I concur with this. That's one of the reasons why solid RPGs are a dying breed now, though this rule certainly have several notable exceptions (Gothic, for instance).Section8 said:You've also got to consider the state of the industry in this whole discussion. Sure, in theory you can push the technology to the point of photorealistic simulation, but along with that, you have massive increases of labour requirements. A single game can be a multi-million dollar enterprise in development costs alone.
Because it's TB, that's why. Nowadays, in game business, TB-RPGs, no matter how well-dones, are stil frowned upon. This is one of those deteriorating trends.Section8 said:Sagelike. ToEE looks pretty darn gorgeous graphics wise, it's certainly more than passable in todays market. I think it's missed opportunity. Obviously The Sims was a great deal more popular than ToEE, but the model it uses, of almost episodic content could surely work elsewhere, especially with RPGs.
The problem is that the graphics are already there and you can't really imagine something on top of that. That is, even though they are quite simple, they still possess their own style (which I generally dislike) and this occupies your mind, leaving no ground for imagination. At least that's what it's doing for me. Moreover, as Bryce said, the game does have a solid setting-background, but lacks actual story, characters everything that makes an RPG an RPG.War3rd said:If you have that much of an imagination, I don't understand why you can't apply it to Morrowind or any newer game as well. Your argument just doesn't make sense.
This I agree completely with.Twinfalls said:A Disney fantasy-medieval world was what sprang to my mind when looking at the Oblivion screenshots. Clean, plastic, bland. Compared with the Gothic games, which look like a convincing European medieval setting.
If done right, Bloom is an essential tool in making a realistic-looking environment. How else can you show the sunshine? Oh and since you're talking about hell, then it could be used to show a lot of red glare.Turdis said:Well, yeah, hell might still look lame through a soft focus lens AKA bloom.
There have been some attempts, like a better NPC/dialog plugin, but they still did not do enough to make it worthwhile, methinks. You can alwasys ask Balor for details, he's our mod-master 'round here.Imbecile said:Just out of curiosity, I would have thought that it would have been very easy to add a text mod to Morrowind. Was one ever made?
The second one sure looks like photosheep. PS or not, it's pretty lame, yeah. That's what Im talking about: wrong implementation of a potent technology.What am I talking about? This, this and this for example. Disney, Disney, Disney.
The problem is that the graphics are already there and you can't really imagine something on top of that.
Twinfalls said:
Proweler said:Looks good enhough to me. Can't argue about taste but it's defenitly looming.
A Disney fantasy-medieval world was what sprang to my mind when looking at the Oblivion screenshots. Clean, plastic, bland. Compared with the Gothic games, which look like a convincing European medieval setting.
Twinfalls said:Can you read? Here is my initial statement:
A Disney fantasy-medieval world was what sprang to my mind when looking at the Oblivion screenshots. Clean, plastic, bland. Compared with the Gothic games, which look like a convincing European medieval setting.
No, Proweler, the point was a lack of realism - Oblivion's towns and interior environments don't look convincingly medieval, unlike Gothic's. They also tend towards the plasticky and Disney-esque.
Where did I say "the screens are always bright", or "there's no night-time or dark 'scary' bits"?
And it wasn't me who said the Russian screens look like crap.
They also tend towards the plasticky and Disney-esque.[after showing some (or a) russian screens]
They also tend towards the plasticky and Disney-esque.
Unless you like that that of course. Can't argue over taste.
Section8 said:I don't think there's anything wrong with clean and bland for certain portions of a fantasy world. Those faggy paladins have to have something symbolic of purity to defend, right?
But plastic? It seems to be all too common today due the industry's obsession with exagerrated specular and bump mapping. maybe when they get over showing off technical features, it can take a back seat to subtle use, like Half-Life 2, for instance.
Twinfalls said:@Proweler
Look you stupid dipshit - stop being a blatant argumentative retard. First you bring up photos of night-time shots to counter my statement the game looks plasticky and Disneyesque, when brightness has nothing to do with it. Now you're trying to split hairs on 'setting'. The screenshots do not show me 'wrong on the former', Disneyworld has night-time and can be 'woo scary' in a plastic way, too. Gothic's environments are more authentically medieval looking, if you don't agree, it's probably because you're stupid.
You don't even make sense with half of what you're posting up. What the fuck does
They also tend towards the plasticky and Disney-esque.
Unless you like that that of course. Can't argue over taste.
mean?
Jasede said:I was wondering just how important the ability to visualize and to imagine things is when playing a CRPG. Just yesterday I gave the good, old Daggerfall another go. Running through the damp dungeons I was almost aware about how it must have smelled there. Suddenly, a terrible screeching was to be heard! I sat bolt upright, knowing that a skeleton must be close. When I finally saw it, I could actually hear it chuckling --- I even saw it in my head, waving its rusty saber at me.
The day before that, I spent some time with Pool of Radiance, a rather ancient Goldbox game. Although the town of Phlan that my party was about to liberate was not very detailed, I still could imagine how my characters roamed through the city and bartered with the merchants.
Well, the point is: Today, I thought I would give Morrowind another shot, even against better judgement. Well, when I saw the world and explored my first dungeon I uninstalled that junk again. Why? Well, aside of the usual, well discussed cons of Morrowind, it also did not feel as real as Daggerfall or Pool of Radiance. In those games, I was really immersed into the world surrounding me. I knew what my character(s) were thinking. Now one might say: Is a modern game not much more immersive, due to its fancy music and amazing graphics? Well, my answer has to be: no! If everything is served on a platter, one is restricted in one's imagination. Morrowind... Everything was so clean; every face was free from dirt. Magic items glowed like some kind of plastic toy. How could that have been immersive?