Hey guys n gals, How do you think the visual style of a game impacts upon the end product? By 'end product' I mean how does the visual style impact the feel of the game, how does it adjust your target audience, could a different visual style help a product that otherwise failed? Things like that. I'm at a deciding point, as I have almost finished one project, and have a firm design in mind for my second project (though given my history it will be firm for 5 minutes ;)). I'm trying to decide what visual style will suit the project, should i go for a stylized retro feel like Euclidean Crisis, Darwinia or Geometry Wars? Should I go for a Steampunk style like Chaos Engine? Should I go for a cel-shaded style like Zelda Windwaker? I'm not limiting myself to the suggested styles, but rather I'm examining the impact that the choice of style may have. If I go for a cel-shaded style, am I limiting my target audience mainly to a younger generation? Am I making the game more accessible to the casual gamer? If I chose a futuristic style, I imagine that I would be narrowing the target audience more towards the hardcore gamer. With a game that I would class as a casual game, would a futuristic style be offputting to the target audience of the gameplay? Would hardcore gamers flock to the game because of the art style, forgiving the more casual gameplay? Is a completely original visual style appealing, or is it offputting? What about an abstract style, do players need to relate to what they see on the screen? Is a game like Geometry Wars offputting in any way due to being so far abstracted from anything in real life, or does it gain from the simplicity? These questions are just to get the discussion started, feel free to add your own :) Also, I would be interested to know where people get their inspiration for visual style of their games? I've been looking back at some Bitmap Brothers games (specifically Magic Pockets and Chaos Engine) and I've been a little inspired by some of the collectibles (sweeties, rings, stars, cocktail glasses, coins) and I'd like to add elements inspired by the art for these items. I loved the feel that although there was generally no tangible difference between the collectibles other than score bonus, it was always interesting to see what new item would drop next. In my game I think I'm going to follow this principal. :) I look forward to any responses, Steve

While I'm a big fan of everything that Introversion has accomplished, I think the only reason to emulate Darwinia's style would be as a guide for how to create something not blindingly ugly with virtually no art budget.

As to how much visual style matters, the only possible answer is "immensely" :-). I would think carefully about the sort of people who will find your project's concept appealing and then pick a style that complements both the theme of the game and that demographic.

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Original post by Mephs Hey guys n gals, How do you think the visual style of a game impacts upon the end product? By 'end product' I mean how does the visual style impact the feel of the game, how does it adjust your target audience, could a different visual style help a product that otherwise failed? Things like that.

My opinion is that visual style of a game is very important; it's the cornerstone of the graphics. Good graphics to me involves both the choice of the visual style to complement the gameplay and the appropriate execution of the style (i.e. nothing that spoils the aesthetics). A game with a good clean 2D cartoon graphics that works (in terms of the game) has better graphics than a 3D full bells and whistles graphics engine that doesn't.

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I'm at a deciding point, as I have almost finished one project, and have a firm design in mind for my second project (though given my history it will be firm for 5 minutes ;)). I'm trying to decide what visual style will suit the project, should i go for a stylized retro feel like Euclidean Crisis, Darwinia or Geometry Wars? Should I go for a Steampunk style like Chaos Engine? Should I go for a cel-shaded style like Zelda Windwaker?

Well, it depends entirely on what sort of game you are wanting to make combined with what styles you or your artists are capable of making. I'll try to put my opinions to your examples:

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If I go for a cel-shaded style, am I limiting my target audience mainly to a younger generation? Am I making the game more accessible to the casual gamer?

I don't think cel shading limits you to a younger generation. However to me it does tend itself more towards simpler pick-up-and-play gameplay than a hardcore ultra-complex game. It could still work in a hardcore game however if the setting was comic based (superheroes, anime etc.)

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If I chose a futuristic style, I imagine that I would be narrowing the target audience more towards the hardcore gamer. With a game that I would class as a casual game, would a futuristic style be offputting to the target audience of the gameplay? Would hardcore gamers flock to the game because of the art style, forgiving the more casual gameplay?

I'm not sure what a "futuristic" style is - I'm assuming the traditional sci-fi type motifs? I don't think this style will make much of a preference - Star Wars has a futuristic style and I don't think it is too off-puting to more casual players. It would depend on the details of what kind of futuristic style you use - whether it's a more clean and shiny depiction of the future or the run-down wasteland grunge look.

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Is a completely original visual style appealing, or is it offputting?

Depends entirely on what the style looks like! If it works, I would find a completely original style very appealing, as it sets your games apart from the others. If it doesn't work and is just different for the sake of being different, then not.

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What about an abstract style, do players need to relate to what they see on the screen? Is a game like Geometry Wars offputting in any way due to being so far abstracted from anything in real life, or does it gain from the simplicity?

Many, if not most games use some form of abstraction with their graphical style. The players do need to understand what they see on the screen for the game to be playable, but as long as the game is understandable then it should work. I haven't played Geometry Wars, but taking chess as an example; the pieces only vaguely look and act like their namesakes (bishop, queen, knight, etc.) but the game is still very playable.

The key is to make your style visually interesting, workable in terms of the gameplay dynamics and completable by your team. For example, I'm fairly rubbish at realistic drawing, but I can make vector cartoon art, so I have a strong draw towards abstract cartoon game ideas.

The other issue is whether you already have a well thought out game design or whether you are starting with the visual theme and building the game from that. If you already have a game you need to pick a theme that goes well with it. If you are working from the theme you will need to shape your game around the look and feel of the visuals.

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Also, I would be interested to know where people get their inspiration for visual style of their games? I've been looking back at some Bitmap Brothers games (specifically Magic Pockets and Chaos Engine) and I've been a little inspired by some of the collectibles (sweeties, rings, stars, cocktail glasses, coins) and I'd like to add elements inspired by the art for these items. I loved the feel that although there was generally no tangible difference between the collectibles other than score bonus, it was always interesting to see what new item would drop next. In my game I think I'm going to follow this principal. :)

For me, I try to visualise my game ideas by sketching things down, developing concept art and game ideas in tandem. That way both the game idea and the art shape each other.

However I can only draw simple cartoons right now, so all my game ideas end up simple, energetic and mildly silly. I don't find that a problem however; I tend to like my games that way too.

Some very interesting responses, thank you :)

I agree that a game with a fitting visual style can look better than a game with technically good graphics. I suppose this suggests that graphics have an element of fitness for purpose which is a quality of its own.

As for my game, I will probably be creating programmer art and then asking for help once I have completed the game to rehash models and textures that I'm not happy with. I suppose if it's me that is creating the graphics, I personally would be best at creating graphics that are half way between cartoony and realistic, but then I would probably be reasonably good at more simple abstract styles too.

I should also stress again however that my suggested styles for my game are only suggestions, I'm quite open to choosing a completely different style if it would work with the idea, it's part of the reason for this thread :)

I like stylistic graphics, something that sets the game apart from the crowd, I love the look and feel of psychonauts for example, cartoony graphics with lots of crazy twists. It fits the game, as crazy would definitely be an appropriate description :) I also really like the loading screens, 2D simple animated backgrounds with 3d elements like birds flying around. If I had time for another project I'd love to take the 2d background with some 3d elements idea further, it really helps put a focus on the 3d elements and I'm sure it would be a good tool to focus attention on specific things of interest.

I'm not so sure about cel shading not limiting to a younger generation though, it seems a fairly standard response when talking to some people about Nintendo games that they are often too cartoony and offputting because they come across as childish. I know this isn't the case with everyone and is a bit of a blanket statement, but it is something I have heard from a fair number of people (though I'm sure many are eating their words since the Wii came out!). Granted I think people are missing out on fantastic games due to this, but I'm sure it exists to an extent, even if you do put a more mature twist on the gameplay.

Well, again, for my game, if I went with a futuristic style, it would probably be somewhat clean futuristic. I think grungy futuristic graphics could be offputting as my game is going to be along the lines of futuristic crazy golf, but instead of controlling a golf ball you control a robotic orb with special abilities and a novel control scheme. It's definitely a casual game, but I don't want to choose a graphical style or feel to the game that makes it come across as some tacky bit of shareware, I want it to come across as professional, fun, accessible to hardcore and casual gamers alike and original.

Regarding an original visual style, yes I suppose it does depend on exactly whether or not the style works, but my intention was really to probe as to whether something new and never seen before is an attractive factor, or is it offputting because people aren't familiar with it? i.e. when cel shading was new, would it have helped game sales by looking original, or did people take time to accept it as a valid style? I suppose with an original style you also run the risk of getting it wrong as you are innovating and experimenting, it's not such a safe option. But yeah I suppose in the end it does just come down to how good it looks and how fitting it is.

Chess is an interesting example of abstraction, though i suspect the successful factor here is that chess has been around for an incredibly long time, perhaps in a sense it is no longer abstract as the relationship between the look of the pieces and what they represent is now common knowledge. If I start putting in glowing geometric shapes for enemies in my crazy golf style game, will people get it? Will it put people off that can't make the abstraction that a glowing geometric shape represents a monster? Would I get more interest if I had clearly represented enemies? I probably don't have time to write a skinned mesh exporter and viewer for the game, and probably do not have enough time to model such enemies, but would I be losing market appeal if I did not follow that route? Can abstract enemies be made any easier to swallow for those who have problems accepting abstraction?

In my game I have a reasonably solid design, so to answer your question, I'm developing the design first, then the visual style. Though I do have some rough ideas in mind for visual style, there is nothing concrete yet!

I also try to visualize my ideas by sketching things out, making mockups in paintshop or Blender too. I'm not an amazing artist, but I know enough to get by.

Anyhoo, thanks for the responses again, I look forward to any more to come :)

Cheers,

Steve

I think it has a huge impact on the end product. The style will affect the audience that plays it. Creating a game with adult content in a cartoon style could be a big mistake because cartoons are often more associated with kids games. It can also affect the enjoyment one has with a game. Personally I prefer my games to have an unusual visual style and to be quite arty, but other gamers i've talked to say that they don't particularly enjoy a game unless its realistic.

When i'm coming up with visual styles for my games i get my inspiration from a variety of places. I look at other games for ideas and I spend quite a bit of time looking at art and going round art galleries. Then I sketch things down.