Jim, we need our next game to be hip and exciting. Something…how do the kids say, realistic?
Once upon a time games were an escape from reality, but it’s questionable if that is still true today. First off, there are many ways to make a game feel real. The game mechanics can work like in the real world, physics can become an essential gameplay element to draw in a, even the methods of controling a character or series of characters could entice our minds into an essence of “real”. However, the easy way to feel real seems to be the simple color reduction/contrast raising gloomy atmosphere that we’ve seen time and time again.
I can’t hide my love for fallout. Everything about it was great except for the art direction. I left the Vault for the first time with the highest of expectations only to see a musky plain of brown desert stretched out before me. Don’t get me wrong I truly understand what the developers were aiming for during the production of the game. I felt alone and that was the point, I got it, but I didn’t feel captivated. It was up to the rest of the game to prove to me that it was good again because the graphic design failed me.
The article “i miss color” makes a good point.
If a game is supposed to be fun, isn’t it ok for developers to make it look fun? (1 smakus).
Smakus is trying to point out that most modern games with the “realistic” art style don’t make you feel “light-hearted” or uplifting and I totally agree.
There are quite a few games that could use a little lesson in the use of color. I easily grow bored of the graphics in some of these games because it feels like I’ve seen the same place a million times no matter the geometry of the map.
Games can be fun while performing other purposes as well. How about something that is educational, surreal, expressive, and more? You can gain much more from a game than fun as I’ve expressed in my article about the “Desensitization by Mass Media”.
I found the Zeno Clash (image above) to be a highly successful game with a nice color pallet. At the same time, however, I feel it could have been just as successful without the vibrant surreal colors. Left 4 Dead 2 is bringing a new collection of colors which is nice but the original Left 4 Dead did very well without it.
Some developers should choose a broader variety of colors for their color palette than they use in their games. Games such as Bioshock and Fallout 3 have a limited variety of colors consisting mainly of variants of grey and brown, which can become eye straining after long periods of play. Then there are games such as Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion which have beautiful and vibrant color palettes which provide beautiful scenery to enjoy at all periods of gameplay. Even though Fallout 3 and Bioshock have theme’s that require the darker, more ruin-like palettes, there are probably better choices for colors that could have been used. (2 Lewis).
Color in games should be treated with care because it is a big mood setter. It’s becoming uncommon that a video game finds the perfect balance of color vibrancy without missing the target audience. There’s difference between a consistent color pallet and a bad color pallet.
Citation:
Smakus i miss color
Lewis, Trevor “Some developers…”
I still like Fallout 3 :p but now that you say that, it’s pretty much true xD. Color most used through the game: A dusty dirty looking brown. Hehehe. Not ALL new games are like that though, you ought to DL overlord 2 from my steam. Lots of colors C:. And like you and rys said, they honestly could have still made it look “real”, and had more colors than grey and brown. Hehe, good article C:
I have never had a problem with color and video games. I just see it as the developers trying to invoke a certain feeling or atmosphere. You even said you realized that with fallout’s mood of alone and dark. Although some colors are not as interesting or don’t make the game seem fun, it’s because that situation in the game is not suppose to be fun. L4D for example. EXTREMELY fun game, yet colors are dark and dreary. That’s because zombies aren’t supposed to be fun, they were once living people who are now lost souls that kill everyone around them, so you must kill them. Sure its fun in a game, but would not be fun in real life. Hence the “anti fun colors.”
Thanks Jesse ^_^
Yeah that’s true rex but I still feel that there could be more visual interest in a game while still setting an atmosphere, L4D still used it’s color to get visual interest at the same time as setting an atmosphere. Some games just don’t do both.
All games should be fun or why bother playing. What on earth do you mean Rex when you say ” not suppose to be fun. ” then why are you playing? RL is depressing enough we play games to enjoy so start enjoying them or go shoot some hoops.
Great thoughts as always :)
To Anonymous person, i mean the game is fun but the situation isnt meant to be seen as a fun one. If Silent Hill was full of rainbows and bright colors, it would not be seen as creepy and disturbing but could still be fun to play. Im just trying to say that developers use different colors to set a games mood.
Did you quote Rysoke? Really? >.> How does he count as a knowledgeable source?
While I try to keep my blog professional I do not consider every entry to the same level as an essay or news article. Rather, my sources and images selected are much more general. I find it only necessary to post the sources that I stumble upon or that find me.
Rysoke’s as good of a writer as I will ever be so that’s a good enough source for me.
“it feels like I’ve seen the same place a million times no matter the geometry of the map.”
I get what you’re saying. In far Cry 2, the most exciting part was finding a transition area, like from sparse vegetation to dense jungle. The entire color scheme suddenly changed and you were somewhere new- Then the interest dies as you’re running around in the same, repetitive stuff for 30 minutes.