How important are graphics?

[Lionx]

Graphics should be only appropiate to the game they are making. Things like Windwaker and SFIII graphics are the things that are great, photorealistic is not the only way things are good. In fact i feel it takes more work and courage to NOT go photorealistic and still be good like the Namco X Capcom game thats out in Japan. I give much more credit to that since photorealistic games, while nice, are just a copy of what we see everyday while those that arent come from imagination and its much tougher to get that onto paper correctly.

[Yuffie514]

very! still, like FFVII, they are only second to the storyline.

[Samuraid]

IMHO, Sound is far more important than video. I'm an audiofanatic and an auditory learner though.

[Xander]

I really think it depends on the game. I've never thought of myself as a "graphics whore" before, because I still love Commodore 64 games and the feel of them, the whole era, I wouldn't want to see them with any different or better graphics. However I fell in love with the graphics of Wind Waker on the GameCube and I wouldn't have wanted them any other way. They made me wish other games had such graphical goodness. And now when I think about getting new games, I am bothered about how they look but more for the overall graphical style then just the quality. Final Fantasy VII will always be brilliant and at the time I played it the blocky characters didn't bother me.

The playstation had amazing graphics when it first came out, as did the playstation 2. Everything changes as things develop and graphics that looked great once look dated, because of what we're used to. Anyway I'm getting off the trail and my point is that they are important but along with other things that make the game. And also there IS a standard now, it can't be avoided and it would be disappointing if games coming out now had crappy graphics. But crappy graphics on old games = <3

Uhh hope that made sense xD

[Jack]

Depending on the type of person you are. If you're a graphics-whore like this kid in GAME that made me want to kill him when he declared that games are only good if their graphics rock.
If enjoy the PLAYING experience more, then less so. Graphics can enhance (Silent Hill) but can take away too (Mario Sunshine) so i think they have to be taken with a cup of salt.

[Craig]

Good graphics don't make a game good, however they can decide the feel of a game.

Take the Zeldas for example, compare A Link to the Past, Wind Waker, and Ocarina of Time. All of these games have different graphical styles, and different moods and feels to them.

One thing that graphics do is give the Developers more freedom to make their game with and therefore better graphics could make a game better, because the Developer had more to work with, that being said the game could've ended up better as a simpler game.

Also, there is more room for error as a Developer gains more freedom, games have more of a chance of looking unprofessional as they become more sophisticated.

[Old Manus]

Graphics come into it somewhat. Bad graphics = bad gameplay when you see some guy walk halfway through a wall.

[Ultima Shadow]

So then if that's the case watching FF: The Spirits within is 10X better than playing any Final Fantasy game...or any game for that matter?

I'm sorry, but you can make the prettiest game in the world and it still be a complete and utter piece of crap.

I love you.

As the old saying goes, you can cover a turd in diamond dust, it's still a turd.

I love you too.

Question: How important are the graphics?

Answer: They aren't

What I'm trying to say is: Graphics are probably one of the least important things about most games.

I think that graphics are nothing but a "bonus". The gameplay, story, characters, music and all that stuff makes the game. The graphics don't. The graphics are just something that makes stuff in the game look cooler and more realistic etc... but it really doesn't add something necessary to the game itself.

As long as you actually can look at the screen without hurting your eyes, the graphics are good enough for me.

Any game needs good gameplay to be a good game. But it doesn't need good graphics in order to have good gameplay.

[Giga Guess]

Depends on the genre.

Sports, racing, fighting, etc....graphics are pretty critical. But in terms of story heavy games, such as RPGs, and the likes, sure graphics are important, but if it don't have the story, it's sunk.

[Lionx]

I actually think most ppl are hypocrites...omg graphics are not important yet they complain about windwaker not being graphically good when it IS...its damn well better than alot out there. -_-;

[Yuffie514]

Graphics come into it somewhat. Bad graphics = bad gameplay when you see some guy walk halfway through a wall.

agreed >> FFXI

i had to contact the GMs twice yesterday because my character somehow loves to get stuck in boats.