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With increasingly powerful processors being able to cope with more and more realistic graphics such as those shown in Shenmue, one question arises. Should power be used in this way? I remember the days of gaming when almost every game was fantasy based- from Zelda to Phantasy Star. So why the sudden shift in games towards mmore realistic graphics and game-play? The answer is that it attracts gamers to buy a particular game. After all, would most people rather buy the superb Final Fantasy 8 that has amazingly realistic graphics, or the big-headed manga style sequal. Remember, a majority of gamers are newbies, and buy games based on what their friends have said and how good the games look.
But now people are settling down. It has become harder and harder to find a good game. Look for a racing game and all you see is titles that offer "the most realist graphics ever seen". So what? I for one would love to see an increase of the number of fantasy games. The reason is that they can have wide ranging story lines that don't need to comply with real life. The whole game is driven by great story and game-play rather than simply around graphics alone. There are very few producers who have done this, but one good example is GT3/GT2000 that was built solely around playability, and then the graphics were improved. If more developers did this, gaming would be a much better place.
Rav
But now people are settling down. It has become harder and harder to find a good game. Look for a racing game and all you see is titles that offer "the most realist graphics ever seen". So what? I for one would love to see an increase of the number of fantasy games. The reason is that they can have wide ranging story lines that don't need to comply with real life. The whole game is driven by great story and game-play rather than simply around graphics alone. There are very few producers who have done this, but one good example is GT3/GT2000 that was built solely around playability, and then the graphics were improved. If more developers did this, gaming would be a much better place.
Rav
With increasingly powerful processors being able to cope with more and more realistic graphics such as those shown in Shenmue, one question arises. Should power be used in this way? I remember the days of gaming when almost every game was fantasy based- from Zelda to Phantasy Star. So why the sudden shift in games towards mmore realistic graphics and game-play? The answer is that it attracts gamers to buy a particular game. After all, would most people rather buy the superb Final Fantasy 8 that has amazingly realistic graphics, or the big-headed manga style sequal. Remember, a majority of gamers are newbies, and buy games based on what their friends have said and how good the games look.
But now people are settling down. It has become harder and harder to find a good game. Look for a racing game and all you see is titles that offer "the most realist graphics ever seen". So what? I for one would love to see an increase of the number of fantasy games. The reason is that they can have wide ranging story lines that don't need to comply with real life. The whole game is driven by great story and game-play rather than simply around graphics alone. There are very few producers who have done this, but one good example is GT3/GT2000 that was built solely around playability, and then the graphics were improved. If more developers did this, gaming would be a much better place.
Rav
But now people are settling down. It has become harder and harder to find a good game. Look for a racing game and all you see is titles that offer "the most realist graphics ever seen". So what? I for one would love to see an increase of the number of fantasy games. The reason is that they can have wide ranging story lines that don't need to comply with real life. The whole game is driven by great story and game-play rather than simply around graphics alone. There are very few producers who have done this, but one good example is GT3/GT2000 that was built solely around playability, and then the graphics were improved. If more developers did this, gaming would be a much better place.
Rav
Rav we've already said it again and again, think of something new for a change.
I think any gamer would sacrifice realism for better gameplay. It doesnt matter how realistic a game is, if it doesnt play well or if it isnt enjoyable, it is not worth playing.
I was reading about this new game in production for PS2 and PC called 'Max Paynne', anyone heard of this? It looks incredible, so life like and everyone was praising it for its realism, but there wasnt a word about the way it played. The fact that every character is built up of over thousands of polygons, realistic facial features, and the most realistic looks the world has ever seen doesnt match good gameplay.
Games will just keep getting better and better in terms of realism but if thats all they have to offer then they wont get far.
I was reading about this new game in production for PS2 and PC called 'Max Paynne', anyone heard of this? It looks incredible, so life like and everyone was praising it for its realism, but there wasnt a word about the way it played. The fact that every character is built up of over thousands of polygons, realistic facial features, and the most realistic looks the world has ever seen doesnt match good gameplay.
Games will just keep getting better and better in terms of realism but if thats all they have to offer then they wont get far.
I think the issue here is where kiddieness gets confused with cartoony graphics.
Basically, it can be hard to take a game seriously when it has all the realism of an episode of the tweenies, so life-like graphics become realer, giving the game a more adult appeal. But from this realism in graphics, a desire for realism in gameplay is born, and all is lost...
I never brought mario golf on accout of the realism issue, and have been stuck with the seriously shoddy wailailailail...(never stop spelling it!) country club golf, which lies protected from the months of dust only by armourines on the floor someplace.
Today I had a spin on my friends mario tennis, and my stereotypes were taken to school.
How much is mario golf?
Of course, you have to consider that it is sometimes a question of getting to do what you never could in the real world, ie, save the world, beat schumacher and finish under par, which is a shame, cos it would have been a good point to stop typing back up there...
Basically, it can be hard to take a game seriously when it has all the realism of an episode of the tweenies, so life-like graphics become realer, giving the game a more adult appeal. But from this realism in graphics, a desire for realism in gameplay is born, and all is lost...
I never brought mario golf on accout of the realism issue, and have been stuck with the seriously shoddy wailailailail...(never stop spelling it!) country club golf, which lies protected from the months of dust only by armourines on the floor someplace.
Today I had a spin on my friends mario tennis, and my stereotypes were taken to school.
How much is mario golf?
Of course, you have to consider that it is sometimes a question of getting to do what you never could in the real world, ie, save the world, beat schumacher and finish under par, which is a shame, cos it would have been a good point to stop typing back up there...