I'm not sure why people think this gen will last to 2015 at the earliest. That is the same as saying the PS2 would still be the console of choice today, the PS2 was looking better at the end with games like shadow of the colossus and god of war 2, but would anyone argue that the 360 and ps3 wasn't necessary? I'm really not sure what is different now, the tech is outdated and they will only be dumbing down stuff more and more as new tech and advances in gaming technology are made, because nvidia and ati certainly won't slow down.APiranhaAteMyVa
It depends what you mean by necessary.
This thread almost right from the start became ALL about graphics and nothing else.
That is one aspect of a game and most would agree not the most important, and it can be improved on in a myriad of ways like better art direction, more polished animation, and more sophisticated use of the models and shaders already available.
The Wii has many interesting and attractive games that are so in spite of its severely outdated hardware. Actually, it probably has spawned those kinds of artistically interesting games becauseof its outdated hardware, which requires the games do something a little extra to stand out. Mad World, House of the Dead Overkill, Muramasa: Demon's Blade, No More Heroes 2, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Red Steel 2, Donkey Kong Country Returns, A Boy and His Blob, etc. I think its more than coincidence that of the three consoles that almost every big name game on the Wii ends up with a high degree of visual flair and style.
I want to see the next generation start, but I've wanted that ever since I unboxed my last console. I always want what's next, but good games can be made on current generation systems for years to come and probably will be even if next gen. starts tomorrow.Speaking of the PS2, Persona 4 scored as high as any RPG in 2008, including Fallout 3, and it was on the lowly old PS2.
Yes, they will have to dumb down more and more; if they continue to make the same types of games. However, if they were wise they would consider making different kinds of games that push the experience rather than the hardware. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a large game with a ton of content and gameplay variety, no one would describe it as dumbed down from anything else. It's a technically sophisticated game, but not a technically demanding game, it does what it does on hardware with no more power than what was available a decade ago on high end PCs and it does so gracefully.
A sort of unimaginitive streak has pervaded the industry from the beginning; rather than make a good RPG from the ground up let's port an Ultima game to the NES and strip half its dialogue. If you really want to port a PC style game that badly, take an 8 year old PC exclusive, improve it and release a definitive version of it. Let the PC have Crysis 3 unhindered right now, and let the consoles get it in the next generation when they're ready for it. No, that is not some admission of PC superiority, although lord knows hermits will take it that way, because the consoles would be getting other games built from the ground up, good games, many of which would never arrive on PC just like every generation there are several hundred games that don't arrive on PCs including this one.
No, next generation is not necessary right now, I really do think if developers were on board and willing to do their part that there are at least 2-3 years before current generation systems truly start becoming obsolete. However, like I said, I wantthe next generation to start right away. I want to see console games that weren't remotely possible last year at E3. I want to see what Nintendo games look like on a machine capable of running Crysis 1 with ease. Of course I do, who wouldn't want to see progress in graphics and the potential of larger gameworlds with more complex level geometry. However, progress comes with a cost. There are always developers who right now can stand out with their products on current generation machines, but whose products will be far from stellar on newer machines. And some of those developers will simply not have the resources to make the kinds of products they would otherwise be able to make, and will have to scale back and dumb down their ambitions, ironically. Further, its probably foolish for most of said developers to focus on next gen. development anyways, since the established base of the current generation is so large, but developers always want to be working where the buzz is too, and want to get in on the ground floor of the next generation.
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