Graphics vs Aesthetics

[Zantetsuken]

Photo of FFXIV


Photo of FFXI

FFXI is a great example of doing more with less. The aesthetics in FFXI look great. Even tho the graphical technology is bad, with low res textures and polygons, the world is absolutely breathtaking.

FFXIV on the other hand is a great example of focusing waay too much on high res polygons and textures, bump mapping, and wannabe reflective surfaces, and focusing too little on making the game actually look great. Because of the emphasis on those things, they had to leave out decent shading making the game look very wacky.

SE totally dropped the ball here. One can only hope that they are totally redoing every zone.

This is a much better comparison to make.

-however-

The graphics in Aht Urghan zones were created after years of experience and real world performance results with the graphics engine. The initial FFXI areas like Bastok, and Jeuno are really quite bland when you look at them. This was due in part to the development team playing as conservative as possible with the engine because they had to prepare for worst-case scenarios in hardware (particularly the PS2) and software performance. Because FFXIV is built a new graphics engine, the same precautions had to be taken.

Another factor for the rather lackluster environments might be marketing. It makes more sense to keep the standard for graphics rather low at first so that you can continuously raise the bar and dazzle the players with each new expansion.

Even if what we have now isn't the end all of graphics, it still looks very nice. As time goes on, and new content is released, I have no doubt that we will begin to see some fantastic stuff in this game.

[Eolrid]

I'm torn by how I feel about the current aesthetics. I actually like how the cities look, and the individual pavilions and all that (for example, the entrance to the Pugilists' guild in Ul'Dah, I think, is very well done). I generally like how "real" everything feels. But anything outside the cities is more or less dull and repetitive, and I can definitely see the need for more variation and...color.

Still, the biggest thing holding back immersion for me in FFXIV has nothing to do with graphics or art design -- it's the lack of things to do and an altogether silent community (outside of linkshells).

The ones advocating that art direction can stand on it's own without caring crap about the graphics supporting it, normally do so just to look "artsy", but that standpoint is hardly conductive to quality. Quite the contrary.

There are plenty of 2D games, and older classics, that have fantastic art. Bottom line is that the whole aesthetic debate is chock full of differing opinions, so obviously there will be disagreements. I don't think anyone's trying to appear "artsy" by claiming that pleasing art styles can be accomplished without groundbreaking hardware. It's been done.

And just to show how different opinions can be, I've always thought Killzone 2 was uninspiring and boring. Graphically, it looked nice when it launched (not sure how it's aged), but I never once felt immersed by the gameplay, much less its art design.

[Frisque]

I think the thing is, from the GW video the city seems way more organic than the FFXIV cities. Someone earlier mentioned that the FF cities looked to "clean"? There really is a sterile, still quality to the cities (except in cutscenes when they ream them full of NPCs, like the Ul'dah opening scene parade). Perhaps that's from the overall lack of NPCs? Or the fact that the existing ones just kinda stand there. A game's graphics can be bloody amazing, but if it feels lifeless and sterile graphics can't really make up for that, IMO.

I guess if someone is really OCD, it could be difficult to look past less-than-state-of-the-art graphics to enjoy a lush, interactive, living world. *shrug* if someone can't see the forest for the trees, then that's their problem.

*edit: oh, and for what it's worth: I enjoy FFXIV and have no interest in playing GW2 currently. Just using the vid as a basis for comparison

[Firon]

I looked @ those pic's someone posted so basically what everyone wants is just stuff in the back round and in the field to make the game look better? Like buildings and stuff? I for one don't care about copy paste zones and other small stuff. XI was a big copy/paste fest to me. Hell they even reused zones for an expansion pack.

[Cairdeas]

Isn't TheEscapist run by a bunch of people openly despise Final Fantasy and automatically claim any game with it in its name is a failure before its even released?

[DarkReed]

Isn't TheEscapist run by a bunch of people openly despise Final Fantasy and automatically claim any game with it in its name is a failure before its even released?

No, not in the video that I am talking about, in this situation they actually something good about the FF series.

[RabidSquirrel]

You guys wanna know of a couple games with amazing aesthetics using the little graphical power they had on the PS2? Persona 3 and 4.

[Vesperia]

I like the aesthetics of FFXIV.

[Vesperia]

I think the thing is, from the GW video the city seems way more organic than the FFXIV cities. Someone earlier mentioned that the FF cities looked to "clean"? There really is a sterile, still quality to the cities (except in cutscenes when they ream them full of NPCs, like the Ul'dah opening scene parade). Perhaps that's from the overall lack of NPCs? Or the fact that the existing ones just kinda stand there. A game's graphics can be bloody amazing, but if it feels lifeless and sterile graphics can't really make up for that, IMO.

I guess if someone is really OCD, it could be difficult to look past less-than-state-of-the-art graphics to enjoy a lush, interactive, living world. *shrug* if someone can't see the forest for the trees, then that's their problem.

*edit: oh, and for what it's worth: I enjoy FFXIV and have no interest in playing GW2 currently. Just using the vid as a basis for comparison

GW2 probably has the most awful world design of any upcoming MMOs. If you want to pick examples from upcoming MMOs, choose one of the korean games for a lesson on how to make graphically pleasing games + immersive and interactive ones.

I would have been looking forward to GW2 if I didn't have to look away from it for fear of being blinded by ugliness.

[Gramul]

GW2 probably has the most awful world design of any upcoming MMOs. If you want to pick examples from upcoming MMOs, choose one of the korean games for a lesson on how to make graphically pleasing games + immersive and interactive ones.

I would have been looking forward to it if I didn't have to look away from it for fear of being blinded by ugliness.

Seriously?
It look pretty nice.