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[Fatghost]

Second/third-gen GC games compared to first-gen Wii games. Some look substancially better (Like Tony Hawks, CoD), some look slightly better (Sonic), and some look pretty much the same. Wii games will improve as developers get more experience with it and as the dev tools become even more refined.

There can't be an argument about this, surely?

Well, since Wii is basically a Gamecube with more clock speed and RAM, you'd think that the learning curve from 2nd/3rd gen GC games would directly translate to Wii. Even the dev kits are essentially the same - so I think its not unreasonable to expect developers could make Wii games look better than the latest GC efforts.

Besides, in every generational change, the worst looking games on next gen are usually equal to or better than the best stuff on last gen. The Wii is the first system I remember that breaks that mold.

 

[Guns N' Poops]

Second/third-gen GC games compared to first-gen Wii games. Some look substancially better (Like Tony Hawks, CoD), some look slightly better (Sonic), and some look pretty much the same. Wii games will improve as developers get more experience with it and as the dev tools become even more refined.

There can't be an argument about this, surely?

In so many interviews Nintendo guys pointed out that the Wii is based on the Gamecube and it would be so easy to port code from one to the other. Yet there is besides Zelda not one game in the launch lineup, that reaches Starfox Adventures or Rogue Squadron in terms of the visual quality. Even the so praised Red Steel with a huge budget doesn't come close to Riddick on Xbox. It's so called great lightning is the same as I've seen in Def Jam Fight for New York. It doesn't even match Black in terms of explosions.

If visuals don't matter at all, why do we need threads like this to point the obvious small difference?

 

[NSider]

Madden: Better looking grass (complete with "furshading"), slightly enhanced player models, much better stands and crowd, better shadows.

CoD: Very much improved particle effects (water vs rubble), next-gen smoke (lolz), improved character models.

Mario: Come on, we all know Mario Galaxy is the best looking Wii game.

SMB: Slightly enhanced character models, better looking trees, better colors?

Sonic: Character models.

Spoiler

so sega was lazy

Tony Hawk: Character models, much better draw distance, textures.

Metroid: Improved lighting, particle effects, much better textures.

And they all look better in motion. Also, Stumpokapow's great example shows that first gen software means nothing.

 

[Garcia]

Maybe Nintendo is trying to make ammends for the not-so successful Gamecube console. Now with Gamecube2 (with new controller) they're proving who's the king of the last generation.

Don't get me wrong. I'm getting a Wii as well .

 

[yilmazz]

yeah.. this thread was necessary.

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

does the beta at the top of your graphic suggest more are on the way?


please spare us.

 

[santouras]

as a massive nintendo fan and someone that appreciates their nice graphics, I just hope that devs don't get lazy and trade in waggle for graphics. Cube had some great games, Zelda's, Sunshine, RE, Metroid, and Wii can do much better.

Slightly OT, don't you just love it when the console gen is just starting up and everyone is talking about graphics and controllers and specs? In two years time no-one is going to care anymore and frankly I can't wait

 

[Kai Dracon]

To be fair, 5/7 of those wii games blow their counterparts away in terms of animation.

One way I think of the Wii's hardware is as "last gen, optimized". Essentially, while development tools and engines may be largely by "last gen standards", they're working with more powerful hardware. A number of the games so far, when fully seen and played, look like last gen but with all the rough edges and inadequacies removed in areas like animation, physics, particles, shadows, (last gen) lighting, and so forth.

Imagine something like Resident Evil 4, but at true animorphic widescreen resolution, with teh jaggies removed, better textures, and better smoke and particles. And all the characters and enemies having the geometry and detail of Leon himself. Plus likely better environmental animation, such as blowing trees and grass.

With good art design, most anything on the Wii will be able to look great and more importantly, viscreally satisfying to anyone but the most stringent graphic whores who only live to see new shaders.

 

[santouras]

does the beta at the top of your graphic suggest more are on the way?


please spare us.

its a web 2.0 comparison, therefor its in beta

 

[Guns N' Poops]

Imagine something like Resident Evil 4, but at true animorphic widescreen resolution, with teh jaggies removed, better textures, and better smoke and particles. And all the characters and enemies having the geometry and detail of Leon himself. Plus likely better environmental animation, such as blowing trees and grass.

:lol Wait for it.

 

[Fatghost]

One way I think of the Wii's hardware is as "last gen, optimized". Essentially, while development tools and engines may be largely by "last gen standards", they're working with more powerful hardware. A number of the games so far, when fully seen and played, look like last gen but with all the rough edges and inadequacies removed in areas like animation, physics, particles, shadows, (last gen) lighting, and so forth.

Imagine something like Resident Evil 4, but at true animorphic widescreen resolution, with teh jaggies removed, better textures, and better smoke and particles. And all the characters and enemies having the geometry and detail of Leon himself. Plus likely better environmental animation, such as blowing trees and grass.

With good art design, most anything on the Wii will be able to look great and more importantly, viscreally satisfying to anyone but the most stringent graphic whores who only live to see new shaders.

Yeah, that would be great...too bad we aren't seeing anything like that at all.

 

[Saoh]

btw, im surprised no one has posted the SSBB comparison

 

[wsippel]

The improvements are OK. Remember this:

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3145953

The difference between Xbox and first-gen Xbox360 games was very similar. And according to some developers, Wii hardware has the usual steep learning curve. The similarity (compatibility) to Gamecube helps, but you still need to design from the ground up for Wii to get great results.

 

[TekunoRobby]

OOPS

 

[ethelred]

Does the fact that these pictures are being shown in an incorrect resolution (one that serves nothing but to smooth every every flaw or graphical weakness in the inferior set of pictures) even need to be pointed out?

Because Sunshine looks nowhere near that good in its proper resolution.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

One way I think of the Wii's hardware is as "last gen, optimized".

Interestingly, that's pretty much how I've been thinking of the system.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Because Sunshine looks nowhere near that good in its proper resolution.

...it looks nowhere near as good even in those pics - models, lighting, textures etc. are all clearly superior in Galaxy. At correct res the differences would be all the more apparent.

 

[Garcia]

Interestingly, that's pretty much how I've been thinking of the system.

It's not a thought. That's what it is actually :s

 

[jett]

I see that some people in this thread are using the "first-gen games" excuse. I wouldn't keep the hope alive for a big graphical difference in the coming years for wii. Hardware is old, mature and developers already know how to work with it. They don't have anything to learn.

 

[trh]

First off: higher resolution version of the OP's picture.

Secondly: a first gen GC vs first gen Wii titles comparison:

There's 2 problems with this though, SSBM looks horrible in those pictures, and we don't know if the SSBB team knows how to properly tap all of the power in the Wii because the hardware is a lot like the Gamecube's, or if the graphics will gradually improve. Another thing you have to consider as that we don't even know if that is how SSBB/Galaxy will actually look when it's completed, or if they've improved the graphics until then. Side by side comparisons like these doesn't really work all that well, especially since the console isn't even released yet. All I know is that the majority of the games - or at least the ones I care about - look marginally better than GC so I'm happy with it.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I see that some people in this thread are using the "first-gen games" excuse. I wouldn't keep the hope alive for a big graphical difference in the coming years for wii. Hardware is old, mature and developers already know how to work with it. They don't have anything to learn.

Do you seriously believe developers like EA or Activision or others like that properly learned GC architecture this generation? It is quite easy to tell which developers learned the system properly and which ones half-assed everything. That part I bolded applies only to a select few developers.... nowhere near the majority.

 

[jarosh]

wtf kind of ****ing bullshit thread is this?

op:

 

[godisturbed]

The main difference between GCN and Wii seems to be the amount of RAM. GCN had so little that few developers were able to fully push a lot of the textures/effects it was capable of. (rare, factor5, few others) Thats where im hoping to see some bigish differences in the years to come. But it will take exclusive games and time for that to happen.

 

[Mashing]

So you compare 4th generation games to 1st generation games? Idiot. There's so many things wrong with this comparison that it's a complete waste of my time to even bother. Plus, it's probably already been said.

 

[jett]

Do you seriously believe developers like EA or Activision or others like that properly learned GC architecture this generation? It is quite easy to tell which developers learned the system properly and which ones half-assed everything. That part I bolded applies only to a select few developers.... nowhere near the majority.

Devs like EA will continue making average-looking crap.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Devs like EA will continue making average-looking crap.

So then, how is this Wii's fault if a developer fails to properly utilize the system?

Besides that, EA seems to actually be trying with the likes of Madden.... Haven't seen much else from them, though.

 

[border]

Stumpokapow's great example shows that first gen software means nothing.

Stumpokapow's example is terrible. The Wii screens are all directly grabbed. The Madden screenshots are just awful, blurry screen captures using a TV-tuner card. He found the worst-looking Madden caps around. The framebuffer shots from EA show a pretty clear generational leap in Madden 2001:

 

[SantaC]

I am not buying Wii for the graphics. And I am sure no one else does.

 

[Guns N' Poops]

"Visuals are the last thing we care about, so let's make threads about how much better Wii's visuals are over the 5 year old Cube's"

 

[castle007]

this thread blows

 

[ethelred]

"Visuals are the last thing we care about, so let's make threads about how much better Wii's visuals are over the 5 year old Cube's"

Except the thread was made by someone who screwed around with the resolution to try and make the point that Wii's visuals are identical to the five year old Cube's.

Nice try, though, Poops.

 

[GhaleonEB]

what a lost opportunity

 

[threeball]

It's a shame how so many of you on this site are graphics whores. If it really means that much to you over anything else, just get the 360 and/or PS3 and leave Wii threads alone. Most of you must have absolutely hated the PS1 and PS2. I wonder how it sold so many units?

 

[Y2Kev]

Do you seriously believe developers like EA or Activision or others like that properly learned GC architecture this generation? It is quite easy to tell which developers learned the system properly and which ones half-assed everything. That part I bolded applies only to a select few developers.... nowhere near the majority.

I don't really understand this.

If nobody tapped the GC's power-- a system with an architecture closer to the PS2/Xbox than the Wii is to the PS3/360--what makes you think they will tap the Wii's power? Just because?

 

[Pureauthor]

Well, if (I repeat, IF) the Wii turns out to be the next-gen winner, then devs will come, develop for the system, get better at it, and max it out.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I don't really understand this.

If nobody tapped the GC's power-- a system with an architecture closer to the PS2/Xbox than the Wii is to the PS3/360--what makes you think they will tap the Wii's power? Just because?

I can't tell the future, so I don't know. It would probably take Wii blowing up to DS-type numbers for a larger number of developers to start trying harder.

The only thing I do know is developers, by and large, half-assed GameCube development compared to Xbox and PS2 efforts. Everyone knows this. This is the same reason why we're seeing so many developers show off crap-looking games for Wii. Whether or not that changes is up to how well Wii does in the marketplace and what type of games are up there in the charts.