poetic codex
Augur
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2010
- Messages
- 292
I built a computer recently just to max out modern games and I regret it because I'm not particularly impressed.
The last time I was impressed with graphics in a computer game was when Half Life 2 first came out. That represented a noticeable leap forward. To me, it seems as if games haven't really progressed much past that point. Maybe the longevity of the 360 console is partly to blame.
The games I have played:
Crysis 1 with mods
Witcher 2
Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light
Batman Arkham City
Skyrim with ENB series mods
Battlefield 3
Tomb Raider 2013
These games usually make the lists when it comes to best graphics in a pc game, but none of them made my jaw drop.
I have narrowed it down to 3 main reasons:
1. Plastic look / Uncanny Valley.
It all started back in Doom 3. While it has gotten better, it's still pretty jarring to me.These modern games all use some kind of shading technique (I don't know the technical term) that makes skin look really weird and plastic. Unreal Engine 3 games are especially at fault in this area and the Mass Effect series suffered for it. I feel like I'm looking at these "almost human" "almost realistic" androids. I find it much less immersive than the cartoony style of older pc games.
Some examples:
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2004/screen0/469881_20040805_screen007.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/auj0J.png
http://imageshack.us/f/204/metro2033closeup.jpg/
2. Favoring realism over art style
While Alan Wake is never mentioned as much as Crysis or Witcher 2, I found this game to be the best looking PC game I've ever played. Why? Alan Wake has a very atmospheric art style with excellent use of lighting and shadows. They didn't aim for realism but an over the top film noir style which makes the game absolutely gorgeous in my opinion. The Crysis series aim for a more realistic look and once again this does nothing but highlight how artificial everything is.
http://i1.minus.com/ibfcwPsGB72NYM.png
3. Questionable effects like ambient occlusion, bloom/HDR, motion blur, depth of field etc
Witcher 2 shadows had an intentional dithering effect over grass and shadows and I'm not sure how the developers could love this look:
http://i.picpar.com/c6675bc937cb8444402802f23a58b29b2ebc2977.jpg
Depth of field usually just makes me feel like the character is suffering from myopia and forgot to put on his glasses.
Ambient occlusion only highlights that plastic look I was talking about. Very rarely is it done right
Head bobbing just gives me motion sickness and combined with the "cinematic" camera shaking and copious use of motion blur, it's just a recipe for headaches and nausea.
Because of the bright HDR glow, these mushrooms from Metro 2033 have an annoying shimmering effect when your character is in motion:
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/_...ges/3/3d/Metro2033_2013-01-18_21-50-46-39.png
Batman Arkham City had this pixel crawling along the edges of most surfaces because the Unreal Engine 3 doesn't like anti-aliasing.
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I went back to older games like Thief The Dark Project, System Shock 2 and Wizardry 8 and I'm finding the graphics much more immersive. Yeah they don't have those cool effects like HDR which give your screen a blinding radioactive glow, but they have distinctive art style and it's easier for my imagination to fill in the blanks.
The last time I was impressed with graphics in a computer game was when Half Life 2 first came out. That represented a noticeable leap forward. To me, it seems as if games haven't really progressed much past that point. Maybe the longevity of the 360 console is partly to blame.
The games I have played:
Crysis 1 with mods
Witcher 2
Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light
Batman Arkham City
Skyrim with ENB series mods
Battlefield 3
Tomb Raider 2013
These games usually make the lists when it comes to best graphics in a pc game, but none of them made my jaw drop.
I have narrowed it down to 3 main reasons:
1. Plastic look / Uncanny Valley.
It all started back in Doom 3. While it has gotten better, it's still pretty jarring to me.These modern games all use some kind of shading technique (I don't know the technical term) that makes skin look really weird and plastic. Unreal Engine 3 games are especially at fault in this area and the Mass Effect series suffered for it. I feel like I'm looking at these "almost human" "almost realistic" androids. I find it much less immersive than the cartoony style of older pc games.
Some examples:
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2004/screen0/469881_20040805_screen007.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/auj0J.png
http://imageshack.us/f/204/metro2033closeup.jpg/
2. Favoring realism over art style
While Alan Wake is never mentioned as much as Crysis or Witcher 2, I found this game to be the best looking PC game I've ever played. Why? Alan Wake has a very atmospheric art style with excellent use of lighting and shadows. They didn't aim for realism but an over the top film noir style which makes the game absolutely gorgeous in my opinion. The Crysis series aim for a more realistic look and once again this does nothing but highlight how artificial everything is.
http://i1.minus.com/ibfcwPsGB72NYM.png
3. Questionable effects like ambient occlusion, bloom/HDR, motion blur, depth of field etc
Witcher 2 shadows had an intentional dithering effect over grass and shadows and I'm not sure how the developers could love this look:
http://i.picpar.com/c6675bc937cb8444402802f23a58b29b2ebc2977.jpg
Depth of field usually just makes me feel like the character is suffering from myopia and forgot to put on his glasses.
Ambient occlusion only highlights that plastic look I was talking about. Very rarely is it done right
Head bobbing just gives me motion sickness and combined with the "cinematic" camera shaking and copious use of motion blur, it's just a recipe for headaches and nausea.
Because of the bright HDR glow, these mushrooms from Metro 2033 have an annoying shimmering effect when your character is in motion:
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/_...ges/3/3d/Metro2033_2013-01-18_21-50-46-39.png
Batman Arkham City had this pixel crawling along the edges of most surfaces because the Unreal Engine 3 doesn't like anti-aliasing.
-----------------------------------------------------
I went back to older games like Thief The Dark Project, System Shock 2 and Wizardry 8 and I'm finding the graphics much more immersive. Yeah they don't have those cool effects like HDR which give your screen a blinding radioactive glow, but they have distinctive art style and it's easier for my imagination to fill in the blanks.