Skyrim - What The Creation Engine Really Means
- Thread starter Dhruin
- Start date
RampantCoyote
Keeper of the Watch
- Joined
- October 9, 2007
- Messages
- 624
Okay. Evidently I'm getting too old for this.
I'm comparing the screenshots, as they invite us to do. The human characters are very noticeably improved (yay!) and that is a welcome change, and I can see some things that do indicate the technical superiority of the engine over the one from five years ago (real fur! Check it out!), I'm really not thrilled.
Veins in our arm? Better hair on a monster? More tree variety? Prettier waterfalls? Nice, but... what does it get me? I guess that for me, the graphics have gotten so advanced that the law of diminishing returns is kicking in. I did the drooling over the graphics back in the Doom / Half-Life / Unreal days. Now it just feels very incremental, and I'm wondering "what else have you got?" But I guess that's for all the previews that are NOT just talking about graphics? It's just that the ones I've seen so far have been almost exclusively about the graphics.
Anyway, I'm probably getting petty. I'll quit now.
The game does look very pretty.
And dragons are exciting.
And I've yet to play an Elder Scrolls game that I haven't really enjoyed.
I'm comparing the screenshots, as they invite us to do. The human characters are very noticeably improved (yay!) and that is a welcome change, and I can see some things that do indicate the technical superiority of the engine over the one from five years ago (real fur! Check it out!), I'm really not thrilled.
Veins in our arm? Better hair on a monster? More tree variety? Prettier waterfalls? Nice, but... what does it get me? I guess that for me, the graphics have gotten so advanced that the law of diminishing returns is kicking in. I did the drooling over the graphics back in the Doom / Half-Life / Unreal days. Now it just feels very incremental, and I'm wondering "what else have you got?" But I guess that's for all the previews that are NOT just talking about graphics? It's just that the ones I've seen so far have been almost exclusively about the graphics.
Anyway, I'm probably getting petty. I'll quit now.
The game does look very pretty.
And dragons are exciting.
And I've yet to play an Elder Scrolls game that I haven't really enjoyed.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 624
ToddMcF2002
SasqWatch
The new engine looks better, but its evolutionary this time, not revolutionary. The Oblivion I played did not look that soft either...
I was hoping the article was going to be about what the Creation Engine Really Means gameplay-wise.
GAMEPLAY!!??!! You want an article on GAMEPLAY!!??!! What are you, a revolutionary, a commie?? Since when can gameplay compare to shiny graphics!!!! 
GAMEPLAY!!??!! You want an article on GAMEPLAY!!??!! What are you, a revolutionary, a commie?? Since when can gameplay compare to shiny graphics!!!!
You're right. What was I thinking.
There's no denying that it will come in a pretty package. But what's going to be in the package? Referring to game play, that is.
I'm of the opinion that graphics are secondary to a good story and good game play. As I've stated several times before, I thoroughly enjoyed Gothic 1 & 2 despite the blocky human graphics and less-than-convincing foliage. It was the story, the exploration, the characters, interacting with the environment, and yes, the combat. It all hit pretty much every note for me. Oblivion? Not so much. G3 was okay, but not great.
FO3 was fun for me, too. Some genuinely creepy places and creatures. I loved the exploration and the bits of story scattered about.
I'm of the opinion that graphics are secondary to a good story and good game play. As I've stated several times before, I thoroughly enjoyed Gothic 1 & 2 despite the blocky human graphics and less-than-convincing foliage. It was the story, the exploration, the characters, interacting with the environment, and yes, the combat. It all hit pretty much every note for me. Oblivion? Not so much. G3 was okay, but not great.
FO3 was fun for me, too. Some genuinely creepy places and creatures. I loved the exploration and the bits of story scattered about.
DoctorNarrative
Patroling Written Words
- Joined
- January 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
Well it's based on the same exact hardware that Oblivion was, the Xbox 360, so it's going to be more about subtle changes and design than it is new technical power. The industry, or rather consumers, seem to be fine with stagnating 5-6 year old technology for their "HD gaming."
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
- Joined
- April 17, 2007
- Messages
- 5,749
I agree nothing was worse then the early 90's quest for computer power.
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
- Messages
- 5,749
Drithius
Magic & Loss
I was actually impressed by those screenshots; they are certainly pertee. Of course, Oblivion was pertee as well for its day, and it still awaits the day I actually finish it rather than getting bored out of my mind from the lackluster gameplay/story/combat.
DoctorNarrative
Patroling Written Words
- Joined
- January 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
I think there is a balance.
I am glad we no longer have to upgrade constantly to play things at high settings, but at the same time not really moving forward for 6 years is kind of lame. There has to be a happy medium in there somewhere.
Even if they would just do some new consoles on the cheap so that textures were no longer based around 512MB of total RAM that would be lovely.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
GothicGothicness
SasqWatch
- Joined
- October 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,292
Just wait until the next-gen consoles are out... you're going to have to upgrade your PC.....
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,292
DoctorNarrative
Patroling Written Words
- Joined
- January 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
Well the point is they aren't coming. They should be coming out this year or next but they are not, supposedly Microsoft and Sony consider themselves halfway through the current generation, if that.
By that time we are talking 11 year old technology... cell phones will have better graphics power than the Xbox at that point, if not sooner.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,830
zadokAllen
Sentinel
Even devs don`t want new hardware out...Ken Levine and others were recently quoted saying as much. Their argument is that it takes massive amounts of cash to produce AAA title these days and if hardware went up, so would the development costs.
The conclusion is they know the hardware well by now and can deliver much better `gameplay` instead of learning how to code for new platforms. Well, if it only worked out this way, it would be great - I`m quite happy with FO3 engine and in Bethsoft`s case they should concentrate more on filling it with some epic content.
I`m also a graphics whore though and would love to see some advances in technology too.
The conclusion is they know the hardware well by now and can deliver much better `gameplay` instead of learning how to code for new platforms. Well, if it only worked out this way, it would be great - I`m quite happy with FO3 engine and in Bethsoft`s case they should concentrate more on filling it with some epic content.
I`m also a graphics whore though and would love to see some advances in technology too.
GothicGothicness
SasqWatch
- Joined
- October 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,292
As a reply.... check the other thread I just posted... the future is here
There is even a date august 2011
New consoles should have to come fairly soon. None is going to want to buy an xbox or ps3 if they could buy a cellphone with better graphics
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,292
D
DArtagnan
Guest
Crysis is still the peak in terms of the overall visual experience, at least to me.
That said, if only they'd use this stagnation to evolve gameplay instead - I'd be happy.
That said, if only they'd use this stagnation to evolve gameplay instead - I'd be happy.
D
DArtagnan
Guest
As a reply…. check the other thread I just posted… the future is here
There is even a date august 2011
New consoles should have to come fairly soon. None is going to want to buy an xbox or ps3 if they could buy a cellphone with better graphics
Nothing like a cellphone for that immersive experience with the ideal interface
Thaurin
SasqWatch
I think you mean Xbox 360, because Sony's new gaming handheld is supposed to be comparable to the power of the Xbox. But still, the Xbox 360 is a lot of power to hold in the palm of your hand...
I just hope I don't have to upgrade my 2-month-old PC again too heavily too soon...
P.S. I still enjoy good graphics engines and revolutions... I wish there came a new revolution. It's better to have to set graphics to medium than it is to have all games look as medium when it's set to high.