Loading's new theory of the importance of graphics to game quality is that graphics matter least in TBS strategy games, more in RTS, even more in sports and FPS games, and (surprisingly) most in MMOs. Have a look at today's daily column and see if you agree!
We also begin the mourning process for Tabula Rasa, examine the similarities between WAR's new Slayer and Choppa classes, see an Ultimatum in our latest Gub & Begud, and update our WoW Warlock spells guide in links to four great new Ten Ton Hammer articles. Check out today's bacon-wrapped epic forum thread and real world news that we couldn't make up in Loading... Graphics Matter Most in MMOs!
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Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle Editor-in-Chief - The Ten Ton Hammer Network
I have to say that graphics quality isn't as important to me as artistic styling is.
I don't know why, but for some reason I can handle a game where the graphics seem a bit dated, but I just can't seem to warm up to games that have no style. By that I mean games that try too hard to be "realistic". I guess that I prefer to feel like there were artists working on the game, as opposed to people that only knew how to operate the right software.
Graphics matter most? In what way? And since when?
If you want to talk about sheer graphical quality and demand then by your logic Age of Conan or Vanguard: Saga of Heroes should be riding the amazing subscription rollercoaster.
Unfortunately since you're wrong - both of those games are currently the laughing stock of the MMORPG community outside of their small fan-bases.
Graphics mean very little to large portions of the total gaming community. This is proven by the fact that WoW, which sports very dated, but stylistically acceptable graphics is still a hit.
This is also supported by the fact that Final Fanasy 7 which has graphics akin to those of a children's book illustrated by Stephen Hawking, sells wildly everytime a collection edition is released.
Of course this is all to be taken within reason. If the game's graphics are so bad that they hurt other aspects of the game then clearly they are going to be a major issue for the game.
Or if the game looks so bad that's it's distracting and hurts your ability to enjoy the rest of the game. AGAIN - This would be an issue.
See the main problem with your statement is that it ignores the fact that "Graphics" as a term needs to be broken into a whole shitload of other things.
Firstly, you have the artistic style of your graphics. Some hold up better than others.
Next you have the presentation of your game. Even games with TERRIBAD graphics can outlast their competitors if you present your whole game in a dim-light dark world filled with shadows that blind you 2 feet out. Horror/Survival games have been using this technique forever to exploit the fact that their scenery and graphics are crap.
Then consider also the quality of direction of your graphic. If your game is meant to be surreal and disproportionate then adding gloss and high spectrum lighting everywhere actually RUINS your game in terms of its goal.
All of this can best be summed up with something like Age of Conan where the game had astonishingly realistic graphics and quality imaging. However a vast, vast, vast, epic, huge, portion of the overall MMORPG community said that they frankly didn't like the ultra-realisic graphics style and the theme of AoC at all.
That goes hand-in-hand with the fact that AOC's graphics kept like 50% of the total MMO community from being able to play the game since it wouldn't run on mid to low machines.
And hence we see AOC as it is today - merging servers. lol
Bottom line - if you feel that "graphics" make or break an MMORPG game then you really done know anything about this industry or its games.
Examples of games with terrible graphics but who use style, presentation or theme to their advantage:
EVE ONLINE: The game's graphics suck amazingly hard. However the fact that it's a space game allows the devs to mask the depths with ultra-pretty lighting effects and scenery that look amazing as you play the game.
Dock at a local space-port and take a GOOD and HARD look at the space-port around you... you'll notice that it looks like someone is playing Tetris on a Light-Bright.
This is an amazing case of crappy graphics with amazing presentation.
They do a fantastic job with this and it's one of the reasons they have a devoted community.
World of Warcraft:
This game's graphics were outdated WHEN IT LAUNCHED. However the Warcraft art style is just a creature in itself and hence the game continues to live on and thrive because people ignore the fact that the graphics are terrible as they are sucked into the reality of the Warcraft world.
This game actually defies logic as it makes you accept the shittiness of the graphics by making you believe that they SHOULD look this way because in AZEROTH that's how people are SUPPOSE to look. Instead of the normal "This is unrealistic" bullshit that idiots say all the time.
Final Fantasy 11:
For such an old game this thing STILL has a larger subscriber base than Age of Conan. LOLLLLL
The graphics are safe and traditional in the Japanese sense of game making and they use creative ways to really build upon that.
The graphics are smooth and simply and the devs like to lock off their zones with sprawling mountains and lovely sky-scapes that are nothing more than rotating paintings of sky etc...
The graphics are easy. EASY EASY EASY to run on almost any computer and the reason is that rather than go for ultra-detailed, high-polygon, complex models with moving eyes and mouths, Square just used very good painters and drew most of the details onto their characters.
Additionally Square uses rotating armor models where a new piece of armor actually replaces the entire body-part of your character with a new, pre-built model. This allows them to look a bit more complex than WoW but not get into the messy overlay of modern shit like Vanguard or AoC.
Solid performance, respectable graphics, still beating most modern MMO's. lulz. As of their 2008 census this piece of crap clocked in around 700k subscribers.
End.
__________________ The Highest Rep'd Troll - Ever.
Humanity continues to be the worst plague to ever desecrate this planet.
Yup... love me some graphics.. The only reason I didn't get past level 2 in WoW. From what the whole world told me, it's a great game but graphically it just didn't do it for me.
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"That is strength, boy! That is power! What is steel compared to the hand that wields it? Look at the strength in your body, the desire in your heart, I gave you this! Such a waste. Contemplate this on the tree of woe. Crucify him!"
Graphics matter most? In what way? And since when?
I'm gonna have to agree with you here. Cutting edge graphics are just bling. They are great when paired with great game play and artistic style , but really nothing more than a nice bonus.
Graphics matter so little to me, that I rarely even mention them when telling someone about a game. It reminds of going to a movie that offers nothing but eye popping special effects.
Graphics are merely a shell to wrap game play in. judging a game by its graphics is a shallow view to take, because it is only skin deep. Look deeper and you will get over this fickle BS.
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Graphics matter so little to me, that I rarely even mention them when telling someone about a game. It reminds of going to a movie that offers nothing but eye popping special effects.
So right compadre. LotR would have sucked without the great story and greater acting.
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Great "Loading ..." today. The best columns stay on topic = MMOs.
For me, graphics are a very important part of the whole package.
Graphics are huge to me. To play a good game hours on end for months, even years, I have to enjoy the eye candy.
I couldn't stomach the cartoon graphics in WoW -- even though my son was a GM for Blizzard back then and I really *tried* to like the game through Alpha, Closed Beta and Open Beta, I stopped playing shortly after launch because I felt like I was trapped in the comics section of the Sunday paper.
Great "Loading ..." today. The best columns stay on topic = MMOs.
For me, graphics are a very important part of the whole package.
Graphics are huge to me. To play a good game hours on end for months, even years, I have to enjoy the eye candy.
I couldn't stomach the cartoon graphics in WoW -- even though my son was a GM for Blizzard back then and I really *tried* to like the game through Alpha, Closed Beta and Open Beta, I stopped playing shortly after launch because I felt like I was trapped in the comics section of the Sunday paper.
Pretty much the same for me.
Even in games like WoW and FF, those graphics are a style that happens to be very popular. The cartoony look with unrealistic character models, disproportionate armor and weapons, etc are all very popular with Asian games and they really have little interest in creating "realistic" graphics and players have very little interest in playing them. So while the style is completely different, it is STILL important and it still drives players to games.
Graphics will always be a big selling point whether players prefer realism or if they prefer ultra stylized.
Loading... Graphics Matter Most in MMOs
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