Jasede
Arcane
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2005
- Messages
- 24,793
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?
To conclude, mayhaps games should go back to the roots. There once was a time were graphics were not too fancy and the player has had to be enticed by content. Developers should put more weight into designing a believable setting and writing good text and dialogue which assists one's imagination.
Well, this is hardly a new conclusion. Anyway, what do you think? Has nostalgia simply clouded my head? Or do you too think that it might be important to allow the imagination to play a bigger part? Is what I have stated simply the consequence of better graphics? Have you ever experienced a game, which got you hooked by its amazing feat to immerse you, rather than to fog your brain with flashy graphics?
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?
To conclude, mayhaps games should go back to the roots. There once was a time were graphics were not too fancy and the player has had to be enticed by content. Developers should put more weight into designing a believable setting and writing good text and dialogue which assists one's imagination.
Well, this is hardly a new conclusion. Anyway, what do you think? Has nostalgia simply clouded my head? Or do you too think that it might be important to allow the imagination to play a bigger part? Is what I have stated simply the consequence of better graphics? Have you ever experienced a game, which got you hooked by its amazing feat to immerse you, rather than to fog your brain with flashy graphics?