What factors besides graphics quality impact the beauty of a game’s visuals?

[StaceyPowers]

I started The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion for the first time a couple nights ago, and I’m kind of surprised by how beautiful the game world is even with the graphics being primitive in comparison to Skyrim. It’s not the first time I’ve been impressed with visuals on an older game, even after being spoiled by much more realistic graphics (and honestly, even Skyrim is starting to look really dated).

It got me to thinking about factors besides graphical realism that make visuals in a game appealing. Like in Oblivion, I’d say the richness of the colors and the particular palette of colors feels really lush and soothing, especially at night. I think Dragon Age Origins also is visually beautiful despite primitive graphics—there I’d say it’s a combination of the geometric forms, the lighting, and something about the way the forms are angled.

What are some factors which you think make a game visually stunning, even if the realism is low?

 

[The Blackangel]

Storyline. I don’t care how advanced or primitive the graphics are, if the story sucks, then every aspect of the game sucks. It doesn’t matter if it’s a really in depth story(Skyrim), or a short story(Zelda Links’s Awakening). It has to have a captivating story.

[killamch89]

I think it also has to do with how well the objects and colors/textures of said objects in a gaming world complement and contrast each other. Also, the addition of well-placed landmark which has some significance to the lore can also add to the game's visual.

[kingpotato]

Story or lore is what makes me like "outdated" games, for example I will be honest I dont like FallOut New Vegas graphics anymore, but the lore of the game and the post Apocaliptic world are awesome ,same with GTA vice city and GTA San Andreas or one of my favorites examples is Half Life 1, the graphics look like early ps2 games but damn even today its still a great game.

[Patrik]

Storyline, Cutscenes, Sense of Humour, SFX and the HUD!

[skyfire]

Story and the options to enhance your character with weapons or some items that could be useful in overall storyline. I think that way a lot of games can have replay value as well. 

[Kane99]

Well when it comes to graphics. Lighting is a big thing these days. It adds a lot to the graphics and makes it feel a but more realistic. And helps give more depth I think. 

 

[Sincerem]

The beauty of any console game centres to the scintillating graphics. The graphics adds an awesome lightning and designs around the background. Making all enjoyable, I love to see the football field on a fine astro mode, and some artistic colours around the stadia side.

[Shagger]

There is no beauty to be found in graphical quality. Graphics are the practical and mathematical elements of a game's anesthetics. It's all about the visual clarity of the user interface and how closely the art design is expressed on the screen. If graphics were the only thing to consider, we would all judge games based on how real they look. Sadly, some people do, but not me. 

 

Berfore I move on, let me make it clear, there are exceptions. In any game them emulates real life, the quality of the visuals is entirely about the graphics and their quality because there's no design they to aspire to other than emulating something that's real life. The beauty comes from accuracy, and it deserves to respected when it's done well. 

 

However, in any other game, it's all about the creative design. The colour palette, the creativity, the imagination and the detail. Don't get me wrong, high budget graphics don't hurt, but it's about so much more than that. Anyone who disagreeing with that, stop playing fucking FIFA and try Child of Light. 

[m76]

The most important part is that the game follows its own visual style. Everything can look beautiful no matter how primitive the graphics. Just know the limitations of your graphics and design around it. Use of colors is important. But there is also the design aspect. It's not enough to render characters their design has to be remarkable.

That said I do prefer better graphics, but graphics and visual design are two separate things.

[Reality vs Adventure]

I think movement in the background/foreground from leaves falling, water moving, things moving in the breeze, birds flying, villagers going about their business, etc. brings everything alive. Graphic's  make those things pleasing to see in more detail. And the greater the detail for me, the better. I not only play to play, but also play to take in the sights. I have that eye for detail as I used to draw, so seeing amazing details created for games is pretty awesome. I can't imagine how hard some of that stuff is to do, and then animate it. 

[Withywarlock]

On 7/27/2019 at 8:31 PM, StaceyPowers said:

Like in Oblivion, I’d say the richness of the colors and the particular palette of colors feels really lush and soothing, especially at night.

Quite, a liberal splash of colour can do wonders to bring out a game's graphical fidelity. It's one of the many reasons I had the unpopular opinion at the time that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was graphically unimpressive at best - it was varying shades of grey, and some otherwise unconvincing snow effects. The only thing that carried the visuals was the music.

I tried to add more to this but I found myself sounding as though I hate 'realistic' graphics. Quite the contrary, I enjoy them when they're new, but they are the first victim of age more than any mechanics, tropes or other choices that go into making a video game a video game. Even quick-time events (QTEs) have aged better than some previous gen games' visuals.

[StaceyPowers]

7 hours ago, Withywarlock said:

unpopular opinion at the time that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was graphically unimpressive at best

I think it is a huge graphical leap forward over Oblivion, but maybe (for me) not an aesthetic one. As you said, it is very gray. Using Clear Skies a lot helps with this, but the palette is actually bleaker than Fallout's in some respects =D I think the biggest strides they made were in making proper mountain/stone textures, and cool weather systems.

[killamch89]

I'd also like to add the use of colors because depending on the hues involved, they can add a touch of life to an otherwise plane and dull gaming world.

On 1/22/2021 at 6:08 AM, Withywarlock said:

I had the unpopular opinion at the time that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was graphically unimpressive at best - it was varying shades of grey, and some otherwise unconvincing snow effects. 

If it weren't for mods, Skyrim would be a far worse iteration of the Elder Scrolls than Oblivion. The amount of things they removed in Skyrim is almost criminal.

[Jaiin13]

Yeah, for me it's very hard to play a game with bad graphics today because I'm so used to good quality. But I love when they have some kind of artistic lighting or colors - they don't have to be realistic - and of course the overall storyline is one of the most important aspects.