Personally I feel that most games today are focusing more on technologies rather than gameplay. Alota people think it''s all about eye candy and cool 3d worlds. I think alot of game developers have lost site of the actual game play aspect of things. I remember back in the day where a game was actually fun because of the pure game play. Sure graphics open up alot of options, but I think the power of technology has left some game''s design a little to be desired. I am starting to see alot of new genres of games out there. The 3d demension surely does open a 5th element. Hopefully with all the power that is being invested into video games, games'' design will become more and more ingenious themselves. I just can''t wait to help make some change! God Speed! A man on the move, and just sick enough to be totally confident. Damn Right!

Agreed 100%. I believe that the reason that they are speeding up graphics hardware, is so that GD''s can use the extra cycles to do their own gameplay functions. This seems to be contrary to a lot of GD''s beliefs though, they think that faster graphics hardware is just for using better graphics at the same rate. Damn them to hell!

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-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft
"The Philosophers' Stone of Programming Alchemy"
IOL (The list formerly known as NPCAI) - A GDNet production
Our Doc - The future of RPGs
Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche

I agree MOST think as you pointed out.

Would like to exclude UBISoft from the list since I know how they are making games and that Game Design is essential in their process...

Look @ rayman2 if you don''t believe me...

-* So many things to do, so little time to spend. *-

quote: Original post by dwarfsoft
Agreed 100%. I believe that the reason that they are speeding up graphics hardware, is so that GD''s can use the extra cycles to do their own gameplay functions. This seems to be contrary to a lot of GD''s beliefs though, they think that faster graphics hardware is just for using better graphics at the same rate. Damn them to hell!

I think your right on this one dwarfsoft! Pretty graphics are all the rave. On the other hand I''ve been pulling out my C=64 emulator and playing an old game called "Bruce Lee." Blocky graphics and all this game is so much fun... even today! It was jump and run platform game, so there wasn''t too much they could do but make the game fun. The music was nice and the SFX helped even out the game.

Bring back the fun in games, leave a few cycles for gameplay.


Dave "Dak Lozar" Loeser

Think about the fundamental reason for making a game.

Before you answer, remember that game making is a business.

Here''s a hint: money.

Okay, answer now!

That''s right! Games are made to make money. What sells is graphics and eye candy at the moment. The business end of game development wants a guarentee to make money off their investment. Once that''s established designers try to squeeze as much fun and gameplay into it as possible without hurting the business requirements.

A lot of it also depends on what type of game you''re creating. A FPS isn''t going to have too complicated a plot, so what sells the game is the graphics. RPGs on the other hand don''t need the graphics intensity because they have the story.

Another thing that needs to be realized is that the graphics, especially 3D, are still flawed and developers know that. So, they try to develop faster and better graphics cards and engines so that heavy gameplay can be put into the game. So, I agree with dwarfsoft on this, but I''ve got faith that the master game developers and designers will utilize the extra cycles to put in more gameplay.

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Monkey eat deadCricket, checkmate!

It''s money what makes the world go ''round. Unfortunately. Luckily there are people out there who won''t stand for cash cows making the design decisions. G.o.D, Xtreme, and many others are all committed to making games that are fun before all else.

The other good thing is that with accellerated graphics, we''ll be hitting a limit. Cool graphics can only sell so many games. Eventually your game has to be more fun than the competition because their graphics are just as good as yours. I think this perspective shift will occur very soon, if it isn''t already happening.


Pax

I really don''t get how a game can sell just using eye candy. I mean, really. You go out and spend 40 some odd bucks just so you can sit in your chair and amuse yourself by watching neat-o special fx?? Gimme a break. Any game without a good story or good gameplay can''t be good. I mean, I remember way back when graphics were nonexistent and it was the story that captured the gamer, not all the pretty lights. *shakes head*. I got better things to spend my hard earned cash on.

And speaking of cash, to many games have turned into pieces of horse s**t cause the developers had to cut corners to bring it in under budget so the publisher doesn''t get angry. Gee.. I wonder why Blizzard has kickass games? They follow the lovely "it''ll be out when its ready" karma. You shall all repeat after me:

"it''ll be out when its ready...... it''ll be out when it''s ready"



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\\// live long and prosper; \||/ die short and rot.
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Damn right Blizzard kicks ass...even though they call Diablo and RPG...anyway...

Playing devil''s advocate, how disapointed would you be if you spent that 40 bucks on a game, put it in your 64-bit super system, and it looked like Donkey Kong?

Also, graphics help to draw a player into the game. Ever hear the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words"?

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"What's the story with your face, son?!?"

You know why graphics sell so much ? Because there are tons of complete idiots who have no idea about games or PCs.All they can play are FPS, they don''t understand RPGs and Adventures because you can''t kill everyone and the PC is just a big N64 for them.I know lots of these people, and they buy games just for graphics.A guy bought Fallout 2 because of the violence and guns, but he never plays it cause he doesn''t understand it.When I tried to explain it to him he asked me why I wouldn''t kill the NPC in the town.UGH.And I''m not trying to offend people who like FPS.
*hides under the carpet to avoid flames*

Runemaster
Join the Game Developers RuneRing !

The Specular Lightosis Research Fund

Yea I know games are made for money. Eye candy sells for most fools who don''t know a real game from Barbie Fashion Designer. Yea I know Barbie Fashion Designer sold too many copies for it''s own good. Maybe everyone out there should be making that if they want to make money? What I don''t understand is, if you want to make a pretty game with no gameplay and expect people to buy it, they might. But if they get it from a store where they can return it if they don''t like it, they will! Eye candy may help make them buy it, but gameplay will keep em coming back for more.