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[The Spoony Hou]

I think it's absolute shit, and I will go out of my way to avoid it, but it seems people here like it.

The only use would be to disguise graphical defects, which I don't see the point nowdays, but what do I know.

 

[EGM1966]

I've never seen film grain used in games to convincingly emulate a filmic look, so I don't see the point aside from trying to hide a lack of detail in certain areas of a game.

Ironically if there's one game where the use of film grain effect (and other PP effects) produces an outstanding filmic look it's The Order.

A few times aside it really recreates the genuine feel of visuals captured on film via a camera. Quite superb if you like that sort of thing.

 

[Fleshfeast]

Film grain is the reason why I can't enjoy Evil Within... Seriously, it gives me motion sickness :/

Edit: Wait what? You can turn it off???!!!

The XB1 version has a film grain slider in the graphics options, the PS4 version probably does too. I can't imagine it would be an option for consoles and not PC, so it's probably there too. It's at 100 by default and you can set it to 0.

 

[adamsapple]

I turn it off whenever a toggle is given.

I'd rather see a sharper image with more prominent jaggies as opposed to a grainy picture.

 

[Langdon Alger]

I don't like film grain, lens flare, or pretty much any effect that makes a game look more like a movie.

 

[Squishtorras]

Fake film grain blows.

Real film grain is the real. I film animation with an VHS-C camera and I wouldn`t Exchange it for anything.

I really don`t mind film grain in games, because despite not liking it, it dosen`t annoy me as much as using it on movies. Don`t know why. I guess playing a videogame that`s good gets you into the gameplay and stuff and you end up forgetting about minor graphic details.

 

[exmachina64]

The only time I enjoy film grain is in movies that have it as a byproduct of using film. Although in certain films, the use of high-speed film and the resulting grain that results can be a bit much (Aliens).

Just played a game that offers the option of film grain, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified on PC. Honestly couldn't detect a difference between having it on and off.

Only other game where the option stood out to me was Mass Effect and there were few instances where it made an appreciable difference.

 

[Earthpainting]

I didn't think I liked it, but I definitely felt like it was missing when Mass Effect removed it. It made it look like an old sci-fi, which perfectly jived with its other design sensibilities.

 

[schlynch]

I like film grain in games where it makes sense but I guess an option to toggle it should be mandatory.

 

[Radec]

Works amazingly well on 1886.

 

[Ramenman]

It's annoying when it's badly done.

It was distracting in Mass Effect for example.

I had no problem in The Order, it wasn't highly noticeable because it fit very well with the looks I think.

 

[drotahorror]

True.

I guess it uses it so well you can hardly tell a difference.

Also people seem to be confusing film grain with other effects. The Order doesn't ONLY use film grain, it uses several other effects some of which I probably don't even know. Same with Dying Light, the chromatic aberration is what ruins IQ in that game.

 

[Converse]

Like virtually any post-processing effect, grain can be used well or used poorly. Personally, I don't think there should be a toggle. It's an aesthetic choice made by the developer; the developer wants the grain, or the developer doesn't. Ideally, that choice should be deliberate and justified.

I get that games are interactive and scaleable, but you have to draw a delicate line. I feel that having the option to remove grain is akin to saying, "You know, I don't really like the color correction David O. Russell did on Three Kings. Let me just toggle that off before I watch it."

As others have pointed out, The Order uses grain to fantastic effect. You could take the grain out, and it'd still look great -- but if the other elements of its presentation weren't enough to cue you in, The Order obviously aims for a cinema-inspired look.

Unlike The Order, some games would downright suffer without it. Divisive as they may be, I think effects such as chromatic aberration and grain in ZombiU -- alongside its great lighting -- make it a fantastic-looking game. Take those effects out, you're left with something decidely average-looking, and far less atmospheric. If I may use some screenshots taken by Gaffer fabricated backlash:

It's alright to not like certain aesthetic choices, but I certainly don't think we should call for less options in terms of the developer's expression.

 

[funkypie]

I turned it fully off and on in the evil within and I honestly couldn't tell the difference. Am I missing something?

 

[Devil's advocate]

I like film grain, both in games and actual film. I have no idea why though. Maybe it's simply because i grew up watching movies with film grain and now everything else looks "too clean".

 

[Auto-Reply]

I like it but only if you can barely see it, nearly every game I've seen went too far with it.

 

[onken]

Always the first thing I turn off if given the option. Also motion blur.

 

[mdzapeer]

Should include toggle options. I have tried film grain on and off. It helps with Mass Effect 1 because most of the textures are pretty bland looking and it adds or rather gives the impression of adding detail to the Scene/Image.

Mass Effect 2 and 3 have better textures so in certain areas its better left off.

Its sort of like CRT shaders, games were made with the art on a CRT and how it would look on a CRT, hence when you remove the CRT effect the games dont look as good.

I played the resident evil GC remake on dolphin before playing the remastered HD version, but I played it on dolphin with CRT shaders and the game looked great compared to what it did without. Now the Remastered HD version is pretty well done and actually removes any film grain / DoF effects which existed in the original, does it lose the original artistic vision? Maybe. But I prefer the look of the remastered HD version.

Thats the difference games made with the final image incorporating the film grain in the scene tend to look good. Good example is Mass Effect 1.

Resident Evil 4 also used film grain in certain parts of the game as well to build atmosphere.

 

[pottuvoi]

A properly used dithering / film grain can help image quality as 8bit display is not enough to have good quality gradients.
Now a days games are rendered with HDR and usually have plenty of color accuracy above 256 colors and thus it's possible to dither the image to gain detail which would be lost due to insufficient color resolution of display device.

This explains it better than I ever could.
http://loopit.dk/banding_in_games.pdf

 

[Screaming Meat]

grain is beautiful and i love it

Yup. Enjoying it on Alien: Isolation.

 

[BrettHeazy]

Noise is also used to break up compression in images/textures.

 

[Doc_Drop]

Should absolutely be a choice for those not wanting it. But I tend to take a game by game view. I like it sometimes, but it often depends on the atmosphere and content of the game.

What I don't understand is people asking for developers not to use something you don't like. Variety is the spice of life, don't limit visual styles and game content.

 

[SPCTRE]

I missed the grain in Mass Effect 3.

Same here. At least give us the option, I say.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

I hate the film grain in games.I want the image crisp and if they game give me the option to turn off the effect i do it.

 

[Yarbskoo]

I usually turn it off if I have the option. Didn't like it in Mass Effect.

Like most post processing effects, I'll tolerate it if there's an in-game reason for it to exist. For example, the visor effects in Metroid Prime, or the distortion that occurs when you get shot in Crysis or when the Solid Eye's batteries are running out in MGS4.

 

[xinek]

Its great in the Order as well as Alien Isolation.

Was just going to say this about Alien Isolation, too. I didn't even think about it -- just "film grain, yeah!" Going to try turning it off tonight just to see if it makes a big difference in the mood of the experience. But film grain seems like a good fit for this game.

 

[vg260]

I hate film grain and motion blur, I play primarily on PC to disable these effects. Well not primarily but it was a big push.

Same. Just make it an option.