Breath of the Wild Why is Realism Bad?

[Ventus]

So many times I run around the Zelda community - on Miiverse and here mostly - and all of those times I see comments that just lambaste realism at every turn. Like, what's so bad about realism in your opinion? I really love the stuff, makes everything look amazing (because real life is amazing)...but others don't feel that way.

I figured that it would be the best vein to create ZeldaU in, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[tketle]

Through my eyes, asking for realism in Zelda is only slightly less nonsensical than asking for it in Mario or Kirby or something like that. It's just not a series that calls for realism. It's fantasy, it's whimsical, it's magical; all those kinds of things. Using realistic graphics would provide a stark and unfavorable contrast to pretty much every other element in Zelda.

Speaking more generally, I don't prefer the use of realism in video games at all. The whole point of video games is to provide experiences that you can't have in real life. Trying to make everything look and feel as realistic as possible completely defeats the purpose. My actual life is already as realistic as it gets. I want something else. I want the impossible.

 

[ihateghirahim]

If I wanted real life, I'd go out and experience it, but as is I prefer fantasy.

Really though, Fantasy is just so much more fun and exciting, and it lets creativity flow freely in a project. I'll take creativity and style over realism any day.

 

[Salem]

Ventus, it depends on what you mean by "realism". If you can define that, maybe I can discuss this topic with you better, as of right now I don't know what to say besides "realism" isn't a "good thing" or a "bad thing", it's a thing the game developers either use or don't.

 

[VitaTempusN92]

Why can't there be both realism and creativity? I personally see nothing wrong with either, especially when they're both together.

 

[HappyMask]

I don't play Zelda for realism, I play Zelda for adventure, excitement and masks

 

[RegalBryant]

Depends on the definition of realism. I don't want Skyrim, or Call of Duty, or stuff like that. But around Twilight Princess levels would be fine.

 

[Clank]

I really like the TP style of realism, but anything beyond that would just be plain creepy.

 

[Mercedes]

Realism isn't bad. It's just what people prefer.

 

[Mangachick14]

I don't dislike realism, but I don't think it belongs in this series.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

tp is good enough
realism to the point where they look like real people is a bit weird

 

[A Link In Time]

Through my eyes, asking for realism in Zelda is only slightly less nonsensical than asking for it in Mario or Kirby or something like that. It's just not a series that calls for realism. It's fantasy, it's whimsical, it's magical; all those kinds of things. Using realistic graphics would provide a stark and unfavorable contrast to pretty much every other element in Zelda.

Yet Twilight Princess's realism functioned with near universal appeal when it released with mixed emotions only coming in when the game started to age. While it was a stark contrast to prior installments, it was also a refreshing one coming off the extremely vibrant Wind Waker. Creativity wasn't stifled either with Wolf Link, the Iron Boots' magnetic navigation, and new items such as the Ball & Chain. With two very different art styles endorsed by different segments of the Zelda community, Nintendo will have to alternate between realism and magic, never leaving one completely out of the formula to create a less predictable, more enjoyable experience.

 

[tketle]

Yet Twilight Princess's realism functioned with near universal appeal when it released with mixed emotions only coming in when the game started to age.

It is, in my opinion, the ugliest graphical style of any Zelda game to date. I don't mean the graphics themselves; those of any game will inevitably become ugly and outdated. It's only natural as technology continues to advance. No, I mean the style, right down to the concept art. As this is a matter of personal opinion, the way it was received by the majority of the community is completely irrelevant anyway. I definitely can't deny that it was largely well-received, though.

While it was a stark contrast to prior installments, it was also a refreshing one coming off the extremely vibrant Wind Waker.

I wouldn't call it a stark contrast to any previous installments (other than Wind Waker). It's basically just an updated version of Ocarina of Time's graphical style.

Now, I could see why people would find that refreshing after Wind Waker, but there's one thing that I think ruined it for me: It went overboard with deliberately trying to come off as 'mature'. There lies my problem. 'Maturity' is not something that I believe exists within the essence of the franchise. It's that contrast, between maturity (and, by extension, realism), and whimsy, which I think is unfavorable and has me praying that they stay away from tech demo style graphics.

With two very different art styles endorsed by different segments of the Zelda community, Nintendo will have to alternate between realism and magic, never leaving one completely out of the formula to create a less predictable, more enjoyable experience.

Very true. I'm sure everyone has an opinion on the matter, so compromise is key. Besides, at the end of the day, the forefront of our Wii U Zelda experience lies elsewhere, such as in dungeon design or exploration or combat, etc.

 

[Deku-Jack]

I definitely think Twilight Princess is probably the best amount of realism there should be. It's realistic while also remaining the fantasy-style of the other games.

 

[Sir Quaffler]

I don't like the realistic look because of how poorly it ages. Look at every "realistic" game made prior to this generation (and even quite a few within this one). By today's standards they look ugly and deformed, and within 10 years or so it'll be really hard for new players to get into them because they keep thinking "...and they thought this garbage looked GOOD?" Whereas the more fantastical styles don't have that problem; WW and SS, for example, have a timeless quality to them, and they'll always look good no matter how many years down the line they go because they eschewed realism for fantasy.

I also don't think realism really works for Zelda. I always like the more fantastical elements in games, and realism detracts from that. When I play GTA, I'm not thinking "Wow, this city is incredibly detailed, and I can see the amount of work the designers put into it"; I'm thinking "Holy crap I just rammed a train into that bus and sent it flying half a mile away. Next I'm gonna spawn me a tank and ramp it off of the Empire State Building because screw it." When I eventually get around to playing Bioshock Infinite, I'm not gonna be drawn in by the polygon counts or the realistic facial textures, I'm gonna be riding on skytrams and blasting Victorian-style hooligans with my psychic powers. I like to do things I can't normally do IRL, is what I'm saying. And as BlueReptile pointed out, they are squandering the limitless potential for imagination and creativity by making a subpar image of reality.