* Disclaimer: Today’s rant is… less of a rant and more of a general discussion on the future of gaming. I know you’re upset, but bear with me…
I’ve seen video games come a long way from the pea-sized pixels of my Atari 2600 to the nearly photo-realistic look of some of the latest games. From generation to generation, there has typically been a graphical jump that was quite noticeable. Console games today can support up to 1920×1080 resolution, 7.1 surround sound, with motion sensing rumbling controllers, and more. What I want to know though, is what happens when we reach the “end” of technological advances?
I realize there is no “real” end, but for the sake of this rant, we’ll keep it within the realm of diminishing returns. What happens with virtually every game comes out at native 1080p, 7.1 surround, perfectly photo-realistic worlds, etc. When technological advances aren’t really noticeable anymore?
There’s been an ever-present segment of the gaming community that have always valued gameplay over graphics, just like there has been a completely different segment labeled “graphics whores,” who primarily care how good a game looks first and how well it plays at a distant second. I’d say if this generation doesn’t end in the state I’m talking about, that we’re likely only a single generation away from it. At that point, our entertainment will be at the mercy of how developers choose to use their tools and abilities as an absolute, not simply how they can wrangle them within the arbitrary bounds of what the various consoles and toolsets allow.
Another interesting thing to think about: if all (or at least multiple) platforms progress to where they have more horsepower than can be used, console wars may trend to become less and less relevant. Do I really care that Console-X can spit out video at 240fps when the new TVs of today are pretty much locked at a 60fps refresh rate? If that horsepower gets left simply upping the framerate beyond the capabilities of our displays, it’s completely wasted. If 100,000 branch decisions are calculated per second now and it becomes 100,000,000 next generation, without any compelling uses, its likely that most of that horsepower will be wasted as well.
Will we reach a point soon in gaming where our entertainment becomes 100% vested in the talent of the storyteller, or game designer as opposed to any technical limitations? Will we finally begin to see next-gen “ideas”? If developers are forced to have compelling ideas instead of competing with 25 other photo-realistic racers or shooters, does that mean we’re in for a boom or a decline in gaming? If companies keep putting out titles at the same pace and they’ll all have roughly the same audio and graphical fidelity, it’s an interesting and scary prospect. More importantly, what are the folks that will push this storytelling and game designing envelope doing now?
What do you think we’ll see as the next emerging metric of video game prowess? Will we finally see compelling AI with the “I” meaning intelligence? Will storytelling and immersion finally get their days in the spotlight? Will actual moral dilemmas finally become commonplace in gaming as opposed to the fairly regular artsy-fartsy attempts we’ve been subjected to over the last few years? In the past, “moral dilemma” has been almost synonymous with “moral snorefests“. In other words, if there were magical switches on the latest consoles that suddenly allowed them all to render full HD, full 7.1 surround, full 60fps framerates (locked, mind you), what would you expect to separate games from each other? Would gaming flourish at that point or would it simply devolve until we only had Super-Conglomerate-EA writing games?
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Once we reach 100% photorealistic graphics, then the market will be ready to move to true 3d holographic displays. Think U2 3D, and the upcoming James Cameron’s Avatar.
Then the graphic whore race will start again.
Well, despite having “next-gen” visuals, many games suffer from the same problems of old. Small, cramped levels with few enemies. (not counting the skybox geometry or free-roam games). Look at a game like Goldeneye, then look at Quake 4.
Developers have been building upwards as far as how pretty a particular surface is, but in the end (currently) the table is about the same size as it was before.
Perhaps new directions need to be taken. Better Ai developed, more in depth environments (thats a pretty lamp, does it actually break?) and LARGER interactive environments.
I know that a dev can only do so much, but I’m not talking graphical phidelity, i’m talking IMMERSION. Very good point, btw, but isn’t this like the doomsday soothsayers? We get them every few years, but the world keeps spinning?
kinda hitting that now.
i think games will kind of go like the wii and try to do something different and create a new way to immerse the game.
seen a few things on youtube.
One game where players can move items by thinking a certain way.
Also another thing that can really only be shown rather than told
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw
I think that as the average game has near photo realistic graphics, there will be more of a focus on setting, atmosphere and art style than ever before, we’re already seeing some of this with bioshock etc. , to seperate great games from mediocre ones.
I think we’re already seeing the trend of much better stories being incorperated into games. But, if one company is pushing the envelope it’s nintendo. I know, I know, it’s not HD but somthing has to be said for inovation. Especially the DS. So mabey what will change the most is how we PLAY the games. In the end though, I am a graphics whore, so give my HD please.
When the consoles reach that point it will be a paradise for me. I agree with what clstirens said that developers will start to take more time with interactive environments and better AI, but my main wish is for better told and more in depth stories.
Nintendo really hasn’t ran with the Wiimote though. Only a relatively select few have properly used to the Wiimote to the point of intuitiveness. Others just play with it as a mini game fun stick.
Also, will we see real innovation and real risks ever in this multi billion dollar industry or will our innovations be limited to such things as Wii Fit….
My main concern is about what this article was really getting at. It seems that it’s mostly asking for less Graphics and more Gameplay, but upon further though, I think the article would be better phrased as “will games still evolve when graphics cannot?”
Saying that environments are not getting bigger or ideas aren’t being made seems a little closed minded. They ARE getting bigger and they ARE having new ideas. Graphics evolve too, but they in no means are limiting developer creativity or gameplay styles.
The Wii and DS are trying new control methods and the online connectivity is driving a new form of play on it’s own. We have plenty of innovations in AI and Physics, and we’ll see them being used in new and creative ways as games progress. While there may be 25 racers on the market that all look good, most of them play differently (Need For Speed and Burnout anyone?)
To answer the original question of “will games still evolve when graphics do not?” then yes. Games will always evolve.
@ NoneOfYourBusiness:
You think Wiifit isn’t innovative? … Yeah, Wiifit ISN’T that great, but the Wii Balance Board is very innovative, but only in the hands of great developers. Think of…. The Tony Hawk series! I know, terrible series, but think! With the Wii Balance Board, you could stand on it, balance your feet to move, use the Wii remote to speed up, speed down, do a trick, and that kinda stuff.
The thing is that Nintendo innovates. They change, they take risks, some good, and some bad. I understand how some feel…. awkward, about Nintendo’s focus on the “Causal Gamer”. Nintendo would never abandon the Hardcore Gamer, they know what they’re doing.
@ Rothbart
Well said, my favorite article of yours yet. I’m thinking along the lines of Saga Frontier 2 for the future of games. Remember for the original PSX it didn’t have flashy graphics but had gorgeous watercolor backgrounds instead. I think that the point where videogames become art, if the developers choose to pursue the medium, is right around the corner.
nintendo need a third party company to come in and make the huge innovative games.
I think we are VERY far away from perfect graphics, sound and realism in general. and plus I don’t think all devs. will go that way because just like movies, games can be stylized. But Physics, AI, Graphics and Sound aren’t going to be near perfect i would say for at least another 5-10 years minimum. and its going to be exponential cause each little addition is going to take alot more “horsepower” Interface is where I think will be developing along side it and maybe perfected before the graphics etc. are. and anyone who mentions a hologram can go to hell cause your STUPID. No such thing as a fricking hologram its just not POSSIBLE. think about it for a sec really. (not that you couldn’t trick someone into thinking there is one seeing as people will believe it just after seeing it in the movies).
@Adam S. Come on…think about it for a sec. really
-when talkin about “holograms” nobody really expects a star trek holodeck inside his living room-but please check the link below and then again tell us stupid folks why “holograms” in games are impossible 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfp8id6bpDU&feature=related