Sub-Par graphics, congrats firaxis.

If there was one thing on Civilization that never mattered, it is graphics.

Also, remember that the world sizes are huge! Having good graphics could be problematic when you're trying to keep modest system requirements, or trying to have large world sizes.
 
If (when) this happens its no surprise really, modders can improve graphics for years to come while game developers dont have that kind of time.

Yes, but we shouldn't have to wait for modders for good graphics.

The point here is that the level of graphics should be a significant step up from civ 4. They really don't look like it. The rivers are terrible, even the ones in civ 4 looked better!

Don't get me wrong, not *all* of it looks bad. There are just small things that really need polishing (and I'm hoping that's what they're doing now).

- Rivers annoy me the most, especially the shoreline blending with the land and the texture used for rivers needs to be better too. At the moment it looks like a stagnant sea, i.e. it doesn't look like a flowing river.
- Some land textures still seem very bland (there are ways to make all terrain interesting, even deserts and plains)
- Hills look great, but the mountains are lack-luster - they just look like stretched hills. Hopefully this just takes a re-worked texture that can handle the stretching height of a mountain.
- Farms are cool but the still seems to go under the sea and rivers. This needs to be fixed up (this is not something a mod can do, it needs to be fixed in the game engine)
- Roads also seem very lack-luster compared to earlier civs.

Now, I may have been negative, so here are the things I love:

- The sea looks awesome, love the sun-light reflection
- I love that that fog of war is literally a storm/fog out on the horizon.
- The hills look cool
- The city buildings look interesting and loving the wonders (e.g. saw a pyramid in one shot)
- Ships look cool with reflections in the water and when they fire their guns
- Forests are cool and I like how sometimes they get sparse going up hills.
- I saw in a video a city burning when it's under seige, seems really cool as it's worn down you see parts of the city go black from being completely burnt out.
- UI looks great =D
 
This is an alpha build of the game, of course it's rough around the edges.
 
Yes, but we shouldn't have to wait for modders for good graphics.

The point here is that the level of graphics should be a significant step up from civ 4. They really don't look like it. The rivers are terrible, even the ones in civ 4 looked better!

Don't get me wrong, not *all* of it looks bad. There are just small things that really need polishing (and I'm hoping that's what they're doing now).

- Rivers annoy me the most, especially the shoreline blending with the land and the texture used for rivers needs to be better too. At the moment it looks like a stagnant sea, i.e. it doesn't look like a flowing river.
- Some land textures still seem very bland (there are ways to make all terrain interesting, even deserts and plains)
- Hills look great, but the mountains are lack-luster - they just look like stretched hills. Hopefully this just takes a re-worked texture that can handle the stretching height of a mountain.
- Farms are cool but the still seems to go under the sea and rivers. This needs to be fixed up (this is not something a mod can do, it needs to be fixed in the game engine)
- Roads also seem very lack-luster compared to earlier civs.

Now, I may have been negative, so here are the things I love:

- The sea looks awesome, love the sun-light reflection
- I love that that fog of war is literally a storm/fog out on the horizon.
- The hills look cool
- The city buildings look interesting and loving the wonders (e.g. saw a pyramid in one shot)
- Ships look cool with reflections in the water and when they fire their guns
- Forests are cool and I like how sometimes they get sparse going up hills.
- I saw in a video a city burning when it's under seige, seems really cool as it's worn down you see parts of the city go black from being completely burnt out.
- UI looks great =D

If they already have elements which I haven't seen in games up until the era of Crysis and World in Conflict, I think we can trust that Firaxis will have thoroughly polished the graphics by the time of distribution.
 
Here, here. People need to go back and look at Civ1 graphics. Damn, that game was ugly.

Why the civ1 bashing? The civ1 graphics were quite good especially for their time. The terrain was clear, all units were easy to tell apart, a lot of colour was used etc.

The main problems with civ1 were the slow interface (e.g. when discovering a tech or building a new building) and arguably the AI.
 
The civ1 graphics were quite good especially for their time.
They were ok for their time, but are hideously ugly in retrospect (look at some of the unit icons... the militia? Why does an ancient warrior have what appear to be buttons?).

But it supports the main point; graphics aren't the focus of Civ, and never have been.
 
I think the graphics in civ5 are absolutely gorgeous.

The whole interface looks elegant and unobtrusive.

...and anyone who disagrees is... :mischief: ...entitled to their opinion. ;)
 
Why call them hideously ugly? They're not 3d or realistic. Is that what you want? I really don't understand this obsession with graphics.

It's funny you thought militia looked like they had buttons. I always thought the settler unit looked like a smiley face and not like a wagon which it's meant to. To this day I still see the smiley face first. :lol:
 
Why call them hideously ugly? They're not 3d or realistic. Is that what you want? I really don't understand this obsession with graphics.

It's funny you thought militia looked like they had buttons. I always thought the settler unit looked like a smiley face and not like a wagon which it's meant to. To this day I still see the smiley face first. :lol:

Ahh those Civ1 settlers :) They were real happy campers :)
 
If there was one thing on Civilization that never mattered, it is graphics.

It matters a little in this day and age, but in my opinion the Civ V graphics in the videos coming out the last couple of days are impressive and definitely an improvement over previous Civs.

I still think we need to see more convincing rivers - that is my only complaint (be it a minor one) on the graphics side.
 
If you don't like it don't buy it. Graphics for a game like this is the easiest thing to do, they have far more important things to worry about then supposedly sub-par graphics


Though the mini map looks very ugly. And I don't see any buttons to veiw land, territory, units, etc
 
Once again Firaxis stinks it up with the graphics. imo, and I know a lot fo you wont care or will disagree, they looked aged already. The land terrian as always stinks. The tiles have a lack of variety and still doesn't blend well.

The snow-caped mountains don't even look awe awe inspiring. I think they need to make the mountains bigger because you don't get the feeling that they're even there. Go into google earth and you can see what real terrain looks like. They never get the aesthetics aspect of they're civ games down. Its a shame because it would be ultimate.

I'm won't completely write off the look of the game. Its obviously a lot better than its predecessor, but firaxis is just never up to date with graphic technology.

the land certainly does lack a little umph, but i don't really care, its just land. But have you seen the menu's and city screens BEAutiful.
 
They were ok for their time, but are hideously ugly in retrospect (look at some of the unit icons... the militia? Why does an ancient warrior have what appear to be buttons?).

But it supports the main point; graphics aren't the focus of Civ, and never have been.

In retrospect graphics are never important, what was cutting edge at the time is ugly as sin now. However for a new game in the present, graphics are important to an extent, it makes it more enjoyable, but it should be the last thing to consider. Gameplay is definetly more important.
 
The graphics look great to me. Of course they aren't the finished product and they still need some refinement but it is looking much, much better than cIV.

Only 96 days until release. :goodjob:
 
Shafer said that the art wasn't finished yet.

I already consider these graphics gorgeous. Could make love with them.
 
Alpha graphics my ass. The game is due out in 3 months. Your making excuses.



No, he's not. I watched an interview about the making of Civ4 a while back. In the interview it was pointed out that the final graphics were made in the last months of game development. I seriously doubt that they're doing anything different with Civ5. Don't you think that they would've released the game already if they finished making the graphics?

In my opinion, the graphics are outstanding. Yes, there are a few rough edges, such as the rivers, but to me what matters the most is the gameplay, not the eye candy.
 
they should totally redo the mountain tiles or at least add on. They don't even look like the swiss alps or any large mountain range. Just plain crappy looking.

Its important to at least make the tiles appear realistic so you feel immersed with in the atmosphere of the game.

to be honest, I thought the call to power games had the best looking art work. go ahead and disagree. had great music as well.


the past 2 civs from firaxis have failed on the "mood" aspect of the game. graphics can certainly help. Hopefully modders can fix this and get some kick ass terrain tiles.
 
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