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Does anyone else find the graphics obsession on NeoGAF strange?

Do we obsess over game visuals too much?

  • No! I loooove graphics!

  • Yes! Gameplay is king!

  • I'm in the middle! Graphics are just easier to talk about!

Results are only viewable after voting.
Men_in_Boxes

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
I know I'm the odd man out here, but I wanted to see just how alone I actually was. It seems like the hot threads are almost always about graphics in some way.

The story of Halo Infinite is Craig, and not the uninspired 8 minute gameplay we saw in July. Gameplay that, IMO, could have largely been replicated on the OG 2001 XBox...

We're talking about RDNA 1.5 vs RDNA 2.5, VRS, and the frame rates + resolutions of PS4/XBO games on next gen consoles...

Ray Tracing!...

Digital Foundary is a household name on NeoGAF and their job is literally to tell us differences that the naked eye can't see...

A gussied up PS3 game is the "killer app" of the next gen launches...

Why are visuals such a prevalent talking point here? Is it because there's typically a clear winner/loser when it comes to these topics or is it because we legitimately value high fidelity graphics over the other aspects of game design?

Why isn't discussion framed around Sid Meier's philosophy?

EUTb-vmWAAAoi6Y.jpg
 
GymWolf

GymWolf

Member
Petaya Berry said:
I mean, the most fundamental thing of a videogame is the gameplay.

It is stranger that people thinks that graphics or "story" are a better thing than gameplay.
Click to expand...
And we talk about gameplay too??

Now is the nextgen console and new gpus release time, of course you hear more talking about power and graphics.

About the story, vg are more complicated and ambitious than many years ago and a lot of gamers want a decent story in their games, this is not like porns where story is 1% of the entartainment, for a lot of people a good story is already 50% of the game.
 
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Kuranghi

Kuranghi

Member
Men_in_Boxes said:
I know I'm the odd man out here, but I wanted to see just how alone I actually was. It seems like the hot threads are almost always about graphics in some way.

The story of Halo Infinite is Craig, and not the uninspired 8 minute gameplay we saw in July. Gameplay that, IMO, could have largely been replicated on the OG 2001 XBox...

We're talking about RDNA 1.5 vs RDNA 2.5, VRS, and the frame rates + resolutions of PS4/XBO games on next gen consoles...

Ray Tracing!...

Digital Foundary is a household name on NeoGAF and their job is literally to tell us differences that the naked eye can't see...

A gussied up PS3 game is the "killer app" of the next gen launches...

Why are visuals such a prevalent talking point here? Is it because there's typically a clear winner/loser when it comes to these topics or is it because we legitimately value high fidelity graphics over the other aspects of game design?

Why isn't discussion framed around Sid Meier's philosophy?

EUTb-vmWAAAoi6Y.jpg
Click to expand...

I can see the stuff fine, before they mention it in the video, and before they zoom in. I'm not bragging I'm just saying, people are perfectly capable of spotting it for themselves.

If you don't care enough to understand how they see those things in the first place then... don't.. care. I don't know what else to tell you.

Do you think they go through the footage in slow motion looking for mistakes and it looked perfect to them before that? They just assume it will have problems and then look for them, instead of just actually seeing them? They are verifying what they see with their eyes in real-time.
 
Men_in_Boxes

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
DChosenOne said:
I'm not paying $500.00 for a new console to have everything look the same.
Click to expand...

Which theoretical next gen console would you be more excited about?

Next gen visuals with last gen gameplay.

Next gen gameplay with last gen visuals.

I know it's not exactly one or the other, but I'm firmly in the second camp.
 
-Arcadia-

-Arcadia-

Banned
It’s not just Gaf. It’s wider enthusiast game fans.

I don’t disagree. It’s strange that the upper end of the hobby has bent more towards a tech enthusiast angle than anything.
 
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Petaya Berry

Petaya Berry

Banned
GymWolf said:
And we talk about gameplay too??

Now is the nextgen console and new gpus release time, of course you hear more talking about power and graphics.

About the story, vg are more complicated and ambitious than many years ago and a lot of gamers want a decent story in their game, this is not like porns where story is 1% of the entartainment, for a lot of people a giod story is already 50% of the game.
Click to expand...

The "nextgen" console was first launched in 2017. "Oh, but that doesn't count because muh grpahiczzzz" Yes, right.

About story, if I open gedit and let my cat walk in the keyboard, the results will be better than 99% os stories in all games.

Well, but I am oldschool. I like to play, not to watch cutscenes. And of course that graphics matter, but they are not the most important thing.
 
LordOfChaos

LordOfChaos

Member
Obviously a pretty game with bad core mechanics is no fun, i.e Killzone Shadowfall, and everyone here would awknowledge that.

But all things being equal, a new generation is especially the time where we try to see what new visuals will be in store for us, so it makes sense that the conversation is heavily there right now, but also so long as the game is good the visuals are one pleasing factor.
 
Kuranghi

Kuranghi

Member
If Super Mario Odyssey had a fixed resolution of 1080p it wouldn't make the gameplay better in any really meaningful way but it sure would stop me from coming out of my immersion for 10 seconds to notice that the whole screen is blurred.

So it can affect immersion in a massive way imo.
 
rodrigolfp

rodrigolfp

Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
Very good question. Controls/gameplay/performance >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
To depths of hell shooters on dual sticks + aim assist
 
EliteClarity

EliteClarity

Member
I think Graphics are important for immersion, but you need the plot and Performance to go with it. It all goes hand in hand, and you CAN have one without the other, but the others need to be above average
 
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Codes 208

Codes 208

Member
Graphics are prevelant everywhere. It’s eye candy for the masses. Which isn’t bad mind you, it’s the graphics that have me so damned impressed with demon souls and the lack of graphics that made halo infinite such a shitshow

the only company that’s generally gets away with it is nintendo or indies that focus more on retro/cartoony graphics.
 
GymWolf

GymWolf

Member
Petaya Berry said:
The "nextgen" console was first launched in 2017. "Oh, but that doesn't count because muh grpahiczzzz" Yes, right.

About story, if I open gedit and let my cat walk in the keyboard, the results will be better than 99% os stories in all games.

Well, but I am oldschool. I like to play, not to watch cutscenes. And of course that graphics matter, but they are not the most important thing.
Click to expand...
I don't understand you first sentence, sorry.

You are being a little harsh with videogames stories, they are not more shit than a shitload of successful movies, tv series or books and some of them are pretty nice, surely better than something like avatar or avengers endgame and look how many people like that stuff.
Sometimes is the videogame medium and his immersion\player agency\art design that make even mediocre stories shine.

Modern games have both cutscene and gameplay, only console wars fanboy on forums think otherwise because they don't even play these games and they have to spread some fud.
Horizon on ultra hard is a more satisfying tps experience than many full fledged tps without story for me, and i play all the tps who came out.

I'm old school too but i learned to adapt and enjoy the things they added to videogames in the last 2 decades.
 
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GHG

GHG

Member
As with everything it depends on the game.

Sometimes you just want to be wowed. Seeing how much things have progressed visually since I started gaming in the early 90's and taking it in is always an experience.

On the other hand I've put over 100 hours into Divinity OS 2 again in the last few weeks and it's not the graphics that have pulled me back in in that case.
 
Rambone

Rambone

Member
I think people just want the best experience possible out of any given game/system/device they fancy. Some are more passionate about it than others but what I have found is that many discussions had there was always something of value to be found.
 
MiguelItUp

MiguelItUp

Member
Nah, I don't. I feel like graphics obsession is usually the standard when it comes to talking about video games.

What I think is stranger is the obsession with sales and numbers, along with fanboyism that revolves around console specs.
 
TintoConCasera

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
I'm finding myself caring less and less about dem graphics, and more about the art style.

I mean, RTX and 4K and all that look fucking awesome, but games like 13 Sentinels, Hyper Light Drifter or DUSK also looking re-fucking awesome without the need of any of that.
 
B

Bubba77

Member
No, I love graphics and I love all the consoles and PC. Only thing strange is tribalism some show behind certain brands....
 
O

Oida di Figgiano

Banned
Because its the easiest to troll about. Craig, spidey mirror, gpu terraflops, resolutions, framerates, fidelity... it is easy meme-able and easy to make fun of it. And since this is a platform that competes with the chans for the title of internets biggest trollhouse... plus its the main battlefield of any proper console war and since this is the epicenter of it...
 
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diffusionx

diffusionx

Gold Member
Taking into account that NeoGAF isn’t a person... it’s weird that here people generally embrace console over PC and spend tons of money on console and then nitpick console graphics while constantly demanding more options and performance.

It’s like... there is a platform right here that will do everything you want, sure it’s a platform geared towards enthusiasts but you are an enthusiast.
 
Rolla

Rolla

Banned
First and foremost, at it's core, gaming is a visual medium.

While there is definitely a point of diminishing returns, throughout the course of generations, visual fidelity is key in how we assess the improvement of the medium.
 
Ar¢tos

Ar¢tos

Member
Gameplay is the most important thing for me. For all I care, games could all be Pixel art as long as the gameplay, story and design were good.
 
L

LazyParrot

Member
Gameplay and game design are subjective, graphics kinda aren't, since you have reality as an objective point of comparison. Sure, there are games out there that don't go for photorealism, but graphics whores tend to have no interest in those and they mostly get ignored in these discussions.
 
Men_in_Boxes

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
I'm shocked by these poll results.

I would much rather see a game that has the visual fidelity of No Man's Sky, but borrow gameplay elements from EVE Online, World's Adrift, and Fortnite...

Than get a photorealistic Uncharted 8 that plays like the previous 7 Uncharteds.
 
E

Explosive Zombie

Banned
Your poll is retarded if you wanted honest answers to this you should have done it differently. most people are going to say they think gameplay is the most important thing that doesn't preclude them being interested in graphics or thinking graphics are interesting especially when we're discussing games we can't yet personally play.
 
Myths

Myths

Member
What's strange about it? It's as integral to the game as any part, graphics includes frame rate too. And that better run damn well enough.
 
Men_in_Boxes

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Fictive said:
What's strange about it? It's as integral to the game as any part, graphics includes frame rate too. And that better run damn well enough.
Click to expand...

I think interesting, new gameplay design is exponentially more important to a games worth than visual fidelity. I legitimately view a games value by it's ability to give me, as a player, interesting choices.
 
Late Stage Marxist

Late Stage Marxist

Member
I was playing the Hyrule Warriors 2 demo last night and thinking it'd be fine if Zelda games maxed out at this fidelity.

On the other hand I'm really impressed by the RTX demos (even Fortnite) and look forward to playing Cyberpunk 2077 at the highest fidelity possible.
 
C

Chastten

Banned
Strange? No, I don't think it's strange. People like shiny trinkets.

I personally haven't really cared about graphics in over a decade though. Games with good art design have looked great for a very long time now. Graphics are just a way to present a game, it doesn't actually make it better as long as it doesnt hinder the game. Some people care about a missed frame or a few jaggies. Luckily, I don't.
 
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