The value of imagination in gaming graphics.

[J T]

I've noticed a strange phenomenon that I often feel somewhat visually overwhelmed and even a little bored when playing games that have really visually impressive graphics. These games always look fantastic in the screen shots and even in the trailers, but once I get down to the business of playing them, I hardly notice how cool the graphics are anymore and they even seem to leave me a bit eye fatigued. Does this happen to others?

It seems strange because I find the games so visually appealing on paper, just not in execution. I think part of this may be because these games don't leave much to the imagination. All the details are already there. I somehow feel like I get sucked into the world of a game more if its graphics are a little simpler and my imagination has to fill in the gaps of the world.

[DerekG52]

I agree with the basis of your comment, but I have a feeling that the gameplay or story is then underwhelming because of the time spent creating a great world.

[Pulsar_t]

I say let's blame the middleware for one. Unreal 3 games look quite similar regardless of publisher.

[Niode]

I say let's blame the middleware for one. Unreal 3 games look quite similar regardless of publisher.

QFT

[Anayo]

Yes, JT, I know just what you're talking about.

To me, all modern games with the best graphics look the same.

Maybe it's cause they've all got normal maps, physics, and similar dynamic lighting effects. So, perhaps the pipeline for creating props and assets for these games are all so similar that it's grown formulaic.

[t0yrobo]

I generally agree that I feel more involved with less detailed games. It's like when books don't go through describing every detail, and let the reader fill it in with their imagination. However, I don't think middleware is really whats to blame, though it could be a part of it. It's the artists, and what's demanded of them by the market.

[Hobie-wan]

Everyone's rushing to make games look more realistic, but aside from the maiming people, flying a spaceship, and making funny shaped blocks disappear when I match them up, I can go outside for realism. It's cooler when things in a game look stylistic or look mostly real but do unusual things. Think Borderlands, WoW, or most cell shaded games for stylistic looks.

[Gamerforlife]

I think a lot of games focus too much on photo realistic or TECHNICALLY impressively looking graphics, while leaving out any artistic beauty or imagination. Which is why I'd rather play a Shadow of the Colossus or Okami over some modern day games that are big on visuals but not artistically appealing like Gears of War, Call of Duty or Ninja Gaiden 2.

Games like Mirror's Edge I like for its unique visual style or Tomb Raider Underworld for its breath taking locales. By comparison, most modern shooters are just ugly to me as are Grand Theft Auto or Grand Theft Auto wannabe games. The Bioshock games however have a very nice visual aesthetic

[TonySoprano314]

I've been saying this for years. I feel as though most imagination is lost from current gen games. It's sad, really. $60 to be able to play a terrible movie. Part of the fun of gaming is the ability to escape into a reality that only exists inside you head. For example, my girlfriend and I haven been playing the Donkey Kong Series lately. The most fun we have is coming up with side stories and commentaries of what DK and Diddy are thinking at that exact moment. I also agree with the last response about cel-shading. Stylized games are typically my most favorite. Something that resembles it's real life counterpart, but doesn't try to be real, I think is much more powerful and exciting than something that tries to be so close to it's real life counterpart that it just ends up looking fake. If I want to play with real people I'll go to the bar. And if I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie.

[lisalover1]

I miss color in games. Games like Jet Set Radio or Rez had such vibrant colors in them; playing these games and seeing their artistry is positively mind-blowing. Your standard modern FPS is just a gray mess that loses color with each new sequel. Eventually, I think the games will lose so much color that you will be able to play them on a Game Boy screen!