Progress Is Amazing, Isn't It?

[Skanky Burns]

A very few new games.

[DrSpike]

Let's not forget a lot of old games were crap too. You just remember the classics.

[Alex]

nah, you're all getting old, that's it.

[Sava]

Doom3 is a good game.

The screen Verto posted doesn't do the game credit though. Try playing it on ultra-high settings at 1600x1200 with a Geforce FX6800 ultra. It's beautiful.

oh BTW, the Xbox version will suck... as all Xbox games do.

[lord of the mark]

i wasnt thinking old games vs new generically - it was more a jab at FPS - my first thought was that it would be hard to find such a focus on graphics among non-casual gamers (which we of course are) if we were talking about Strategy, adventure, or even RPGs. Solver however pwned me by saying its not an FPS thing, its a Doom thing. Not knowing enough about the different flavors of shootemup to reply, i didnt. (And dont think im going to anytime soon - im deep into EU2 addiction now )

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by General Ludd


Quality games have become niche markets, unfortunetly, with games like Europa Universalis, Dominions, Space Empires, ect... that focus on gameplay rather than eye candy.

I like the EU visuals.

[Nikolai]

I'd say it like this: Graphics is neccessary, but not overly important. It's a fact that graphics is a good thing for a game, but I'd say the gameplay, atmosphere, feel etc. is much more important of course.

I like the EU engine, but it's of course old and has limitations, not only in it's look. I look forward to the new engine, that's for sure!

[Solver]

The reason EU and the like are niche games is not the relatively simple visuals but the complexity of gameplay. It's obvious that a game with simple gameplay will find a larger market for itself. And it's obvious that there's no point comparing FPS complexity in this regard, as any strategy game will be much more complex than a FPS game.

On the other hand, I like it how strategy games keep their visuals low. It lowers the system requirements dramatically. Civ3 can be played on very old comps, and I expect Civ4, even with its 3D engine, will not have any ridicilous requirements.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Sava
oh BTW, the Xbox version will suck... as all Xbox games do.

Negatory, the PS2 version will suck... oh wait.

[Sava]

well a PS2 version would suck... because consoles suck

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by child of Thor
RE: Isn't progress amazing?

I think its a little like comparing the origonal star wars trilogy with the new ones(episode1 etc). Sure the new ones are much more technically compitant, but they are not likely to gain the cult status of the origonals.

Its not always about the graphics?

Tho I think a valid point here would have to be that the first Star Wars movies were interesting primarily *because* of their 'graphics' (special effects). The plot of Star Wars is a pretty simple archetype-based epic... and the actors, well, the next time I hear anyone claim Mark Hamill was a talented actor will be the first, and Carrie Fisher ... ehm. Yeah. Only the supporting cast was very good, really, in terms of acting.

No, the reason Star Wars was a huge megahit was the combination of the incredible special effects, and some of the more mundane effects like Darth Vader's voice; add that to the loveable, simple characters and a heartwarming plot that everyone can understand and relate to, and you have a sure winner.

Not great acting or great plot writing (the movie equivalent of great gameplay I figure )

[lord of the mark]

so Doom is to Doom3 is to EU as the early Star Wars films were to the recent Star Wars films were to films by say, Stanley Kubrick or Akira Kurosawa?

[Skanky Burns]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Let's not forget a lot of old games were crap too. You just remember the classics.

Of course I realise that. It doesn't help my case any though, so I didn't mention it.

[Jamski]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
so Doom is to Doom3 is to EU as the early Star Wars films were to the recent Star Wars films were to films by say, Stanley Kubrick or Akira Kurosawa?

Yep, and just as we all love popcorn movies, we all love popcorn games too. They're the ones that sell best in both media.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
so Doom is to Doom3 is to EU as the early Star Wars films were to the recent Star Wars films were to films by say, Stanley Kubrick or Akira Kurosawa?

Sure, or close enough. As such, Doom was quite wonderful, but Doom3 is panned, even for being better at all the things Doom was ... just not better compared to the times