Visual flare vs realism

[Brendon]

I was looking at screens and video of Project Gotham 2 the other day (it's not out here yet, okay) and it made me seriously think about just how real games are starting to look. I mean, screens of the game look like tourism promotional photos of the city (save a distict lack of traffic) and it was after a short while of staring in abject wonderment that I realised.

It's not all that interesting to look at.

While I have no doubt that an incedible amount of artistry went into the creation of such stellar graphics, I have to wonder if it's counter productive to take such an approach.

I'm going to give an example of the argument by pointing out the films of Haiyo Miasaki, which have an incredible level of artistry to the visuals. The difference being that miasaki creates an idealistic version of reality, stylised ot appear almost dreamlike, the grasslands and lush forests in Totoro or Castle of Cagliosatro appear very realisic, and are in fact based on real places. It's just the version we have in our minds.

I'm going to compare Daytona 2K1 from the dreamcast to Project gotham as an example. Both it and Daytona 2 present realistic (for the time) visuals but have a flaring and vibrant colour palette and bustling alive scenery, I'd rather rocket past a docked space shuttle into a hairpin overloomed by a towering galleon than go down yet another street acurately modeled from real life.

I'[m going to end my rant here just so something is left for discussion, I'd really like to hear your opinions on this and which side you have a preference for.

-Brendon

[E.T.]

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I'[m going to end my rant here just so something is left for discussion, I'd really like to hear your opinions on this and which side you have a preference for.

-Brendon</div>

My abbreviated response would be for preference of the "real", photo like environment [w/some air brush work for aesthetics].However not "still" photographs, but animated photography, movie like.
I agree that still photos for backdrops/environments can be lifeless, especially in low light situations.
[I want my virtual reality games promised back in the '80s].

note: PCs w/high powered hardware take advantage of displaying artwork as real, as in C&C Generals. The training mission has a view of river that looks like a home video, totally blew me away. Advancing GPUs get the credit here.

You bring a good subject to light here, no question graphics are constantly changing in vid games.
I think Doom 3 will resurect this subject when its released [looks next generation].

My abbreviated $.02 worth on one element of your topic.

[Twelve]

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It's not all that interesting to look at.

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Good point.

I often play videogames to escape mundane reality, which is why games that look too "good" tend to be very boring to me. Like Shenmue.

12

[Tappy_Tibbons]

This argument can go either way per game.

[Renzatic Gear]

Holy crap...I actually agree with Tappy on something. It all depends on the game and what it's trying to go for.

[Brendon]

Okay, I was afraid of this, are people afraid to have an opinion or what?, when I say realism I mean basing things on ACTUAL PLACES, authentically recreating them, or at the least going for things like face mapping and basically showing the world your skill at lacking imagination.

Games should take place in fantastic places, that's my opinion, see how easy that was, saying it goes both ways or depends on the game is lazy, nobody has no preferences.

Looking good and looking realistic are two very different things, I've never been mopre amazed at a game than wiht the panzer dragoon games, and they have a bizzare astetic which remains consistant and tangable.

[Renzatic Gear]

It depends. While I like playing games with more fantastic settings too, games like Ghost Recon and Rainbow 6 work alot better in realistic settings...and some people actually prefer playing a game that's set in real world locations like LA or New York, just like some people prefer making em. It isn't cause of lack of imagination in my opinion, rather preference.

[Brendon]

See what you just said, some people PREFER to play games based on real world locations, that would make it a PREFERENCE on even, quite possibly, an OPINION, something I'm asking people for, which is why I posted mine.

PS: As a 3D artist I think I can point out that NOBODY actually LIKES having to base enviroments completely on real places, it's extrodinarily resrticting.

ome people like to make 3D objects that look totally real, fair enough, but I'll bet they like a little creative freedom in there as well.