As usual I come up with ideas to write about by browsing message boards to see what others gamers are talking about. I came across this poll on the Warhammer Vault and decided that it might be a good idea to find out just where other players have placed their priorities in gaming and whether or not my views and opinions might match those of my readers. The topic is ‘What type of game do you prefer?’ There is no wrong answer in a question asking your opinion so feel free to answer honestly.
A game that focuses on graphics more than content with little to do
A game with amazing graphics and a seemingly unlimited amount of average content
A game that has average graphics but focuses on making great content
Or simply something else
Graphics are important in a game especially in this next generation where gaming companies are hyping that they “now support Dx10!”. It’s become a regular occurrence for games on all platforms to be released with little to no content yet be the most breathtakingly beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. Does that matter to you? My personal preferences fall into the middle on graphics but the extreme on content. I prefer a game that has good graphics that can run well on average and above machines. It’s crucial that when you make it game it can be beautiful to the rich and to the ramen noodle eating college students. This is where I give kudos to World of Warcraft for their functional yet timeless approach to their game’s art style. I prefer a game with ‘enough’ great content. I don’t expect an unlimited or enormous amount of content in a game at one time. It takes resources and a planned approach to keep a game evolving and when too much pressure is places on the development of content it causes developers to cut corners, make mediocre content, and neglect other aspects of the game that are equally important. If the content can be added in a timely fashion (NOT like LOTRO – 2 months is WAY too long) then I can be kept entertained. To me a game ends when the content runs out.
So, I prefer a good looking game that runs well with great content. To me it seems like a no-brainer that this should be what everyone wants. I’m surprised that so many people want amazingly graphics with mediocre content or even amazing graphics with little to no content at all. To those who prefer graphics over substance – does the game not end for you when you run out of things to do? This topic reminds me a lot of Vanguard. The world was beautiful (on a good PC, when the game would actually run) yet it had little to do. Even the most remarkable sunset soon became boring when Vanguard relied on it’s looks to mask the true empty shell beneath.
What do you think? Game developers read blogs, message boards, and rely on the opinions of the players to influence their decisions. What is important to you when choosing if you will buy a game, subscribe to a game, or continue playing a game? This will be the first of a few installments on the types of games us gamers prefer. I plan to write several more articles asking questions on PvP, Raiding, and more so that I can piece together a ‘perfect’ model of what the gamers are looking for in games today.
[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptIf the content can be added in a timely fashion (NOT like LOTRO – 2 months is WAY too long) then I can be kept entertained. To me a game ends when the content runs out. So, I prefer a good looking game that runs well with great content. … […]
While I agree that I prefer a game with good graphics and tons of content, there are still many other factors than just those two. There are quests, classes, class balance, grouping, economy, crafting, and all sorts of other things to consider. In general though, I totally agree that graphics should not be the way to sell your game. I think in the next couple of years, there will be a nice balance, but for now, I think too much emphasis is being put on graphics and not enough on content and gameplay mechanics.
I don’t know Keen, I had a blast in Ryzom even before the Ring came into play and that game had almost no content besides the GM events and player events. Would I prefer another game like this? Probably not, I’d say that the sandbox was fun, but obviously wasn’t enough to keep a community entertained. If the game is launched with that goal to provide players with tools to make their own content and interact with GM’s then I think they can focus on having a great engine and environment.
If its a single player – content over graphics.
If its a MMO – game play > content > graphics
I will be writing an article soon to compare the different elements of gameplay and which players prefer. It should be interesting to see how Gameplay, content, graphics, and other factors all blend together to form an “ideal” game.
I happened to blog about graphics today, too. Basically, what I said is that the graphics must be good enough that I’m experiencing the game’s world and not creating most of it in my head. The focus should be on content, but first that graphical line has to be crossed.
I’d rather a game play seemlessly on my computer than have jaw-dropping visual effects, but that doesn’t mean I’m alright with my PC RPGs looking like they were made for the original Nintendo.
Also, graphics and art design are connected, but separate to a degree. A game with top-notch art design and mediocre graphics is better than mediocre art and top-notch graphics.
Does there have to be this “either/or”, this line in the sand, where we have to choose either great graphics or great content? Is it simply impossible to have both?
Where do we stand today on this issue? Do people feel that today’s games are all flash and no substance? If that’s true, then I’m very hopeful for the future of content because the games today actually have some pretty darn good content (and look fairly decent to boot).
I think it’s obvious that no one wants pure graphics and no content – that’s just extreme and not reasonable. I think most people want great graphics and great gameplay – we want it all to be honest, and why not?
But the graphics need to be somewhere between mainstream and bleeding edge, with a focus on the most prevalent video card technology on the market. Now, if someone hasn’t upgraded their rig in 4-5 years, I don’t think that’s the dev’s fault. But if your system is brand new and still choking on graphics, that’s unreasonable and unacceptable.
The content we have today is fine I think. Most people were able to play WoW for well over a year (some closer to 2) on that content. Same with EQII. We may rant and quibble over specific gameplay elements we’d like to see done differently, but content-wise it appears everyone is fairly satisfied (if we are judging by player actions and subscription length).
The “or simply something else” would be the ‘have your cake and eat it too’ option, Kevin. 😉
Whilst I would obviously prefer amazing graphics, content, depth, feel, atmosphere…I would be happy to settle for option3 thankyou..
A game that has average graphics but focuses on making great content
Yeah I guess I’m in the something else bucket heh. 🙂
I think I would go with the average graphics and great content. You can get used to lower quality graphics but lack of content will just make you want to quit.
[…] It’s time for another installment in my ‘What type of game do you prefer?’ series. This is part 3 in what I hope is a lengthy series to ultimately determine what sort of MMORPG or Online Game players prefer. The past two articles saw great response from gamers with vastly different views. Part 1 asked gamers to focus on graphics vs. gameplay and decide which was more important to them and why. Part 2 was the PvP breakdown where players had to decide if they wanted a gankfest, sheltered pvp, rvr, or absolutely no player vs. player combat. Combining parts one and two I have discovered that my personal preferences lead me towards a good looking game that runs well with great content, where the focus is on RVR and fighting for your realm’s mutual goals. Some PvE is nice as long as it stays within the ‘great content’ boundries. […]
[…] It’s time for the next installment in my ‘what type of game do you prefer?’ series. I decided to combine parts 4 and 5 into one blog entry due to their more focused questioning. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the first three parts then definitely do so before or after reading further. Part 1 asked gamers to focus on graphics vs. gameplay and decide which was more important to them and why. Part 2 was the PvP breakdown where players had to decide if they wanted a gankfest, sheltered pvp, rvr, or absolutely no player vs. player combat. Part 3 was the solo vs grouping debate and where the perfect balance was for you. Combining the first three parts: the type of game I want is a good looking game that runs well with great content, where the focus is on RVR and fighting for your realm’s mutual goals. Any PvE content should be fully developed and friendly to both soloing and grouping and be beneficial in some way to both. […]