With all the build up and hype around how plausible "leaked" next gen tech plans, X amount of RAM, using X GPU etc. Discussions and comment sections almost always recede into resolution comparisons and how many FPS a game runs at.
Strictly speaking, "Next Gen" graphics are already here on beast gaming PC's of $1000 and above, and those specs increase at will, there are no gens in terms of PC.
Why don't we start using this new hardware we shall migrate to next gen to start pushing the boundaries of AI, environmental interaction and general use for the benefit of the overall way games are designed and played, instead of merely how shiny and hi-res you can make a game look.
Even the best looking games out there can have MAJOR flaws at a basic design level, so when it comes down to us gamers sitting and playing it, it doesn't really matter if it looks like MGS1 or true to life like LA Noire.
Crysis is always an example franchise that springs to mind when i discuss this with people. Sure, Crysis 2 maxed out on my PC looks absolutely fantastic, but when something as basic as ill designed AI creeps in, it throws the whole experience out th window as i'm not prepared to suffer design flaws that break my immersion for the sake of some 1080p wallpaper in that one room. One minute i'm walking around admiring the beautiful scenerey and looking at all my potential suit powers and think "great! this is pulling me in, looks good, plenty of depth and variation etc". Then while stalking at least 300 yards away from one soldier while crouched in a bush i decide it's safe to remove my stealth cloak. Upon the very millisecond of dropping that stealth, the guy swirls 180 degrees screaming "Intruder" and pounding me half to death with precise headshots and all of a sudden, i have half an army on top of me...
I could probably make similar examples of all different games from all platforms and point these immersion and often fun breaking fundamental flaws all day.
What's my overall point? With a fresh leaf turned over for a new generation of both hardware and software, why don't we take a step back, assess what makes us love the games we do, and what turns us off. Something as simple as the realisation that dropping a few pixels here and there to have those resources used in intelligent enemy spawns and overall AI, at the end of the day, it's really not going to be that much worse off in the aesthetics, but be worlds more enjoyable to actually sit and play.
Let's cut back to basics, start something new, and make this coming generation something to be proud of!
WTMG's Oliver Shellding: "In a world where games can be patched and updated till they barely resemble their original form, Front Mission 3: Remake still could not grow into a better and more satisfying sequel. Clean up the graphics, tweak the AI and make the missions load faster, and you’re still left with bland combat and unlikeable leads. I doubt this’ll be my last time with the franchise, but, in a world where even the best games can be left behind in a blink, I have no choice but to eject from Front Mission III immediately to save myself."
Neil writes: Get through a confused opening, but then Ruffy and the Riverside becomes a quirky, unique, challenging game that is ripe for manipulation.
Gareth writes: There's a Gun in the Office is an unconventional, effective game that, if nothing else, will prepare you in case the worst should ever happen.
I'd like to beat with a wet noodle those who think that visuals make the game. I can think of a handful of games in which the visuals were poor in comparison to others, but excelled in brilliance in aspects that visually excellent games failed in.
I don't think they're the "be all, end all", but it's certainly a reasonable expectation to see a graphical leap with each new generation. What's the point of releasing new tech if you're going to use old graphics?
I would say art style is more important than textures or just how powerful the system is. What's the point of all that power in a system if the games art is boring? That's part of the thing that annoys me about this gen, too much realism.
What kinda wierds me out is when some people act like games are automatically outdated and worthless if they aren't current gen. It's ridiculous, some of the best games you can experience are still from the nes-n64 days.
"Strictly speaking, "Next Gen" graphics are already here on beast gaming PC's of $1000 and above"
Funny this next gen demo is running on a 2 year old laptop(geforce 555M)
"Turns out it was running on a two year old laptop with a mobile GeForce 555M"
http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
I remember playing C&C red alert on the ps1 & loving it to bits,then when the ps2 came round my bro & i had a long discussion about how the next one would be now that they had the power to make it bigger.
We were hoping for bigger maps more weapons & maybe a branching story(failed mission continues you down a different path),instead we got nothing.
Well my main point is that we were happy with the graphics,it was the gameplay we hoped they improved 1st & it still should be this way today but unfortunately big publishers couldn't give a dam about gameplay aslong the ads look good!