Graphics of the East, Vs. Graphics of the West.

[Averry]

It was a simple statement of my brother last night.



I was starting Metal Gear Solid 4. And he made a statement.


He said that the graphics looked plain to him. He said the character models were amazing but textures tend to look plain and flat.


We sorta discussed. It seems that eastern developers simply don't do as good a job creating environments with good 3 dimensional textures.


I may stumble in my in my terminology but it seems that eastern developers simply don't do as good of bump mapping as western developers achieve.


Metal Gear looks beautiful, but when you are sneaking around, things tend to take a flat appearance.


This isn't anything to do with PS3 vs. 360 but it seems that developers like Insomniac and Bungie seem to really get a 3-Dimensional look out of games than alot of Japanese games.

The key tech companies like Id. and Epic are from the West.

Also, by WEST, I mean like Western Europe and North America.


Anyone care to show their opinion?

[Pyrochaos]

I think it all gets blurred together now days. When companies like Square use the Unreal engine, it all balances out.

[Paging DR B]

Well sort of Pyro. Just because they're using a western engine doesnt mean too much unless they begin designing with a western mentality. Or are you saying that they cannot currently because of the engines that they develop on?

[Badger3920]

This thread will not end well.

That said, I agree that MGS4 had much more intriguing character models than it did environments. It looked great overall, but I have played other games where the environment graphics were much more desireable.

[miDnIghtEr]

Originally Posted by Badger3920

This thread will not end well.

why do you think that? this has nothing to do with 360 vs ps3.

[Pyrochaos]

Originally Posted by Paging DR B

Well sort of Pyro. Just because they're using a western engine doesnt mean too much unless they begin designing with a western mentality. Or are you saying that they cannot currently because of the engines that they develop on?

Nah I'm trying to say that with so many developers out there now days, and the fight for the most original look/gameplay/story it's easy to borrow from other cultures.

[RY35AN]

I kind of noticed that too. MGS4 looks awesome but it has more of a cartoonish look to it? Is that a blend of east/west styles?

[weasl]

I think western gamers tend to gravitate more to game with specular and bump mapping so most developers tend to bump them up beyond the normal amount, Japanese devs do not.

So in short

Western games - crazy bumpy shinny texture to show off tech and visual style (and bloom!)

Eastern games - more grounded in real world lighting / texturing

[Pyrochaos]

It all blends together. Look at Anime. There are a lot of Western cartoons that obviosly borrow from Anime (Teen Titans, ect) but Anime was originally borrowed from Disney cartoons.

[RY35AN]

Originally Posted by weasl

I think western gamers tend to gravitate more to game with specular and bump mapping so most developers tend to bump them up beyond the normal amount, Japanese devs do not.

So in short

Western games - crazy bumpy shinny texture to show off tech and visual style (and bloom!)

Eastern games - more grounded in real world lighting / texturing

Yeah, I agree with that.

[balpho]

japanese games IMO have always focuses more heavily on character models then environments, where a lot of western devs seem to take a more balance graphical approach, spreading out the resources more. This gives japanese games a sometimes better graphical appears cuz character models are typically the focus of the game, but it's a personal preference thing

[Badger3920]

Originally Posted by miDnIghtEr

why do you think that? this has nothing to do with 360 vs ps3.

It could easily be construed as such because many people hold that MGS4 has elite-of-the-elite graphics. Things tend to get nasty when someone suggests otherwise (not just for mgs4, but gears or other titles)

[Pyrochaos]

Originally Posted by balpho

japanese games IMO have always focuses more heavily on character models then environments, where a lot of western devs seem to take a more balance graphical approach, spreading out the resources more. This gives japanese games a sometimes better graphical appears cuz character models are typically the focus of the game, but it's a personal preference thing

Mass Effect?

[balpho]

Mass Effect i cant comment on, cuz i havent played.

[miDnIghtEr]

Originally Posted by Badger3920

It could easily be construed as such because many people hold that MGS4 has elite-of-the-elite graphics. Things tend to get nasty when someone suggests otherwise (not just for mgs4, but gears or other titles)

i thought uncharted was the elite of the elite?