Why do folks say the graphics are dated?

[Apax]

The graphics in this game are dated and not of a quality we should be expecting in today's MMOs. The visuals are a package. It's a combination of the textures, models, animations, effects, and even environmental design details.

 

There are many examples of the above elements that fail in this game. Just log in the game and hit "X" repeatedly to sit down and stand up. How that animation was ever green lit to make it into the live game I'll never understand. It is simply horrible and ridiculous looking.

 

There are plenty of examples like that.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Apax

[DarkSeverance]

People keep saying things like "Rift was so much better" and "WoW had better graphics" but when I go look at screenshots, all I see is cartoony, blocky WoW graphics and Rift screenshots that could easily pass as re-skinned SWTOR screenshots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OskRij8AYaU

Start around 2:13 and just turn the sound off, robot voice is annoying.

Edited December 30, 2011 by DarkSeverance

[Wazooty]

Opinion.

 

Why the heck do you need to state that? Of course its his opinion, HE POSTED IT.

 

You saying "opinion" just points to how threatened you were by it. Threatened enough that you had to tell everyone HEY GUYS ITS JUST HIS OPINION! No duh its his opinion, what else would it be!?!?

[Wazooty]

Wows textures sure aint better, but there is a heck of a lot more detail in the world.

[sdream]

They look great to me.

 

Especially those awesome stylized pixelated shadows! They look amazing! >.>

[Valorian]

Agree Op some of the best graphics I have seen for a mmo have all mine set on max and 100% grass and trees, force power animations brilliant and scenary breath taking.

 

When they fix the high rez it will be awesome, loving it.

[Bubba_Jett]

Yes, but the art style of SWTOR is much like the cartoon that is WOW. The video you posted shows facial detail. Fine but a real MMO is about world detail and handling of graphics when you have 30 avatars. That being said yes SWTOR is a superior single player game.

[TheHauntingBard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OskRij8AYaU

Start around 2:13

 

Let's compare it to the newer games shall we .

 

SWTOR VS FFXIV: Not even close SWTOR

 

SWTOR VS GW2: Again GW2 looks much better.

 

The video also shows SWTOR in cut scenes which look pretty decent but out side of the cut scenes it's much less.

For example WOW shadows VS SWTOR shadows, you know what is sad the ones in WOW look better.

Edited December 30, 2011 by TheHauntingBard

[PibbyPib]

People are saying the graphics are outdated, because the graphics are outdated

 

Even newer zones/models/etc. that are put in World of Warcraft have better graphics, and WoW was never a game with high-end graphics

 

No, they aren't. They just aren't.

 

Honestly, this game is pushing it on the detail level, for an MMORPG. Much further and they easily could've gone into Age of Conan territory and really excluded a big part of their potential customer base.

 

I think they hit the graphical mark right on the head here. Being a bit cartoony means you can ease off on the graphical bells and whistles a bit without impacting the visuals, and I'd say they found the right balance.

[origosis]

Why the heck do you need to state that? Of course its his opinion, HE POSTED IT.

 

You saying "opinion" just points to how threatened you were by it. Threatened enough that you had to tell everyone HEY GUYS ITS JUST HIS OPINION! No duh its his opinion, what else would it be!?!?

 

I think he pointed it out cause if it is his opinion then there is not much arguing you can do about it.

 

One guy Likes Coke

One guy Likes Pepsi

One guy Likes Dr. Pepper

One guy Likes Store Brand

 

A lot of people in many of these threads are getting angry at each other over their opinions. I think that may be why he pointed it out.

 

Yes he may be only calling it an opinion cause of some other reason.

[TheHauntingBard]

Wows textures sure aint better, but there is a heck of a lot more detail in the world.

 

This is true.

[Skerry]

MMO Players in general cannot or refuse to tell the difference between poor graphics and stylized graphics.

 

Quality wise (i.e realism) yes, SWTOR is hardly realistc. However, you can tell - by taking even a moment to step out of the box a bit - that they are not meant to be. They are stylized to give it a certain feel. WOW does the same thing; that is incredibly cartoony and snagged straight from the games workshop style of art. However, they are good as they are stylized.

 

It is fine to not like the style; it isn't for everybody. However, to say they suck is a misplaced adjective. The graphics are quite well done, in the style they are done in.

 

Certain features of the graphics need to be tweaked, controls and settings etc - but that does not make the graphics suck.

 

Sadly; this will go over many peoples heads - but /shrug, many things do in this age of MMOs.

[Scythian]

Probably because we're stuck with Medium textures until they fix it in a patch. A known issue I may add, so not sure why people are crying.

 

Is this true?

[Ommm]

They look great to me.

 

And really, there has been a ton of media showing game play, progression, etc and they kinda include the graphics. Just sayin'.

 

Textures on high not working except in cinematics and it has been confirmed by devs. Just saying.

 

Grass distance is quite low even on highest settings. Just saying.

 

All signs of an old engine. Just saying.

 

But it is a very beautifull game and you are right with that. People love it.

 

Just could be a tad bit better on the tech side for some.

 

Let us have AA and waterfalls, that actually look like waterfalls and weather.

 

PS: I know night and day will be a no, no, so i wont mention it at all.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Ommm

[Jederix]

At least it was something somewhat original.

 

I'll go back to Aion before subbing this game a month at its current state.

 

Adios then. We won't miss you.

[Jederix]

I think he pointed it out cause if it is his opinion then there is not much arguing you can do about it.

 

One guy Likes Coke

One guy Likes Pepsi

One guy Likes Dr. Pepper

One guy Likes Store Brand

 

A lot of people in many of these threads are getting angry at each other over their opinions. I think that may be why he pointed it out.

 

Yes he may be only calling it an opinion cause of some other reason.

 

A lot of people on this forums do not realize that their opinions are opinions. They believe them to be fact (yeah, Shadysketchy, I'm looking at you; Hauntingbard is just as bad).

 

This is the real issue.

[Bubba_Jett]

Lets look at a Raid in SWTOR since this is the defining hallmark of an MMO not a single player game.

 

 

 

Now lets look at a WOW boss fight.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4nR0VgNiwk

 

Now lets look at a GW2 boss fight.. skip to 1:50... (as much as I love to see Ree)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1JfSbKjHHI&feature=related

[TYBERzan]

Im a troll because Im saying SWToR is outdated when it comes to graphics. Rift has a ton of graphics that is better in any way and form then SWToR.

On my desktop I can turn everything to maximum and get awsome graphics. I can even install Rift on my notebook with 3gb of memory, use the lowest settings posible for the game and still be able to play with a "ok" fps. A gosh darne notebook pc.....

With the budget that EA/BW had, they should have been able to make something good, but no, they payed royalty to use some other outdated graphics.

It is almost 2012, one should be able to make a game that both ca be used with low end PC's and high nd PC's.

Using the excuse that "you cant have good graphics because the low end users willl not be able to play" is fals.

It is about money, and SWToR is the worls most expencive MMO ever, and it does NOT show anywhere.

OK graphics, good gameplay but not fantastic etc etc.

 

It is the worls most expencive MMO but it is not living up to its cost and production time.

 

I wish that they created their own graphic enging instead of this one. /cry

 

First off hero engine is only three years old. Second, are,you honestly mad that they didnt write theier own engine, do you know how stupid you sound? I for one prefer having this game here now, rather than on an untested, buggy engine coming out in two years. The reason they used this engine is due to the ease of development, non techies could use it this allowed for a truly massive game, and the ability to make new beta builds, literally in a couple of weeks.

[TheHauntingBard]

Lets look at a Raid in SWTOR since this is the defining hallmark of an MMO not a single player game.

 

 

Now lets look at a WOW boss fight.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4nR0VgNiwk

 

Now lets look at a GW2 boss fight.. skip to 1:50... (as much as I love to see Ree)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1JfSbKjHHI&feature=related

 

I will be honest, GW2 looks freaking amazing.

This isn't WOWs best looking raids by far but it still looks the worst out of the three.

SWTOR looks well very similar to WOW, just slightly better.

 

Edit:

 

Think this is more accurate for WOW raids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovN80hDs2CU movement and hazards.

Edited December 30, 2011 by TheHauntingBard

[neonshadow]

I have no idea, the graphics look great to me! To those saying WoW has better graphics, you are either trolling, or really remembering things badly. PLEASE go check out some comparison screenshots, it's really night and day.

[Skerry]

Lets look at a Raid in SWTOR since this is the defining hallmark of an MMO not a single player game.

 

 

Now lets look at a WOW boss fight.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4nR0VgNiwk

 

Now lets look at a GW2 boss fight.. skip to 1:50... (as much as I love to see Ree)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1JfSbKjHHI&feature=related

 

I am not sure what it is you are trying to illustrate - just putting up three videos is entertaining and all but what is the information we are supposed to be getting from it?

 

Also, Raids are not a defining hallmark of an MMO. An MMO is an experience, not a game - there is no winning an MMO. Raids are only a part of an MMO; it is when people reduce an MMO to the raids that there is an issue. People who play MMOs, just for the raiding, and burn up the leveling to get there, skipping the experience along the way - ignoring the other facets; those are the people usually most disappointed, especially with new titles.

[DarkSeverance]

SWTOR VS FFXIV: Not even close SWTOR

I never played FFXIV. I love the single player FF but never could get into the online game. Although all my friends that used to play that are now playing and loving SWtOR. I haven't heard any complaints of the graphics, although that doesn't mean there aren't any.

 

This is the game your talking about?

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/#/media/screenshots/detail/011

 

Unless I'm seeing a different game, I don't see anything over the top. They are at least better than WoW. Makes me miss Lineage 2, that had beautiful graphics but it also lagged like a pain even on a high end machine.

 

SWTOR VS GW2: Again GW2 looks much better.

I love GW2. I'll be playing and getting it when it gets out. I have also played it at PAX Prime and PAX East. They do have some better graphics in some areas but at the same time, which is what makes this hard, they also have a different art style. However I would expect GW2 to have better graphics because even though it is a MMO, it is a different type of MMO. It isn't expected to operate on the same framework that WoW, FFXIV or SWtOR does because of how its built.

 

The one thing that everyone seems to forget is that there are 2 factors which effect how the graphics are (other than High settings are off for now). 1) Graphics have to be at a substantial level that today's CPU's can run them and not expect a customer to have to buy a high end rig. 2) Graphics have to be designed to re-render through every cut scene. Every cut scene is your character, companion and what they wear and are equipped with instead of a "Default this character represents you... wait I don't have that armor or hair style" graphic that most games use. Typically that can be done in a single player environment, but in a multiple player environment that is a whole new story.

 

Also again to be fair. There are videos, screenshots of how they look. It isn't like they are trying to say "We have revolutionary high end graphics". Don't people actually look, playtest or see something before they buy it. It wasn't like there is a 'surprise you've been had'.

[Bubba_Jett]

Just my opinion Im sure others share and some do not, but I was expecting much more Next Gen from Bioware. I feel somewhat cheated considering the resources Bioware has access to.

[Dgator]

Lets look at a Raid in SWTOR since this is the defining hallmark of an MMO not a single player game.

 

 

Now lets look at a WOW boss fight.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4nR0VgNiwk

 

Now lets look at a GW2 boss fight.. skip to 1:50... (as much as I love to see Ree)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1JfSbKjHHI&feature=related

 

I've never played wow, so this is the first time I've ever seen a raid from it. And that boss fight looks pretty horrible and far more dated.

 

SWTOR is in the middle. It does look dated as well, but it's still good enough for me. Better than the wow video though.

 

GW2 looks amazing. I want to play that now.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Dgator

[nubzz]

I like the graphics, they are better than a certain other popular mmo and I didn't have to go buy a new pc to run it well.