Will AoC graphics be able to handle the test of time?

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.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

rodzor

Well in 15+ years we will all be inside a simulation or realize we are already in one so... But yea I think they mentioned they will be able to upgrade UE4 to the next-gen UE when the time comes. Right now they are probably just worried about getting the game ready for launch and not that far into the future, also this is all assuming this game will still be relevant when that time comes. They could release a different game all-together by then, I know they have other games they are working on right now that are not going to be announced until AoC is released.

KoreKode

rodzor wrote: »

Well in 15+ years we will all be inside a simulation or realize we are already in one so... But yea I think they mentioned they will be able to upgrade UE4 to the next-gen UE when the time comes. Right now they are probably just worried about getting the game ready for launch and not that far into the future, also this is all assuming this game will still be relevant when that time comes. They could release a different game all-together by then, I know they have other games they are working on right now that are not going to be announced until AoC is released.

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.

Yuyukoyay

WoW looked like crap in Alpha too though. We know how that turned out.

KoreKode

Yuyukoyay wrote: »

WoW looked like crap in Alpha too though. We know how that turned out.

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.

Grimthar

Crysis still looks amazing. How old is it now?

rodzor

You can only get so close to realistic until it finally becomes real...

KoreKode

doford wrote: »

Crysis still looks amazing. How old is it now?

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.

KoreKode

rodzor wrote: »

You can only get so close to realistic until it finally becomes real...

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?

Marcet

I really dont care about graphics at all.. Gameplay is everything for me. And its the most important part.

KoreKode

Marcet wrote: »

I really dont care about graphics at all.. Gameplay is everything for me. And its the most important part.

I agree 100%

Nelirya

I personally can't stand the graphics of WoW and am very pleased with the graphical direction AoC seems it taking. Gameplay is vital, of course, but WoW graphics just ruined the game for me.

Aptos

Marcet wrote: »

I really dont care about graphics at all.. Gameplay is everything for me. And its the most important part.

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.

Beck Altarr

In 10+ years AoC's graphics will look cartoony. It will become part of its charm.

lunarsky

No, they won't stand up for 15 years. There is not a single game in existence that's graphics have stood up that long. No, not even WoW and it's cartoony style. Gameplay makes or breaks MMOs. If people can still play Runescape, EQ, L2 etc and enjoy it even now they can do the same with AoC. If you think about it Minecraft is really popular but if we looked at it's graphics they're not good. Call it style choice or whatever you like they aren't impressive in any way compared to what is possible with today's technology but people play the hell out of that game. They can always upgrade the graphics if they want to down the line. Technology moves too quickly to make a game that graphically keeps up with processing power a decade and a half later. It's just the way it is.

Atama

It’s true that no game will hold up in 15 years. Pick the best-looking game of 2005 and compare it to new releases heralded for their graphics and it will fall flat.

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.

mrwaffles

TBH I still play older MMOs from time and time again and where YES the graphics don't blow me out of the water I still love them. Now, do new players come and join probably not. This didn't answer the original question so I contributed nothing (story of my life)

Songcaller

If/When they upgrade to UE5 ( UE5 is gorgeous ) I will build a new pc to run UE5 and all the ray tracing goodies UE5 would bring. I have no need to upgrade for UE4 and I appreciate the dedication and direction of Ashes.

Taraniss

Like it has been stated. No game actually stands the test of time graphics wise. Even WOW has not. It is the gameplay and even the community to an extent that keeps games going.

Arella

Graphics dont need to stand up. They are what they are in and of themselves. Earthbound looks and plays like it does, Morrowind looks and plays like it does, WoW looks and plays like it does. The only question you need to ask yourself is do you enjoy playing it and will you enjoy playing it still in 15 years. Updates to the content and avoiding the dumbing down of the gameplay or oversaturation of microtransactions will determine that for better than the graphics,

PlagueMonk

About WoW... the reason why WoW's graphics were done the way they were was 1) To run on as many computers as humanly possible. So they had to make the poly count fairly low to run on a fairly crappy system. 2) So they wouldn't have to worry as much about aging. Choosing a style means you don't have to compete to keep up with 'realistic'. They did however have a refresh/upgrade a while ago to improve the poly count but they still run on the lowest common denominator systems for the time.

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.

Marcet wrote: »

I really dont care about graphics at all.. Gameplay is everything for me. And its the most important part.

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

That said however I personally am drawn in BY the graphics initially, but as I play the game a switch happens. Graphics become less important while the gameplay becomes the most important thing, at least for me. If the game does still look good though, I might actually be caught off guard by a beautiful vista while running somewhere and have to stop and look for a couple moments

Child Item