Wow, guess people don't even know what these words mean....
School system am fail....
Let's define for the people here who are quoting stuff without any idea:
1. Subtle :
a)So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive: a subtle smile.
b)Difficult to understand; abstruse: an argument whose subtle point was lost on her opponent.
c)Characterized by skill or ingenuity; clever.
d)Crafty or sly; devious.
e)Operating in a hidden, usually injurious way; insidious: a subtle poison.
2. Beauty :
a)The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality.
b)One that is beautiful, especially a beautiful woman.
c)A quality or feature that is most effective, gratifying, or telling: The beauty of the venture is that we stand to lose nothing.
d)An outstanding or conspicuous example: "Hammett's gun went off. The shot was a beauty, just slightly behind the eyes" (Lillian Hellman).
Now for Halo 3 having "subtle beauty in its graphics" - this could imply any of the following things, but all linked back to increasing sensations of the visual cortex:
1) The clever or ingenious use of graphical power to please the visual cortex, when one would not expect it. Saying the "scale" of the world is "subtle beauty" is incorrect, since one expects this with Halo 3.
2) Hidden or unapparent use of technology to create effects that please the visual cortex. Halo 3 can fit this category, as the use of different lights, bumps, anti-aliasing tricks, and overall mix of art and colors can create a world that is quiet pleasing as one walks around, but is not necessarily apparent when looking at screen shots
The second could definitely be true, though I also highly doubt it - seems to me like people are trying to come up with a story to justify Bungie re using their old engine. But that's just my opinion, and it's not like graphics are the reason why Halo is played in the first place, nor am I sure if they had spent time on the graphics, how much they could have really improved given the obvious limitations of the hardware in creating a huge world.
Now for people saying some of the following games having "subtle beauty" in the same notion as Halo 3 - you are missing the point. The point is that Halo 3 is substituting "actual" beauty for "subtle beauty" - none of the games people are mentioning are actually doing that since they are ACTUALLY beautiful, but have subtle touches to them that make them even better:
1) Wind Waker: Some parts of it are beautiful in a subtle way, for example the little explosions, the bright pastels that make the graphics very clean whereas people are used to rougher outlines. However the game overall IS beautiful, so saying it has "subtle beauty" is pointless since its a very beautiful game in the first place.
2) Metroid Prime: Once again, some parts of it are beautiful in a subtle way, like the heat effects, the polygonal doors, the gun effects, etc. However once again, the art is very beautiful, it is pointless to say it is beautiful in a subtle way, because the game is already beautiful.
3) Ico: Once again, there is some subtle beauty in some of the scenes and environments however the game is gorgeous, the art is very well done, and the transitions between areas are managed very well and just right. You can't say it substitutes subtle beauty for real beauty when that is clearly not the case.
4) SOTC: Same as ICO. The game is already gorgeous because of the art, you can see it from the beginning. when you walk in. This doesn't fit the example of Halo 3
All these games might fit the "Great Art that Hides Technical Flaws or Limitations" category, but definitely not the Halo 3 "Subtle Beauty"
Here are my choices for three games that might meet the Halo 3 defintion of "subtle beauty"
1) Star Wars Battlefront II: Technically the graphics, the player models, etc. are not very high-quality, but the overall crispness of the environments, the modeling on the key areas of the levels and the modeling of the vehicles and spaceships along with the damage modeling on the enemies makes this game have "subtle beauty" in my eyes similar to Halo 3 (and it isn't just a coincidence that they are both the same kind of game with large-scale wars).
2) BurnOut : Technically and artistically once again, you aren't breaking any records here or impressing people with your use of colors or themes. The game is a very typical racer with typically modeled environments and typically modelled cars. However, the "subtle beauty" part kicks in when you start racing in those environments, the motion blur, the elaborate detailing of the replays, the environmental physics that display a visual feast as events unfold on the track. The pyrotechnics really elevate the graphical experience and make it much more interesting than the basic time spent on the core graphics and models.
3) Fifa 2006 RTTWC: Technically and artistically, you expect a lot more. The field is very typical, the players look small and don't react all that realistically for the most part. It seems like a typical routine of running and stealing the ball and kicking it. The "subtle beauty" kicks in when the animations and ball movement occurs. The physics and the resulting impact on the graphics in terms of how quickly action changes and how smoothly the goal is kicked add beauty to the visuals, so that even when you aren't fully zoomed in, the game looks very nice.
Just my 2.. I mean 3 cents.
