Is anyone else worried about games becoming too realistic?

[BetaWolf47]

Back when I first started playing games, I enjoyed them not only as a past-time, but as an escape from reality. Technical limitations prevented games from looking at all realistic. Some companies embraced the idea of using abstractions to create games, while others tried to make them look as accurate as possible either way. Each direction taken has genre-defining games.

However, because of these technical limitations, the games that strove for realism didn't succeed, and ended up creating their own subgenres. In the 90's, instead of having racing simulators, we had our arcade racers. Arcade racers are still around, and are considered a different subgenre of racing games than racing simulators. Genres like that emerged due to hardware being incapable of reproducing perfect realism.

Now, games are getting really close to the original. Though we may still be far off from games becoming too realistic, we're approaching it. Isn't anyone else worried about video games becoming the poor man's version of the real thing?

[Gamingking]

That gave me a head ache trying to read it, It seemed like you kept repeating yourself.

In a short answer, No i'm not.

[jonebone]

I don't mind, I've continually evolved over time. I've been buying the latest release of Madden every year since '94 and will be in the midnight release line this year for 2011. Sure the controls are "complicated" but it does feel more realistic and more fun with each passing year.

The graphics aren't what worry me, it's the controls. I don't want games to evolve to some point where there's no controllers and you literally just act out what you what your character to do. Thats overkill IMO.

[skaar]

Now, games are getting really close to the original. Though we may still be far off from games becoming too realistic, we're approaching it. Isn't anyone else worried about video games becoming the poor man's version of the real thing?

Man if I was rich people'd be kidnapping my princesses for real, and that would suck.

[BetaWolf47]

I don't mind, I've continually evolved over time. I've been buying the latest release of Madden every year since '94 and will be in the midnight release line this year for 2011. Sure the controls are "complicated" but it does feel more realistic and more fun with each passing year.

The graphics aren't what worry me, it's the controls. I don't want games to evolve to some point where there's no controllers and you literally just act out what you what your character to do. Thats overkill IMO.
Graphics aren't what I'm worried about either. It's the mindset of the developers that worries me. We could definitely have a high polygon count, but still a lot of arcade elements.

Controls are a bit worrisome too. Without something in your hands during the game, the experience will just seem empty, in every sense of the word.

[jb143]

Controls are a bit worrisome too. Without something in your hands during the game, the experience will just seem empty, in every sense of the word.

http://i30.tinypic.com/28nsle.jpg

[exit]

Controls are a bit worrisome too. Without something in your hands during the game, the experience will just seem empty, in every sense of the word.

Motion controls aren't really anything to worry about, I doubt it will catch on the way developers want it to (if it does at all), in the long run people want some kind of control over what they're doing. It is working well for the Wii, but some of the games have different control styles on there (including classic controls), so having actual control over what you're doing won't be going away any time soon.

[kupomogli]

There are only a handful of games out there that try and push realism in any given genre.

Virtua Fighter is a realistic fighter and even then you can hit someone on the ground only to have them bounce up to allow a continuation of a combo.

Gran Turismo even with all the "this is the most realistic driving simulator ever" has a lot of stuff in it that is completely unrealistic. Like hitting the grass and the speed of your car immediately drops to 9mph.

Uncharted and Modern Warfare series. Halo and regenerative HP anyone?

Grand Theft Auto 4 is the most realistic game I've played. Driving, character actions when getting shot, bumped into, walking, etc. However even then there are some unrealistic things like receiving no damage while being in a vehicle that falls thousands of feet from the sky, or landing in a body of deep water and being perfectly fine from the same distance, going through your windshield and into a wall only taking damage, etc.

No matter how realistic something gets on a video game, it's really not realistic. Atleast I haven't seen anything so far. When it comes to racing games I don't mind it being somewhat of an arcade style feeling to it but it needs to be mostly simulation, like the early Need for Speed games and Test Drive Unlimited, but when it's arcade to the point of being like Ridge Racer I really don't like them(I was going to give Burnout Paradise a chance but decided not to after playing another game in the series.)

[Solertia]

As long as Nintendo is around, games becoming too realistic will never be a worry of mine. :wink 2:

[Overbite]

Some people like realistic games, just like some people like unrealistic games.

[G-Boobie]

Back when I first started playing games, I enjoyed them not only as a past-time, but as an escape from reality. Technical limitations prevented games from looking at all realistic. Some companies embraced the idea of using abstractions to create games, while others tried to make them look as accurate as possible either way. Each direction taken has genre-defining games.

However, because of these technical limitations, the games that strove for realism didn't succeed, and ended up creating their own subgenres. In the 90's, instead of having racing simulators, we had our arcade racers. Arcade racers are still around, and are considered a different subgenre of racing games than racing simulators. Genres like that emerged due to hardware being incapable of reproducing perfect realism.

Now, games are getting really close to the original. Though we may still be far off from games becoming too realistic, we're approaching it. Isn't anyone else worried about video games becoming the poor man's version of the real thing?

I used to wear a bat suit and beat up asylum inmates, but now I don't have to. Thanks video game realism!

The only thing about games that's getting more real are graphics, sir. I have no idea where the hell you're coming from.

[garagesaleking!!]

I think this could be something I worry about someday, but currently I dont. Red dead redemption was one of the most realistic games I have ever played, if not the most. Of course the dialog was cheesy and missions repetitive, but when you are taking long rides on your horse and roaming around the towns getting a drink, Man does it almost feel like you are really alive back then. I enjoyed it so much. Its almost creepy how real it is riding around on your horse in that game, all those long moments of silence. That game let me live the life of the old west, something I have always wanted to do.

[Jaruff]

As someone who grew up on simulation games, I embrace the ever increasing realism in games. Yes, there are some genres where realism isn't needed nor wanted but other genres (FPS, third-person shooter, racing, etc) can benefit from the added realism.

Probably the best example that I can think of off the top of my head is the ARMA series. With an FPS genre filled with arcade games (Call Of Duty, Metal Of Honor, etc), it's great to have an extremely realistic alternative to test your skills.

[Compute]

Not worried at all. Look at Mortal Kombat. At the time it was "too realistic" blood gore etc. Death Race was a controversial game for its violent elements. Games will get more realistic, but even people using a Holodeck know that it's not for real :P

[TheDomesticInstitution]

What G-Boobie said.

[Leo_A]

Is anyone else worried about games becoming too realistic?...Back when I first started playing games, I enjoyed them not only as a past-time, but as an escape from reality...Isn't anyone else worried about video games becoming the poor man's version of the real thing?

No

The intricacies of landing a Boeing 747 in a cross wind at some faraway airport I'll probably never even land at as a passenger, being the engineer with a triple headed consist of modern GE Dash 9 locomotives with 13,200 hp at my disposal hauling a 10,000 ton train of grain over Stampede Pass in Washington State, piloting a 800' freighter through the Panama Canal, racing a Lotus 49b around the 14 mile Nurburging circa 1967, making an attack run in a Hawker Hurricane against German Ju-88's over London, are all simulations striving for the utmost realism.

Yet the challanges are enjoyable and the simulations that do these things are providing an escape from reality by modeling a reality I'm never going to personally experience. There aren't things like IndyCar teams lining up to give gamers a ride in a $250,000 Dallara for the Indianapolis 500 each Memorial Day. But yet I can fire up iRacing any hour of the week and race a Dallara around Indy as long as I want and escape my reality by doing something that is complex and yet very interesting and rewarding. It's as much an escape from reality as jumping on the heads of Koopa's is or sending Sonic flying through rings. And there's always going to be a future for such games. Games striving for realism (Simulations) have and always will be a niche market at best with large learning curves that can take dozens of hours to even approach learning which discourages 99% of potential purchasers.

Anyone can play something like a arcade racer and have fun, but not everyone can do something like race a Skip Barber open wheeler around Lime Rock Park in iRacing and succeed and enjoy themself.

And to me, it looks like your idea of realism doesn't extend beyond graphics. Show me all these Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 games that strive so much for realism. Take racing games for example, you'd be hard pressed to name more then 5 released games for each console that even just partially went for realism in their gameplay (I can just think of Forza 2, Forza 3, GT5 Prologue, and Race Pro). Something like a Midnight Club isn't realistic in anything beyond the graphics and most any racing game isn't going to be striving for any amount of realism beyond graphical (Such as a Project Gotham Racing title or the already mentioned Midnight Club). Even something like EA's NASCAR titles are much more a arcade racer then a simulation, with the realisim implimented in the title not amounting to much more then just the graphical coating the NASCAR license brings to the game.

And why are you worried about "video games becoming the poor man's version of the real thing"? Since when can the normal person do something in real life that a simulation offers them the ability to do? There's one flyable B-29 Superfortress in the entire world for example. None of us are probably ever going to get the chance to even tour the cockpit when it's doing a airshow and such, let alone pilot it. Yet anyone can buy Microsoft Flight Simulator and the Wings of Power add-on and get a ultra realistic rendition of a B-29 with extremely detailed physics and fly a airplane that entered production nearly 70 years ago that largely just exists today as static museum displays.

It's videogame or nothing for most of this. It's not like reality is an option for these activities like your post appears to suggest. You can't lament that people are increasingly doing real life things in the videogame world instead of real life where it belongs (And thus, reducing the number of games you enjoy) when reality isn't even an option for most anything a realistic videogame offers you the ability to do. I can fire up Microsoft Train Simulator today and operate a New York Central Hudson leading the 20th Century Limited at 90mph over the Water Level Route between NYC and Chicago for example. It's a recreation of real life 55-80 years ago, but I sure as heck can't do such a thing in real life in 2010. For starters, they sent every last one of their famous Hudsons to the scrap yard in the 1950's when they dieselized their operations.

That's the glory of realism in videogames. It lets you do an interesting pursuit to escape your daily reality by experiencing a reality you'll most likely never have the opportunity to do in real life, or a reality that is now impossible to experience.

[MASTERWEEDO]

I like the more cartoony games, if i wanted reality, I'd go outside.

[BHvrd]

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8339/c61b5198722692e8a531e66.jpg

[Hari Seldon]

As long as you are using a controller, it's not realistic.

[Gameguy]

The graphics looking realistic isn't what I'd be worried about. I'd be worried that they'd force your character to act like an actual person. Only jumping a foot high, running slow, dying in one hit, etc.

[BetaWolf47]

I used to wear a bat suit and beat up asylum inmates, but now I don't have to. Thanks video game realism!

The only thing about games that's getting more real are graphics, sir. I have no idea where the hell you're coming from.

Really? Using racing games as an example again, the only difference you see between Gran Turismo 1 or 2 and Gran Turismo 4 or 5 is graphics?

[ScourDX]

If you finish school, eat healthy, socialize with real friends and exercise consistently; you have nothing to worry about.

[garagesaleking!!]

If you finish school, eat healthy, socialize with real friends and exercise consistently; you have nothing to worry about.

this man is a genius.

[BetaWolf47]

...

That's quite the strong argument. I admit, Endless Ocean for Wii seemed very realistic and provided an experience I will probably never experience in my life. Same deal with simulation games and others.

It does seem, from the first post, that my definition of realism doesn't reach beyond graphics. This is far from the truth. The extent of this is presentation, in which graphics are only a component. Look at the poorly acted civilians in classic light gun shooters, and then look at civilians and hostages in modern day FPSes. Observe the recoil of the guns, the sound of bullets coming out of their shells, and the marks left by them on the wall. Even if the setting and plots have a sci-fi or historical fiction twist in them, it's easy to see that they're striving for realism in the game mechanics. The whole style is less abstract than it was even last generation.

[Leo_A]

It does seem, from the first post, that my definition of realism doesn't reach beyond graphics. This is far from the truth...Observe the recoil of the guns, the sound of bullets coming out of their shells, and the marks left by them on the wall...it's easy to see that they're striving for realism in the game mechanics.

Again, that's simply the graphical and audio presentation. You'll find very little realism otherwise in your average first person shooter (such as a Call of Duty title). Very few developers make any attempt towards realistic gameplay mechanics, strategy, etc. The realism doesn't extend beyond the visual appearance of the title. Realism sells in regards to the audio/visual appearance of a title, it doesn't sell otherwise. You'll find that most publishers discourage realism in order to make their game as accessible as possible to large audiences.


Really? Using racing games as an example again, the only difference you see between Gran Turismo 1 or 2 and Gran Turismo 4 or 5 is graphics?

While I think Gran Turismo 5 is going to bring about the first major leap in the series beyond graphical increases, I think there's a fair argument that Gran Turismo 4 wasn't much of a jump up from the PSOne titles beyond the graphical upgrade. The physics are similar in many ways, the AI acts very similar in holding a predefined line with little to no reaction to the player, the same weak areas continued to exist (Lack of damage modeling in the physics [Although GT2 had some limited physics modeling of damage] and visuals), etc.

Beyond car and track counts and vastly increased graphics, where were the huge jumps between GT1 and GT4?

I agree with him, I don't see any increases in realism in mainstream gaming today beyond the graphical appearance brought upon by the increased horsepower of each generation of consoles that allows for graphics that more closely approximate real life. Realism outside of the audio and graphics is largely limited to a very small niche that is largely confined to PC's (such as Ubisoft's Silent Hunter series).

And when console attempts at realism are attempted, they're usually not repeated. Check out Ubisoft's Brothers in Arm game for the 360/PS3/PC for one example. A decent effort went into realism with Road to Hill 30 and it's quick sequel (Almost more of an expansion pack) that arrived a short time later, Earned in Blood. Play the sequel on current generation consoles to those titles, and you'll see drastic decreases in every area in regards to realism beyond the graphics and audio as they tried to tailor the game for more mainstream audiences to make it more accessible to increase sales.

You aren't looking beyond the graphics here. Something like Endless Ocean isn't realistic at all if you knew anything about scuba diving. The realism stops with the graphics and doesn't extend beyond it with the gameplay mechanics.

[theclaw]

Not really. Realistic gameplay is less popular now than the early '00s.

Personally, I'm sick of all the (insert FPS here) fanboys who've never looked through a **** window in their life. Let alone stepped outside on their own feet.

Real soldiers have to deal with everything from fatigue, loadout weight, thirst, recoil, weather, friendly fire...

[G-Boobie]

Really? Using racing games as an example again, the only difference you see between Gran Turismo 1 or 2 and Gran Turismo 4 or 5 is graphics?

Yeah, pretty much. You're still using an analog stick to pretend to drive a car in ways that don't translate to real world driving in any meaningful way, and nevermind what the developer says. It just gets prettier.

I'm looking at my game shelf right now, and let me lay a few recent games on you: Burnout Paradise, Gears of War, Halo 3, Super Street Fighter IV, Alan Wake, Deathsmiles, Dawn of War II, Call of Duty 4, Batman Arkham Asylum, God of War III, Metro 2033... I'm having a REAL hard time finding any evidence of games getting more "real" in there. They just look better than they used to.

It's amazing that just months ago we had to deal with the whole "OH GOD CASUAL GAMES ARE RUINING THE INDUSTRY THE WII IS KILLING THE HARDCORE MARKET AAAAAGH!!!" thing, and now we're talking about games getting too real. It's nuts. There hasn't been a broad market for simulation-style games since the late nineties, excepting GT and Forza. And even then, Burnout and Need For Speed sell significantly better. If anything, games are getting more accessible and easy to pick up, and I've yet to play a game that has a reasonably sized audience that attempts to make things "real" in ways that would hinder actually PLAYING it: instead, we have regenerating health, respawning cars and dudes, and leveling up.

This is a non-issue.

[theclaw]

Yeah, pretty much. You're still using an analog stick to pretend to drive a car in ways that don't translate to real world driving in any meaningful way, and nevermind what the developer says. It just gets prettier.

I'm looking at my game shelf right now, and let me lay a few recent games on you: Burnout Paradise, Gears of War, Halo 3, Super Street Fighter IV, Alan Wake, Deathsmiles, Dawn of War II, Call of Duty 4, Batman Arkham Asylum, God of War III, Metro 2033... I'm having a REAL hard time finding any evidence of games getting more "real" in there. They just look better than they used to.

It's amazing that just months ago we had to deal with the whole "OH GOD CASUAL GAMES ARE RUINING THE INDUSTRY THE WII IS KILLING THE HARDCORE MARKET AAAAAGH!!!" thing, and now we're talking about games getting too real. It's nuts. There hasn't been a broad market for simulation-style games since the late nineties, excepting GT and Forza. And even then, Burnout and Need For Speed sell significantly better. If anything, games are getting more accessible and easy to pick up, and I've yet to play a game that has a reasonably sized audience that attempts to make things "real" in ways that would hinder actually PLAYING it: instead, we have regenerating health, respawning cars and dudes, and leveling up.

This is a non-issue.

On the surface it's a return to the eighties mentality. Shorter, simpler, games that are infuriating to play.

Except without any fun factor. Unlike Contra, Ghosts N' Goblins, or such games popular because of their challenge, these new ones have no heart in their design. Just frustration for the sake of it.

[CelticJobber]

I was going to give Burnout Paradise a chance but decided not to after playing another game in the series.

Burnout Paradise is a lot different from the other games in the series, so if didn't like them, there's a good chance you would like Paradise. You can't really judge it by the other games in the series.

I have friends who loved the older Burnout titles to the point of basically wearing the discs out, but hate Paradise because they made it "too realistic" and not as fun.

[kupomogli]

As long as you are using a controller, it's not realistic.


Yeah, pretty much. You're still using an analog stick to pretend to drive a car in ways that don't translate to real world driving in any meaningful way

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41xRVwvWB7L._SS400_.jpg

Pictured is the Logitech Playstation 3(I'm guessing PC also) Driving Force GT Racing Wheel. Force feedback to where it feels like you're actually driving. Never used it, but supposedly that's what it's like. If someone wants to buy it for me it'd be a nice gift.

Having a racing wheel for racing games and a flight stick for flight simulators add more realism to the game. It's just a game so it will never be truly realistic as it is a game, but they do bring the games closer to the real thing.

I haven't really played a flight simulator aside from Air Combat for the PSX or LHX Attack Chopper however actual flight simulators from what I've heard are just about as real as you can get without it being the real thing. Supposedly all the buttons on actual planes, tanks, etc, for those types of simulators are real to life. I've actually heard from my dad one person working in the army always wanted to drive a tank so would always play tank simulators. The guy was given a chance to drive one of the tanks if he could start it up. All the buttons were the same as in the simulator and he was able to turn it on without having any real training. That kind of thing is pretty impressive if you ask me.

However, yeah. Even though these games have some realism in them, there are tons of other games that don't really have a shred of realism to them.

[G-Boobie]

However, yeah. Even though these games have some realism in them, there are tons of other games that don't really have a shred of realism to them.

SOME realism. The point of games, from the earliest arcade titles all the way through the triple A games of today, is escapism. They are power fantasies. They are designed to make you feel like you have control over your environment, that you can effect change on something bigger than yourself. They're supposed to be FUN. There are exceptions: survival horror, for example. Even these games, like all consumption-focused media, are designed to ENTERTAIN. Having a one foot jump, dying in one hit, having to remember to put one foot in front of the other and balance your checkbook... These are fun for a tiny, tiny slice of the population. Sales and development trends bear this out. We don't have to worry about games getting too 'real', because reality isn't much FUN, and if it isn't fun to the widest possible slice of the game buying public, it isn't going to sell. And if it doesn't sell? We're firmly back in Guitar Hero/Tetris/Call of Duty territory, because the people who fund game development know that they'll sell. QED.

To summarize: it's always more fun and profitable to shoot a bunch of dudes in the face like an immortal angry super hero than it is to fly a commercial airliner or drive a train for five hours. Unless you're a grognard.

Maybe this is a case of the OP not being clear enough with his original post. Maybe what he actually meant was something like, "is anyone else worried that games are getting too complex?", or, "is anyone else worried that simple, arcadey titles are getting lost in the rush for video games telling stories?". If we go with that, we have a conversation. Otherwise? I think we're OK here in gaming land.

[poloplayr]

As long as Nintendo is around, games becoming too realistic will never be a worry of mine. :wink 2:

Amen! Thank God for that.

[Compute]

I've used that wheel or a similar one for ps3. It blew my mind right out of the water. Although I can't say it made the game "real," the force feedback was incredible. Nice and strong, if they used stronger materials and threw it into a cabinet, it would be almost like hard drivin'. But it still wasn't real. Worse things happen when you drive backwards around a track at a NASCAR race at top speed in real life.. :devilish: