Gameplay or Graphics? What's More Import ..

[psp pro]

Gameplay or Graphics?

What is more important when it comes to video games? I read and heard difference of opinions when it comes to this issue and the argument usually splits between three groups: One side believes that gameplay is everything to a game, whereas another thinks that graphics are more important to a game. And finally, there’s a third group who thinks that both is needed for a quality video game.

However, this post is NOT for the gamers who believe in the middle ground, but it’s for the gamers who go one way or the other, gameplay or graphics.

It’s a no-brainer to realize that for a good game to be excellent, good gameplay must be balanced with great graphics. However, I know a lot of gamers who say that they can play through a game with great graphics even though it has cruddy gameplay, whereas they aren’t willing to play through a game with excellent gameplay that has cruddy graphics. This preference on video games is interesting to me because it shows how diverse every individual gamer is when it comes to their preference in a video game. Not everyone can stomach the cute GBA graphics, ya' know.

However, the topic of this post is set to challenge those gamers who thinks graphics is everything to a game. I want to challenge them to reasonably think about how important gameplay really is when it comes to playing a great game.

Also, in contrast, I want to challenge the gamers who feel that gameplay is more important than graphics. I want this post to challenge them to understand the point of view of the gamer who thinks that graphics are more important, so they can relate to their view as well.

So with that in mind, let’s begin….

[drath420]

the gameplay is more important for a game cause that is wut keeps u playin the game look at the early finaly fantasy games like the nes or ff tactics the graphics arnt great but the game play is awsome to me the only time graphics are important is when u play sports games

[chaos master]

I think gameplay is more important because it is what makes up a game's difficulty, theme, intended audience, length, play control, and replayability. The word "game" is even in it. If visuals were more important, they would call games "graphics" and the world would collapse into pandemonium.

Look at at Super Mario Bros on the NES. You could see the individual pixels in the sprites, but that didn't stop the game from being fun. I think 6 million people bought that game.

Now look at Madden 06 for the Xbox 360. I didn't play the game myself, but I heard the game was less than stellar. Of course, the graphics were top-of-the-line, what with the microscopic pixel size and the high polygons in the sprites. The problem was in the gameplay.

There is also the Mario sports games on the Gamecube, as in Mario Strikers and Mario Baseball. Nintendo pushed the cube to the limit making as detailed sprites as they could, but the games were way too short and linear, at least for me.

The Mario Party series on the cube suffers somewhat from overemphasis on graphics. The visuals were detailed with a wide variety of colors, but the average number of main boards in a game was only 5. There were extras, but there either wasn't enough, or they were pointless eye candy. I also felt the number of mini-games should have been greater.

This concludes my funkedelic wall of text.:cool:

[blue]

The graphics of a game is important as well as the gameplay. They kind of act as supporters for each other, cause even if the graphics for a game is insane, without gameplay, the game will never be good. The same thing would happen vise versa.
To me, the graphics stand a bit taller than the gameplay.

[OldSkoolG@mer]

gameplay definently for me is more impotant than graphics. Graphics just add to the gameplay experience

[St. Jimmy777]

For example lets look at STH2. My favorite game ever (even though Sega sucks now and produce games like Sonic Rides, WTF is that???!!???!??!)
Games dont HAVE to be graphicly good but it helps keep the gameplay alive and immersive.

Oh and to help support my views, i have provided the following pictures:


http://bochs.sourceforge.net/screenshot/doom.gif
http://www.planetquake.com/reviews/legacyb.jpg

[Gutya]

Gameplay over graphics evertime, i have played alot of games with amazing graphics, but rubbish gameplay.

[Ex Dark]

I agree, the gameplay is the thing that makes the game stand atractive, i love games that have trapping stories, such as final fantasy tactics or golden sun, or chrono trigger.......the game play it's more important than the graphics i think, such as doom versions, the graphics aren't that good but the game it's really funny!

[commander_cool_aka_me]

graphics are good, but gameplay is what makes a game a...game

[Clark-Kent.]

Gameplay, without good gameplay the game wouldn't last long.

[Jolfer]

I'd have to say gameplay is more important to me, but good graphics are a nice addition to the package.

[Iceman]

Definetly gameplay, I don't care how crappy the graphics are. If it's fun to play then it's a good game.

[ridley]

gameplay by far

[just poppin' in]

well there has to be balence but the gameplay to me is more important. Play at ff1-ff3 for snes then play all the ff games from sony+computers. the games from snes are better because of the gameplay the sony+computers ff games suck because the storylie is getting old.:)

[REXT]

Definetly gameplay!! Ive played games with the best graphics but that are so boring that Id never play them again for the rest of my life. I think Doom 3 is a good example of this.
After 7 hours OF suffering through the games crap levels. I unplugged my Xbox and
brought out my ninteno 64 and inserted my Mario 64 catridge now this is what you call a game.

[jemsic]

gameplay of course.

[infamous]

well im going to have to take a minute away from the main argument and say one thing...as a player of musical instruments and lover of music itself..im going to say first off that music is one of the first things that catches my atention about any game...if i dont like the music then i probably wont play it..music adds a whole new feel to a game especially on a quality sound system with a full range of sound...i.e/ 5.1 surround sound/ but as far as gameplay over graphics...gameplay all the way..graphics are just candy for the eye and dont make a game good...just good to watch...but then again...we as gamers dont buy games to watch them...we buy them to play them...that is all..

[Gotee_Man]

Im in the middle mostly, like I won't play a game with ****ty gameplay but won't play a game with ****ty graphics...but im more on the gameplay side :)

[Grimace]

well im going to have to take a minute away from the main argument and say one thing...as a player of musical instruments and lover of music itself..im going to say first off that music is one of the first things that catches my atention about any game...if i dont like the music then i probably wont play it..music adds a whole new feel to a game especially on a quality sound system with a full range of sound...i.e/ 5.1 surround sound/ but as far as gameplay over graphics...gameplay all the way..graphics are just candy for the eye and dont make a game good...just good to watch...but then again...we as gamers dont buy games to watch them...we buy them to play them...that is all..

ya music is the part i always remember i used to play majoras mask just to hear the end music (grim=dork)

graphics are more what draws me into a game a game with sucky graphics and good gameplay always takes awhile for me to start. But one withboth is an easy start cuz im pulled in by graphics and is long lasting due to gameplay.

I sometimes feel that a game with great 2d/iso graphics is much more enjoyable than a game with ****ty 3d, but when it all comes down to it gameplay ftw.

[TecraMan82]

depends to me on the game style you like, although not that much. game play indicates variables like control narration, characters and content which a game is **** unless they work togther so it is most important. Graphics can keep a gamer glued to the game no matter what happens, IE original playstatin version of Resident Evil had me on the edge of my seat and jumping like I had just pee'd my pants with the lkights on even! it didnt matter though that game only got better. Really there is no right answer to me controls and camera AI is the most important feature of any (NEW) game.

[Megadeth078]

Gameplay>graphics.

[cherko]

I don't give a damn about graphics. Gameplay and sound is far more important.

[romsRgood]

I think it's pretty obvious that it is gameplay that holds a game together but of course at the sametime if the graphics and music are done just right, the gameplay value is enhanced much more. I've played some games and I thought to myself, if only the animation had been better, this game would have rocked. One example is burning rangers for the sega saturn. The gameplay idea there is simple, but it was pretty interesting. Then the graphics started to give me a headache so I had to stop playing.

[DarthBrady]

Gameplay is very important to me, nothing ****es me off more than getting stuck on something in a game because of crappy gameplay or control smoothness,

On the other hand, I dont stick to a game if the graphics are Bad enough in a sense that it obvious that there was no effort put in them,

But Hey, as long as I can tell what I'm looking at and its fun!

[dawnshine1979]

Gameplay is by far more important then graphics. Look at Atari 2600! The graphics are pitiful!!! (and they are STILL selling atari consoles, as the flashback) But I still find my self playing Galaxian and Combat all the time. Sound (for more recent consoles) is the second most important issue for me. I have a fairly decent surround system for my consoles/TV, and I was especially blown away by the sound/music for Lord of the Rings TT/Return of the King and also the Resident Evil Remakes. (I SO WISH the gamecube had Digital Dolby support through co-ax or optical like XBOX!!!) I also play alot of arcade games, and mostly I play Galaga, Ms Pac-man, Capcom 2-d beat-em-ups, and all the other classics. Its hard to fathom that developers got so much FUN out of such little resources. In fact, I get more replay out of older games and systems with worse graphics then the current generation stuff!

[ZERO52]

graphics dont matter to me inless its bad camera angle (if u even consider that a graphic problem)

[pizzaman]

Gameplay is better IMHO, but graphics are pretty important too.

[Sonic]

For me Gameplay is more important. I cant stand slow games. Graphics I can bypass.