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"Are graphics becoming art?"

OK, so we all know that graphics don’t matter in games, that they don’t make them any better, and that they’re only there for Joe “Softcore” Public. Or are they?

Today, whilst storming ahead on Grand Valley II in GT3, it really hit home to me how important some graphics are (Bonus will know what’s I’m talking about). Anyone who has raced this course I think will agree with me that it IS beautiful. Not beautiful as in lots of lovely realistic polygons, but really, really beautiful, as in art. Picture this: Early afternoon sun glinting over a lightly wet road like golden honey, surrounded by lush greenery, a Mazda MX-5 driving along with not a soul in sight, headlights up and shining brightly, rounds the corner to a misty straight with trees as far as the eye can see. It is a really stirring image, one worthy of a digital art gallery, or at least my desktop. Now you know what I mean by beautiful. So, here’s my revised list of games with stunning graphics:

GT3
SSX
Star Wars StarFighter
Ridge Racer V
Escape from Monkey Island

So, no surprises in that list, apart from maybe Monkey 4. Anyone who’s played Guybrush’s latest adventure on the PS2 will agree that the graphics are a bit, well, shoddy. The characters are not as detailed as they could be, the animation’s jerky and the framerate’s a little low. All in all, it’s about the same standard as FF VIII. So why is it on the list? Well, I think you’ll all agree that the backdrops are stunning. Really, really, stunning. Whoever modelled them must have been really skilled and put a lot of effort into his art, and that’s what it is: Art. That’s why I believe videogame graphics are becoming more of an art form these days than they used to. With the power of next-gen consoles such as the PS2, GameCube and Xbox, artists and graphics designers can really let their imaginations flow and stir up some powerful images, without fear of being slated by critics. Forget “Advanced AI” and “Photo-realism”, I believe the future of gaming is moving away from realistic models and detailed backgrounds, and heading toward truly beautiful images, full of magnificence that stir the soul.

Nah, it's much more than an update. Graphics aside, it feels really different.

Originality isnt as importnat as gameplay, though. GT3 is just an update, yert it is a great game.

What about originality though, TW.

I'm not talking about GT1 2 & 3, as they are quite original in themselves and each one is very different. I mean games like FIFA, where each incarnation is just the same as the last with updated stats. Surely this total disregard for innovation lowers their score a little. Say FIFA 2000 (PSone) gets 8/10, now if that had been the very first FIFA game on the PSone (FIFA '95?) would it have got a higher score? Of course it would, as it's brand spanking new.

I think that graphics are 1/4 of the game.

Along with... gameplay, depth,lastability.

T_W

To me, graphics are quite an important part of a game, not the most important, but important never-the-less. And Gran Turismo 3 is a brilliant example. The graphics are absolutely stunning. I haven't raced on Grand Valley II yet, but I was very impressed by the new Tokyo race track and the all new Special Stage Route 5. Very impressive indeed.

When I race through this marvellous game, I sit there and wonder," what if the graphics were not as good, what if the developers had only spent 1 day on each car instead of one week," and things like that. What if this had happened? Would the game be treated the same way that it is now. Well I very much doubt we would look at it the same way, and those 95% scores that magazines and internet sites gave it might have been lower. If this had happened, then this topic would not have been the same, heck, this topic might not have happened, as GT3 was used as a prime example.

Imagine all of your best games, and make the graphics ten times worse. Would you still like it? There maybe some of you out there who will say yes, but I bet a majority say no. For games like Tetris graphics do not matter, but for games such as Gran Turismo 3, graphics are what helped it to be a success. Of course, it is mainly the gameplay and realism, but as I have already said, it may not have been treated the same way if the graphics just weren't as good.

Before games are released, and before we get to play demos and the like, the only thing we have to rely on, are what the games look like. It's what creates the hype, it's what makes us go 'ooh' and 'aah'. If the graphics were pants, then there wouldn't be any 'ooh's and aah's would there. Of course, just relying on the graphics would be foolish, but it is the graphics that play a vital role in getting the game noticed before it is released.

And the same goes for consoles as well. Let's take the Gamecube and Xbox for example. All we have to rely on for the moment are what the games look like. Nintendo fans and a lot of others are saying how good the graphics look and how stunning they are. So, the graphics of games play a vital role in the new consoles being noticed as well.

Graphics are imprortant. Now that consoles are more powerful, more time may be spent on them than is needed, but as long as the gameplay and the graphics are just as good as each other, than that is fine with me. And I think this is true with Gran Turismo 3, stunning gameplay and stunning graphics. A brilliant combination.

Turbonutter wrote:
> OK, so we all know that graphics don’t matter in games, that they
> don’t make them any better, and that they’re only there for Joe
> “Softcore” Public. Or are they?

Today, whilst storming ahead on
> Grand Valley II in GT3, it really hit home to me how important some
> graphics are (Bonus will know what’s I’m talking about). Anyone who
> has raced this course I think will agree with me that it IS
> beautiful. Not beautiful as in lots of lovely realistic polygons,
> but really, really beautiful, as in art. Picture this: Early
> afternoon sun glinting over a lightly wet road like golden honey,
> surrounded by lush greenery, a Mazda MX-5 driving along with not a
> soul in sight, headlights up and shining brightly, rounds the corner
> to a misty straight with trees as far as the eye can see. It is a
> really stirring image, one worthy of a digital art gallery, or at
> least my desktop. Now you know what I mean by beautiful. So, here’s
> my revised list of games with stunning graphics:

GT3
SSX
Star
> Wars StarFighter
Ridge Racer V
Escape from Monkey Island

So, no
> surprises in that list, apart from maybe Monkey 4. Anyone who’s
> played Guybrush’s latest adventure on the PS2 will agree that the
> graphics are a bit, well, shoddy. The characters are not as detailed
> as they could be, the animation’s jerky and the framerate’s a little
> low. All in all, it’s about the same standard as FF VIII. So why is
> it on the list? Well, I think you’ll all agree that the backdrops
> are stunning. Really, really, stunning. Whoever modelled them must
> have been really skilled and put a lot of effort into his art, and
> that’s what it is: Art. That’s why I believe videogame graphics are
> becoming more of an art form these days than they used to. With the
> power of next-gen consoles such as the PS2, GameCube and Xbox,
> artists and graphics designers can really let their imaginations
> flow and stir up some powerful images, without fear of being slated
> by critics. Forget “Advanced AI” and “Photo-realism”, I believe the
> future of gaming is moving away from realistic models and detailed
> backgrounds, and heading toward truly beautiful images, full of
> magnificence that stir the soul.

Good post Turbo.

> future of gaming is moving away from realistic models and detailed
> backgrounds, and heading toward truly beautiful images, full of
> magnificence that stir the soul.

I dont understand because the scenes you talk of do exist in real life (where the track ideas come from no less) so would it not be better to get it as close to the real thing as possible?
True, video games can provide a way for us to see something we may never in real life and experience it better than if we were to see it on tv i.e be part of teh action like the person actually driving the car through the forest even if it is Artifically Created etc

We sometimes forget because we live in england but there are some truly stunning sights in real life that could never truly be created even through photo realism because its just not the same.
Niagra falls is a place ive allways wanted to visit and will if its the last thing i do before i die.
But to capture teh feel and teh atmosphere and the sheer power of it in a computer game will be impossible until were in the MATRIX age of computers.

As for are graphica art.
As in paintings, game visuals are an artists interpretation of what he sees or imagines it to be.

Does any of this make sense ideas and me commiting themn to word dont go well

The day games are considered an art form will be a bad day. Many games have stunninh CG scenes and an unbelievable amout of good looking graphics, but as long as they are incorporated to push boundaries and enhance the gaming experience then fair enough. Game have to concentrate on the gameplay first and foremost, and of the games mentioned they are good games before they are good looking.

There will be a totally seperate market for computer art, but lets just leave the games industry as is. I want to play games, if they look good to go along with a good game, then that makes it all the better, but a game doesn't need good graphics to be a good game, and what we class as good graphics now will look quite basic and poor in five years time, but art is diferent than that. A good picture will always be a good picture, because it is natural, not synthesised, and not down to a limitation in the power of a machine.

No doubt games will continue to look better and better, and more and more people will look to computers to create art, but I'll be happy with games.

Photo-Realism WILL hit games soon. But I think you have a point TBN. As in any graphical technique, game graphics ARE a form of art. You just need a graphics programmer working on that game, that wishes to make the graphics into art.

On the subject, what if, after another year say, Sony give us a nice disc with screen shots and short clips called the PS2 art Gallery, with loads of images like TBN is talking about?

that last world was supposed to be gameplay.