For the Love of Graphics

[Ashley Schovitz]

:heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

Videogames can be adored for their awesome artwork, whether its the box art, complimentary art, or in game graphics, any of us can just sit back and aodre it. The question is here what game has your favorite in each of these categories and also which one do you seem to pay attention to the most?

Box Art:

Disc or cartridge cover:

book art, complimentary art:

In game graphics:


For me It goes
FFXII Collector's edition and Dragon Quest VIII these are obviously magnificent, but I just can't decide between the two. FFXII's case is so cold and hard

FFX-2 I love that pose with Yuna holding her pitols

The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask It just has some amazing shadowing and texture to me

and Okami for it's unique Japanese brushwork, no other game looks so good even a next-gen.

[Araciel]

as long as i know what i'm supposed to be looking at (since the days of NES) i'm happy. if the game is fun, it can look like stick people to me, i don't care. that's not to say that i don't appreciate graphics, they're just not my priority when i play games.

[Tavrobel]

Graphics equals fail. If I wanted to not use my imagination and have other people think for me, I would start wrapping my Christmas presents with shiny paper, and give people air in a box. More packaging does not mean better.

[scrumpleberry]

I think graphics are important.

I know this may seem superficial, but if a thing is aesthetically pleasing, I tend to like it more - books, clothes, games, even animals, yes, even people.

Of course I know that looks aren't the most important think in the world, and because someone is cute it doesn't mean they aren't a serial killer, but the way something looks is an important part of what it is. Actually, charisma in the way you come across to other people is probably more important than what you actually look like, but I'm staring to ramble now, so I'll shut up.

Like music, graphics are important, even if they don't make a good game.

Edit: I also like looking at character artses.

[Ashley Schovitz]

Graphics equals fail. If I wanted to not use my imagination and have other people think for me, I would start wrapping my Christmas presents with shiny paper, and give people air in a box. More packaging does not mean better.

How are graphics supposed to equal fail. As far as I know the games are put more effort in their graphics engine to be better than a lot of those that don't for example plenty of licensed games. Example of games that do well with hi quality level of graphics, FF games, DQVIII, RE4, Gears of War, Halo 3 certainly will do well along with GTAIV, and Resistance Fall of Man. it seems to me that when developers put forth more into the graphics of a game, most ultimately the rest of the game will be quite as good also.

[Nifleheim7]

Graphics are a very important aspect in game development,as is everything else in a game.A good game is a well ballanced one.
So yes,i like my games looking good (but what looks good is totally subjective...)
Out of those art categories you mention,in-game art is the most important to me.

[Tavrobel]

How are graphics supposed to equal fail.

Graphics should never be used as the selling point of games. Just because you can animate something doesn't always mean that the game is good. It's like wrapping a present in a big box and with shiny wrapping paper. Okay, so there's Carbon Monoxide in the box and not anything else, but the wrapper looks so cool! Smart call, Einstein.


As far as I know the games are put more effort in their graphics engine to be better than a lot of those that don't for example plenty of licensed games.

That's only as far as you know.


Example of games that do well with hi quality level of graphics, FF

Now I know I can't listen to you. I, II, IIIj, IV, V, VI. You could throw in FFVII in there, simply because it was revolutionary, but walking blocks of pixelated, uncoordinated, chicken nuggets is not my idea of good graphics. You could technically throw out FFVI, because compared to the SNES times, it was what one could consider ahead of the others. The older generation is overall better than the newer generation.


... Gears of War, Halo 3, GTAIV, and Resistance: Fall of Man.

First person shooters don't count. It's all they've got. I appreciate the blood splattering, but it doesn't add anything to the game.


it seems to me that when developers put forth more into the graphics of a game, most ultimately the rest of the game will be quite as good also.

Not always true. There are a number of good games that don't have high quality graphics (Eg: Starcraft), and a number of poor games where the emphasis on graphics is held to be of high accord (Eg: FFXII). The effort and time to generate an image is entirely different from the effort needed to create a working game that has entertainment value.

I would've guessed that you would have caught on by now that graphics don't make the game. It's nice to see "LOL YOUR HEAD GOES BOOM" in a dramatic and bright fashion, but if that's all the game is, what's the point? Makes it no different from an interactive movie. The more a person can get involved in a game, the better. God forbid that I might want to use my own imagination for something. Because, Ohh Em Ef Gee, that would be a crime, because thinking for yourself is a crime.

[Spammerman]

For me, gaming is likedating. I want to be with someone good looking, also a good personality, which is = to Good graphics and gameplay quality.

[Ashley Schovitz]

How are graphics supposed to equal fail.

Graphics should never be used as the selling point of games. Just because you can animate something doesn't always mean that the game is good. It's like wrapping a present in a big box and with shiny wrapping paper. Okay, so there's Carbon Monoxide in the box and not anything else, but the wrapper looks so cool! Smart call, Einstein.


As far as I know the games are put more effort in their graphics engine to be better than a lot of those that don't for example plenty of licensed games.

That's only as far as you know.


Example of games that do well with hi quality level of graphics, FF

Now I know I can't listen to you. I, II, IIIj, IV, V, VI. You could throw in FFVII in there, simply because it was revolutionary, but walking blocks of pixelated, uncoordinated, chicken nuggets is not my idea of good graphics. You could technically throw out FFVI, because compared to the SNES times, it was what one could consider ahead of the others. The older generation is overall better than the newer generation.


... Gears of War, Halo 3, GTAIV, and Resistance: Fall of Man.

First person shooters don't count. It's all they've got. I appreciate the blood splattering, but it doesn't add anything to the game.


it seems to me that when developers put forth more into the graphics of a game, most ultimately the rest of the game will be quite as good also.

Not always true. There are a number of good games that don't have high quality graphics (Eg: Starcraft), and a number of poor games where the emphasis on graphics is held to be of high accord (Eg: FFXII). The effort and time to generate an image is entirely different from the effort needed to create a working game that has entertainment value.

I would've guessed that you would have caught on by now that graphics don't make the game. It's nice to see "LOL YOUR HEAD GOES BOOM" in a dramatic and bright fashion, but if that's all the game is, what's the point? Makes it no different from an interactive movie. The more a person can get involved in a game, the better. God forbid that I might want to use my own imagination for something. Because, Ohh Em Ef Gee, that would be a crime, because thinking for yourself is a crime.

Did I say that graphics make the game? No,but they implement and further engage the experience and at the time FFFVII did have some good graphics. I was showing examples of how the ones that put more effort in graphics are good if I said it was true of those that dopn't have good graphics I would've made examples. You're saying that if a game has good graphics it makes it bad, which is complete nonsense.

[Maxico]

Graphics equals fail. If I wanted to not use my imagination and have other people think for me, I would start wrapping my Christmas presents with shiny paper, and give people air in a box. More packaging does not mean better.

That's a hugely stupid, blanket opinion. If you really care that much about using you animation, then playing any video game of any kind is "having other people think for [you]". Also, horrible obnoxious internet grammar.

Games with amazing artwork can create a stunning visual experience, with amazing games like Shadow of the Colossus and Odin Sphere in which would not work nearly as well without the amazing art supporting it.

Shadow of the Colossus in particular. The game was designed by an illustrator and as a result it's pretty much an illustration in video game form, and all the better for it.

To say that something that looks nice is "having other people think for [you]", is to :skull::skull::skull::skull: over hundreds of years of artistic achievment.

EDIT: Word filter, doy.

[yanis]

I like games with good graphics, but I could play a game with bad graphics too, like with lego characters in FF7, but I think there are many who love graphics more than the game itself so they want remakes...not that all the remakes are bad and there are good games with good graphics too!!!
EDIT: ...and I don't care about box arts, covers...I download my games anyway!:bgl:

[Larahl]

I don't care if the graphics are the best of it's generation, or technology better.
I just want the developers do something original and unique (Killer7 or Okami for example) I'm tired of the same old graphics.

[Rengori]

Unless the graphics make the game difficult to play, than I really don't give a damn.

[ZeZipster]

I totally play games based on their box art because it's not like I'm gonna play the game I'm just gonna stare at the box.

[Fatal Impurity]

I like something pretty to look at, take FF10 for example when i first bought that i thought it was the most beautiful piece of software i'd ever laid eyes on. For a while this engaged me to a point, when a year later i saw through the beauty and saw what a soulless crappy game it was. My point is that graphics tug you in and engage you whilst gameplay keeps you engaged forever. Afterall FF10-2 is also a prime example of prettyness/sex appeal and game play soul crushing.

[Jessweeee♪]

Good graphics are awesome n.n

That's not to say that a game with horrible graphics is equally horrible, or that a game with good graphics is good just because of that, but I do enjoy good graphics n.n

Box Art:
Threads of Fate

Disc or cartridge cover:
FFX-2

book art, complimentary art:
FFXII

In game graphics:
FFXII (just absolutely gorgeous)

[Rostum]

I absolutely love everything to do with art in video games. From the development of concept art all the way through until the final product of CG cut scenes and in-game graphics. This is also true for movies.

It's absolutely amazing what people can do; it's an extremely hard thing to do. Especially when you talk about teams collaborating together to create that final product.

In saying that, game play also has a huge impact on how much I'd enjoy it, aside from the graphics. I think they both go hand-in-hand.

Yanis: You suck, go buy the games. People put a lot of hard work into them for your entertainment.

[yanis]

Omecle, I know how much work is put to make any game even a bad one and I really appreciate it and like I said I like good graphics and the artwork. When I see that I think no one should hate any game...Anyway, I can't have everything...so I have to make what I can to play the games I like...

Actually I make my own covers for the games I download!:D

[Spammerman]

Graphics equals fail. If I wanted to not use my imagination and have other people think for me, I would start wrapping my Christmas presents with shiny paper, and give people air in a box. More packaging does not mean better.You never know.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/bloodhunter11/brucelee.jpg

[Bolivar]

lol i love how every now and then the disgruntled SNES crowd starts acting like good graphics is actually a BAD, terrible thing.

Game's have gotten better over the years. Better music, gameplay, directing, storytelling, writing, and oh yeah, graphics. Deal with it. Of course, that doesn't mean that alot of trash isn't coming out today - it is. But there was alot of trash coming out back then, too, it's only the good games like VI and Chrono Trigger that survived. And if you remember, in those games there's alot of parts of the story where you don't control any characters. Those scenes just look alot better now.

But the one aspect that always seperated FF from the rest of its competitors, ironically, was its detailed in-battle graphics.

So yeah, graphics matter, but I play a game to play a game. Though I do prefer better graphics, gameplay, music, directing, etc.

[Rostum]

Omecle, I know how much work is put to make any game even a bad one and I really appreciate it and like I said I like good graphics and the artwork. When I see that I think no one should hate any game...Anyway, I can't have everything...so I have to make what I can to play the games I like...

Actually I make my own covers for the games I download!:D

Nothing you've said justifies stealing their hard earned work.

[Markus. D]

Graphics are always nice though ^^

I prefer the Music, Story and gameplay over it though.

[yanis]

Omecle, I know how much work is put to make any game even a bad one and I really appreciate it and like I said I like good graphics and the artwork. When I see that I think no one should hate any game...Anyway, I can't have everything...so I have to make what I can to play the games I like...

Actually I make my own covers for the games I download!:D

Nothing you've said justifies stealing their hard earned work.

Whatever I say won't help anyone...I'll just earn the title of a pirate! I'm just a big part of that share of Robin Hoods, who really steal and I'm just taking what they're giving me, so that makes me one of them! It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the developer's work. I think it's the only way for me to really appreciate it...

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

Graphics are important but so are game play and the plot. If the latter two suck, then no amount of graphics can cure that for me.

[escobert]

Well since I play Guild Wars the most of any game, I have to same in game graphics. The game is so amzingly beautiful. Everywhere you go you see something stunning. Today while mapping the desert I found a HUGE statue that had fallen and was really cool. Or while on the coast I found a nice view of a castle on a cliff in the distance.

[Mr.SimpleandClean]

People love Halo, but to me, it has the worst graphics I have ever seen in all my life...and thats comparing it to Playstation(1) games

[Odaisé Gaelach]

I think that art direction and lighting effects are more important than a high poly count. I see footage of Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid 4 and I can't help but think "That looks a little grey, doesn't it? That looks very yellow..." It doesn't really impress me because even though Gears of War is set in a wartorn wasteland, surely there has to be some colour in there - apart from blood red. Metal Gear Solid 4 is set in the Middle East, but surely there has to be a piece of purple or pink cloth in there...

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl really stood out to me because even though it's set around the Chernobyl NPP it's not all bleak industrial greys. There is plenty of colour and effects to amaze you - even in the underground labs. Throw a bolt in an electricity anomaly and the whole tunnel will be illuminated with a burst of electric blue light. Shine a flashlight into a metal grid and you can see the shadows criss-cross on the walls behind. Peg a grenade and it explodes and casts shadows all over the place for a brief split second. Even in one of the most toxic places on earth the noon sky is bright blue and the grass is green. During Blowout everything turns red - and all hell is going to break loose.

[Fatal Impurity]

I think that art direction and lighting effects are more important than a high poly count. I see footage of Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid 4 and I can't help but think "That looks a little grey, doesn't it? That looks very yellow..." It doesn't really impress me because even though Gears of War is set in a wartorn wasteland, surely there has to be some colour in there - apart from blood red. Metal Gear Solid 4 is set in the Middle East, but surely there has to be a piece of purple or pink cloth in there...

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl really stood out to me because even though it's set around the Chernobyl NPP it's not all bleak industrial greys. There is plenty of colour and effects to amaze you - even in the underground labs. Throw a bolt in an electricity anomaly and the whole tunnel will be illuminated with a burst of electric blue light. Shine a flashlight into a metal grid and you can see the shadows criss-cross on the walls behind. Peg a grenade and it explodes and casts shadows all over the place for a brief split second. Even in one of the most toxic places on earth the noon sky is bright blue and the grass is green. During Blowout everything turns red - and all hell is going to break loose.

I agree some games are too much of one colour, but that might actually be an effect done on perpose to set a theme or atmosphere a good example of this the film Sleepy Hollow (i know it's not a game but these day's games and movies has simaler development processes and directorship) as the film was done with a blue lens to give it that creepy atmosphere...

But then you also get your setting that effect's the realism of the presence of colour...afterall a desert hardly has anything at all nevermind a brightly coloured plant or piece of cloth! A good example of this "realism" is Red Faction, this game is set on Mars, thus it is largely red in colour...but that's waht you'd expect of a mining colony on a red planet right?

[darksword12]

Far too many people look only at a games graphics, and nothing else. It's their only concern. These are the same people who continually dis classic games because they aren't the latest technology. I agree with what Fatal Impurity said, and I think that people like this will never truly enjoy a video game.

[Odaisé Gaelach]

But then you also get your setting that effect's the realism of the presence of colour...afterall a desert hardly has anything at all nevermind a brightly coloured plant or piece of cloth! A good example of this "realism" is Red Faction, this game is set on Mars, thus it is largely red in colour...but that's waht you'd expect of a mining colony on a red planet right?

Oh, it's not just the setting that I'm moaning talking about. I understand your point, when you reach the Chernobyl NPP, the buildings are grey, the sky is overcast, and overall it's a very bleak place.

But I mean, surely there should be some colour in the game. Reactor 3 and 4's cooling tower is still red and white. A burning helicopter is bright orange and yellow. The grass around the sarcophagus is still green. People wear green uniforms.

I can understand the dusty yellow hue of Metal Gear Solid 4, but it can't be all yellow buildings and ground - especially inside the buildings (some art decor please? ;)). And a yellow sky as well?

[Fatal Impurity]

But then you also get your setting that effect's the realism of the presence of colour...afterall a desert hardly has anything at all nevermind a brightly coloured plant or piece of cloth! A good example of this "realism" is Red Faction, this game is set on Mars, thus it is largely red in colour...but that's waht you'd expect of a mining colony on a red planet right?

Oh, it's not just the setting that I'm moaning talking about. I understand your point, when you reach the Chernobyl NPP, the buildings are grey, the sky is overcast, and overall it's a very bleak place.

But I mean, surely there should be some colour in the game. Reactor 3 and 4's cooling tower is still red and white. A burning helicopter is bright orange and yellow. The grass around the sarcophagus is still green. People wear green uniforms.

I can understand the dusty yellow hue of Metal Gear Solid 4, but it can't be all yellow buildings and ground - especially inside the buildings (some art decor please? ;)). And a yellow sky as well?

Your absolutely right but i mean in times of war the sky is usually filled with sand and a million different chemicals, plus deserty places like the middle east often if not most of the time have sand storm's which can generally make the sky look sandy and yellow...but yeah i would like to see more games with varience with colour. In fact maybe this the exact reason why so many quirky Jap games (such as anime beat em ups/puzzlers etc) are getting more popular outside of Japan (Katamari Damacy is one good example of this) and this is because of the their bright vibrance and large pallette of coulours. It's quite obvious that people are appriciating colour as a component of games much like art does and therefore these games (which before we're considered daft or garish colour wise) are being considered fun visually.

Maybe it's time for the game companies to adopt a new art direction with games, instead of going for the drab "over-realism" they have been doing over the last few years maybe they would be re-introducing colour into games, giving them brilliant colour yet decent graphics like classics like Crono Trigger did in their time!

[Nifleheim7]

As long as there are gamers with different tastes,there will be games with different visual styles.
I would hate it if ALL games looked like Gears of War,Final Fantasy or any other game that is popular for it's graphics...

[Rostum]

I will definitely agree that developers in general really need to take larger risks in terms of art direction and development.

[Nominus Experse]

One word: Myst.

[Slothy]

Far too many people look only at a games graphics, and nothing else. It's their only concern. These are the same people who continually dis classic games because they aren't the latest technology. I agree with what Fatal Impurity said, and I think that people like this will never truly enjoy a video game.

I think people with this opinion are probably far more pervasive in gaming society than people who actually focus only on graphics. Seriously, for all the talk of most people being focused only on graphics I don't actually see a lot of it, ever. It usually seems that if someone just likes the 360 or the PS3 over the Wii or something along those lines they get labeled as someone who likes graphics over gameplay whether it's true or not.

Back on topic; in game graphics are what I pay attention to the most, but it always annoys me when a great game, with great art direction has terrible box and interior art, especially when I find out that the Japanese and European box art was better. I'm looking at you Ico! *shakes fist*

[ReloadPsi]

If I'm gonna go ga ga for anything graphical (quite rare) it's usually box art (also quite rare).

[Fatal Impurity]

Far too many people look only at a games graphics, and nothing else. It's their only concern. These are the same people who continually dis classic games because they aren't the latest technology. I agree with what Fatal Impurity said, and I think that people like this will never truly enjoy a video game.

I think people with this opinion are probably far more pervasive in gaming society than people who actually focus only on graphics. Seriously, for all the talk of most people being focused only on graphics I don't actually see a lot of it, ever. It usually seems that if someone just likes the 360 or the PS3 over the Wii or something along those lines they get labeled as someone who likes graphics over gameplay whether it's true or not.

Back on topic; in game graphics are what I pay attention to the most, but it always annoys me when a great game, with great art direction has terrible box and interior art, especially when I find out that the Japanese and European box art was better. I'm looking at you Ico! *shakes fist*

The FF's are also a prime example of this, the in game graphics are always top of the range (for their time) but the european boxart is always a plain white background with a simple title whilst the North American boxart is always something brilliant with full colour and displays the characters!

[Slothy]

The FF's are also a prime example of this, the in game graphics are always top of the range (for their time) but the european boxart is always a plain white background with a simple title whilst the North American boxart is always something brilliant with full colour and displays the characters!

Call me crazy, but I think I'd actually prefer a plain white background with the current FF's logo to the box art we get in North America. I'd kind of like the simplicity of it, particularly the showcasing of Amano's logo design, as opposed to just pictures of the characters or something. I'd say the FFXII Collector's Edition was my favourite box art in the series so far, with the possible exception of the FF Anthology box art (an Amano drawing of Terra in Magitech armour. I'm too big an Amano fan to not love it).

[scrumpleberry]

Well since I play Guild Wars the most of any game, I have to same in game graphics. The game is so amzingly beautiful. Everywhere you go you see something stunning. Today while mapping the desert I found a HUGE statue that had fallen and was really cool. Or while on the coast I found a nice view of a castle on a cliff in the distance.

Guild Wars does have incredible graphics.

Also, graphics are good if they push the machine to the best it can possibly do - like CT and VI.

[Fatal Impurity]

The FF's are also a prime example of this, the in game graphics are always top of the range (for their time) but the european boxart is always a plain white background with a simple title whilst the North American boxart is always something brilliant with full colour and displays the characters!

Call me crazy, but I think I'd actually prefer a plain white background with the current FF's logo to the box art we get in North America. I'd kind of like the simplicity of it, particularly the showcasing of Amano's logo design, as opposed to just pictures of the characters or something. I'd say the FFXII Collector's Edition was my favourite box art in the series so far, with the possible exception of the FF Anthology box art (an Amano drawing of Terra in Magitech armour. I'm too big an Amano fan to not love it).

I can see where your coming from but i mean it can of wore thin with me after FF7...because the case on the american cover with the backview of Cloud with his Buster Sword was so damn cool that i was cursing Square that us Brits had to have the plain boxart that we did end up having...

Another time when the American boxart was much cooler than the European/Japanese was with FF9 that had some damn cool artwork...

Anyway if you like it like that then fair enough that's your preference but i MUCH prefer the American covers!

[Raebus]

American Covers = Awful. Too many images are used, "OMGZ, LOTS OF IMAGES TO KEEP MY ATTENTION, LOLZ".

UK Covers = Simple and elegant.

[Mirage]

I prefer the white box with artwork over that "omg eyecandy" stuff on NA covers.

[scrumpleberry]

Honestly, I like the covers over here (UK) better.

[Discord]

Well, a game that looks like pacman but has great art-work isn't worth very much is it? It's still nice to have a nicely drawn-out desktop image though.

[Melodies_of_life]

..hmm... I really play a game for the story, but if the graphics are any good then I just get some eye-candy along with the story! hehe