They are far form great.. ANd I hope with the Lich King they get big update.
I play WoW well because its decent and its the only MMO this PC can run till get my new one((But i will go back to EQ2 etc once that new comes in)) Only way I'll stay with WoW is they fix there bugs add more content and make Lich King way better.. (I want a GFX update to it))
The Human's for one need a new design.. Humans in WoW are the uglyist Humans to date for any MMO and in most games..
Yeah, it's not uber pixel eye candy land, but it's very artistic and it "fit's" the Warcraft style.
Yes, these things have all been said before.
What I DON'T like....
1. Not enough face/hair/feature/body customization options in character creation
2. All horde male characters (except Blood Elves) have terrible posture
3. Some races, like human and Dranei, the male avatars are soo bad, I have to make a female avatar just to stand looking at them.
4, of course you have zero customization at latter levels, just the hope/prayer that the gear you get from PvP / raiding / instances ends up looking cool.... which means everyone looks the same
When a professional speaks of graphics, they speak of poly counts and textures. People on these forums usually mix up art style with graphics, which is normal for someone who doesn't know the difference. I personally think WoW's graphics do suck, but the artistic style and details make it bearable. Being cartoony has nothing to do with it. You can have a cartoony game with a high poly count and textures.
Actually Art Style will be taken into consideration when judging graphics, You have to take into consideration the graphics technical and the artistic graphics.
I have no problem with the graphic quality of WoW. I don't need photo realism to enjoy a game, and WoW, while not way up their graphics wise, is good enough.
I just don't like the art style. This is purely a matter of taste. Saying it's to "cartoony" isn't very descriptive. I loved the look of City of Heroes, but hated the look of WoW.
It's like preferring chocolate over vanilla ice cream. Just a preference. The artists that did the work are talented, and again the graphics while not state of the art are good enough, I just don't like it.
But the biggest reason I could never get into WoW, is the 1-60 game is not group friendly enough for me, being an old EQ veteran, and a DAoC fan.
Ok..Here is my take on this..To actually have this conversation 90% of the people responded here needs to know that there is 2 terms here that needs to be separated..It has been mentioned before.-
1 Artistic style
2 Graphics (tech)
These 2 are diffrent....
Art, Like or hate..This can only be viewed in a personal manner or by a serious art critiques( You need a long education for this)
Graphics= a technical term for a computer to show digital images..This can be good or bad based on hardware and software..
When people claim that WoW has sucky graphics they refer to the tech terms(mostly)..And as do I..Why WoW can't have graphics suited for the time 2000-2007 beats me..They could still have gone for the low poly count graphics they have with sliders and on or off buttons..To neglect a certain few that has good computers is also wrong..
Sure, It was a good buisness call to make..but why not have both..?
So..Until then..Yeah..World of Warcraft's graphics sucks..:)
I personally consider WoW's graphics to be one of the better graphics I've seen in a mmo. Instead of going for the not-very-reality looking graphic that's blurry and pretty hard to detect what is what Blizzard instead did graphics that are more along the ways of Zelda: Windwaker. The graphics is very clean, nice looking and most of all it's easy to see what is what. Apart from the graphics aren't very pressuring on your computer either. Personally I would like to see more games that dare to deny the graphic mania that is around.
I guess I'm old and blind, and playing games on computers since the days of CGA has made me pretty appreciative of todays games, regardless of their graphical 'quality'.
So I never hated WOW's graphics, I think they were pretty nice, movement was fluid and I enjoyed the environment. (now, the gameplay, particularly the end game, that's a different story)
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I think the graphics in WoW are quite nice. The benefit of not trying to develop a game with realistic graphics is that people generally accept the game for what it is. I've tried so many games with "realistic" graphics and each time I find myself picking the graphics apart because of the imperfections.
Now if I could just stomach the end game enough anymore to actually logon and enjoy the graphics...
Well not everyone hates WoW's graphics. I think many think they are just fine. There is a certain percentage of people that don't like the graphics and they are certainly entitled to their opinion. I just think for those that don't like the graphics it's a big thing. Wouldn't you be a little upset if a bunch of people were all playing a game and saying how wonderful it was but you couldn't play it just because you found you couldn't stand the graphics? That would be pretty frustrating I think.
I don't hate WoW's graphics particularly; in fact, I love the usage of vibrant colors. The game sort of looks like Rayman 2, which happens to be one of my favorite platformers. My biggest complaint about WoW's graphics would have to be the lack of realistic character shadows and the bulky size of the male characters. Yeah, yeah, I know Blizzard was trying to appease WC3 fans, but the models just don't appeal to me.
WoW's graphics are very intelligent and well designed. more can sometimes go into making what you want to be 500 prims into 250, restraint can be hard to follow sometimes.
restraint, polish, and a large tappable community is what made WoW what it is.
I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.
graphics certainly don't suck and have a great performance but with a rpg I like a different fantasy style than a cartoon one. That being said, WoW's graphics does its job as a no-frills fun mmorpg.
I heard someone talk about WoW's graphics being "outdated." What about, say paintings from ancient times, those aren't worth anything anymore because they are "outdated?" I never understood why people bash art produced with older technology. I mean, we always hope that newer things can use newer techniques, and perhaps produce better results, but that is no reason to suddenly think older stuff looks bad. Maybe it's just me, but I still play older games, along with newer ones. A lot of them, while not looking realistic at all, still have really good art. For me style is everything. Some games, especially the ones that tried to look photorealistic on technology that didn't support that style, sure, they don't really hold up. But things like WoW, where real artistic effort was made, will always look pretty good to me.
Frankly, I am not too fond of the graphical look of most modern games. With such a realistic look these days, it can be very hard to figure out which items are just scenery and which items are actually items I can pick up. Or which doorways are REAL doorways I'm supposed to go through. Or which path I am supposed to follow in the city that's not a dead end when there are so many paths and objects that are there just to look good. In a gameplay respect, the really good graphics are really doing a disservice. But I know that my opinion is not shared by many
I'm not pro WoW by the way, but Blizzard has talented artists and used those assets effectively. They chose a style, and nothing in the game is out of place for that style. And the game runs well on modest computers, allowing a very high userbase. People who hate the game or hate the style are going to dis the graphics. When I look at screenshots or watch friend play the game, it reminds me of their older warcraft games, and that isn't a bad thing in my opinion.
Although in a few years or less they should probably think of upgrading it a bit.
I don't like the textures that were obviously hand drawn/painted in a cartoon style. It reminds me of cell-shaded games, which I've never been a fan of. Sometimes the graphics look too tame, like they were lifted from an old Disney cartoon.
What makes WoW's graphics good in other ways is I'd swear they hired commercial artists rather than typical gaming or fantasy artists to build the characters, objects and environments in the game. Sometimes it's like playing in a commercial or something you'd see printed on a box of cereal. Flying into Booty Bay looks like something out of Little Nemo.
heerobya can you plz take that sig out of **under pic** pic part and put in where sigs go?
Kind hard to read post when it's like that..
I don't think it's his sig, because other posts by him look fine. I think he actually posted a graphic in that particular post or something that is really causing the issue. I sent him a PM to fix it.
Truth be told, I don't think everyone hates WoW's graphics...they just vehemently dislike WoW's player-base in general.
I know, "if you get in a good guild the game can be fun". I've heard that comment many, many times. I, for one, however, like to keep my /general chat open in the games I play and in WoW that becomes simply unbearable.
Well overall the art style of WoW is well done and nice there are however problems with the textures resolution. Also the way models stand on the ground is a bit off as it looks like they are floating off the ground.
"Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a god." -- Jean Rostand
The graphics do have a cartoonish quality to them, when compared to SWG or Vanguard or any number of other games.
However, I can get past that...one of the advantages of those graphics, which are bright and relatively simple is that they're easier for most video cards to render and thus allow WoW's playerbase to include those who don't have bleeding edge graphics rendering at their fingertips.
Simpler graphics also help with lag a great deal.
In a way I think that it reinforces the "its just a game" aspect of WoW that helps offset some of the rather morbid themes that the IP is based on...particularly the undead/forsaken angle.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
I see some understand the problem but way to many dont have a clue what there talking about. Like one of you guys been stating alot and so many are still royally failling to understand. WoW art direction is perfect for the game we cant deny that. But thats the thing its the art style that works. Whats most dislike is the technical capability of the engine that alot dislike. I do understand the point of making a game work on every system but whats the point of playing a game that can work on a 486 ( Im going to the extreme here just so those that have no clue understand ) when you have a Quad-core with 4gig of ram and a directX10 video card with 512meg and the game will only use a fraction of that power. Its annoying whats the point, chances you want to play a game that actualy does take avantage of that machine instead after all, might has well just keep an old 486 and save your money right?
Ive seen MMO upgrade there engines and take avantage of advancement in hardware, like Eve with the Trinity upgrade or like Lotro with there directx 10 upgrade. Why can Blizzard do the same and enhanced there own engine maybe because there lazy or dont care about us high-tech geeks with big computers and only care about getting there money worth out of everyone? We are in 2008, look at a console game, look a some of the more recent games like Crisis and tell me graphics dont effluence your choices. You are just lying to yourself when you say you arent influence by graphics. When you got the machine and know you can get better you wont be interrested. A good exemple. You are a store we offer you 2 games has a choice, Doom 1 or doom 3, witch game would you buy for that 4000$ computer.
The art of WoW is good for but the engine is nothing to talk about and that what some dislike about wow not the art but mostly the engine quality.
I see some understand the problem but way to many dont have a clue what there talking about. Like one of you guys been stating alot and so many are still royally failling to understand. WoW art direction is perfect for the game we cant deny that. But thats the thing its the art style that works. Whats most dislike is the technical capability of the engine that alot dislike. I do understand the point of making a game work on every system but whats the point of playing a game that can work on a 486 ( Im going to the extreme here just so those that have no clue understand ) when you have a Quad-core with 4gig of ram and a directX10 video card with 512meg and the game will only use a fraction of that power. Its annoying whats the point, chances you want to play a game that actualy does take avantage of that machine instead after all, might has well just keep an old 486 and save your money right? Ive seen MMO upgrade there engines and take avantage of advancement in hardware, like Eve with the Trinity upgrade or like Lotro with there directx 10 upgrade. Why can Blizzard do the same and enhanced there own engine maybe because there lazy or dont care about us high-tech geeks with big computers and only care about getting there money worth out of everyone? We are in 2008, look at a console game, look a some of the more recent games like Crisis and tell me graphics dont effluence your choices. You are just lying to yourself when you say you arent influence by graphics. When you got the machine and know you can get better you wont be interrested. A good exemple. You are a store we offer you 2 games has a choice, Doom 1 or doom 3, witch game would you buy for that 4000$ computer. The art of WoW is good for but the engine is nothing to talk about and that what some dislike about wow not the art but mostly the engine quality.
If game companies actually focused more on game play and story line and put a little less focus on 10,000 poly count characters and movie quality lighting for a boring grind fest MMO, (listen up Age of Conan) then I would save my money and keep the 486.
People don't have quad core computers to view movies, or write better word documents. Very few people spend 2,000 dollars a year just to make 2D and 3D art. however many people spend ridiculous amounts of money on their computer just to play games. We don't need Pixar quality graphics just to play a game but companies keep pumpout the absolute newest set of graphics before the hardware is affordable.
I believe this is a horrible exploit of the consumer by the market that has people paying ridiculous amounts of money every year for upgrades just to perform one task.
A good exemple. You are a store we offer you 2 games has a choice, Doom 1 or doom 3, witch game would you buy for that 4000$ computer.
Doom 3 is crap, I would get doom 1, while feeling bad that I spent so much money on a computer to play the latest games before realizing that the games with the best graphics are generally steaming turds pumped out with no thought to gameplay, just to have pretty graphics.
When I purchase a new computer, or upgrade my vid card, I spend a few weeks pushing it to the limits and going "ooo" and "ahh" just like the next bloke. After that, it's all about gameplay, and gameplay hasn't gotten any better in 10 years.
Back to WoW, I'm sure they will update the graphics soon enough. But they seem to have rightfully focused on content. The accessible and polished shell of a game, with enough content at the begining, and all the hype etc, is what made it into the juggernaut it is. To keep it going, Blizzard has been putting their money where it counts - adding content.
Better graphics are not going to make someone decide to play another month. The ONLY thing good graphics are for is to get someone to buy the damn game, and Blizzard seems to be having no trouble in this regard.
Comments
They are far form great.. ANd I hope with the Lich King they get big update.
I play WoW well because its decent and its the only MMO this PC can run till get my new one((But i will go back to EQ2 etc once that new comes in)) Only way I'll stay with WoW is they fix there bugs add more content and make Lich King way better.. (I want a GFX update to it))
The Human's for one need a new design.. Humans in WoW are the uglyist Humans to date for any MMO and in most games..
Thanks Impyriel for the sig^^
I like WoW's graphics for the most part.
Yeah, it's not uber pixel eye candy land, but it's very artistic and it "fit's" the Warcraft style.
Yes, these things have all been said before.
What I DON'T like....
1. Not enough face/hair/feature/body customization options in character creation
2. All horde male characters (except Blood Elves) have terrible posture
3. Some races, like human and Dranei, the male avatars are soo bad, I have to make a female avatar just to stand looking at them.
4, of course you have zero customization at latter levels, just the hope/prayer that the gear you get from PvP / raiding / instances ends up looking cool.... which means everyone looks the same
Actually Art Style will be taken into consideration when judging graphics, You have to take into consideration the graphics technical and the artistic graphics.
They look too cartoony, too much like anime for my taste.
I hated all comics drawn by Jack Kirby, too [too blocky, no curved lines] so my tastes are not mainstream
<p align=center><a target=_blank href=http://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm><img border=0 src=http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/20.jpg></a></p>;
I have no problem with the graphic quality of WoW. I don't need photo realism to enjoy a game, and WoW, while not way up their graphics wise, is good enough.
I just don't like the art style. This is purely a matter of taste. Saying it's to "cartoony" isn't very descriptive. I loved the look of City of Heroes, but hated the look of WoW.
It's like preferring chocolate over vanilla ice cream. Just a preference. The artists that did the work are talented, and again the graphics while not state of the art are good enough, I just don't like it.
But the biggest reason I could never get into WoW, is the 1-60 game is not group friendly enough for me, being an old EQ veteran, and a DAoC fan.
MMORPG Maker
Ok..Here is my take on this..To actually have this conversation 90% of the people responded here needs to know that there is 2 terms here that needs to be separated..It has been mentioned before.-
1 Artistic style
2 Graphics (tech)
These 2 are diffrent....
Art, Like or hate..This can only be viewed in a personal manner or by a serious art critiques( You need a long education for this)
Graphics= a technical term for a computer to show digital images..This can be good or bad based on hardware and software..
When people claim that WoW has sucky graphics they refer to the tech terms(mostly)..And as do I..Why WoW can't have graphics suited for the time 2000-2007 beats me..They could still have gone for the low poly count graphics they have with sliders and on or off buttons..To neglect a certain few that has good computers is also wrong..
Sure, It was a good buisness call to make..but why not have both..?
So..Until then..Yeah..World of Warcraft's graphics sucks..:)
/junker
I personally consider WoW's graphics to be one of the better graphics I've seen in a mmo. Instead of going for the not-very-reality looking graphic that's blurry and pretty hard to detect what is what Blizzard instead did graphics that are more along the ways of Zelda: Windwaker. The graphics is very clean, nice looking and most of all it's easy to see what is what. Apart from the graphics aren't very pressuring on your computer either. Personally I would like to see more games that dare to deny the graphic mania that is around.
I guess I'm old and blind, and playing games on computers since the days of CGA has made me pretty appreciative of todays games, regardless of their graphical 'quality'.
So I never hated WOW's graphics, I think they were pretty nice, movement was fluid and I enjoyed the environment. (now, the gameplay, particularly the end game, that's a different story)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I think the graphics in WoW are quite nice. The benefit of not trying to develop a game with realistic graphics is that people generally accept the game for what it is. I've tried so many games with "realistic" graphics and each time I find myself picking the graphics apart because of the imperfections.
Now if I could just stomach the end game enough anymore to actually logon and enjoy the graphics...
Well not everyone hates WoW's graphics. I think many think they are just fine. There is a certain percentage of people that don't like the graphics and they are certainly entitled to their opinion. I just think for those that don't like the graphics it's a big thing. Wouldn't you be a little upset if a bunch of people were all playing a game and saying how wonderful it was but you couldn't play it just because you found you couldn't stand the graphics? That would be pretty frustrating I think.
I don't hate WoW's graphics particularly; in fact, I love the usage of vibrant colors. The game sort of looks like Rayman 2, which happens to be one of my favorite platformers. My biggest complaint about WoW's graphics would have to be the lack of realistic character shadows and the bulky size of the male characters. Yeah, yeah, I know Blizzard was trying to appease WC3 fans, but the models just don't appeal to me.
WoW's graphics are very intelligent and well designed. more can sometimes go into making what you want to be 500 prims into 250, restraint can be hard to follow sometimes.
restraint, polish, and a large tappable community is what made WoW what it is.
I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.
graphics certainly don't suck and have a great performance but with a rpg I like a different fantasy style than a cartoon one. That being said, WoW's graphics does its job as a no-frills fun mmorpg.
I heard someone talk about WoW's graphics being "outdated." What about, say paintings from ancient times, those aren't worth anything anymore because they are "outdated?" I never understood why people bash art produced with older technology. I mean, we always hope that newer things can use newer techniques, and perhaps produce better results, but that is no reason to suddenly think older stuff looks bad. Maybe it's just me, but I still play older games, along with newer ones. A lot of them, while not looking realistic at all, still have really good art. For me style is everything. Some games, especially the ones that tried to look photorealistic on technology that didn't support that style, sure, they don't really hold up. But things like WoW, where real artistic effort was made, will always look pretty good to me.
Frankly, I am not too fond of the graphical look of most modern games. With such a realistic look these days, it can be very hard to figure out which items are just scenery and which items are actually items I can pick up. Or which doorways are REAL doorways I'm supposed to go through. Or which path I am supposed to follow in the city that's not a dead end when there are so many paths and objects that are there just to look good. In a gameplay respect, the really good graphics are really doing a disservice. But I know that my opinion is not shared by many
I'm not pro WoW by the way, but Blizzard has talented artists and used those assets effectively. They chose a style, and nothing in the game is out of place for that style. And the game runs well on modest computers, allowing a very high userbase. People who hate the game or hate the style are going to dis the graphics. When I look at screenshots or watch friend play the game, it reminds me of their older warcraft games, and that isn't a bad thing in my opinion.
Although in a few years or less they should probably think of upgrading it a bit.
I don't mind WoW's graphics, they're just fine, but they of course could be better. But, Blizz has said, graphic update with the new expansion.
I don't like the textures that were obviously hand drawn/painted in a cartoon style. It reminds me of cell-shaded games, which I've never been a fan of. Sometimes the graphics look too tame, like they were lifted from an old Disney cartoon.
What makes WoW's graphics good in other ways is I'd swear they hired commercial artists rather than typical gaming or fantasy artists to build the characters, objects and environments in the game. Sometimes it's like playing in a commercial or something you'd see printed on a box of cereal. Flying into Booty Bay looks like something out of Little Nemo.
My youtube MMO gaming channel
heerobya can you plz take that sig out of **under pic** pic part and put in where sigs go?
Kind hard to read post when it's like that..
Thanks Impyriel for the sig^^
I don't think it's his sig, because other posts by him look fine. I think he actually posted a graphic in that particular post or something that is really causing the issue. I sent him a PM to fix it.
Truth be told, I don't think everyone hates WoW's graphics...they just vehemently dislike WoW's player-base in general.
I know, "if you get in a good guild the game can be fun". I've heard that comment many, many times. I, for one, however, like to keep my /general chat open in the games I play and in WoW that becomes simply unbearable.
Well overall the art style of WoW is well done and nice there are however problems with the textures resolution. Also the way models stand on the ground is a bit off as it looks like they are floating off the ground.
"Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a god."
-- Jean Rostand
The graphics do have a cartoonish quality to them, when compared to SWG or Vanguard or any number of other games.
However, I can get past that...one of the advantages of those graphics, which are bright and relatively simple is that they're easier for most video cards to render and thus allow WoW's playerbase to include those who don't have bleeding edge graphics rendering at their fingertips.
Simpler graphics also help with lag a great deal.
In a way I think that it reinforces the "its just a game" aspect of WoW that helps offset some of the rather morbid themes that the IP is based on...particularly the undead/forsaken angle.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
I see some understand the problem but way to many dont have a clue what there talking about. Like one of you guys been stating alot and so many are still royally failling to understand. WoW art direction is perfect for the game we cant deny that. But thats the thing its the art style that works. Whats most dislike is the technical capability of the engine that alot dislike. I do understand the point of making a game work on every system but whats the point of playing a game that can work on a 486 ( Im going to the extreme here just so those that have no clue understand ) when you have a Quad-core with 4gig of ram and a directX10 video card with 512meg and the game will only use a fraction of that power. Its annoying whats the point, chances you want to play a game that actualy does take avantage of that machine instead after all, might has well just keep an old 486 and save your money right?
Ive seen MMO upgrade there engines and take avantage of advancement in hardware, like Eve with the Trinity upgrade or like Lotro with there directx 10 upgrade. Why can Blizzard do the same and enhanced there own engine maybe because there lazy or dont care about us high-tech geeks with big computers and only care about getting there money worth out of everyone? We are in 2008, look at a console game, look a some of the more recent games like Crisis and tell me graphics dont effluence your choices. You are just lying to yourself when you say you arent influence by graphics. When you got the machine and know you can get better you wont be interrested. A good exemple. You are a store we offer you 2 games has a choice, Doom 1 or doom 3, witch game would you buy for that 4000$ computer.
The art of WoW is good for but the engine is nothing to talk about and that what some dislike about wow not the art but mostly the engine quality.
People don't have quad core computers to view movies, or write better word documents. Very few people spend 2,000 dollars a year just to make 2D and 3D art. however many people spend ridiculous amounts of money on their computer just to play games. We don't need Pixar quality graphics just to play a game but companies keep pumpout the absolute newest set of graphics before the hardware is affordable.
I believe this is a horrible exploit of the consumer by the market that has people paying ridiculous amounts of money every year for upgrades just to perform one task.
" Why does everyone hate WoW's graphics?"
Well, that's not true. I think it's cute and smooth.
Knock the world right off its feet and straight onto its head.
Doom 3 is crap, I would get doom 1, while feeling bad that I spent so much money on a computer to play the latest games before realizing that the games with the best graphics are generally steaming turds pumped out with no thought to gameplay, just to have pretty graphics.
When I purchase a new computer, or upgrade my vid card, I spend a few weeks pushing it to the limits and going "ooo" and "ahh" just like the next bloke. After that, it's all about gameplay, and gameplay hasn't gotten any better in 10 years.
Back to WoW, I'm sure they will update the graphics soon enough. But they seem to have rightfully focused on content. The accessible and polished shell of a game, with enough content at the begining, and all the hype etc, is what made it into the juggernaut it is. To keep it going, Blizzard has been putting their money where it counts - adding content.
Better graphics are not going to make someone decide to play another month. The ONLY thing good graphics are for is to get someone to buy the damn game, and Blizzard seems to be having no trouble in this regard.