Raymond: "Innovation Not Driven By Teraflops Alone"

Dealspwn writes: Ubisoft Toronto head, Jade Raymond, has pointed towards the indie scene as a hotbed of new concepts as the games industry prepares to make the jump to a new generation of consoles, suggesting that increased power does not necessarily equal innovation.

[TongkatAli]

Wow! Jade you're fine as hell and you make perfect sense.

[grailly]

I don't know, that picture dates back to when she first became famous, she's no where near as pretty anymore. She s, smart and makes sense though.

[Donnieboi]

I'm a man, and (since the topic came up) I can admit that in this picture, she is a pretty woman. BUT, what's with the womanizing crap? Can u just focus on the article and not crtitique her appearance? Especially since that's not what this article is about.

Nothing wrong with complimenting someone's beauty, but if u got nothing nice (or something vulgar) to say, sometimes it's best just not to share it.

[grailly]

well, I don't feel like I'm the one bringing it up, I was just answering tongkat.
That's primarily what jade raymond is known for, she's been pushed by ubisoft as a pretty woman who makes games.

people are just so scared to offend ladies, it's crazy! cliff blezinski is called a douchebag because of his appearance non-stop, and just because he's a guy thats fine?

[DragonKnight]

What? A woman is the head of a division of Ubisoft? No way. Everyone knows there are no women in gaming. Obviously she's an effeminette man trying to keep women down.

On Topic: Only fools think that graphical fidelity is important. There will come a point where graphics won't be able to go any further, then what? Story and gameplay are vastly more important than visuals.

[die_fiend]

Do u mean most important, or just important like u wrote? If graphics weren't important then why aren't you still on an Atari?

Gameplay and story are obviously pretty important but is it a crime to want your eyes to bleed while you have fun? Worlds are more immersive when the graphics are incredible

On topic: Thanks jade, I had no idea that more power didn't mean people came up with better ideas, woulda been totally lost here without you

[DragonKnight]

What I mean is that graphics are really just a superficial aspect of game design. Unlike story and gameplay, graphics do have a finite limitation. The goal of graphics is going to always be realism. When we can create graphics that are identical to real life, they won't be able to go any further. Story and gameplay don't have that problem and should always be the main focus.

[rainslacker]

In Dragon's defense, Atari games weren't known for having the best game play, nor were they particularly innovative. Even the good ones weren't that great, even by the standards that existed back then.

In response to Dragon:
Graphic fidelity is important in selling a game to the masses. But innovation and unique aspects of any game are independent of that.

Even great looking games can be innovative, but you have to admit you can still sell a mediocre game if it looks pretty. The same isn't true in reverse all the time, which is the real hurdle that indie devs face when reaching mass sales.

There is a definite upswing in the indie market, and a lot of that is due to the big companies pushing more quality indie titles towards the consumers, and the fact that smartphones have made gaming rather commonplace, so the indie scene is getting a lot more notice.

If the big 3 can manage to make a viable market for indie devs, then only good things can come from it, and eventually those indie devs can become the AAA makers of tomorrow...hopefully keeping their uniqueness in the process.

[die_fiend]

It's a good point that there might be a limit, but you know you love eye searing graphics like the rest of us

[Deadpool616]

I'm a bigger fan of 2D sprites myself...not to knock 3D visuals.

[Thatguy-310]

Hear that pc gamers. Keep all the high specs to yourself because in the end they don't matter.

[Scroticus]

Until you play an innovative game like Arma 3.

[Pandamobile]

Says the Playstation gamer.

[DragonKnight]

I like how the 2 replies don't even mention the fact that dboyc310 said high specs don't matter and instead take either the "they do matter because Arma 3" or an attack on his perceived preference.

[wenaldy]

That's PC elitist for you..

[Scroticus]

It's not that I'm attacking him, it's that I'm stating that sometimes, high specs DO matter. Arma 3 is my point made clear.

[ATi_Elite]

I'm so upset that Olivia Munn was being promoted as some FAKE gamer girl meanwhile a REAL smart and sexy Jade Raymond got no publicity.

Well I'm happy to know about her now!

Her point of view is correct as many PC Indie titles have shown Great innovation while using like NO POWER like the current Hits FTL, Darkwood, or Valley without Wind 2.

But hopefully those great innovations in gameplay will be given a BOOST to appeal the graphics whores like myself.

(Hoping Star Citizen and X-Rebirth break my PC)

[Asuka]

eventually the physical limitations of hardware will catch up. You can only draw instructions/logical circuits so small 'physically'. we got 22nm manufactory tech for the current ivybridge processors for example. there is only so much smaller we can go physically. So unless we find a new means of manufactoring and drawing instructions onto a dye, the processing poweress and graphic fidelty that people want will come to a hault. pretty much every process will. Not quite reached that barrier yet, but it'll come :P

[IIJOSEPHXII]

I agree with anything she says.

What did she say again?

[MasterCornholio]

Yep I agree that innovation is not dictated by teraflops or gimmicky controllers. What determines how innovative a game will be depends on the imagination of game developers.

For example Super Mario U is a game designed by someone who lacks a good imagination because that title is literally a replica of New Super Mario Brothers. But a game like Sounds Shapes is truly an innovative title because its unlike any other game on the market. The same could be said about the unfinished Swan and Journey.

Edit: BTW I'm not saying that New Super Mario Brothers U is a bad game its just that I don't consider it to be a very innovative one.

Motorola RAZR i

[OmniSlashPT]

It is true, the most innovative game by Ubi in the past years was the remake of Rayman. But you seem to enjoy the success of series like AC and the milking of Splinter Cell and such with no new ideas whatsoever.

It+s easy to say something, acting and doing it is a lot harder.

As the CEO, what about coming up with a new IP? Watch Dogs seems phenomenal (but kinda goes against your 'teraflops' theory though), but something out of the ordinary would be even better.

We are going to a next gen because we indeed need more 'teraflops' in order to do new things. AI, physics, animations, set-pieces, overall gameplay...it all evolves with technology and game engines. Would you be able to do such an immersive and narrative based game as AC as a 2D platformer? i doubt it.

[MGRogue2017]

Jade Raymond <3

[TheSaint]

Typical, she doesn't know the REAL size of things. Only men know what an inch really is.