Excessive detail

[smoth]

cammo done for unit differentiation. People know to find the dominator and morty by the cammo.

[AF]

I think the mortys main differentiation tactic is its shape. Hence the main function of the large assymetry.

[Nemo]

Truth. People should realise this and stop having endless discussions on graphics crap. people will make whatever models they want anyway.

But games do not grow on gameplay alone.

It doesn't matter how awesome the gameplay is if it doesn't have some visual polish - you can't market gameplay; you can only market visuals. You might tell a friend "yeah, you really gotta try this game" and they'll say: "sure, lemme see some screens before I download it"

You show them screens, they make an *instant* judgment on the quality of that game based on its visuals. That's human nature. there's nothing we can do about that.

And yet people still play, GTA, Katamari, Harvest moon, Odins Sphere, Paper mario, and the myriad of other games that prioritize gameplay over time consuming photo realistic graphics.

But you note that none of those games use simple geometric shapes with zero texturing for their visuals? Things don't have to look amazing, but they need to be representative and engaging to the eye on some level or else the vast vast majority of people will never even try the game.

In my mind, the biggest counterexample to this idea would be NetHack.

[smoth]

I do so enjoy a game of old school rogue every now and again.. btw I have yet to get very far.

[Fanger]

Nice model smoth, I like the morty.. glad you didnt do the block head you said you would..

[smoth]

yeah, I took the outline of it then drew in what I thought it was missing.

[Neddie]

Truth. People should realise this and stop having endless discussions on graphics crap. people will make whatever models they want anyway.

But games do not grow on gameplay alone.

It doesn't matter how awesome the gameplay is if it doesn't have some visual polish - you can't market gameplay; you can only market visuals. You might tell a friend "yeah, you really gotta try this game" and they'll say: "sure, lemme see some screens before I download it"

You show them screens, they make an *instant* judgment on the quality of that game based on its visuals. That's human nature. there's nothing we can do about that.

And yet people still play, GTA, Katamari, Harvest moon, Odins Sphere, Paper mario, and the myriad of other games that prioritize gameplay over time consuming photo realistic graphics.

Weren't you just arguing elsewhere for new-school over old-school? Swift, come on.

People play Urban Dead. They play ADOM. They play Rogue.

Different strokes for different folks.

[SwiftSpear]

Nope. I argue for gameplay design. Wherever it may be.

[espylaub]

Better texturing and better, more concise and conceptual (see KP) unit design in general will do far more for this game than going beyond 3000 tris per unit. As would smoother pathfinding with fewer collisions and slightly better (particle) effects; look at the CA videos for example, there is a lot of obvious and very satisfying detail work in the effects that do soooo much for the game than 5000 extra polies ever could.