Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Art & How It Connects To Next-Generation Video Games

By Rob Sutter


There is a tremendous amount of attention given to the "next generation" of gaming and it's not hard to see why. While there's a lot of excitement surrounding platforms like the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, it's clear that there is a concern within the video game industry involving cost. After all, the price that consumers pay in retail is just one of many layers to take into consideration. After reading an interview with Capcom, I had to ask, "Game design shouldn't be this expensive to go about, right?"

On its website, Capcom posted an interview with Senior Manager of Technology Management, Masaru Ijuin regarding the matter of development costs. He said that compared to the effort needed for video game consoles of the past generation, the current fleet of systems required, "eight to ten times" more work. It's clear that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One alike possess greater power than their predecessors, though it isn't as if every last drop has to be utilized.-

Video games that are seen in the mainstream are doing as much as possible to push realistic graphics to the utmost degree. While these visuals can be very stunning, I'd like to think that there are certain titles which make the effort to stand out. Those who have been in schools that specialize in art can attest to the fact that there are many different styles to take into consideration. In my view, the styles in question help to make video games that much more interesting as a creative platform.

There are many standout titles from Nintendo which do not have realistic graphics attached to them. However, they are able to stand out for other reasons, in terms of style, which is important when considering that uniqueness is often displayed from the outside. "Super Mario 3D World" is a great example of this, as its lighthearted atmosphere and warmer palate of colors are points that are hard to deny. Of course, whether you care for games with lighter or darker moods is simply a matter of opinion.

Arguably Sony's swan song for PlayStation 3 is "The Last of Us," which possesses a far darker story to tell. As a result, an environment with less color and moodier lighting makes sense; both of these qualities compliment the narrative. However, if a design choice is made simply because it can be made, it's for the wrong reason. While Capcom is under the impression that "next-gen" hardware entails higher costs, sometimes a simple, clean look is all that is needed for the overall experience.




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