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[Peltz]

I find that CA can sometimes make highlights softer and also hides a bit of aliasing. Should be used in tiny amounts though.
Vignette can sometimes make an image more appealing by giving it a little more pop, it's often added in post to photos and movies because it can make an otherwise flat image more.. interesting.

A think a lot of people who hate these effects are bothered more by what they 'represent' than what they look like. They can both be attributed to low quality equipment, lens or display. Fake CA makes it look like your TV's grilles are not properly aligned and vignette is a thing low quality lens and old CRT TVs suffered from, so I can understand people who invested in their setup being somewhat pissed at anything hiding their games 1:1 pixel exact fidelity.

As usual, there's nothing inherently bad about either, and as usual, overuse or gratuitous use is always bad

Agreed. I think most post processing effects can be done tastefully. They're very underrated on NeoGAF.

Of course, abusing them can ruin the look of a game, but many games get it right. Personally, I'd say Bloodborne looks good with CA.

 

[Rentahamster]

Like all processing effects, it has a place in the medium of art, but I would say that it's used badly more often than not. However, I have a bias against the CA look, especially as a global, always-on filter. For transitional effects or temporary special effects, it works pretty well.

If you want to emulate that "through the lens" look, then in that aspect, it's "more realistic"....which is ironic since a lot of photographers actually try very hard to limit the appearance of CA in their photos. Unless they want it for stylistic reasons...which is hardly ever.

 

[Polioliolio]

Thought it looked cool in Bloodborne. Didn't notice it in anything else I played.

 

[Aurongel]

I just paid $1200 for a Sigma lens designed to minimize chromatic aberration in my photos. Now I get to buy a new GPU in the future that will help add it back into my games...

This medium is fucking weird ._.

 

[Banana Aeon]

CA completely destroys my eyes. Every game it is used in looks worst for it, and makes me sick to play.

Especially Bloodborne with the lack of aliasing, CA, and frame pacing issues. Love the game, but it physically hurts to play.

 

[spekkeh]

Like all processing effects, it has a place in the medium of art, but I would say that it's used badly more often than not. However, I have a bias against the CA look, especially as a global, always-on filter. For transitional effects or temporary special effects, it works pretty well.

If you want to emulate that "through the lens" look, then in that aspect, it's "more realistic"....which is ironic since a lot of photographers actually try very hard to limit the appearance of CA in their photos. Unless they want it for stylistic reasons...which is hardly ever.

https://www.lomography.com/

I don't think it's used to make it more realistic, though perhaps in a 'found footage' sense. But games generally don't care for realism--the real world is what we're escaping after all--but prefer more of a surrealism. The imperfections are there to create a more dreamlike state.

 

[vg260]

It always surprises me reading about so many people literally getting headaches and other types of pain from these things. I mean, the worst I've ever had is sore/tired eyes from writing long papers in college where I would be staring at the white screen for long periods of time but flux fixed that.

Are people exaggerating or does a thread like this just bring in all the people with issues?

No. I've never gotten naseua or any other issues with motion or effects as long as I've been gaming, but playing Bloodborne gave me an eye strain headache every time. There's only a small window in the center of the screen where the image is in focus. It's like watching a 3D movie without glasses.

Couple that with it looking atrocius and ruining the image quality, I hate it.

 

[Momentary]

That new Tekken 7 PC footage looks like it has CA turned off. But it could be that I'm viewing it on my phone. Can anyone confirm.

 

[pj]

Effects are not inherently good or bad, it's all up to the designers using them to complement the aesthetics of the game.

Games where it's used well:

- The Order: 1886, where the developers deliberately aimed to emulate an early, low quality lens

Wut? Have you ever seen a photograph from 1886? They are sharp as hell because of the giant film format. Also there isn't much red/blue CA since they are black and white..


Here is a photo from 1886:

 

[system11]

CA is a disgusting effect used by disgusting people who hate their customers eyes.

That is all.

When was the last time anyone actually saw CA is a well taken photo? It's rare, because for decades people have been trying to get rid of lens defects, not fetishise them.

 

[Nags]

I like it, don't see the problem.