Do Graphics Really Matter?

[Planatoid]

Hey guys, i'm pretty new to the forums here, so idk if anyone has posted this already, so sorry if someone has. Anyways, I was wondering about everyone's opinions about Skywardd Sword's cartoony graphics. Do graphics really matter in a game and will it take away from the experience? I personally will not feel as much pride finishing this game as I did beating Twilight Princess. I truly felt in Twilight Princess that it was immersed in the game and loved taking a stroll through Hyrule on the back of Epona.

It seems to me that the land of Hyrule (whether it is Hyrule or not) looks more like one of those green planets in Super Mario Galaxy.

This however, does not seem like wind waker at all for me. I don't know what about it, but Wind Waker's cartoony feeling made the game deeper and brought out the plot a bit more for me. Every thing in Wind Waker made it work, and I really enjoyed that game. It was my first Zelda game, and I guess that might be a factor on why I like it so much.

That being said however, I still to believe that I will have fun playing Skyward Sword, with it's seemingly great gameplay involving Wii Motion Plus and hopefully its immersive plot.

What are your opinions? All opinions are welcome!

 

[blackice_cc]

Well, graphics are always secondary to gameplay (for me at least), and even if I disliked the graphics of SS (which I don't) I would still love it. That being said, the style of graphics do have an effect on the overall feel of the game, like how TP felt a lot darker and more hopeless than the cartoony WW. However, I really like the feel I'm getting from SS's graphics style: kind of lighthearted and adventurous, which reminds me a lot of MC. Also, they said that they still had to polish the graphics up a bit, and even though they certainly aren't going to change them completely, they still could make them a bit better looking.

Anyways, I tried to withhold judgment until I actually get the game.

 

[Iamerror]

first of all, how can you tell how much pride you will feel from finishing a game based on a piece of concept art and two minutes of gameplay video? i think it looks great and will play similarly

 

[Planatoid]

Thats what we're discussing right now. I'm just stating what i'm feeling right now

 

[shane12234]

Ive just herd that the graphics will not change, from a reliable scorce, and im sorry i cant tell you who.
I can tell you how ever that the mood of the game will change depending on the weather. You will find out offically in a week or too.

 

[Planatoid]

Pretty cool. I think actually, from the trailer, that the graphics are BETTER, but with a cartoon feel. If you look in TP, the whole place is still kinda boxy and straight. While SS has more curves and stuff

 

[Link V]

Graphics are what grabs people's attetion but u should not judge a game by its graphics. Look at Runescape the graphics are terrible but look at the game its......somehow......worse. But look at ,uh, Monster hunter tri! Pretty Graphics!!!!! And the game is also....no...wait....Ok im really...uh....OH! Maggot adventures! the graphics suk but the game is.......ARGH! alright forget that, ss wil be good wether or not it has cheesy graphics.

 

[February Eve]

My sig comes from a game called Lost Winds. (Eta: My old sig.) It's a WiiWare game with adorable graphics. It's also about three hours long and parts of the game consist of, "Walk to this area. Okay, now you're here. Walk to that area." It did get more puzzle-y later, but still stayed easy enough to make me wonder if I'd overlooked the target audience somehow. Obviously I liked it well enough to use its screenshot in my sig, but it's also a good example of the main concentration needing to be on gameplay.

That being said, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Gameplay and story are foremost, but graphics can also be fun. And as blackice said, they definitely contribute to the atmosphere of the game. In the end as long as they're done right they won't detract from a game for me. Wind Waker's style is not my first choice or my favorite, but I had as much fun playing it as I did any other Zelda game, because the game taken as a whole worked for me.

How quickly I become immersed in the world will depend on a few things other than graphics. One is how well I like the characters - and I'm pretty much guaranteed to adore Link no matter what he looks like, so there's one advantage already. The game intro will also make a difference; many people complained about the beginning of TP, but it did really help me get used to the controls and also get a sense of what Link's life was like, which helped drive home what he was fighting for. Story is also key, and it seems interesting already, so hopefully I'll enjoy it when it comes out.

So in sum, I do have graphical style preferences. But the Zelda games I've played have yet to disappoint me (knock on wood) and I am optimistic SS's will work in context of the game.

 

[shan-tastic]

I tend to pay more attention to graphics than I should since I've been studying art since I was fifteen. I consider them to be fairly important, but not nearly as important as concept or especially gameplay.
But rather than basing everything on realism, I go by innovation and relation to the storyline.
As of now, I find the graphics to be gorgeously stylized, almost painterly. Do they need work? A bit, yes (Link's pants & the foliage come to mind haha), but so far they're definitely on the right track and with just a little bit of fixing up, this could probably be one of the more artistic Zelda games out there =)

 

[shane12234]

Tp's graphics wasnt that good,
but it had great atmosfer.
soz about spelling.

 

[13foxes]

In my opinion, graphics isn't matter, but gameplay is. For me, it's always gameplay > story > graphics. Gameplay makes the differents between good games and bad games. Even now, I still think that Alttp is better than most of the 3D games out there. Sure, good graphics could make a good impression, but you won't know 'till you played it. You can't judge a book by it cover you know.

As for the SS graphics, I'm completely fine with it. If they could make it better, then that's good though. But for now, I think they should focus on gameplay and make the 'experience' as perfect as they can.

 

[bradley]

Graphics are not what makes a game. Many companies try to compensate for crappy games with good graphics, and they fail. If the gameplay is good, the graphics do not matter. Besides, I like the graphical style of Skyward Sword. It is pleasing to the eye, like Wind Waker, yet still maintains realism, like Twilight Princess.

 

[disturbed42]

Better graphics would be nice, but I'd much rather have better gameplay. They're still polishing up SS, but I already think the graphics are gorgeous *eyes sparkle* lol.
However, I'm hoping that there will be a dramatic change between Skyloft and whatever place is down below (I'm assuming it's Hyrule). I don't really want giant flowers and bright blue skies when I'm fighting monsters. I don't want it to be depressing, but at least put some change in there where you just go "Woah....this place is BAD" not "Oooh! Pretty!"
But if that doesn't happen it's not like I won't enjoy the game, it's just something I'd personally like to see.
Ah well, I'm trusting Nintendo on this one. It already looks great, and since they won't release it until 2011, it's going to look even better (....hopefully....lol).

 

[Seinfeld]

Graphics don't really mean anything, it's all in the gameplay and story.

As long as it doesn't look hideous, I don't think I've ever bought a game solely on what it looks like.

 

[ijones81]

what would alternate graphics look like for SS to you

wish they would have given it a more stylish look like wind waker and a great amount of detail like TP and had the over all graphics like Mario galaxy which it kinda looks like but not cuz of the impressionist colors