Hello everyone, @Piroct here. I've held down some of my thoughts for quite some time to focus on @ViridiumGaming, but now that I have some spare time I want to talk about I certain topic that's has been in my mind for quite some time.
As the title said this topic has to do with Graphics in games.
Let's start, shall we?
Old Generation VS Current Generation
Technology is advancing at lighting speed and with it comes new Graphics Engines, new Physics and Animation Technologies, and much more. It's a good time for those who love realism and visual inmersion in their games... But not all gamers feel the same, don't we?
There's this surprising large group of people that finds themselves having a favorite kind of "Graphics" and the majority of them oscilates from Nintendo64 to PS2, which I have to admit it's quite an amazing era!
Let's try to explore this phenomenon with detail!
Some accept is only nostalgia doing its part, other said that "low quality" graphics makes them feel legitimatly comfortable and that by looking at them their imagination blows with creativity to achieve themselves that realism aspect from their own perspective, no matter how "old" the graphics looks like.
I find that last thing to be really interesting! This is my take on the matter:
"Old graphics usually leave a lot to desire"
If I read this on another post I'd feel triggered by it, but if we think about it, our desire to see more of the game-world, the enemies and the locations in this games was probably part of our love-fuel for them.
Having limitations makes us wish for more, and when we know there's isn't more, we use our imagination to help our cause.
I remember the times when I played "Megaman Legends". I loved that game for it's world design. The dungeons and the enemies were so cool to look at, and the art-style was really pretty!
I recall seeing the wooded areas and think "Maybe there are animals in there or something worse... Maybe a huge monster!" and spend a lot of time absorbed in thoughts just like that. My imagination was part of the game-world and I liked that, that caused me to be inmersed in it, to lose track of the real life.
I didn't fall in love with the game because of my imagination, but that bond with the game-world only made it more enjoyable, and that's something that doesn't comes by too often when I play current games.
"But Piroct, you were a Child. It's easy for a child, who is free of stress, to use his imagination to inmerse himself in a world without interruptions"
Well, that's maybe right, but it happened recently when I was playing Get Force Gemini a couple of months ago. Then it's fair to assume that I was so used to it as a Child that now it's easy for me to use my imagination to inmerse myself and have a relaxing time while playing.
And that's beautiful!
I see myself being interrupted by thought of "Pay the bills", "Study", "Work more" when I play current games, like recent MMOs and such, but when I seat in the floor and play PS2 it's like going back to be a stress-free child for a moment.
"In my opinion a great art style is more important than the technical aspect" - @Cryptobserver
I asked for some opinions on the SteemGC Discord and one of the persons that shared with me said that. And it's totally true.
It's easy for us to fall in love with an Art-Style, that's the charming point after all!
There are a lot of art-styles that makes us go back to that feeling when we used to play with nothing in mind. In current games Pixel-Art is the one dominating!
Pixel-Art games have been offering a lot lately and have been evolving to and incredible sense of inmersion. Doesn't matter if you're only seeing pixelated characters, you can still feel part of it!
"Even though I'm a super fan of final fantasy, I've been finding it hard to get into the games lately because super realistic graphics distract me and I just don't find them appealing". -
This happens a lot, at least with the people I asked around about the matter.
Feeling relaxed or focus with Cartoony Art-Style isn't something new or rare. One of the reasons games are made is for us to forget the real world and enter into one totally new. Cartoonish Graphics acomplish this beyond limits, that's why it's easy to love them, but that doesn't mean it's everyone's favorite!
"Realism takes away from creativity"
Is there really a basis for someone to say that?
We see a lot of games adopt original art-styles but leaving aside some "realism" aspects, but there are also the ones that implement certain aspects while maintaining their art-styles intact.
Let's take Zelda: Breath of the Wild as example for this one.
A franchise that has always been involved with the "cartoony" art-style implemented some awesome visual improvements in its art-style, but also implemented incredible aspects in its technical side.
Implementing Physics and details like "Lighting Strikes when you wear Metal" were really cool additions to the game and they actually increase the inmersion level of the game.
It's easy to be inmersed and have fun with all the new features for hours without even thinking about real life.
"And I just don't think that "simple" and "less realistic" graphics can't mean "beautiful visuals" at the same time". - @Cryptobserver
Enjoying the game and every detail of the game-world as if it were your own is something really important, isnt' it?
So, what about you?
Do you feel like graphics of old games has something that current graphics can't replicate?
What's your favorite kind of graphics and what game has them?
Why do you like them?
Let me know, I'm interested in knowing your opinions on the matter!
Thank you for reading and I'll see you next time!
... And remember:
