Simon Says: There is No Need for the Graphical Obsession With Next Gen

GameNTrain author Simon Marshall writes: Whenever a new game is released, the same is always said by gamers who are easily impressed.

“Wow, look at those graphics!”

There was a time when playing games such as FIFA 99 and Metal Gear Solid where I thought that these games were hugely impressive graphically. When you look back only a few years later when the PS one was replaced with the PS2, the graphics looked terrible in comparison as they all had flat faces and robotic body movements. With modern gaming there is such a huge demand for games to look the best they possibly can and I believe that this is hurting the industry. There are certain areas of gaming which are thriving even though they do not have the graphical prowess of the million dollar franchises.

[wtopez]

There's no real need. I still want it though.

[Sayai jin]

I like to be "WOW'd" by graphics and somewhat expect that with nextgen games, but I also expect a leap in game play as well.

This gen certain people would harp about 3rd party looking better on a certain platform, so I expect certain other people to harp about the the difference in graphics the nextgen as well.

[AgentSmithPS4]

Smith Says: There is No Need for More Microsoft Apologists.

Microsoft makes over $1 Billion a year from xbox live and they're trying to sell you an xbone that pushes one half the pixels of the PS4. Apparently a big percentage of their profits go to their executives instead.

"Had all of these comparison videos and news about the two consoles not been released this week, I think it would be hard to find anyone would have made a huge fuss over the Xbox One’s graphical power compared to the PS4."
The xbone along with its secrets were buried for a long time, now that it's been exposed it's harder for people to stay in fantasy land.

"... but if you would rather have stronger graphics than a variety of great games (implying that xbone has more variety)"
I'd rather get both, graphics and variety. I got the most for my money with the PS4.

There are more quotes which I will not utter here.

[PoSTedUP]

our eyes dont deserve to appreciate a developers effort to push great graphics & resolution. strictly games, guys.
and to hell with great sounding stereo systems. just shut up and enjoy the songs...

simon, please says you are joking.

[MysticStrummer]

@Smith - "I'd rather get both, graphics and variety. I got the most for my money with the PS4."

Yes. The PS4's launch title list is admittedly lacking in high profile AAA exclusives, other than Killzone (definitely) and Knack (debatably based on it's maker), but it does have the best graphics (technically speaking, not art style which is subjective) and the most overall variety. Going by Sony's console history, those other high profile AAA exclusives will come along soon and will continue throughout the life of the console. Going by MS's console history, they'll start strong and then fade.

On a side note, I just watched The Matrix and Neo just made you explode. If it makes you feel any better, you're played by a much better actor.

[morganfell]

Do you know what Simon should really be saying? Simon should be saying there is no need for a self important individual with a cheap blog telling us what to think and telling us what we should and shouldn't want from gaming.

[shivvy24]

Yeah true, honestly uncharted 3 still looks amazing and its 720p 30fps,, so anything that looks better Is a win for me

[scofios]

Simon Says: There is No Need for the Graphical Obsession With Next Gen

Scofios says where you last gen?
And frankie says relax don't do it.

[Deadpoolio]

There is no real need unless of course there is a company that wants $500 for a new machine that is running the same resolution as their older $200 machine...That is something to kind of be or get upset about

[mistertwoturbo]

Gaming Media:

Xbox 360 Launch "OMG Look at the next-gen graphics!"

Xbox One Launch "There's no need for the graphical obsession with next gen."

[miyamoto]

yup. well said.

typical damage control from m$

now let's go to what pc gamers say....

[stuna1]

It's amazing how this generation many spent their every waking moments, and many sleepless nights burning the midnight oil obsessing over graphics and resolution! Sites like Lens of Truth garnered massive revenue from hits they received from those obsessing over which looked better. Major Developers well known in the industry constantly complained about how they weren't able to showcase their artistic brilliance because of weak hardware, which affected or cause their games to be met with mediocre reception, and reviews, because they just weren't pretty enough.

Now we're at the cusp of a brand new generation, and some damning information has leaked, spilled whatever some want to call it, now it's hold up! Stop the press, because that bit of leaked information is somehow not angled at its intended target, or the target that people believed it would be targeted at. Let's be honest! Many wanted the cycle to continue! Why? Is beyond me, but it is, what it is. Anyway a pre-emptive strike was made by Sony, and so far the competitor has been unable to recover. So that is why just mere weeks from release we are seeing articles like this pop up! Because we're down to the wire now, so it'll be pretty hard to undo most of the damage already done, so what's the next best course of action!? Bring the competitor down to your level! Scath their name, discredit what is being offered.

This is why an article like this would be written, because things haven't went the way they wanted it too. But I say this, the difference in resolution and graphical leap should be a big deal!!!! After all it is something that has been asking for since the beginning of the 7th generation.

[MysticStrummer]

Yeah I have a strong feeling that sites like Lens of Truth will be enjoyed by the opposite crowd next gen compared to this one. Suddenly it's wrong to point out differences in resolution, AA, lighting, etc.

[NeoTribe]

Considering the whole point in ever getting a new console is better hardware for improved graphics. I think its safe to say its important. They should make a seperate model for these dumbasses who don't think graphics are important. Put ps360 hardware into ps180 shells and sell it to em for 100 bucks cheaper.

[Tooly]

thers no need oh well pre order canceled goin back to my nes.

[shivvy24]

Going back to ps2 ! That shit was good, gotta dust off jak and Dexter then go for a feels trip

[Tooly]

True Got mine in storage

[WorldGamer]

When it was constant PS3 vs. 360 it was called comparisons, now because it's PS4 vs. X1 it's an obsession??

Also, admissions that you have "Already reserved a PS4 day 1" always make it seem like you are trying to cover up your excuses and failed attempts at shifting the conversation to something more convenient.

If you have games on the X1 that you must have, then by all means go get an X1. I think the real debate and problem is MS's reversals, boastings about non-sensical advantages, and when it came time for them to actually demonstrate what the system can do, it came up short.

COD Ghost was a huge hit, not because the game is a brilliant showing of graphical power, but because it is not. If you can't add 1+1, how are you going to be expected to do well in algebra not long after? I would consider that grounds to panic.

[MASTER_RAIDEN]

well MASTER RAIDEN says this Simon character is an idiot.

[supes_24]

Lol, I agree Raiden. It's not all about graphics but, it is 2013 and all our TVs have at least 720p, most of us own 1080p TVs. If the consoles have HDMI ports why not use them? It should be an industry standard to have HD games that utilize the TV's we play our games on, which is in my case, 1080p.

[KimoNoir]

This post is gonna get wrecked.

[neocores]

So then lets go back to 480p all games i guess thats fair

[Eldyraen]

To be fair though if we went back to 480p the games could look phenomenal its just we wouldn't really be able to see all the great details due to low res ;)

[neocores]

I dont think it matter no more since 720 is now the new 1080

[Codey47]

So there is no need for Sony and Microsoft to launch new consoles.

Ahh well...guess I'll keep hold of that PS3 for a bit longer.

[Ju]

I'd be curious how'd that turn out if the XBone would be the one running 1080 and the Playstation wouldn't...hm...I guess we wouldn't even have this discussion.

[GenericNameHere]

Well, the Xbox 360 had better res/FPS in multiplats than the PS3 early in their life cycles. But the thing was, the PS3 was clearly stronger but since it was a pain to develop for, the games never looked great until the big exclusives came in, starting with MGS4 (I think OG Uncharted also showed off the PS3's graphical prowess, but I'm not so sure).

This time around, the Xbone is factually weaker in hardware and is supposedly harder to develop for thanks to eSRAM, while the opposite for the PS4. Later down the line, will developers be able to fully maximize the Xbone? Definitely, but so will devs working on the PS4. Will Cloud increase the Xbone's graphical capabilities? Maybe, but you're crazy if you think it's gonna start doing 4K and beat future Ultra graphics on PC.

[MysticStrummer]

If the tables were turned, the same people crying about comparison articles now would be crowing like crazy. "You get what you pay for" and so forth.

[ZBlacktt]

There's no need to charge $500 also.

[Bigc32]

U realize xb1 is overall better console it offers more then just power. Ur not even gonna have good dash, online games, dedicated servers ouch thats big one lol

[ZBlacktt]

sub par parts, 720p, batteries in the controller, bottleneck design. Over looked by entrainment box. Which btw, servers do not fix everything. Might want to look that up. Hope they don't have issues at launch with the Snap I've been reading about as well. Lord know how well the XBox 360 went.... for 3 long years.

[jay2]

There is when the hardwares mean to be 'about the same' and obviously isn't.

[RiPPn]

This article convinced me to buy a bone, no doubt, I'm definitely willing to pay more for less. And I 100% believe he's not an Xbox fanboy. /s

[PR_FROM_OHIO]

So why are we getting new systems?? Smh love how the media is trying to save Microsoft at all cost lol!!

[Bathyj]

People have always liked good graphics. I remember marveling at the amazing loading screens for Robocop on my Commodore 64. Where's this push coming from lately for everyone to downplay them? Didn't we just spend the last 7 years examining every pixel to see who was better?

[Bonerboy]

hmmmm, now where did I put my old Atari 2600?

I like me some good ol' solid gameplay, but I also like me some nice polished shiny graphics. That being said, picking apart the extremely minor differences between console versions is like picking fly shit out of pepper, which amounts to simple fanboy rhetoric.

[PsylentKiller]

Got mine hooked up right now. Was just playing some River Raid and Pitfall.

[Bonerboy]

Nice! I miss that system a lot; it was my first. The emulators just aren't the same.

[MRMagoo123]

Yeh who needs graphics we can just upscale everything, the media is a joke at the mo, 2 frames a second more on the 360 compared to the ps3 was made into a huuuuuge deal now that the PS4 is running games better and at double the rez sometimes more its no big deal lmfao, heres a pic courtesy of neogaf http://i44.tinypic.com/34hw...

[RandomDude655]

Ok cool...since graphics don't matter, I'll buy a wii U or maybe PS1...
..
.
.
do they still make PS1's? It's much cheaper, and it has good gameplay

[rainslacker]

You can readily find PS2's and they are backwardly compatible to PS1 games.:) PS1 on ebay would probably run you $20.

[Trago1337]

These new consoles are all technically INFERIOR to the PC, so why bother debating graphics in the first place?

[rainslacker]

pfft, PC guys...haven't you heard? Graphics don't matter anymore.

I actually agree with your statement on a factual level. But console owners buy consoles to play games the way they want to.:)

[mistertwoturbo]

Because it's actually a console vs console debate. It's common knowledge at this point that the PC with its unlimited configuration could be more powerful. That doesn't mean graphics aren't relevant anymore for consoles. And being the pc gamer I am, I still can only play games like God of war, killzone, mgs, etc on a console. And spending $400-$500 on one it had better be up to a certain acceptable standard in which only the ps4 is delivering.

[SpinalRemains138]

Since one of the new consoles is only able to do what its predecessor did in terms of resolution, then sure.

For others, its why we look forward to future gens. Progress. Better games and resolution.

[johny5]

for $500 you damn right there better be an obsession!

[Broomfondle]

I bought a Wii U. I am more than happy with my purchase. I also bought into a marriage, and with that marriage came three children. If Nintendo only released 5/6 good games a year on their console then I will be happy with that. I just don't have the time to spend my whole life playing computer games.

[mysteryraz11]

its not just better graphics its bigger worlds and more content in the games, look at the new driveclub videos and ryse videos those are crazy graphics, plus the ps4 was running something like the dark sorcerer in real time, if there are games that level and above then I cant wait but still I wanna play resogun and other non graphical games on the ps4

[gpturbo81]

graphics dont make me wet, at all. however, gameplay and replay value make me drip like an old faucet.