What makes graphics good? POLL.

scaramoosh · October 2005

Engine or art style?

For example EQ2 vs WOW

EQ2 looks dull and boring and like plastic but it has one amazing engine!

http://img283.imageshack.us/img283/7367/eq20000468nr1rk.jpg

WOW has a crap engine but amazing style to make up for it

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/screenshots/images/screenoftheday/ss0077.jpg

(This isn't a WOW vs EQ2 threat so please vote on the topic and not the game)

panjit · October 2005

For me its the style and little details in the world(s). although saying that im not too fond of WOW's cartoonish approach. Ive been playing through a load of my favourite "Golden Oldies" (single player) titles over the last few weeks though, and can safely say I'll take gameplay over graphics any day of the week.

cryora · October 2005

In my opinion, as the demand for style/art increases, the need for better engines also increases. EQ2 made the mistake of believing that simply having a good engine is enough to have worthy graphics.

The Unreal 3 Engine will probably be the best engine out there, yet the designers still won't give up on making the style/art great. That's why I think UT2k7 and other Unreal3 games will rule the gaming industry.

Unknown · October 2005

Cryora makes a good point, and I think that as technology evolves it gives programers more options to get stylish. If I have a choice I prefer focusing on interesting asthetics and not throwing everything on powerful graphics. Games that radiate style tend to age well, anyway.

I like WoW's approach more, even if he exact art style isn't my thing. They had a goal and they accomplished it, which I respect, even if the more cartoonish approach isn't my cup of tea.

RemyVorender · October 2005

What makes graphics good?

Personal opinion.

doobster · October 2005

Those two screenshots couldnt be more biased.

angerr · October 2005

imo gameplay > art > engine

i dont think wow has a crap engine besides the overall gameplay is awsome. i havent played eq2 enough to give my opinion on that game however..

edit: wow's charecter models are detailed but, i dunno i just dont like them.....i mean trolls look nothing like what a troll should look like imo.

lonelyrobot · October 2005

Style. I can think of many modern games that don't look half as good as, say, Chrono Trigger.

Phoenixs · October 2005

I prefer art and style. A good egine doesn't help much if the artists suck ass.

Malakai · October 2005

Originally posted by doobster
Those two screenshots couldnt be more biased.

Yeah I thought those screen shots were a little biased myself. But that being said I would have to say that I like WoW's graphics slightly better then EQ 2 overall. Even though I prefer the more realistic approach. EQ 2's character models blow the WoW character models away. But the environment is more important to me and thats what I am basing my decision off of. WoW's world just seems to have more artistic detail to it.

One of the big things that brought it to my attention was the griffin rides. Take the griffin ride in Antonica(EQ 2) then do the one in Azeroth on the alliance side(WoW). The one in Antonica was cool, but the one in Azeroth was absolutely breath taking. I could not believe all the little details and cool things I saw.

Now in EQ 2's defense I have not seen all the areas in that game so maybe there are some things that would blow away what I have seen in WoW. Well anyways both games are winners in my book. Both games are great and both have great artwork, just two different styles.

nomadian · October 2005

I go with Style.
Plus I want to mention EQ2's ultra realistic environment does not fit in with the mobs, whatever that term is.

Additionally I dislike WoWs graphics, while it is nice artisitically, it is way too cartoony. A mix of style and good graphics is the perfection.

Cleffy · October 2005

I definetly like style more, and actually realistically rendering. Thats why I always use EQ2 as an example of a game that ineffeciently wastes its resources.

Yeebo · October 2005

To me a good graphics engine is one that maximizes graphical detail, draw distance, and framerates. By this measure WoW has an execellent engine. It's not quite as detailed as the EQ II engine, but it is designed in such a way that with clever art direction it can provide a really compelling overall appearance (for another great example of this in an even older engine, check out Phantasy Star Online). In addition, it has fantastic frame-rates and draw distance on pretty much any modern PC. If you turn the EQ II engine down to where you get the same draw distance with decent framerates as the WoW engine, it looks really bad.

That said, I'd say that the best graphics engines out there right now are EQ II, WoW, CoH, and the latest upgrade to the DAoC engine (believe it or not!). I couldn't clearly rank them, they all have their strong and weak points.

DirtySteve · October 2005

I would say style, but MAN I can't stand WoW's cartoony look.
Just my two cents.

Garrik · October 2005

I'm still a huge fan of 2d Isometric games and always have been i just love that style and think that eye candy is extremely over rated these days, sigh i know the isometric days have pretty much passed but one can only dream that a developer will produce another great one diablo 3 mmorpg for example lol, sadly if thats done it will probably be in full 3d also.

And id just like to add the EQ2 screenie you have is totally crap get one from inside main Qeynos or somthing then compare it to that WOW screenshot, that would make it more fair instead of you calling the EQ2 graphics bland and dull....of course they are you have a screenshot of one of the most dull areas of the game, yet on WOW you got your self a decent screenie, very biased.

Oh and just another thing lol most 3d games iv played have been pretty much all the same with some slight differences, yet the best mmorpgs i have EVER played have all been 2d/isometric graphics, so imo the power of a grpahics engine doesnt matter 1 bit, i must admit id rather play a nicely polished 2d/isometric game than a crappy/poor 3d game.

Garrik

SirVampire · October 2005

art/style for me

Anofalye · October 2005

What make a better fighter?

A gun or knowing how to use it?

EQ2 with it technology is like an untrain American soldier in Iraq...WoW is on the other side, veteran and everything...but poorly geared...and you see the result.

The art and everything is nice and someone needs to be able to appreciate it, but please, dont even dare to compare it with a better engine.

A radio show may be good, but it will never be like a TV show.

Slaggg · October 2005

Engine.

Without a decent engine the best art and hippest style will look like crapola.

Of course, even with a good engine the dev's can make it look like crap, but that just comes down to a subjective POV.

asangar · October 2005

I go with neither, remember that it's not what you have ITS HOW YOU USE IT. What really makes good graphics is details, colors and above all that it runs smoothly. By runs smoothly i mean that the graphics look like they are supposed to. Take Runescape, the graphics stink because of the fact that even when you walk it looks completely wrong, unpolished and i really dont think that is what that company had in mind. To make a block move (lol). Engine is also important, because if you have a good engine you can get the game done faster and thus make a better game with more detail and stuff. It really can go either way, but the graphics of a game solidly depend upon the amount of time put into them.

n2sooners · October 2005

Both.

pirrg · October 2005

I cant see how those screens would be "biased". Its screenshots from the game, plain and simple.

jackman11118 · October 2005

I like the engine. Style are art arent the half of it. WoW is just so... bland. I want power, I didnt pay money to make my computer a beast just so games with half ass'ed (scuse the language) can only use 1/4 of my computers potential. Get the engine done right, then add art style. Wouldnt WoW be so much better on a better engine with the same direction? I think so.

Slntasn · October 2005

Originally posted by pirrg
I cant see how those screens would be "biased". Its screenshots from the game, plain and simple.

ok so if i were to take a screeny in WoW while looking strait down on the ground then take a screeny in EQ2 while atop a huge mountain looking down on the town... That wouldnt be biased?

But its still screen shots from the game.. "plain and simple"

bobbler · October 2005

i will now un bias the pictures.

http://eq2.ogaming.com/gallery/albums/album35/EQ2_000025.jpg

http://vaultmedia.ign.com/rpgvault/image/wow101503_1097827187.jpg

both are not taken by devs of the game and they are in somewhat the same setting.

Slntasn · October 2005

Imo, the EQ2 graphics are the best out there atm.
But the WoW Landscapes own

Hyoukan · October 2005

polygons?

J/k, It's definately a personal thing. For example I really enjoy anime, so RO's graphics are really appealing to me, but those who dont like anime might find RO to be way too basic and childish visual-wise.

Another good example is WoW, I thought WoW's "cartoonish" style looked incredible. It just fit the Warcraft Universe so well. Now again, because of the "cartoonish" style some people might not like it.

I liked the way EQII looked also, not on the highest graphic settings thought... On the highest settings people looked like dolls, I thought the med-settings were exceptional.

Then again, polygon count pwn.

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