Would you be content if graphics stopped improving?

[Vamp]

I remember when I played F.E.A.R and Half Life 2 I thought to myself. "Wow. I'd be perfectly happy if developers stopped improving graphics in games, from this point on, and rather concentrated on cinematic storytelling and unique gameplay."

Would you agree? In this respect, PC upgrades wouldn't be so necessary and gaming could become more universal. I've found that when a game is really good, and the graphics are even just decent, you can lose yourself in it.

Have we reached a point in visuals, where a consistent level of quality wont detract from the immersion of gaming?

[delimare]

I could agree with this. I was more than happy with HL2. Luckily it has the visuals and the great gameplay. Most games these days lack great content and gameplay while they focus on super duper graphics that are not optimized properly and need a super computer to run.

[Kaine]

I think a constant improvement in both graphics and AI will always draw gamers back to their PCs.

From my personal experience, when I picked up Oblivion, after playing Guild Wars for two years, I got completely immersed in the graphics. It is just so beautiful! I don't like lack of originality (appearance) in characters, though.

However, speaking from second-hand experience, I know my brother is always excited about the next game, such as Crysis; partly because of graphics, but mostly about the improved AI.

So, to sum things up I think both graphics and overall experience, such as AI and the plot, need constant improvement to keep gamers interested. Graphics needs to be improved to catch the eye, and plot immersion to reel them in.

I mean, if games are all the same graphically, people will become (for lack of a better word) desensitized and will accept the graphic level as norm. Next gen games need improved graphics so gamers do not feel fulfilled with the games they have. It called effective consumerism.

[Bucktoof]

Naahhh, I think once a new game, perhaps for ps3 when developers use the systems full potential, that shows you something slightly better, you'll realize you want more

HL2 had so much to offer, but playing it you still realize certain things. Can you imagine a game where absolutely EVERYTHING in the game could be manipulated? I mean like in an FPS for example, if you shot any part of a building with a powerful weapon, the wall would collapse differently?

In all games, if you shoot buildings with rocket launchers even, you never destroy them right? Imagine being able to destroy everything? Just an example, not that I'm a freak, haha, I'm just saying that games can become more real than they are now.

[SirGray]

Im greedy

[JordoR]

I'm actually perfectly content with the graphics in games today. I mean, sure if something groundbreaking came out that was just insane graphics, id love to see it and consider getting it. But I'm happy with the graphics in todays game. I think developers should concern themselves with making a solid game than just making a flashy game with good graphics and not much of anything else. We seem to be getting a lot of those these days.

[NIB]

Games enable you to escape your daily life and offer you an alternative experience. That experience is greatly improved by the visuals and sound. Graphics are as part of the game as gameplay is.

People who are responsible for the graphics of a game, are different from the ones who are responsible for the gameplay. So it wouldnt make much difference anyway. Especially since hardware is evolving so fast. It would be stupid to stop evolving the graphics, since we can. And graphics are as part of the gaming experience as gameplay.

Take a look at cars. Cars evolved(and still evolve) far far slower than pc hardware. Yet, a modern car(mitsubishi evo) can be faster around a tracker than a racing/super car from the 80s. That is insane and shows how much we have improved since then. And we havent improved speed by sacrificing handling, comfort or safety, we improved those too at the same time.

I suggest you should come back and read your post in 10 years time. Then you will see how wrong you were.

I think the main problem with current games is the interface. That's why wii is so successful. Even though wii's interface isnt that efficient(compared to a joypad/mouse), it's a step towards the right direction i think. We need to invent the damn plug from Matrix so that we can plug in and enjoy kickass games .

Gameplay, graphics, sound and generally pretty much all aspects of gaming have been improved in the last few decades. Yet the interface remains the same. And that's not because it is good but because it wasnt as important. But fortunately, wii will open the eyes of the industry and things will move forward.

But i still think wii is a bad console, because it is overpriced and because it tries to persuade people that "It is ok if your graphics suck. That means that you spent more effort improving the gameplay", which is BULLSHIT.

[Busyman™]

But i still think wii is a bad console, because it is overpriced and because it tries to persuade people that "It is ok if your graphics suck. That means that you spent more effort improving the gameplay", which is BULLSHIT.

I've said similar things before.

The difference between a Wii and Gamecube is basically a new controller.

The controller could've just been added to the GC.

The Wii games are fun as fuck but really only in a party setting.

I think the Wii is a worse buy than the PS3 and 360.

[Snee]

I'd like to see some more diversity in how advanced graphics are in games.

On one hand I like it when something new comes along and surprises me by looking really pretty, but on the other hand I like retro stuff too. And I really dig the graphics in Alien Shooter Vengeance. And I really don't mind not having to upgrade all the time.

[Cheese]

The Wii, and its runaway success story, is a sign for the good that people want more from games than just good graphics, it's easily the most innovative console to come out for a long time and hopefully the game makers will start really innovating the things they can do with the controllers.

And there are games out there that are hugely popular that don't rely on uber-graphics. Civilization, Sims, Football Manager, etc.

I like good graphics as well and I look forward to the DX10 games when they come out. I'm sure Crysis is going to look great on a high-end PC (not any of the consoles of course they're either not powerful enough or it'll look like shit on them) but I'm more excited by the interesting gaming prospects like Spore and Wii.

Even with the best graphics a crap game is well...crap. Personally, if a game is good (like say STALKER with its hawt AI) I stop noticing that my character's individual hair strands aren't rendered or that AA isn't set to 16x or that water isn't really realistic.