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[nkarafo]

Can't remember something before the original Turok on the N64 in early 1997 (pictures taken with native N64 resolution):

I remember 3D games before that using 2D sprites where you can only see a single side even when you rotate the camera (Like the palm trees in Duke Nukem 3D). That or trees that look like cardboard cut outs.

But Turok had fully 3D, detailed foliage that looked amazing the time.

 

[digdug2]

The first game that absolutely blew my mind in terms of foliage was the original Far Cry. It was just insane.

 

[mansoor1980]

Far Cry

 

[Schmendrick]

The first Far Cry comes to mind. Best looking water and foliage at that time ...at least as far as I remember.

 

[Majormaxxx]

Jedi academy

 

[Filben]

I remember being blown away by Vietcong (2003).

and Gothic 2 (2002).

 

[amigastar]

I remember being blown away by Vietcong (2003).

and Gothic 2 (2002).

Oh yeah, Gothic 2 was so awesome. It felt so real.

 

[Dacvak]

Can't remember something before the original Turok on the N64 in early 1997 (pictures taken with native N64 resolution):

I remember 3D games before that using 2D sprites where you can only see a single side even when you rotate the camera (Like the palm trees in Duke Nukem 3D). That or trees that look like cardboard cut outs.

But Turok had fully 3D, detailed foliage that looked amazing the time.

Nailed it in one. Turok was definitely the first time I was impressed by foliage.

Honorable mention to Tomb Raider during the T-Rex fight, though.

It also would be criminal not to mention Crysis in this thread. The leap in density, animation, and physics-based interactions was huuuuge with the foliage in that game.

 

[Hemingwayoffbase]

Mario 64. Climbing the tree in the opening zone blew my mind.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Not exactly what OP is asking, but the foliage in the first Crysis was insane especially as it was interactive as hell.

 

[RoboFu]

Grass in star fox adventures.

 

[Evolved1]

I feel like, from what I remember, the first games specifically getting a lot of press / attention for foliage were Far Cry, and then another wave for Crysis.

 

[Hudo]

The first game that absolutely blew my mind in terms of foliage was the original Far Cry. It was just insane.

This. Far Cry also popped into my head after reading the thread title.

 

[bender]

Far Cry is a good answer as it is what first surfaces in my memory banks. It's too bad the game is dogshit though.

Grass in star fox adventures.

The visuals in this game are a treat. The fur shading was really nice too.

 

[amigastar]

Far Cry is a good answer as it is what first surfaces in my memory banks. It's too bad the game is dogshit though.



The visuals in this game are a treat. The fur shading was really nice too.

That's how i feel about Crytek in general, good graphics but mediocre games.

 

[Aenima]

I remember Oblivion being the 1st game that blew me away with its fooliage. Later came others that was also impressive like Crysis and even Uncharted. And more recently Horizon Forbidden West.

One of my personal favorites is Ghost of Tsushima, the way the fooliage and grass interact with the horse is just perfection.

 

[bender]

That's how i feel about Crytek in general, good graphics but mediocre games.

That temple full of mutants with rocket launchers will never leave my memory.

 

[nush]

I don't care if it was first.

 

[Danjin44]

This was impressive especially for Wii, especially compare FFXIII that came around same year with much stronger system.

 

[Edellus]

It definitely wasn't the first with just "good" foliage. But as far as I remember, it was the first game with a foliage that made me watch in awe.

It is probably not fair due to the nature of the game, but to me it is Flower for PS3:



Every single blade of grass is moving to the wind, produces sound when interacting with it, it is beautifully lit with a variety of colours and can be seen from far away.

 

[MujkicHaris]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
At the time of release it looked like real life to me. The first thing I noticed --- bump mapping on tree trunks. I believe this was the first time I saw a proper bump mapping implementation in a video game.
Also the amount of foliage on the screen was impressive.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Can't remember something before the original Turok on the N64 in early 1997 (pictures taken with native N64 resolution):

I remember 3D games before that using 2D sprites where you can only see a single side even when you rotate the camera (Like the palm trees in Duke Nukem 3D). That or trees that look like cardboard cut outs.

I hate video games that do these tricks, tricking something that looks like 3D, but they're sprites.

 

[Videospel]

Trespasser (1998). I remember the trees feeling so real. I would love to play something more modern with the same Jurassic Park setting.

 

[cash_longfellow]

 

[nkarafo]

I hate video games that do these tricks, tricking something that looks like 3D, but they're sprites.

These aren't sprites. They are flat polygons, just like every modern game that has 3D foliage effects. Leaves are thin as paper, they don't need to waste polygons to make them thicker.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

A Link To The Past, you just have to hold your TV at a 90° angle and squint your eyes, like those Jesus pics on Twitter.

 

[lmimmfn]

The answer 100% is Far Cry, the same devs produced Crysis.

When I saw Far Cry on PC(only had demo) I was amazed/knew it was cutting edge, I never played the actual game and realise its not great but the demo was a WOW moment.

 

[Little Chicken]

Panzer Dragoon Orta

 

[TintoConCasera]

Can't remember something before the original Turok on the N64 in early 1997 (pictures taken with native N64 resolution):

I remember 3D games before that using 2D sprites where you can only see a single side even when you rotate the camera (Like the palm trees in Duke Nukem 3D). That or trees that look like cardboard cut outs.

But Turok had fully 3D, detailed foliage that looked amazing the time.

Pretty cool for an N64 game indeed. Went and checked Goldeneye's jungle level and it sucks in comparison.

 

[intbal]

Trespasser (1998). I remember the trees feeling so real. I would love to play something more modern with the same Jurassic Park setting.

 

[hybrid_birth]

My girlfriend has some impressive foilage.

She says welcome to the jungle when we get in bed.

 

[Randall365]

Halo was pretty stunning - even in sd.

 

[King Dazzar]

My girlfriend has some impressive foilage.

She says welcome to the jungle when we get in bed.

lol, I dont see a better post happening in this thread... I mean thats the 3D foliage that really matters. Now did I get to see that before I played Far Cry.... hmm, yes I think I did. And a fine bushy bit of foliage it was too. Only problem was as I later found out, everyone got to see her foliage!!

 

[Synless]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
At the time of release it looked like real life to me. The first thing I noticed --- bump mapping on tree trunks. I believe this was the first time I saw a proper bump mapping implementation in a video game.
Also the amount of foliage on the screen was impressive.

I can honestly say that Oblivion was the only game that comes to mind to me that blew me away when I travelled through it. I distinctly recall feelings of feeling like it was almost realistic.

Kind of funny when you think of it considering it doesnt hold up at all today.

 

[Codes 208]

Grass in star fox adventures.

Rare were ahead of their time before the kinect shit took over

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Grass in star fox adventures.

SFA would have to be my answer as well. Honestly no foliage in even my most beloved n64 games ever looked good, even to my 12-14 year old eyes. But SFA’s graphics. Like goddamn that game was absolutely gorgeous. Blew my freakin’ mind. And honestly it still looks pretty good, to this day.

The technique that Rare used to create the illusion of "fur" on Fox and Peppy, and individual grass blades swaying in the wind, was just mind-blowing to me. It's also still a technique used to this day. Playing SFA in 480p widescreen on Wii with component cables was quite the upgrade, as well.

 

[IAmRei]

Monster hunter 2 and Gran Turismo 4 comes at my mind first.

 

[CGNoire]

MGS3

 

[SlimySnake]

MGS3

Came to post this.

 

[CGNoire]

Came to post this.

Yep a year before Far Cry.

 

[angelgs90]

 

[bitbydeath]

 

[Toots]

Palm trees looked 3D to me at the time

 

[Mokus]

Far Cry! And not just because it was so breathtaking for its time, but also because you could use it to hide in the bushes adding to the gameplay depth. Having stealth in FPS games was something very rare and mostly using the shadows or dark areas in the games.

 

[Esppiral]

Xena: Warrior Princess

 

[Celine]

Yeah, Turok for N64 was impressive when it came out in 1997.

As other have already mentioned, at the time I was suprised by the grass rendering in Star Fox Adventures (2002):

 

[Trilobit]

The fur shading was really nice too.

 

[sigmaZ]

Far Cry is a good answer as it is what first surfaces in my memory banks. It's too bad the game is dogshit though.

Are you furreal?

 

[WitchHunter]

Silent Hunter