Helm Talks Graphics
Helm has a little something to say about his forté!
Foreword
Okay. So I am supposed to write anything at all, a "free subject" if you will as long as it is adventure-game related.That cannot be that hard, can it? Besides, Mods told he he was filling this issue with crap anyway. Well,I've been sitting on my ass trying to come up with a promising premise (pleonasm) for the last couple of hours,and still,I have been unable to do so.So,instead of just going SEX SEX SEX as a last ditch attempt to get your undivided attention, I decided to talk about something I actually know about. Namely, adventure game graphics.
"What about them?" I wear you say? Most of them are terrible enough for one to completely disregard them, I know, but take a moment and hear me out. So, lets start with a few definitions. The graphical representation of an adventure game is the most important aspect of its presentation, and one of the most important aspects of the game altogether.
In most post ´91 adventure games published by the big adventure game companies (Sierra, Lucasarts, Adventure soft etc etc) the graphics vary from okayish(Lary 3), to great (Gabriel Knight), to pretty f**king amazing (Myst II). In amateur adenture games, however, as stated above, this is not the case. The reason being one or more of the following. One, it could be because the developer, has chosen playability over beauty, and has gone for a more abstract approach to his graphics. Two, it could be cause so-so graphics, while lacking the shock value of great graphics, are actually quite easier to draw, thus speeding up the production.
Three, maybe the developer just cant f**king do any better. In any case, believe it or not, the graphical representation of an amateur adventure game, is the least important factor when it comes to player preferences. It seems players go for playability in favour of lush eye-candy. Why is that, though?
My take is,"its not", or rather "it wasnt always like that". Before you get confused and just click the back button on your browser (if is Netscape Navigator, my heart bleeds for you - go get a decent browser) lemme explain. Before people strated to get involved to the amateur gaming scene, they, being used to professional publications, had pretty high standards. High enough to consider Rob Blanc sh*t*poke*poke*stab*stab*, to say the least. But as they actually got involved in the scene,and perhaps, perhaps started their own little project, and saw they couldnt do much f**king better themselves, then and only then, did they start appreciating Rob Blank's wel...erm... blankness(pleanoasm) and Larry Vales' apparent simplificated graphics.
And to say the truth, graphics wise, a year ago things werent that good anyway. And there were people that attributed the shamey graphics to the engines' inability to handle "high" resolutions and "16-bit" color palletes, as if thats what it takes to have decent graphics.Anyway, thing is, starting with Permanent Daylight, things strated to look up for our almost permanently destroyed retinas, and with a good crop of cool adventure games that have been released from then on, players and developers alike, have started getting used to high quality graphics once again, and have started going for a more quality appreach to their own projects too. Now if we could be off with the annoying Yahtzeestyle approach*poke*poke*stab*stab*, things would REALLY start going for us. Of course this recent quality adjustment is doing wonders for the scene too, with more newbee...uh users hopping on board of the amateur adventure bandwagon cause they played Permanent Daylight or whatnot, than any other time from
my reasonable experience.
So, if you are reading this, and have not tried out AGS yet (shameless plugging alert!) then go and get those fine and graphicaly pleasant adventure games from the AGS announcement forum:
Stated in order of preference:
1.Permanent Daylight
2.Dirk Chaufberg (sorry if I misspelled the name,but its virtually unpronouncable anyway.)
3.Larry Vales 2 (which is quite better than the first one,graphically)
4.Run Hot(which should be released as we speak) Not a chance! - m0ds
5.The Vestibule (great flash backgrounds)
And if you are ready for some equally great but graphically alternative adventure games(AGS is better known for those,mind you) go grab those:
Again,In order of preference:
1. Robert Redford Saves the Day
2. Richard Longhurst And The Box That Ate Time (that wacky Mostly character, ah, he just brightens my day.)
3. Ultimerr (Cool take on consolish graphics)
4. W.E.T
5. Lassi's Quest (on second thought, dont get this one)
So there you have it Mods, another completely pointless filler for you. Im off for a bite.
Helm
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