierce arguments on both sides. Read his take and then let your opinions be known.

It is said, that the first impression is the most important one - in real life. When you are looking for a new job, having a date or just want to leave a good impression, your outfit and appearance are quite important to impress people positively. Can the same be said about games? I think so and I will let you know why. Imagine you walk along the shelves in a game store and are looking for a new game to play. What do you see first? Normally the large and colorful boxes with many colorful pictures of the games inside. Now imagine you found a game that sounds remotely interesting. You pick up the box, check out the backside and look at the screenshots of the game. That is the first impression a game leaves and those are the few critical seconds a game has to convince you that it is worth buying. If the screenshots on the box look good, chances are high that you will at least read the text on the box to learn more about the features of the game. If the screenshots are not convincing right away, a game has little chance to otherwise convince the potential buyer of its content.

You can read his full article here.

trigger190

Graphics do matter, but I find it more important that a game looks and feels inviting, World of Warcraft does this right, in that game I dont really look at how sharp the textures are or how many polygons a model have, I rather look at how smooth the animations go and how the environments have been crafted.

I want immersive graphics, and if that means less polygons and less sharper textures I dont mind it at all.

Everquest 2 for example, has quite sharp textures, models have lots of polygons and all kind of features like bump mapping and shadows, but I dont find it as inviting and smooth-playing as World of Warcraft or City of Heroes.

spineshank

90% of the time graphics do not matter to me.  As long as i can see what i'm doing, and the graphics aren't so bad that they don't interfere with gameplay i'm fine.  Graphics are one of the last things i look at in an mmo.  I've never played a game where graphics are the reason i left.

First i look at gameplay and depth.  Then i look at customer service and the devs involvement in the community.  Next is community. 

I still play a lot of snes roleplaying games because i still enjoy them.  And their graphics are no where near current rpg's graphics.

I think some companies spend too much time on the graphics and slack on some of the other more important things.     

 

Herithius

Graphics and gameplay go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other and expect to succeed. The writer insinuates that all mmorpgs with great graphics have enjoyed strong success. This isn't always the case. An example is Lineage II. When it was released it touted the best graphics of a mmorpg to date. However, despite the graphics it didn't enjoy much success in NA or Europe. Why? Because the gameplay and content wasn't to the fans liking.

I will concede the fact that he is absolutely correct about the store shelf phenomenon. The diehard fanboys that follow a mmorpg via online forums consist of a very small amount who actually play the game at retail. The bulk are the ones that browse through the games in the various stores and their first impression are the screenshots and then, if they capture the interest, what the game is about.

When a fan enters a game with great graphics for the first time it is an immensely enjoyable experience as they explore the world. Mmorpgs though are meant to attract gamers for months if not years. If the mmorpg is lacking gameplay then graphics alone will not keep fans interested after a month or two.

For a 20-30 hour PC/console experience I want graphics. For a mmorpg that I play for months/years I want content and gameplay. Thats paramount. That being said... the game can't be an eyesore. While it doesn't have to be the best it has to be on par with other titles.

-Inferno-

Hi Herithius,

I also included in the editorial that games - once they have attracted the player - need to have strong gameplay, to be interesting in the longterm. It was an interesting topic to write about, since graphics was a big factor in all the games I've beta tested recently. One might even say that there are different types of gamers. Those who care a lot about the graphics and those who do not, but who care about the gameplay primarily.

Any MMORPG-related topics you would like me to write about in the future? Just let me know by email or PM here.

Regards,

Andree 'Inferno' Ehrig

Michke

I know I'm one of the minority players that doesn't care all that much about graphics. When I go to the store I read the description and look at the pictures after... However I do agree on the general view of the author. The masses look at graphics first and no matter how many times you have to bash on their heads when they are bored after 2 hours of play they will make the same mistake again and again. Thus the need for "good" graphical artists on any production.

The methods of propaganda used to defend the author's opinion would not convince me to review mine. I do realize the editorial is the an opinionated piece but writing opinion as fact as in the quote underneath is not the road to take. I have recently seen another article posted under the news section of this site that presented the same flaws.

[quote]

Games with good character models are EverQuest 2, World of Warcraft, Dark Age of Camelot, Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes, and others.

Games with ugly character models are Dark and Light - currently in Beta, Shadowbane, Irth Online, and others.

[/quote]

The above lists are purely the authors view and even if his view on "good character models" and "ugly character models" is to be respected, I surely don't share it with him.

darkaster

Nice artcile, my only gripe with it is that the screenshot used for World of Warcraft was a beta screen. The models used (especially for human females) have changed since then.

Flem

Graphics play a huge part on first impressions.

One reason i will never play WoW is because i think the graphics are crap, sure the gameplay may be fine but the first impression visually put me off it forever.

Now Age of Conan and LoTR Online look great which is why ill be watching these two titles closely.

Azarith

Little unfair using an old screen shot from early DnL beta. I do agree that they need upgrading and am sure that it will be something improved before the April release.

They have upgraded the graphics since E3. (DnL screen on article)

http://www.darkandlight.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=0
More recent screen.

Otherwise good article.

Dana

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Originally posted by Azarith
Little unfair using an old screen shot from early DnL beta. I do agree that they need upgrading and am sure that it will be something improved before the April release.They have upgraded the graphics since E3. (DnL screen on article)http://www.darkandlight.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=0
More recent screen.Otherwise good article.

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That screenshot is from this summer. Given how long Dark and Light has been along, that is not that long ago.

jackman1118

Sigh, once again a article that talks 90% about WoW. oh well, i guess thats the only thing people play now-a-days.

haz-fa

i dont think much to the chars in wow they all look the same have no unique identity which is important imo, if wow wasnt made by blizzard and been the warcraft chain it would have been nothing special.

diablo 2 was far better than that hyped kiddie game ;p

blizzard make diablo 3...u know u want to!

Azarith

Just saying that they have updated the engine since then. Need to edit above post of mine the screen was from E3 not from earlier beta test. December 8th we should start seeing a lot of new screen shots from the people who get into Settlers of Ganareth.

WoW is a very good looking game and I played it for some time. The end game I found to be very lacking and pvp was somewhat of a joke. Nothing more than a zerg fest. With battlegrounds we got Arathi that on my server never started because there were not enough horde willing most of the time. Warsong was just ctf. My vision of what battlegrounds were supposed to be did not involve playing friendly a friendly game of ctf with the horde.

As for the end game raiding and instances I found it to be too repetitive. At one point I ran Scholomance raids 2-4 times daily at about 2-2.5 hours a run for an entire month just to finish off my armor set. You do the same instances over and over and over only for a slightly better piece of armor. Eventually the content or lack of content is why I left.

Have some hopes for DnL and I really hope that they pull it off.

Scorpius

Interesting. Most of the games you listed as "good" games I only played for a few months before I got bored with them, while one you didn't even mention, but I feel would quite easily fit into your "bad" games due due to it's ancient graphics, I played for many years (Asherons Call 1) .

Graphics catch the eye and raise immediate interest, but if the game play is crap, or even just mediocre, you'll always feel the lack of it. I think most gamers have been caught out with a "sweet smelling tur*" at some stage or another and now I'm an "older gamer", I'm very cautious about "flash" looking games with unproven game play. I'd prefer to rely on the pedigree of the games developers or a review from a reviewer I trust and know their taste than pick up a game because it's "pretty".

To sum up, and borrowing from your "real life" analogies, who cares how good looking your girlfriend is if she's a total *itch...

theanimedude

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Originally posted by haz-fa
i dont think much to the chars in wow they all look the same have no unique identity which is important imo, if wow wasnt made by blizzard and been the warcraft chain it would have been nothing special.
diablo 2 was far better than that hyped kiddie game ;p
blizzard make diablo 3...u know u want to!

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No offense, but your comment was 100% false. Sure, I dont play World of Warcraft, but still.

If you look at the market World of Warcraft is one of the few games who offer hundreds of different armor choices, if not thousands, to choose from. Most games you see have one set of armor for each set of 5 levels (or something similar)

Sure, bash WoW for its popularity, but I think they did extremely well with their variety in appearances. Thats one of the only things that made me play the game when it came out...

-Inferno-

To be honest - I never played WoW, but I can judge its success based on its subscriber numbers and the general press echo It has definitely been the most successful western MMORPG to date and the graphics are imo quite nice for the title, since they fit perfectly into the style Warcraft has since Warcraft 3.

Phoenixs

Good article Describes me in a excellent way

Jade6

Choosing a game (or anything else for that matter) is just like choosing a date - outward appearance has to be at an acceptable level before we bother to look inside. Where the line goes varies from one person to another but the main thing is that after a certain point the graphics become less important, and content and gameplay become the main thing. Graphics don't have to be state of the art; they just have to be good enough.

Umm, excuse me? EQ2 has good character models? I have never seen uglier character models in my life.

hikariuk

I think graphics are a hook. A crap game with good graphics is still a crap game, all be it slightly more playable just because you have something nice to look at. You're still going to tire of it quickly, but it might take a bit longer. A game with slightly under par graphics can still be imensely playable, however it might lose players who are put off by the bad graphics and lack the patience to get into the gameplay. If the game is crap and the graphics are naff, then you're sunk.

But them I'm old and come from the time of the text adventure game; graphics were in your head - except for things like "Guild of Thieves" where you got some simple 16 colour pictures to look at - and Multiplayer meant playing with your friend helping you

OctopusVolcano

I like my games to look good. MMOs and RPGs more so than any other type of game. And i'll tell you why, because MMOs and RPGs are all about the experience and the atmosphere of your undertakings while playing your role.

For me gameplay should never be a visible element in a game where you play a role, let me explain. I play MMOs because i like to detach myself from my real life worries and commitments and play a rewarding intresting experience i can relate to. Gameplay is a part of this. Graphics are a part of this. Genre is as much a part of my gaming experience as gameplay and graphics, but is rarely mentioned because it is a property of a game that is solely personal preference based.

WoW for me was nothing special, it was/is tired and dated at release date, nothing new. What it did do extremely well was bring in a portion of the gaming community that had barelyplayed an MMO before. It appealed to the masses far more effectively than any other MMO so far, and it didn't do it through gameplay, because the gameplay is the same as the majority of MMO with a few tweaks to make it more easilly accessible. WoW is a great game to start with as your first MMO.

Ok i digress, i've strayed off topic a bit. WoW's looks, it's graphics. Are familiar, they are friendly visuals. The animation i personally thought was horrible, the number of frames in the animation was, for me, archaic and no better or worse than diablo2. WoWs graphical success shows in it's surroundings, the backdrops and atmosphere created in the areas you explore. It's ability to create a sense of wonder and involvement. There are a lot of games that do not do this. yes they have detailed landscapes and realistic trees etc. But they dont create an enjoyable atmospehere to be in. This is what WoW does best.

Gameplay. Tied closely with content. If anything has bee clarified in this thread, it's that after the initial draw, gameplay keeps you in a game. Not the graphics. For the first half or 2/3 of your MMO experience, gameplay is barely a factor, it can be simple, it can be mundane. What it needs to be for me, is evolving. If my gameplay options barely change thoughout my adventuring career, im going to feel less inclined to keep developing my character and progressing in the game. WoW's main gameplay progression is with it's equipment, many other games share this thesis. And i personally dont like it. A development based on aquiring itamz is fickle and ultimately flawed. because it essentially means that to further character development is a simple fact of increasing the number of items in the game. Not for me i'm afraid.

Countless games take this route and it is their downfall compared with the new titles that are up and coming in the next 6 months. The games on the horizon are heavilly focused on community and character development. Equipment is a factor but it isn't the focus. Gameplay is a double edge sword for me, because it can very easilly alienate your subscribers. The initial draw for a game being the visuals and the initial basic gameplay mechanics soon die out when the meat of the gameplay comes in halfway through your characters life. And it's nothing like what the gamer was expecting.

To summarise, visuals are important for the first half of the game and to hook the gamer before the meat of the gameplay kicks in. The initial basic concept of the gameplay is just as important but gamers are often content with a 'hack slash' approach to the first half of the game. Once the game really gets going the visuals are more or less forgotten and the gameplay is what keeps the player intrested. The most successful games for me are games that have gameplay that is dynamically evolved by the players themselves. This includes things such as base development in CoV, the tactics employed by guilds in Guild Wars. The RvR in DaoC, the continuing fight to keep your territory and gain symbols of respect and power from your opposition. Thats what keeps me in a game.

spacebot

If I'm going to spend hours looking  at my screen there better be something good on it.

I view any game with bad graphics(for it's time) as an ill made game. If the dev's can't make a good looking game what other areas did they skimp on?  

Yes, a great looking game can have ugly gameplay but I've found more ulgy games, with ugly gameplay, than pretty games with ugly gameplay. 

Tymora

I really like nice graphics.  I think it is important in mmorpgs.  I like to be immersived in the gameworld, and graphics are a large part of that.  Animations and the design of the models and environments are also key.  However, once I get into the game, they become less important I think.  Of course, I still appreciate them, and I like when a mmorpg is upgraded to more recent graphics technology as the game goes on, but I become more focused on the gameplay and community in the mmorpg more than the graphics.

Everquest II happens to be my favorite, first because I loved the original, second because it looks amazing, but now because I really enjoy the community on my server, and I still have lots of fun playing through quests, raids, crafting, and roleplaying, etc.  Graphics have litte to do with it anymore.

Unknown

To me, animations and frames per second count more than "looks". I hated the way characters jumped in EQ2 i.e. And another example is Quake3, the only thing i cared about and many others was if it felt good to play it. The way i play it, the walls just have different colours, the explosions from the rockets appear as triangles etc. I dont look at graphics at all, rather animations and how well it works and feels. And i dont buy games from a store by looking at the box, and you have to really look close to actually see whats on those screenshots. And imo, WoW has good graphics becouse the animations are awesome, and you can actually see that becouse most PCs can have really high FPS in WoW.

My answer to the topic is no, graphics do not make a game.

Phoenixs

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Originally posted by daudur
To me, animations and frames per second count more than "looks".

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That is all part of graphics. Graphics = Textures, art direction, performance, animation and basicly any other thing you look @ on the screen.

Roguewiz

I'm not going to lie, graphics matter to me to some extent.  Unless the game catches my eye with some really innovative idea in the game, or awesome graphics, I generally won't give the game a chance.

Ngeldu5t

Graphics does matter somekind of ways but it`s not the main point which attract me to a game,single or MMO.I don`t think games such as Baldur`s Gates was a success because of it`s graphics.Most games and MMOs rely on their graphics to impress the public but after 1 week in the game world the content seemed dumb.I`m interested in DDO and LOTRO because I like DD and I`m a  Tolkien addict (the books)first then came the graphics.