Do graphics contribute to atmosphere in games?

[alva]

Again, another yes.

The thing is of course that every games has a budget and if too much of that budget goes to 'atmospere'...you'll be left with a crappy game by deffinition.

[Apocalypse]

Being right is awesome.

[Kuciwalker]

Savor it, since you don't seem to get it as often as you'd like.

[pg]

graphics do matter. i still use screenshots for my initial info about a new game. i can tell the most from a game by it's screenshots. much more so than lengthy descriptions or reading a review(maybe i'm just a visual person?). also different games have different importance on graphics. games which main strengths are gameplay don't need strong graphics rogue like games are perfectly playable in ascii text. good graphics never hurt any game though(barring framerate/etc issues).

[Kuciwalker]

Screenshots != graphics, exactly, though.

[Urban Ranger]

Maybe.

You don't need good graphics or even graphics to have a great atmosphere, however. Some of the most atmospheric games are the old Infocom text-only adventure games.

No novels has any graphics at all.

The problem with having graphics in a game is a player is forced to go along with this particular interpretation. It leaves no room for imgination.

first of all Morrowind. Sometimes when I'm jumping off the top of staircases (which is encouraged by this idiotic skill system), I actually clinch my gut in anticipation of hitting the ground. I almost feel like I'm actually jumping!

That's not atmosphere. That's realism.

[Kuciwalker]

The problem with having graphics in a game is a player is forced to go along with this particular interpretation. It leaves no room for imgination.

OTOH, graphics allow for a much clearer atmosphere. Make-your-own-atmospher != better atmosphere, necessarily.

[Theben]

Get over to Eventis n00b

And I answered yes.

[Zero]

im the guy that wouldnt care less with UT2k4 character sprite was just a big blob or targettable hitzones.. and game had no enviornment except bland colored tile that makes up walls.

and even i know the answer to this question.... yes!

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

The problem with having graphics in a game is a player is forced to go along with this particular interpretation. It leaves no room for imgination.

OTOH, graphics allow for a much clearer atmosphere. Make-your-own-atmospher != better atmosphere, necessarily.

The imagery I can conjure up in my mind has way higher resolution than anything they can put on a screen.

[Skanky Burns]

Be that as it may, the graphics they provide help convey the atmosphere they are trying to provide which is what the original question was.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
The imagery I can conjure up in my mind has way higher resolution than anything they can put on a screen.

Well aren't you special

Seriously, though, there's only so much atmosphere you can convey through text - it's all well and good to say that the user invents his own atmosphere, but graphics allow the designer to convey it better.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You don't need good graphics or even graphics to have a great atmosphere, however. Some of the most atmospheric games are the old Infocom text-only adventure games.

No novels has any graphics at all.

Bingo! Thanks UR. Being right to awesome .

It's hard to say that graphics matter for atmosphere and then look at the wonderful atmosphere in those old text adventure games (ZORK!) and try to explain that.

Games with bad graphics can have great atmosphere (Fallout), while games with amazing graphics can have crappy atmosphere (pick one).

[Kuciwalker]

That's because they're two different scales. If you have the most beautiful rendering engine in the world, creating stunning vistas, but they don't mesh with the story, it won't do anything. However, if it does mesh with the story the good graphics magnify the effect.

[pg]

fallout had bad graphics? news to me.