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Why Graphics Matter

xsynergyx | August 22, 2007 | News | Misc 
Everyone's talking about it and everyone has their different opinion. Do graphics really matter in games or is it all about the gameplay? Advanced Media Network comes to a conclusion that yes, graphics do in fact matter. They compare graphics to a controller. Without it, you can't link with the game. Within the first few minutes of playing a game, you're taking in the visual experience, testing it and seeing if it pleases you. If the graphics are dull and boring, the game will not please you.

An example would be Gears of War. People were drawn to it because of the dazzling visuals. No, the gameplay isn't like it counts, but the graphics made the game stand out. BioShock. Without the stunning graphics, the atmosphere, instead of being scary, will not be intriguing and have no effect on scaring you. Graphics play a huge role in gaming. Yes, you need the good gameplay, the good controls and the long playability so it doesn't bore you quickly, but without graphics, it could very well prevent you from playing a game.
We’ve all heard it, and maybe you’ve even uttered these words yourself before. Since the advent of video gaming, graphics have been a hot topic amongst gamers. Even when games were made up of just primitive shapes and super-low polygon counts, the industry has talked about graphics in games and has been amazed by increasingly more impressive visuals year-after-year.

And yet, somehow, there are naysayers who downplay the importance and the role graphics play in games. This write-up is written for those who fit that description. Hopefully, this will help them appreciate something they’ve been missing out on.
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  • 0 thumbs!
    Moogo Monkey Masta | August 22, 2007
    I agree with this. Graphics actually do matter in making a game make its point.
  • 0 thumbs!
    xsynergyx | August 22, 2007
    They make some very nice and very true points. I've always agreed that graphics matter in games along with gameplay, replayability, etc. If the game isn't visually appealing, it can totally ruin the experience.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Tom | August 22, 2007
    Graphics matter up to a certain extent, but nowhere near as much as story/gameplay matter. Compared to those, graphics are just a minor thing.
    • 0 thumbs!
      Existenz | August 23, 2007
      You cannot have one without the other... Its like the "immersive" gaming is added through the Wii Remote in games like Red Steel and it works, well until i hide behind a low res textured wall that completely takes me out and tells me this is still a game, i think anyone would want the Wii to have PS3 visuals and the Remote but Nintendo aren't that smart.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Seventh Blade | August 22, 2007
    Yeah. No. I've never once put down on a game because it wasn't visually appealing. Unless it's just so horrible I can barely see what's on the screen, it adds very little to the experience once I've gotten immersed. And although awe-inspiring graphics can help me immerse quicker, it'd only take 10 minutes otherwise, so it's worthless in the end.
  • 2 thumbs!
    Miller | August 22, 2007
    Blanket statements lose. It all depends on genre. FPS, excellent graphics help pull you in to the game, there are exception IE Deus Ex, System Shock. Strat/RPGs don't need superb graphics. Take the Sims Biggest selling PC game of all time. Graphics were terrible but the sales don't lie.

    "BioShock. Without the stunning graphics, the atmosphere, instead of being scary"

    Haha, play Shalebridge Cradle on Thief 3 and then tell me that Good Graphics = Scarier.
  • 0 thumbs!
    huntyr | August 22, 2007
    Of course graphics matter, so does gameplay the design of the controller and whether or not your power is turned on. All of these things affect your enjoyment of a particular game.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Sonic Flash | August 22, 2007
    Graphics only matter when the immersion you're trying to create depends on them. Games, in general, do not require the best possible graphics.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Final Blade | August 23, 2007
    Right but in these times you would hope they would deliver some great graphics. Wii has ok graphics and better than gamecube but when your compare it to PS3 and 360 people will not like the wii, And it also depends on what type of game your playing. RPG's need graphics. and shooter too.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Gogetenks | August 23, 2007
    I agree in some respects. However, I completely disagree with the section that states "For a game that pursues a photorealistic look, the closer it looks to what you see every day in the real world, the more likely it is you’ll become absorbed in its virtual world.". I'm not a big fan of this absolute realism that many modern games are trying to pursue, really. I enjoy games that allow you to do things not posible in reality. I prefer a unique art style, like Bioshock. It sure doesn't look real, but it is quite stylized and looks great.

    Graphics do matter, of course. Raw power isn't everything in graphics, however. I still think games as old as Donkey Kong Country, as well as more recent last-generation games like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metroid Prime look beautiful and are just as immersive. Design, style, polish and, of course, power all play a role.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Riku31069 | August 23, 2007
    Yup, I agree. Take Resident Evil for example. If the graphics are bad, the zombies would make you laugh, not scare you. If the graphics are good, the zombies will scare you until you pee your pants.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Reenee | August 23, 2007
    Graphics won't matter because we'll eventually plateau and developers will be forced to present something unique or focus on some other aspect, i.e. physics.

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