Which is more important graphics-wise: lighting or textures?

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nervmeister

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#1 nervmeister
Member since 2005 • 15377 Posts

I know that both can do wonders for a game's visuals, but I'm not sure which should be more valued. So I leave it to the rest of you to figure out. Discuss.

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AAllxxjjnn

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#2 AAllxxjjnn
Member since 2008 • 19992 Posts
I think lighting is more important.
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dackchaar

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#3 dackchaar
Member since 2005 • 3668 Posts
Lighting is the most important factor of a game's visuals really, just look at the ToD screenshot of Crysis, just making the lighting perfect can make the game look nearly life like.
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DaViD_99

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#4 DaViD_99
Member since 2007 • 2496 Posts
Lighting I don't usually stare close up to a random object and gaze upon it for hours on end :P While for lighting i can tell right away and it really adds to the atmosphere and stuff like that.
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clembo1990

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#5 clembo1990
Member since 2005 • 9976 Posts
You can mask bad textures with garish lighting. If a game is struggling to load detailed textures it can sacrifice far away textures for cruddy detail but mask it with low light or bright light. When you have awesome light and textures like Crysis it's very obvious and looks a cut above the rest.
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1xcalibur1

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#6 1xcalibur1
Member since 2008 • 442 Posts
Being a fanboy.
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Lobo_das_Neves

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#7 Lobo_das_Neves
Member since 2009 • 454 Posts

Being a fanboy.1xcalibur1

this

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swazidoughman

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#8 swazidoughman
Member since 2008 • 3520 Posts

Lighting.

A game could have 4096x4096 textures but still look bad due to crummy lighting.

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nervmeister

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#9 nervmeister
Member since 2005 • 15377 Posts

[QUOTE="1xcalibur1"]Being a fanboy.Lobo_das_Neves

this

Yes, teh goggles are very potent, but seriously now...... :P
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Lobo_das_Neves

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#10 Lobo_das_Neves
Member since 2009 • 454 Posts
[QUOTE="Lobo_das_Neves"]

[QUOTE="1xcalibur1"]Being a fanboy.nervmeister

this

Yes, teh goggles are very potent, but seriously now...... :P

It`s serious. The fanboy googles has power beyond logical comprehension :P

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Dreamable

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#11 Dreamable
Member since 2007 • 600 Posts
It depends on the game, in a dark atmospheric game lighting would be more important. Otherwise textures would be more important.
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glez13

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#12 glez13
Member since 2006 • 10314 Posts
I choose lighting. The ToD screenshots prove it.
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DonPerian

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#13 DonPerian
Member since 2005 • 3773 Posts
Lighting is definitely a priority when it comes to anything visual. Without light, we won't see anything, and when something doesn't add up with lights, you can tell. This goes beyond video games and applies to photography, videos, films, whatever. Any CG scene you see in a movie, they concentrate on lighting to make sure it all blends in. Textures are more forgivable as different materials have different surfaces and that's more of a micro view than a macro.
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alexmurray

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#14 alexmurray
Member since 2005 • 2665 Posts
lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absent
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Tiefster

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#15 Tiefster
Member since 2005 • 14639 Posts
In the grand scheme of the game lighting makes a world of difference and can mask sub par textures. IMO textures really only matter when you're shooting for an eye candy game like Crysis.
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urdead18

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#16 urdead18
Member since 2008 • 3630 Posts
lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absentalexmurray
Is that some kind of joke?
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DaViD_99

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#17 DaViD_99
Member since 2007 • 2496 Posts
[QUOTE="alexmurray"]lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absenturdead18
Is that some kind of joke?

Yeah even though i never played the game, for the trailers there was still some amazing lighting effects.
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swazidoughman

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#18 swazidoughman
Member since 2008 • 3520 Posts

lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absentalexmurray

I wouldn't say absent.

Its looks like they where going for the high contrast look where things are either really dark or really bright.

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urdead18

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#19 urdead18
Member since 2008 • 3630 Posts
[QUOTE="urdead18"][QUOTE="alexmurray"]lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absentDaViD_99
Is that some kind of joke?

Yeah even though i never played the game, for the trailers there was still some amazing lighting effects.

The game easily has the best lighting I've ever seen. The way the muzzle flash lights up dark areas and casts shadows, the effects of looking at lights, the fact that there is 350 light sources at one time...etc etc.
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lolfaqs

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#20 lolfaqs
Member since 2009 • 1776 Posts

If you like lighting and will be getting KZ 2 this Friday or earlier, say w00t!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTvYPiEi4eU

:D

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Master-Thief-09

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#21 Master-Thief-09
Member since 2009 • 2534 Posts
To summarise. Cows will say lighting because KZ2 has the best lighting. Lemmings will say textures because 360 has better textures.
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swazidoughman

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#22 swazidoughman
Member since 2008 • 3520 Posts

To summarise. Cows will say lighting because KZ2 has the best lighting. Lemmings will say textures because 360 has better textures.Master-Thief-09

Uncharted has better textures than most games on either console.

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Wild_Card

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#23 Wild_Card
Member since 2005 • 4034 Posts
hmm i dont know. if your talking texture resalution.. then maby i would give the nod to lighting. But if your talking about texture detail and disign id say its a wash. metriod prime 3 is a good example i think. the textures are not high res but thay have detail and are well done wich adds a lot to the game. skytown in that game looks amazing and even though its not in hd and is basicly last gen graphics i think it looks better than some PS3 and 360 games do to the attention to detail.
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XaosII

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#24 XaosII
Member since 2003 • 16705 Posts
Textures first. Then you start hitting significant diminishing return in higher increases of texture resolution/detail. Then lighting becomes king.
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Sully28

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#25 Sully28
Member since 2003 • 5097 Posts
[QUOTE="urdead18"][QUOTE="alexmurray"]lighting, killzone 2 is a prime example of a game where lighting is almost absentDaViD_99
Is that some kind of joke?

Yeah even though i never played the game, for the trailers there was still some amazing lighting effects.

Wow thank you, its easily the best graphical feature it has going for it. If KZ didnt have such good lighting it would not be hyped for having the great of graphics ill tell you that.
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Gh0st_Of_0nyx

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#26 Gh0st_Of_0nyx
Member since 2007 • 8992 Posts
Lighting makes a scene more believable I think textures are good but are nothing without proper lighting.
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AdrianWerner

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#27 AdrianWerner
Member since 2003 • 28441 Posts
Textures to me by far. Just take a look at Doom3 and Half-life2, which still looks nice and which one looks like crap nowadays? Exactly
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lolfaqs

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#28 lolfaqs
Member since 2009 • 1776 Posts

Textures to me by far. Just take a look at Doom3 and Half-life2, which still looks nice and which one looks like crap nowadays?AdrianWerner

Which one's which?

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AdrianWerner

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#29 AdrianWerner
Member since 2003 • 28441 Posts

[QUOTE="AdrianWerner"]Textures to me by far. Just take a look at Doom3 and Half-life2, which still looks nice and which one looks like crap nowadays?lolfaqs

Which one's which?

HL2 has good textures and static lighting, Doom3 has fully dynamic lighting (still one of most impressive out there) but awful low-res textures
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McdonaIdsGuy

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#30 McdonaIdsGuy
Member since 2008 • 3046 Posts

[QUOTE="Master-Thief-09"]To summarise. Cows will say lighting because KZ2 has the best lighting. Lemmings will say textures because 360 has better textures.swazidoughman

Uncharted has better textures than most games on either console.

It doesn't,Geow 2 beats those textures.
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PBSnipes

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#31 PBSnipes
Member since 2007 • 14621 Posts
Definitely textures. You can "fake" decent lighting, but nothing is going to hide a nasty, low-res texture.
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Great_Ragnarok

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#32 Great_Ragnarok
Member since 2007 • 3069 Posts
lighting for me as well. getting it right means more than getting textures right... I think...