Graphics vs Aesthetics

[DarkReed]

Hi all.

I am a fan of Extra Credits on the Escapist Website. It is a show that talks about games and game design. This weeks episode was called "Graphics vs Aesthetics".

I recomend giving it a watch before reading more. But it got me thinking and I asked myself. Is one of the issues with FF-XIV atm, that there has been more focus in this MMO of Graphics over Aesthetics.

I think yes, for the reason that we dont have the feeling of world emersion at the current time though the game engine. It is a more techncially detailed world, but we dont feel part of the world.

So.. Discuss

[Abriael]

Hi all.

I am a fan of Extra Credits on theEscapist Website.

This says it all.

[DarkReed]

Thank you for spotting that typo. its now sorted.
But at the same time you havn't expressed any opinion on the subject.

[Onidemon]

Thank you for spotting that typo. its now sorted.
But at the same time you havn't expressed any opinion on the subject.

Yes.. Trolls tend to do that...

[Gramul]

I think this game has great aesthetics, but looking at the videos on how the game was made, it seems they made it top priority when designing this game. All the characters, creatures, and equipment have incredible detail and it's easy to tell a lot of care went into them, but level design, the battle system and many other important parts of the actual game play seem to have taken a backseat and where thoroughly underdeveloped at the time of release.

The hugely important part of having actual things to do in the game seems to have been mostly ignored and they just filled it in with glorified dailies (our guildlieves). That's something that can't hold people over for too long. The repetitive nature and restricted structure of such elements make for dull game play. As for Behests, that's little more than giving parties an easier way to grind every 30 minutes.

The thing I miss most about XI, and the thing I was looking forward to when playing XIV, was the chance to progress through various challenges and roadblocks. Things like getting my chocobo and airship license, getting AF armor (though to be honest, I never got that far), and raising fame to open up other features in the game. It's hard to get a sense of advancement and accomplishment when the game is almost completely open to you from the beginning. And that leads me to my next problem.

The game lacks a sense of adventure. In XI, going from town to town for the fist time was kind of a big deal. Sneaking past monsters far more powerful than you, going through several areas with varied terrain and design. It was all very engaging. In this, all I have to do is take the slow boat from the town to the desert and it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to the next city. Also in XI, there was a crossroads for the towns, the Dunes, in XIV, the crossroads is basically Ul'Dah, another city, that automatically makes Ul'Dah the most populous city regardless of its importance to the storyline.
Moving from Ul'Dah to Gridania is also very jarring. Going from a Western American style desert to a deep, lush and twisted jungle is not good for aesthetics. The jungle itself, is far too grid like. It may have been easier for design, but it takes us out of the game. Even the sharply angled paths in XI where not so startling.

All in all, the designs of the characters and objects are superb, but the world and interactivity need a lot of work. Keep on trucking Yoshi, I know you can do it!

[Tonka]

Example of taking marginal graphical power and turning them into pleasing aesthetics to create an inviting environment despite being designed to run on less powerful machines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0MzZyZ-ty8

[DarkReed]

Thank you Gramual for that.
I can see what you are saying, but right now i does feel more like I am playing a Tech Demo of an MMO.
They have pushed up the graphics side of the game, in regards to Charactor, equipment and mob design.
But yet, to build the vast open world areas, they have used a copy and paste design. Which to me kills the Aesthetics.
The aesthetics in this game are more centred around the charactor, and less on the world.
Isn't it the world that is ment to embrace you?

And Tonka, thank you, but alas the youtube link isnt working for me.. lol
What is the title so I can seach for it?

[Abriael]

Thank you for spotting that typo. its now sorted.
But at the same time you havn't expressed any opinion on the subject.

It wasn't a matter of a typo (which I didn't even notice). I was stressing on the source of the piece, which isn't exactly what i would consider reputable or source of any intelligent or realistic materials. They like to ramble about nothing at all, and this is what they do in this case as wel.

There's really nothing to discuss about anything that comes from the escapist.

[Tonka]

And Tonka, thank you, but alas the youtube link isnt working for me.. lol
What is the title so I can seach for it?

Most peculiar. It is titled, "The City of Lion's Arch".

[Gramul]

It wasn't a matter of a typo (which I didn't even notice). I was stressing on the source of the piece, which isn't exactly what i would consider reputable or source of any intelligent or realistic materials. They like to ramble about nothing at all, and this is what they do in this case as wel.

There's really nothing to discuss about anything that comes from the escapist.

I don't see why people get so bent up over extra credits, they bring up important things about game design and the people involved with them. Things that need to be discussed so we can grow and evolve as a system.