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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Will AoC graphics be able to handle the test of time?
KoreKode
Member
Just finished watching the Allcraft youtube video Featuring Rich, Asmongold and Summit1G and they made a very good Observation about the graphics of AoC versus some other MMO's
AoC have what looks like photo realistic graphics and compared to wow with there more cartoony grpahics wich have held up for the past 15 plus years. I'm not sure if Realistic Graphics can do the same thing. With wow it was probably much easier and way less taxing on computers to upgrade the look of those graphics where as for the graphics of AoC it would probably take much more work and much more processing power to handle upgrading those graphics. So can AoC graphics handle 15+ years like wows did?
Whats your thoughts?
Again everyone this is just for Discussion sake! this isn't a bash towards the game or anything like that. I just felt the Observation was a good one and thought I'd get others opinions. Regardless of gameplay or mechanics or anything else.
AoC have what looks like photo realistic graphics and compared to wow with there more cartoony grpahics wich have held up for the past 15 plus years. I'm not sure if Realistic Graphics can do the same thing. With wow it was probably much easier and way less taxing on computers to upgrade the look of those graphics where as for the graphics of AoC it would probably take much more work and much more processing power to handle upgrading those graphics. So can AoC graphics handle 15+ years like wows did?
Whats your thoughts?
Again everyone this is just for Discussion sake! this isn't a bash towards the game or anything like that. I just felt the Observation was a good one and thought I'd get others opinions. Regardless of gameplay or mechanics or anything else.
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Comments
if it will be as easy as just upgrading to future releases of UE that would be great but something tells me it won't be that easy.
I'm sure they are very worried about the future of this game even now during Alpha phases. Don't get me wrong i'm not knocking the way AoC looks. its just those graphics will get old they will start to look horrible in the years to come and you know what, if the game runs great and the combat feels good and the content is fun and plentiful the graphics won't matter as much but there will come a point where it will wear on people and they will want it to look better in some ways even if its just better water textures or something small. Everyone will find something they think could have looked a little better even if JUST a little. Doesn't mean its going to ruin the game.
But look at the game for how it will most likely look come release. Will those graphics alone for discussion sake be able to handle the test of time? My opinion is No but if the gameplay and content is good it still won't ruin the game.
U.S. East
I understand the game is in Alpha. I'm not basing it off of how it looks right now. I'm basing the question off how it will most likely look come release with the Photo realistic art style it is going with. and just for discussion sake.
Compare the original Crysis to say Battlefield 4 or the newest COD? its showing its age. Even the newest Crysis is showing its age versus some of these games. Not to the point that I don't want to play it but I feel an MMO is going to hurt more then say a FPS that you can play and beat in several hours.
Exactly!
so lets say AoC took a different approach to their art style and went more WOW style. Would it help it last the test of time longer? would the graphics matter less to you because they are cartoony and not realistic?
I agree 100%
They either matter or they don't for people. There are games like OSRS that have graphics that wouldn't even impress someone 20 years ago and the game still has a healthy and growing playerbase. But when asking my friends to play the game with me the #1 reason given for not playing is the graphics.
So while I don't think the graphics will make or break the game I still think they are somewhat important. With that said, even the graphics in their present form would not present a problem.
Love a good story and lore.
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But if the game is fun and has longevity then it won’t matter. Here is what happens with “classics”...
1) There is something about the game that hooks people and makes it successful. It could be graphics, or story, or innovative gameplay, maybe it’s even the first entry in a new genre of games that spawns imitators. It is also likely to produce sequels.
2) After a while it stops being a novelty, and maybe its popularity wanes, but it still maintains a diehard fanbase who may keep playing it long after it stops being considered the hot new thing.
3) Eventually whatever made the game successful in the first place is really dated and there have been other games since which have surpassed it, because as technology advances we have opportunities to make games do more and do it better, and we can build on past success to teach us how to make superior games. But still, people will look at the game with nostalgia and it will maintain a following, maybe even attract new fans drawn to playing a “retro classic”.
Look at Mass Effect. The graphics blew people away in 2007 when it came out. Looking at them today, they aren’t awful but they’re definitely mediocre and if someone launched a new game that relied on equivalent graphics to attract players it would flop. But many people consider it one of the best games they ever played (me included) and will probably never think of it as a bad game even though objectively “better” games are being made now.
Or Pac-Man. Who even cares what the graphics look like? That’s a classic forever.
Heroes Fade but Legends last forever
Like it or hate it, the creators made some very smart decisions that have made them a ton of cash.
Interesting thing about 'realistic' and MMOs is, just like buying a computer system, the moment you commit to it, it's outdated. When it releases in 2 years it will be using graphics that are 4-5 years out of the current. That's the way of all games but especially MMOs because of the much longer development cycle.
I both agree and disagree with you. Be honest, would you really like AoCs graphics to look like say the original EQ?! I bet not so you have to care about them a little
You have good points. For me, the game already looks too good. I would say graphics can attract a bit of interest but its more about the design of weapons, architecture, map and char modeling what makes the game and not "texture quality". If the design is good Its gonna hook you with bad textures. Once im into a game the graphics have 0 importance, It's called inmersion.
Graphics does not equal inmersion.
A book has no images and the inmersion is brutal.
That's what im talking about!
Why is the conversation "Are the graphics gonna last 15 years" and not "Will the gameplay and comunity last 15 years"?
Why is people even worried about graphics??
I don't think the graphics need to hold up with time. Like you, say only WoW has really lasted and I believe Blizzard made a concious choice of going with less realistic graphics to make the game easier to upgrade and more able to last.
Consider EQ. It was the first full 3D MMO, but the graphics look shocking now. People do still play EQ, of course. If Ashes stands the test of time then I will happily still play it in 2042.
I agree with the others that have said gameplay > graphics (and by a large margin)
AoC can make improvements later on during the game's life just like WoW did. While I'm no expert, I think the fact that they are using UE might help in that regard.
Also, I play FFXIV, which isn't "photo realistic", but it's nowhere near the kind of design WoW has. It's basically a 10 year old game that got remade 7 years ago (same engine etc, not much different graphics wise). Think it's basically a 15 year old engine at this point, at least. It still looks good enough for me, and it will continue for many years probably. They haven't even really made much changes to it since launch (think the engine is very limited compared to UE).
I don't see why AoC would be any different if they do it right.
I know this is not a debate WoW graphics thread, but this is just wrong. WoW looks very different (yet similar within it's style) than it did upon release. They have added so many polygons and smoothed out just about every model and terrain in the game.
I agree with you. FFXIV still looks lovely. I sometimes wish there were more contrast in their color scheme, but it feels wonderful to adventure through Eorzea.
Edit: I read your post incorrectly. we're on the same page! sorry!
Yes I 100%, agree with mostly everyone that obviously the "classic" graphics of wow were improved upon in the last 15+ years to help it hold up. Plus combat animation were also improved and things like that. I believe AOC could also do this with the upgrade to UE5. Who knows the possibilities!
I think that's the great thing about AOC being made now! Its got so much more possibilities with new engines and with all the people involved in making this game.
I like how everyone has great opinions here and I think talking about something as simple as this (and this could sound corny) will help us all realize what we enjoy and cherish in a mmo at its core as a community. We might see it differently but in the end we all want a great mmo to play.
Ashes will look different in 15+ years just like wow did
Every game will age. Even WoW ages, you can notice it in the diff between the texture of newer and older gear and in the detail of newer and older zones as well.
As long as the new content that is added into the game is on par with game graphics of its time, it won't matter as much.