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dsm

Game realism

How do you like realism in games?  

36 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you like realism in games?

    • Ultra-realism, CS style or semi-CS style
      3
    • Screw realism! Total fantasy with NO realism is the way to go!
      3
    • Balance between limited realism and fantasy
      17
    • I don\'t give a shit, now can I go back to playing?
      13


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So, how's your take one realism in games?

Do you prefer realism to the point where a game has weapons from real life, realistic behaviour (be it enemy or weapon behaviour), ultra-realistic environments?

Or do you prefer something totally arcadey with little or no realism to it?

Or do you prefer something in-between?

I prefer something in between. I'm not too interested in games that has weapons from real life (though I don't mind them - especially not if the arsenal is spiced up with some fantasy weapons) and I usually hate games which have nothing but weapons from real life in them. Those of you who know my opinions well enough can tell that I hate when realism affects gameplay in any way where it becomes a burden (e.g Half life's rocket launcher where you can't really move and fire at the same time because the result will most likely be either disastrous or just plain disappointing). But I do like certain nice touches of realism, like environment that look semi-realistic (I also like fully realistic environments depending on what location the level is supposed to depict) like a futuristic space station designed in a way so that it is believable, bullet marks, sounds of projectiles whizzing through the air, etc.

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Counter-Strike... ew!

"Realism" is just a gimmick. Giving it too much weight only takes away from playability, since there's always conflicts between making something act or look real and making it balanced, fun or challenging.

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If the game plays well, I couldn't give a toss either way about realism or lack of it. Having said that, I haven't come across many truly "realistic" games with good gameplay. And in a completely unrealistic game it might be difficult to get any sort of bearings, which would hardly enhance the gameplay either.

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Me likes a game to be realistic, but not so realistic that it degrades the fun factor of the game, but not so unrealistic that the characters head is like on its chest and he can teleport and jump 40000ft and take 500000 rockets to kill. So basicaly, between the two, not to real not to wacky-smacky, afterall, the base reason of games is to entertain us, that to entertain us it helps us get away from the harsh reality of life.

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Arioch said:

america's army = r0x0r

What's that? Ultra realism? If yes, CS realism or even MORE realism?
If no, medium realism or what?

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I like limited realism some of the time, like with E1M4 or E1M5 of Heretic. E1M4, especially. I feel like I'm almost really in a deserted medieval city overrun by D'Sparil's minions.
I also like realism, full and uncut some of the time as well, like in the Thief games or some of the Doom levels I've played.

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I'd rather have a good mix of both. You see too many super-realistic games, and they wondor why we don't like them much. If I wanted realism, I'd go out and live life. :P

Now, on the other hand, total unrealism is ok to a point. Having something looking like barney on steroids spewing goo at you is a bit too much.

Doom, mixes those both perfectly, with having perfect surrealisim.

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"Balance between limited realism and fantasy"

I love action and fantasy... :)
And I really hate CS...

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dsm said:

What's that? Ultra realism? If yes, CS realism or even MORE realism?
If no, medium realism or what?

The army designed it. Go figure.

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Usually a balance between the two - ie. a game with fairly realistic environments but set in a sci-fi/fantasy world (Quake 2, Half-Life, Unreal, Sin) together with some fun but non-ultra-realistic gameplay. Games with real-life settings and gameplay (special forces type games) go a bit too far for me.

Strongly themed maps look great (and are my favourite type of level), but they must have good gameplay to match (which is very difficult sometimes).

/me goes off and checks my wad for the fun factor...

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I play games for fun. So realism can go jump for all I care. Realism takes too much away from game play. As the game will be greatly limited by a realistic game play. And if I really want realism I can just go outside or something.

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Arioch said:

The army designed it. Go figure.

Oh, THAT game...sounds boring.

Calling CS "ultra realism" is like calling my old Pentium 133 a Doom III hotbox.

You're taking the words too seriously. Would you mind going somewhere else if you have to be nitpicky?

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"True Realism" doesn't really work in a game where you could just quickload and/or respawn. I mean, realism is a popular flavor, but there will never be such a thing as a truley realistic game that's easily accessible and playable.

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<<<RANT ALERT>>>
There are three main reasons why Counter strike is so popular:
#1 It fun team based combat.
#2 It’s dirt cheap (or free if you own Half Life)
#3 It’s realistic (More or less).

It bothers me that the one of the reasons that CS is so popular is because you get to use realistic weapons. I really think that says something about the kind of people who play games now days.
Now, I’ll admit that Counter strike can be heaps fun, (On a LAN with people you know) But it really doesn’t deserve to be a popular as it is. Having to wait after being kill by some body you didn’t even see really starts to great the nerves after a while. And while there seems to be a lot of people who sing it’s praises because it’s meant to Encourage Team Work with it’s complex mission objectives, Most people play it like a team deathmatch. It’s also had an effect on the modding community, example, shortly after Counter Strike Became super popular they released Day of Defeat, which is even more realistic to the point of Anal retentive realism, (and IMO NO FUN AT ALL) and it’s now almost as popular as counter strike!

And it makes me sick to hear that people are trying to do the same thing for doom 3 (Even with the doom 3 beta!!) KEEP YOU FILTHLY CLAWS OFF DOOM 3 YOU COUNTER STRIKE WHANNA BE SCUM!!
<<<END RANT>>>

I like my games to be believable to the point where I can actually forget that I’m just playing a game, that doesn’t necessary mean I want hyper realism, just as long as things act like they should.
Example: The thief games. It’s set in what I assume is an alternate universe; with seem to be a medieval setting, except they seem to have had an industrial revolution of sorts. Throw in Witchcraft, a fanatical cult, Zombies and proactive Gods, and we have one cool setting!
It’s close to realistic for the world it’s set in, but it’s not set in the real world. Just the way I like it.

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I like a mix of both. Most realistic games just aren't that fun. Case in point, Doom or Quake 3 multiplayer beats Halo into the ground. Kinda like comparing the classic Police Quest series to the Space Quest series. You need imagination, but also the world has to be believable at the same time.

Don't get me started on the invisible walls in Goldeneye. Ugh, I hate that game.

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Heh.

Teh mix of realism and unrealism. A game that is totally realistic is not fun. Well. Sometimes, but most of the time, too-realistic games aren't fun in my books.

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I like realism, but only when it doesn't interfere with the gameplay. I like Splinter Cell, for example, because it's pretty realistic, but still fun as hell. I was never a fan of the Half-Life series, but I have played games like RtCW online (mostly on mp_beach). That kind of realism I like because it seems to add to the gameplay. However, tatical shooters I'm not a big fan of. I tried Rainbow Six once, for example, on my Dreamcast and probably played it for 45 minutes tops before I got tired.

If the game isn't very realistic, but fun as hell, then I'll still like it. For example, Dead or Alive on PSX. Those boobs aren't all that realistic, but are fun as hell, and it has a good fighting engine, so I play it. Also, Robotron 2084 isn't that realistic at all, but I still play that (the 7800 version).

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What do you mean Robotron isnt realistic?!?!

Ultimately, I dont care on the whole realism issue. If I play a game and like it, then I'll keep playing. If I dont like it, then I stop playing. Personally, however, I find that I dont really like uber-realism )although I did enjoy Rainbow Six).

This topic presents an interesting question though. How do you define realism in a video game? Is it the setting, game mechanics, characters, or all of the above?

Some would ay that games like the Metal Gear series or Silent Hill are realistic because of the way the characters move and behave, and also because of the construction of the environments. But surely the situations were completely unrealistic.

So how does one answer this question?

I think the whole thing is just a fad and an attempt to show off the latest technology. Maybe in a few years technology will have reached a point where developers will be attempting to make the most unrealistic games possible.

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Uh, DSM - Lord Flathead is right. CS isn't really very realistic at all. I cringe every time someone says "Dude, CS improved my paintball game by sooo much!" because I really wonder what these idiots were doing on the paintball field BEFORE they played CS. Running around like they were in a game of quake? It's ridiculous to think CS is "ultra-realistic". Try Operation Flashpoint, or any of the Rainbow Six games.

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Ugh. Operation Flashpoint. Pukey, ugly, plain, flavorless game. Horrible, ugly textures. Realistic in some ways, sure, but you can make the most realistic housepainting-simulator-game ever and it would still suck no matter what.

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AndrewB said:

Ugh. Operation Flashpoint. Pukey, ugly, plain, flavorless game. Horrible, ugly textures. Realistic in some ways, sure, but you can make the most realistic housepainting-simulator-game ever and it would still suck no matter what.

It's one of, if not the most, realistic war simulator ever created. If you enjoy that sort of thing, it's all gravy. Otherwise, uh, you won't. Personally I think it's awesome.

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Medal of honor:aa also have more realism than other games... :)

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Katarhyne said:

Uh, DSM - Lord Flathead is right. CS isn't really very realistic at all. I cringe every time someone says "Dude, CS improved my paintball game by sooo much!" because I really wonder what these idiots were doing on the paintball field BEFORE they played CS. Running around like they were in a game of quake? It's ridiculous to think CS is "ultra-realistic". Try Operation Flashpoint, or any of the Rainbow Six games.

I don't doubt that you and Flathead are right, but it's still MUCH closer to being realistic than those games that I play. What I commented on is that I think Flathead took my expression "ultra-realism" too litteral. CS is an "ultra realistic" game in my eyes, because the weapons feel a lot like real weapons (keep firing repeatedly with a full-auto weapon, and the aim is thrown completely off target - that sort of thing). It was far more realistic than most other games out there when it was new.

I KNOW that CS is not totally realistic in some areas (the LMGs work like shit compared to what they do in real life), but it's still miles ahead of games like Quake 2 in terms of realism. THAT's what I mean.

Ct_red_pants's rant

I second ALL of that.

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I don't like one more than the other. I'm kind of an heroic fantasy fan, and most weapons in such games are unbelievable surreal. Then again, I like a certain hunting game, which isn't much realistic to look at, but the weapons backfire and 'off-aim' pretty much as the real thing would.

I think if the weapons, actors and surroundings match the storyline, I couldn't give a rat's... uhh tail

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Ct_red_pants said:

<<<RANT ALERT>>>
There are three main reasons why Counter strike is so popular:
#1 It fun team based combat.
#2 It’s dirt cheap (or free if you own Half Life)
#3 It’s realistic (More or less).


Too many cheaters

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