By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming Discussion - Next generation graphics - Do the majority of people really care?

It occures to me that, 'we', as in members of computer game forums are surrounded by so much chat about next generation graphics that people on both sides of the arguement think a lot more people care than actually do.

Do most individuals and families who do not spend all their spare time playing video games and reading forums really care if a game has realistic graphics beyond a passing comment about them?

I can only speak for mself and my children but I have noticed in the past 18 months or so since my son became a teenager that he is pretty much obsessed with how good a game looks and is constantly showing me pictures and videos of soon to be released games and commenting how good they look.

Between the ages of about 8 and 12 he completed many many games on all the consoles, where as now he seems to buy them because they look good before trading them in nowhere near completed a few weeks later so he can buy the next game that looks good.

I however plod along as usual completing 'games with crap graphics'  as my son often comments.

Seems to me that with all this talk of realistic graphics he is actually getting less out of video games than he was when he was playing them for fun! 

 



Around the Network

I think graphics have really been emphasized this generation due to the advent of HD technology. I am not sure whether or not the average consumer will care, but I assume he will care more and more as time goes on, especially when all TV channels have to emit in an HD signal in 2009. Although that can be bypassed by buying an analog converter, HD penetration will increase as a result of the change.



We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers…Also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls.  The only thing that really worried me was the ether.  There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. –Raoul Duke

It is hard to shed anything but crocodile tears over White House speechwriter Patrick Buchanan's tragic analysis of the Nixon debacle. "It's like Sisyphus," he said. "We rolled the rock all the way up the mountain...and it rolled right back down on us...."  Neither Sisyphus nor the commander of the Light Brigade nor Pat Buchanan had the time or any real inclination to question what they were doing...a martyr, to the bitter end, to a "flawed" cause and a narrow, atavistic concept of conservative politics that has done more damage to itself and the country in less than six years than its liberal enemies could have done in two or three decades. -Hunter S. Thompson

@akuma,

In Australia, the mandate is to broadcast in digital, not necessarily HD.  In fact,  TV  stations here are required to broadcast both SD and HD signals for all  programs.   I was under the impression that it's the same arrangement in the US?



Yes you're correct, it's a DIGITAL signal, not always HD. SD may still very well exist, nay probably will but you won't be able to recieve it on a standard TV as we have them today. People are under the impression Digital and HD are the same thing and that is not so.



souixan, thanks for clearing that up.  As for receiving on a standard TV, if you're happy with your current tv a $150 digital set-top-box should do the trick -  untill you're ready to upgrade.



Around the Network

With my family graphics don't seem to be a big deal. I only have one cousin who cares about the graphics which is funny cause he doesn't own a HDTV yet he acts like he dose. My grandmother owns a HDTV yet she barely watches it, in fact when my family gets together over at her house people rather watch TV on the old 32" TV then the 42" HDTV. For me personally I enjoy the graphic enhancement HD adds but I don't really care about them, I'm not about to throw out my perfectly good TV to go out and buy a HDTV just for the extra color and sharpness. I don't buy games just because the picture looks better. Games are not about graphics to me. And I don't see a big enough of a difference between DVDs and HD-DVD/Blu-Ray to bother updating, In fact I find that some Actors/Actresses do better with low quality then HD. And am I the only one who is getting pretty annoyed with the whole Broadcasted in HD thing, I mean do I care that I'm watching the Weather forecast in HD?



Currently playing:
Wii: MySims | Xbox360: Halo3 / Pac-Man C.E | DS: Scurge | PSP: Ghost in the Shell

"Lesbians, Better then eMail."
~Lanky Man - My Big Fat Independent Movie

In the Uk you can get a digital set top box for as little as £15/$30 and I believe the analog signal is to be turned off in 2012 but they keep extending the date.



CapAmerica said:
With my family graphics don't seem to be a big deal. I only have one cousin who cares about the graphics which is funny cause he doesn't own a HDTV yet he acts like he dose. My grandmother owns a HDTV yet she barely watches it, in fact when my family gets together over at her house people rather watch TV on the old 32" TV then the 42" HDTV. For me personally I enjoy the graphic enhancement HD adds but I don't really care about them, I'm not about to throw out my perfectly good TV to go out and buy a HDTV just for the extra color and sharpness. I don't buy games just because the picture looks better. Games are not about graphics to me. And I don't see a big enough of a difference between DVDs and HD-DVD/Blu-Ray to bother updating, In fact I find that some Actors/Actresses do better with low quality then HD. And am I the only one who is getting pretty annoyed with the whole Broadcasted in HD thing, I mean do I care that I'm watching the Weather forecast in HD?

 There is abig difference in HD  from SD there's not doubting it. The problem is, you have to sit the proper distance or the image may appear crummy. If the 42" TV is in a room where you can only sit 5-6 feet away from it there's good reason why you'd prefer a 32" over it.

 

I agree some actors/actresses look hideous in HD lol 



akuma587 said:
when all TV channels have to emit in an HD signal in 2009. Although that can be bypassed by buying an analog converter, HD penetration will increase as a result of the change.

 

It is DIGITAL that needs to be broadcast, not HD, and an Analog converter will not help, as no analog signal will be there to convert.

 



XBOX LIVE Gamertag: QuantumTarntno

Crackdown - Enchanted Arms - Oblivion - Samurai Warriors 2 - GRAW - GRAW2 -Lost Planet - Guitar Hero 2 - Star Trek Legacy - Double Agent - WWE 2007

 

Wii 4237-4425-6442-7626

Mario Party 8 - Rayman Raving Rabbids - Excite Truck - Zelda: Twilight Princess - Godfather - Wii Play

in the words on nintendo's miyomoto... majority of nintendo wii users are casual gamers and not nintendo gamers... so obviously graphics is not that important



URNOTE Proud Owner of a 60GB PS3 Console (Purchased 12/22/06)

 #1 reason MGS4 is PS3 exclusive  xbox is too loud for snake to sneak around
PSNTAG= Xander732