Graphics Matter

And they are all saying the same thing: “graphics don’t matter – what’s important is game-play!” and then they go on to cite some game that they played that had really bad graphics that they enjoyed because of the game-play, as if that singular example should become some sort of example for the industry at large. As if they have single-handedly locked upon the uber-truth of the games industry, the well kept secret at the back of the very well-guarded dragon’s lair. Well, sadly, I have to stand here and tell you that they do, in fact, matter. A lot. Perhaps as much as game-play itself.

-- Got Game, "Graphics Don’t Matter (and other assertions)"

I've only perused Andrew's blog a couple of times, way too few by the look of it. According to his bio he is is the founding faculty member of the Game Programming Concentration within the Department of Information Technology", which probably leads to a lot of "you do what for a living?" when he goes to parties.

At any rate, Andrew makes the excellent counter-argument to the "Graphics Don't Matter" camp of game design, of which I'm probably at least an honorary member. However, read it fully before blustering because he makes the oft-missed point that, for instance, the graphics in Katamari are quite brilliant ... in other words his point isn't that photorealism is God* ... so listen to the professor.





* of course not, silly, God is superphotorealistic ...