Sub-Par graphics, congrats firaxis.

why does firaxis send out "alpha" screen shots? why not just wait until the graphics are done. Or would they not have enough time to promote the game?

I guess they figured that since almost all games release pre-alpha screenshots when they are announced they would do it too.

Tell me, is this the first time you have ever heard about a game prior to release?
 
Seeing how peopled ponied up alpha screenshots of star craft, and I use to have one of homeworld 1, it is not that unusual for companies to show work in progress. When I use to subscribe to PC gamer the previews were full of pre, alpha, and beta shots. It is not a rare practice.

As I said before, you can not compare well across genera to evaluate the knowledge claim of being par, sup par, or whatever. You are comparing very different methods on texture optimization, mesh optimization, lighting rigs, shaders.

Now the screenshot with the ms pain arrows is quite telling of your vantage point. 1) Terrain overlaps into other "hexes" Based on the progression of civ 1, 2, 3 and to 4 this is intended to improve the seemless look of the world (the hex grid is probably off by default as in civ 4). You also point to things going into the ocean. This is the only valid observation so far. I do need to point out that game development is an iterative process. Just because this is being shown in no way means those aspects of the graphics engine are completed. Expect at least one to two more iterations before the game goes gold.
 
So we just got a bunch of new photos and I must say little has changed. The mountains still look like sh*t. Most of the tiles are pretty bland looking. I know there was mention of how different parts of the world will have altered landscape. So there might still be some hope in that aspect. But overall, still sub par graphics.
 
And may I ask what you would say an example of "par" is?
It's not a movie like Avatar, it's a video game.
 
Yeah, they look nice in my opinion.
 
The graphics look very good and likely will be even better by the time the game is released.

Bravo Firaxis. :D
 
So we just got a bunch of new photos and I must say little has changed. The mountains still look like sh*t. Most of the tiles are pretty bland looking. I know there was mention of how different parts of the world will have altered landscape. So there might still be some hope in that aspect. But overall, still sub par graphics.
I wonder what you expect from a turn-based strategy game.
 
After seeing the latest video with in-game action going on I don't think the screenshots do Civ5 justice. I think the graphics look great. From what I can tell the atmosphere is very fitting for this type of game.
 
After seeing the latest video with in-game action going on I don't think the screenshots do Civ5 justice. I think the graphics look great. From what I can tell the atmosphere is very fitting for this type of game.

Indeed (in case anyone was wondering what in game video we were talking about).
 
I like the Graphics
 
I will admit I haven't read everything in this thread, so maybe this has already been mentioned, but...

with the mod support Firaxis has promised, I'd bet a Blue Marble type mod could be made for Civ V. Unlike leaderheads and perhaps other features, the terrain doesn't look like it would be more challenging to mod and improve than the terrain in Civ V. But I don't know what I'm talking about, and maybe the hexes will make it harder to mod/fix.

I was fine with the terrain in Civ IV. But if you go back to vanilla civ IV terrain after playing with Blue Marble for a while, it looks awful!
 
My guess is that the biggest difficulty would come from all the blend effects in the Civ5 terrain art?
 
If Firaxis had any sense, they'd have realised long ago that modders always outclass their material in the long run, so I wouldn't worry too much...
 
Like many have said, if the game itself sucks the graphics don't matter.
 
If Firaxis had any sense, they'd have realised long ago that modders always outclass their material in the long run, so I wouldn't worry too much...


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.
 
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