I think it’s an interesting thing to be a kid of our generation in regards to animation. We’re young enough to have been there to see it in it’s infant form, yet we’re old enough to see it progress to a height where it’s becoming almost indecipherable to that which is real. People of a generation or two previous to us still have gotten to see the progress and transformation from 8 bit figures and sprites to full-fledged 3d rendered objects but not quite in the same way of someone my age.
It’s really cool to look back on the early 90′s and remember how exciting my first Nintendo system was. Just the fact that I got to control Mario jumping around a screen dodging mushroom heads and spitting fireballs was awesome at first. Then some four years later when I was probably around 8 or so, Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo were released and re-blew everyones mind. Everything on the Genesis and SupeNES was faster, brighter, more fluid, and more detailed than the previous generation. The same thing happened when the Nintendo 64 was released.
I vividly remember that Christmas. I was 12 and getting to move a joystick around to play a game with a true 3d environment was something absolutely unbelievable. Part of the joy of playing Mario 64 was at first was just the eye candy. I must have wandered around aimlessly for hours playing that game all Christmas just gazing at the water ripples, the 3d trees and everything else that went with it. I doubt I really progressed much at all at first because I was so taken aback at the awesome 3d graphics that had never been done before on a gaming console.
Nowadays, the transition seems almost complete. Games and movies today are so realistic that it makes all the previous generations of graphics seem incredibly out-dated. I went back and played some of my older games and I really couldn’t believe how bad they looked compared to what is available today. However, in some ways, I really do miss some of those transition years.
For one, there was something unique and endearing about the older graphics. Today it seems like the common motto is simply, “if the graphics are better, then IT is better.” However, in a lot of ways I think that this is missing the point. When one has less to work with and less “wow” effect, then concentration must be focused elsewhere. Whether in movies or games, one must pay a great deal more attention to all the subtle details of the storyline, soundtrack, environment, and presentation in order to pull it off. More specifically, one can’t just pull the token “awesome graphics” out of their butt and call it a day. Rather, trees must have a certain originalism, a character might be drawn up in a out of the norm way, or environmental movement might have its own unique tone and presentation to it.
The one thing that I’m uncomfortable with about the ever increasing realism in animation and graphics is throwing artistic thought and endearing qualities to the wayside.
Regardless, I do cherish the fact that my generation has been able to be in the front row to witness innovations of a decade passed and decades to come.
this week i commented here : http://csoohoo.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/blog-entry-12-l-a-noire/#comment-56
and here: http://cinnamellon.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/blog-post-12-alice-in-wonderland/#comment-48
April 27, 2010 at 12:27 am |
It’s always great to look back and remember video games years back when we were kids. Many games in the past were amazing, although limited in graphics, they were ahead of its time back then. I do agree that there are games today that suck ass but have amazing graphics. But, it is great to have grown up to see such an advancement in video games. I’m still waiting to see a game where you’re actually in it. If “Call of Duty” was like that, I’m definitely sure many people wouldn’t be as good because you have to move rather than use your thumbs.