cartoony-graphics
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Breakfast Topic: Are WoW's graphics too cartoony?
Patrick Wyatt, former Blizzard developer and executive, recently wrote about how and why WoW's graphics look "candy-coated". He said that part of the reason was that many of the artists came from console games, and also that the team was made to work in very bright light. There is of course more to it than that. In order to keep World of Warcraft's system requirements low from the start, the designers purposely created a simple yet beautiful style. It also really set the game apart from other MMOs at the time. It is a bit cartoony, though, as critics have said over time. I used to play EverQuest during its cartoony days. I know my gnome looked like every other gnome, but she was my gnome and I loved her. Then The Shadows of Luclin landed and brought with it increased system requirements and a non-cartoony graphics "upgrade." Bye-bye, adorable gnome -- and bye-bye EQ for me. Personally, I want WoW to keep its iconic look, but I agree with just about everyone else that it's time for an overall upgrade. Don't give me an attempt to look realistic. I want the developers to say, "Here is your beloved character, now with more polygons!" The pandaren still fall in line with WoW's original art style -- but the animations, the details! So wonderful. Do you like the art style of World of Warcraft, or do you think that it should be less cartoony? Let's assume we all agree that the older races need graphics upgrades. Do you think they should drastically change? Do you want to keep the same look, just prettier? Or do you want a full overhaul with a more realistic slant?
The Daily Grind: Do cartoony graphics bother you?
I know we've tackled this topic before, but with my new obsession with Glitch (thanks to Beau and Rubi!), I've decided to revive the topic. Just as cartoons aren't always just for kids, cartoony graphics in video games aren't always just for kids. Glitch is a perfect example of a game that looks like it's meant for a younger crowd, but the sense of humor and content actually requires a 14-or-older rule to play the game. This has, in the past, been a barrier to entry for those players who won't play something unless it's ultra-realistic in the graphics department. But I'd like to think our opinions have lightened up in the last few years. So what's your stance? Do you see cartoony graphics as a complete turn-off? Are you attracted by the brighter colors and whimsical mood? Or does your opinion lie somewhere in between? Let us know! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite use of heavily stylized graphics?
In the earliest days of gaming, games were by their very nature pretty much abstract in graphics. The Atari 2600 couldn't really handle photorealistic human faces, after all. But even though we're now in the era when realism is not that far off, many games still employ intentionally stylized looks. LEGO Universe people look nothing like actual human beings, after all -- but they're not supposed to, representing instead the ubiquitous minifigures given motion and character. Some players really don't like stylized appearances, feeling that they look cartoony or artificial. Others prefer them to realistic graphics out of a sense that the style makes the game stand out more. MMOs have run the gamut from the detailed and realistic humans of All Points Bulletin to the intentionally unreal graphics of Super Hero Squad Online. So what game has stylized graphics that you think really work? Whether or not you like the style overall, where do you feel they add to the game's atmosphere? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
