The graphics, man, the graphics!

CrazyMrLeo said:
Okay, here's an example for you. On the left is an unedited screenshot of Civ4. On the right is more what I'd like it to look like, colour-wise.

http://sepwich.com/crazymrleo/civ4colours.png
Click to expand...

If that's what you like so be it. But it looks abit like kindergarden watercolor painting to me.
 
I don't quite get this: first the graphics are requiring too much from computers and then, the next thing you know, somebody says they aren't requiring enough from the computers .
 
Perhaps it's just a matter of personal aesthetic taste, but I simply cannot believe how awful, amateurish, messy, childish, unconvincing, cluttered, disproportionate, silly, unattractive, goony, unartistic, primitive and disheartening these graphics seem to be. Over the last few months several threads on this topic have popped up on the forum, and everywhere people are in dismay. Of course there are the bright sparks who say helpful things like "F*** off you moron", but time and again the most intelligent, articulate and well-informed comments are from seasoned players (not just of Civ, but of many different types of game), strategists, artists and pro/semi-pro cyberheads. Is Firaxis reading this? Are they paying attention? Are they blundering forward simply because they've committed to 3-D modelling and can't turn back? Is anybody OUT there?! Seriously: I know this sounds overwrought, hysterical even, but can anyone with inside dope please weigh in here? Thank you, oh Gods of Civ!!!
 
There is a possibility that they actually like the graphics look.
 
Yes, you're right: maybe they do like the look. And this is not, of course, a democracy, so the howling mob need only be heeded at their peril. Like, me, I'm more inclined to explore Civ III mods at this point than play this wretched-looking thing, even though I know that sounds like rushing hysterically to conclusions. By the way, I do appreciate what people mean when they say that the gameplay is what counts, but if that were true about, say, movies, we'd still be content with Technicolour. On another thread I posted a more cogent (if still brief) argument about the relationship between people (units), government and terrain, as well as the need for convincingly immersive graphics, but I've been warned not to multi-post, so if you're at all interested you'll have to go find it! For whatever it's worth *sigh*
 
Bathory666 said:
Perhaps it's just a matter of personal aesthetic taste, but I simply cannot believe how awful, amateurish, messy, childish, unconvincing, cluttered, disproportionate, silly, unattractive, goony, unartistic, primitive and disheartening these graphics seem to be. Over the last few months several threads on this topic have popped up on the forum, and everywhere people are in dismay. Of course there are the bright sparks who say helpful things like "F*** off you moron", but time and again the most intelligent, articulate and well-informed comments are from seasoned players (not just of Civ, but of many different types of game), strategists, artists and pro/semi-pro cyberheads. Is Firaxis reading this? Are they paying attention? Are they blundering forward simply because they've committed to 3-D modelling and can't turn back? Is anybody OUT there?! Seriously: I know this sounds overwrought, hysterical even, but can anyone with inside dope please weigh in here? Thank you, oh Gods of Civ!!!
Click to expand...
I like them.
 
This is indeed a "knocker thread." The Game has yet to be released and already people are critisizing the game before they have even have had a chance to play it. I must admit, when I first looked at the screenshots I too thought the graphics were extremely close together and it was hard to distinguish what was going on. But most of the pre-release screenshots out so far have been showing zoomed in views. I highly dought that you will be playing the game all the way zoomed in at a horizontal slant. I also do not think the hard working employees of Firaxis would appreciate Civ fans knocking the game before it has even been released. Especially when some of these people have been making this game from day 1. We should save these threads for after the game has been played and when we can make our own opinions from our own gameplay, not on somebody else's gameplay screenshots. This thread and others like it ("knocker threads" as somebody else stated) make me mad that so many people can totally judge a game before even playing it. Comeon people it hasn't even been released yet. I will save my critisism for when I have ACTUALLY PLAYED Civ 4
 
I agree that it is too soon to comment on the gameplay of Civ4, but the screenshots have been released, so I think it's only fair to give an opinion on them.
 
I'm actually hoping the graphics aren't too flash, cause then it might not pay on my computer. I'm not rich, so shelling out for Civ 4 is going to be a major expense, and after paying for it I'm not gonna be able to afford to upgrade the computer for a while... besides, In the mid 90s I was able to play Civ 1 for days without giving a sh*t about the graphics, so why should I start now? I just want to play the game!
 
Yes, I also agree. There is nothing wrong with an opinion. But some of the posts in this thread seem to get me a little angry. Completely critisizing the game, saying it sucks just because of your opinion of the screenshots doesn't make sense to me. I think we are all just not used to the new 3D graphics and some of the screenshots of cities do make the cities look crouded but only when you are zoomed in close. I cant say this for sure because once again I have not played the game so I dont feel the need to critisize it before I do. I think as all of us being civ fans we need to play the game. The jump between Civ 3 and Civ 4 is definitely a big one and I think we need to get an opinion of our own gameplay not of what we think gameplay might turn out to be because of the graphics.
 
I wanted to say one last thing. I actually think the graphics look good. Now I was completely satisfied with the graphics from Civ 3 but can anyone here say that they are better than some of the beautiful Civ 4 3D Graphics? I also don't think the game will be as difficult as some people might think just because the screenshots SEEM to be a little cluttered. But none of us know. I have read countless articles and interviews from Sid Mier, Senior Producer Barry Caudill, Jeff Briggs, and Soren Johnsen. They have all said that they have tried to make Civilization 4 MORE playable and easier for gamers new to the Civiliation series. We can't assume it will be more difficult just by looking at some screenshots. I personally don't care if the graphics looked like Civ 1 did. If the gameplay is awesome just as all the other Civilization games have been I will be playing it.
 
knupp715 said:
I wasnted to say one last thing. I actually think the graphics look good. Now I was completely satisfied with the graphics from Civ 3 but can anyone here say that they are better than some of the beautiful Civ 4 3D Graphics? I also don't think the game will be as difficult as some people might think just because the screenshots SEEM to be a little cluttered. But none of us know. I have read countless articles and interviews from Sid Mier, Senior Producer Barry Caudill, Jeff Briggs, and Soren Johansen. They have all said that they have tried to make Civilization 4 MORE playable and easier for gamers new to the Civiliation series. We can't assume it will be more difficult just by looking at some screenshots. I personally don't care if the graphics looked like Civ 1 did. If the gameplay is awesome just as all the other Civilization games have been I will be playing it.
Click to expand...

Good points. Instead of criticizing the graphics, let's talk about the gameplay changes that we know of. Like, "is it really necessary to eliminate pollution?" or "Is it good to eliminate set governments and force us to pick parts of each?" or "can all these additions alienate a new player?" Of course, the answer is Yes, but you know what I'm saying: Graphics are good, but gameplay is the issue, here.

BTW, before I get blasted for saying the new stuff is over a new player's head, let me just say that I said it was POSSIBLE, not a definate thing. ;)
 
OK. Fair enough. I'll wait and see. It's good to be level-headed and respectful of a team that has given us so much fine stuff in the past. Peace! Respeck!
 
The problem is not the graphics, but the memory that they will consume. Too much objects moving at the same time can turn the game more slow, and will require a geforce or some other graphic card.
But we can mod all it, cant we? We can put back that life bar and the units going back to be one instead of three soldiers, and some environment animations can be turned off.
 
I'm noticing that none of those who have actually played Civ4 have ever complained about the graphics. I'm talking of course about the reviewers who've been invited to Firaxis lately. Some have even said the graphics were good. In my experience, screenshots have never done justice to strategy games, it always feels different when you get your hands on it and start interacting .
 
Raggamuffin said:
Look at these two lovely screenshots, they're so damn nice, pardon my language.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/257/reviews/919352_20050915_screen004.jpg
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/257/reviews/919352_20050915_screen005.jpg
Click to expand...


I agree with Raggamuffin. I am starting to really like the graphical look :)

Initially I had my misgivings about the graphics, but as soon as I saw them 'come alive' in the various movies that have been released, I recognised fairly early on that screenshots do not give the graphic look any justice.

What is more, the graphics have been steadily improving as we get closer to completion and final release, confirming the more rational critic's view...

*looking pointedly at Bathory666*

...that the artwork is usually the last thing that is finalised before launch.
 
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