3-D Games
Are We Sacrificing Quality for Visual Appeal?
During the 70s and 80s, there were no sophisticated 3D games. If people weren’t forced to play text adventures, (where there were no graphics), they had to play games with simplistic 2D graphics. In some cases, the graphics consisted nothing more than a black screen and white lines. Yet, despite the simplicity, people had fun. In fact, these games were so entertaining; they continue to be distributed, either through emulation or as an update for a next-generation console.
Can the same be said for today’s 3D games, which offer so much more visual appeal? Well, while there are many highly entertaining 3D games, some of them focus so much on graphics that the game play itself is boring. Just tune into G4’s “X-Play” television show to get a better understanding. Very rarely will a modern 3D game receive a 5-star rating, as most will be deemed as above average (though not 5-star), average and very bad. And, surprisingly enough, each episode will feature at least one 3D game receiving a rating of 1 to 2 stars. The usual reason for such a rating ranges from bad controls to just being plain boring.
The text adventures and 2D games of yesteryear rarely had those problems. Sure, there were flops like Atari’s infamous “ET” game, but even then it’s because the game designers relied more on publicity and visual appeal to sell the game over real entertainment value. There’s a reason why the original Pacman or Super Mario Brothers continue to be played, while some of the latest 3D games collect dust on store shelves.
The lack of innovation in today’s 3D games has even affected console sales. Consider the PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. Graphically, the PS3 renders 3D games much better than the Wii, but where’s the innovation? The Wii ends up generating more sales because the designers put more of a focus on game play. This is not to say that there aren’t Wii games that are total duds, but the duds aren’t affecting its sales. Even now, in the midst of a bad economy, the Wii still is hard to find at certain retailers. But the PS3 is at risk of nearly going extinct because of its lack of sales.
In conclusion, today’s game designers need to stop focusing so much on graphics and start concentrating on the entertainment value of their games. True, good graphics will initially draw a person to 3D games…that’s a given. But what will keep them there is the game play, the storyline and the challenge it brings.
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