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[BluRayHiDef]

I would say art design. For example, the Metro series of games, particularly on PC, are very demanding in terms of their hardware requirements due to their high quality graphics. However, they are among the most ugly games ever made, in my opinion. Yet, there are many console games that are better looking to me due to their art design, such as Infamous: Second Son or Horizon Zero Dawn or the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima.

 

[Eliciel]

PoP Sands of Time
Most Nintendo games
Okami
Hell, Shadow Warrior 3

I didn’t offend you, did I?

No you didn't and your list brings closer to me your taste, I can See Why you find Tlou2 dreary. Fair enough!

 

[Tschumi]

There must be an interesting looking graph in this relationship...

Games which get better tech graphics and great design increase exponentially in awesomeness, but at a certain point where the tech can't get any better, it takes a significant investment in design to keep the visuals dropping jaws. Witcher 3 is a good example, other games at the time may have had reasonably similar levels of technical graphics, but the real-time oil painting visual style of the graphics, the delicate way distance could blur and meld colors together ,etc, the way they used sound to underline every component of the environment, is what made it memorable.

Human Revolution had pretty good, but not peak, graphics for its time, but looking back I think it is probably the most visually appealing game of it's epoch - to me - because of the design, clutter, and hand-crafted flavour of its environments. The style is what supercharges a game's visuals. But tech is still needed to hold up its end of the bargain for the overall effect to really move us.

 

[Happosai]

I was watching a DF video about the tech of Ghost of Tsushima. I thought it was a beautiful game, but not because of the tech. The use of colors, particularly in service to gameplay, was aesthetically pleasing. The video kept talking about the quality of the leaves and foliage, which is nice I guess, but seemed insignificant compared to the art design.

So, the question: what’s more important to you concerning the visuals of a game : tech or art design? Perhaps a mix of both?

I feel art design is what entices many to play video games that otherwise wouldn't. I'm thinking Journey on PS3, Okami, BotW, and that new Rare game that will launch with the new XBOX.

 

[xion4360]

good art combined with well implemented tech gives you the best result obviously...its a visual media, art is very important, but if the engine sucks then its not everything it could be.

 

[Bruno_Arrais85]

Art design.

 

[GRIEVEZ]

I was watching a DF video about the tech of Ghost of Tsushima. I thought it was a beautiful game, but not because of the tech. The use of colors, particularly in service to gameplay, was aesthetically pleasing. The video kept talking about the quality of the leaves and foliage, which is nice I guess, but seemed insignificant compared to the art design.

So, the question: what’s more important to you concerning the visuals of a game : tech or art design? Perhaps a mix of both?

I like pixel art. I think its easier to lift a game up, with good art direction than to have a technically impressive game that lacks (unique) art direction

Its usually more timeless and more memorable as well. Just my shtty 2cents.

 

[lame gag1990]

The art direction in a game is way more important. Tech ages so quickly so games that rely on pushing polygons to impress, ain't gonna impress shit in the coming years. Take a game like Rez for example, it's not pushing any hardware, ever. But the art direction takes it to another level. You can still go back to that game and say, "that's a beautiful game". You look at Uncharted and say "that looks a bit shit these days".

 

[Fake]

art design by a large margin.

This.

 

[ShinNL]

I want both. When combined, it becomes a super power.



I want this, in all game genres. A VRMMO in this style will need both power and art... and it's gonna be glorious. I hope I'll experience that in my lifetime

 

[kingpotato]

Great art direction and design will look good forever. Great tech looks good for a generation (maybe two).

 

[GymWolf]

 

[nkarafo]

Portal 2 is still one of my favorite games in terms of visuals.

So Art.

 

[Danjin44]

Reality is that not every developers have the luxury put lots of money on tech and even with high tech most western devs just go with realism.

Let me ask you this why game like God of War(2018) with much, much higher tech has waaaay less enemy/bosses variety compare to Bloodborne with inferior "graphics"?

Because when you want higher quality assets in games it become very expensive and time consuming to creating variety of enemy/boss designs with each their own unique attack patterns and animation. developing games is not magic, there is always a cost with high tech graphics.

 

[GymWolf]

Reality is that not every developers have the luxury put lots of money on tech and even with high tech most western devs just go with realism.

Let me ask you this why game like God of War(2018) with much, much higher tech has waaaay less enemy/bosses variety compare to Bloodborne with inferior "graphics"?

Because when you want higher quality assets in games it become very expensive and time consuming to creating variety of enemy/boss designs with each their own unique attack patterns and animation. developing games is not magic, there is always a cost with high tech graphics.

what you say it's nothing new to me, i was just speaking of the best possible scenario in my post

 

[Danjin44]

what you say it's nothing new to me, i was just speaking of the best possible scenario in my post

Its easy to want both thats not always possible but to me game with great art direction will always age better than games with high tech graphics.

 

[Fuz]

Art direction > Tech


Whoever answer the opposite, doesn't know what he's talking about.