[Laura Mclean]

Go ahead and give me your two cents as to what your thoughts are on Skyrim's graphics. In the days of Oblivion, TES 4 proved to be one of the best of its time, but will Skyrim be able to match up to games like Battlefield and Crysis 2 in graphics terms?
I know graphics do not make a game, but if we're going to be doing free roaming, might as well have something nice to look at while we're at it?

[Beast Attire]

I think Skyrim will have graphics, yes.

[Alexandra Louise Taylor]

I think they're good.

For a game as big as Skyrim, I'm quite satisfied with how they look.

[Harry Leon]

Well i just finished Crysis 2 and i couldn't stop thinking how much CryEngine 3 suits Skyrim, i think Crytek achieved technical perfection with crysis 2.
Oblivion, while decently looking, felt kinda clunky imo. Lets hope they learned from their mistakes from previous engine (morrowind, oblivion).

[Carolyne Bolt]

I think Skyrim will have graphics, yes.

Nopes. it has been recently confirmed that the game will be audio-only.

[John Moore]

http://media.pc.ign.com/media/093/093395/imgs_1.html

Graphics in Skyrim will be alright. There are already dozens of screenshots appearing around the internet and in magazines, so speculating on what they might look like may be a little ridiculous.

[Horse gal smithe]

Texture quality leaves a lot to be desired. No idea if they're gonna bother including better ones for the PC version, but I wouldn't count on it. At least it's one of the first thing the modders will have solved.

What I'm most concerned about though is animation quality. It has always been my biggest gripe with Bethesda's games. They've said they are a lot better now, but the trailer didn't really show that much with the quick cuts so I'll just have to wait and see.

[Svenja Hedrich]

I have a bad feeling about this thread (not your fault OP), since everytime on these forums you say you think a game looks better than Skyrim, you are faced with numerous people who say either "Gameplay better than graphics always! Always!" or... "Ok that looks better but you can't compare it with this because of blablabla..." or simply flaming comments like "You're an idiot."

Anyway, I'll give it a shot still. Hopefully people will behave better than usual.


Here's what I think:
Skyrim looks decent / OK compared to newer games like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA378g_gD1I&feature=player_detailpage#t=22s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gawciha3jI&feature=player_detailpage#t=697s in terms of graphics.
These games look much more realistic and stunning though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSRtYpNRoN0&feature=player_detailpage#t=81s These games do.
(Except for: http://pnmedia.gamespy.com/screenshots/pes/73997838.jpg, that picture of Skyrim is "WOW!" to me.)

They have much much better lighting to begin with. Imo Skyrim's lighting sometimes look like it's a rip-off from Oblivion's HDR, which is awful imo.
The texture resolution can't be helped on what we've seen so far, since it's consoles we're talking about.

Graphics do matter a lot to Bethesda. They have explicitly stated that in interviews we've seen and heard. It matters a lot to me too. It adds to the immersion and believability that you're IN the game. Let's not also forget that good graphics can make something as simple as a rock or a bowl look interesting and nice, enough for us to look a few extra seconds at it.

Since http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSRtYpNRoN0&feature=player_detailpage#t=81s and doesn't really feel good enough for what I believe is good (compared to new, modern standards of graphics in games like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gawciha3jI&feature=player_detailpage#t=697s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA378g_gD1I&feature=player_detailpage#t=22s), I'm a bit disappointed and generally unimpressed in terms of graphics.

[Riky Carrasco]

Skyrim's graphics don't "WOW!" me.

That's a shame. :sadvaultboy:

[Robyn Howlett]

I don't think anyone is expecting stellar graphics, just an improvement over Oblivion's, which we can already see is the case. And I agree with you when you say that graphics don't make the game, however you might as well have something nice to look at while you're exploring.

As far as "matching up to other games", I think it's safe to say that the graphics will be average/above average. Either way, I don't think people generally buy the game for the graphics, and just the sole fact that it's an Elder Scrolls game should be enough for people to buy the game.

For me, a stabler, more bug free game engine, with even more possibilities than the previous games, makes way more of a difference than the graphics.

[Kate Schofield]

That's a shame. :sadvaultboy:

Just reminded me, thanks. Some parts do "WOW" me, but in general it doesn't.
I've always been "WOW"-ed by this picture: http://pnmedia.gamespy.com/screenshots/pes/73997838.jpg

[Natalie Taylor]

I don't want to sacrifice technical stability for graphical polish. :shrug:

[Charles Mckinna]

Graphics vs. Freedom

I choose freedom.

[Mackenzie]

Go ahead and give me your two cents as to what your thoughts are on Skyrim's graphics. In the days of Oblivion, TES 4 proved to be one of the best of its time, but will Skyrim be able to match up to games like Battlefield and Crysis 2 in graphics terms?
I know graphics do not make a game, but if we're going to be doing free roaming, might as well have something nice to look at while we're at it?

No, but Bethesda has never been known for their graphics. They probably don't focus too much on graphics as that's something the modders can fix down the line.

[Tha King o Geekz]

No, but Bethesda has never been known for their graphics. They probably don't focus too much on graphics as that's something the modders can fix down the line.

Except that the previous 4 TES games were not just praised for their graphics, but used cutting edge technology at the time. Bethesda *are* known for their graphics.

[Christine Pane]

I have a bad feeling about this thread (not your fault OP), since everytime on these forums you say you think a game looks better than Skyrim, you are faced with numerous people who say either "Gameplay better than graphics always! Always!" or... "Ok that looks better but you can't compare it with this because of blablabla..." or simply flaming comments like "You're an idiot."

Anyway, I'll give it a shot still. Hopefully people will behave better than usual.


Here's what I think:
Skyrim looks decent / OK compared to newer games like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA378g_gD1I&feature=player_detailpage#t=22s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gawciha3jI&feature=player_detailpage#t=697s in terms of graphics.
These games look much more realistic and stunning though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSRtYpNRoN0&feature=player_detailpage#t=81s These games do.
(Except for: http://pnmedia.gamespy.com/screenshots/pes/73997838.jpg, that picture of Skyrim is "WOW!" to me.)

They have much much better lighting to begin with. Imo Skyrim's lighting sometimes look like it's a rip-off from Oblivion's HDR, which is awful imo.
The texture resolution can't be helped on what we've seen so far, since it's consoles we're talking about.

Graphics do matter a lot to Bethesda. They have explicitly stated that in interviews we've seen and heard. It matters a lot to me too. It adds to the immersion and believability that you're IN the game. Let's not also forget that good graphics can make something as simple as a rock or a bowl look interesting and nice, enough for us to look a few extra seconds at it.

Since http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSRtYpNRoN0&feature=player_detailpage#t=81s and doesn't really feel good enough for what I believe is good (compared to new, modern standards of graphics in games like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gawciha3jI&feature=player_detailpage#t=697s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA378g_gD1I&feature=player_detailpage#t=22s), I'm a bit disappointed and generally unimpressed in terms of graphics.

I agree.

But then, I'm not only WOWED by Graphics, this IS an Elder Scrolls game, right?
I was WOWED by the new Fallout games while I played games like CoD and Halo casually and never got the WOW from them.

Although, I have to admit, Battlefield 3 looks gorgeous.

[Alexx Peace]

You're all forgetting the importance of art direction. Although Skyrim graphics aren't "WOWOMG TO THE MAX!", the direction seems spot on, something you can't say for games like Fable, Gothic etc. Even Crysis has terrible direction, it's all the same 3 jungle trees.

Also, the fact that all screenshots we have seen is from the console. It's safe to assume the textures we've seen in screenies so far are half way up the slider for the PC.

The real question is, "Is Skyrim's graphics good enough"? And to that, the answer is yes, by far. (Except waterfalls, they look like cardboard cut outs placed between some rock)

[lolli]

In this type of game, the main feature is the quality of gameplay, not graphics. Morrowind has pretty bad graphic for these days, but people still enjoy playing it (at least me) because the gameplay is better than the graphics. I think having Crysis 2 graphics in games is just a bonus, nothing more than that.

[Danii Brown]

Well i just finished Crysis 2 and i couldn't stop thinking how much CryEngine 3 suits Skyrim, i think Crytek achieved technical perfection with crysis 2.
Oblivion, while decently looking, felt kinda clunky imo. Lets hope they learned from their mistakes from previous engine (morrowind, oblivion).

How come the reviews i'm reading state they aren't perfect and people expected more coming off of the first Crysis?

[Tarka]

Comparing Skyrim graphics with an FPS or other genre is comparing apples to oranges. A huge open-world game is NEVER going to have the same graphics of a same-generation FPS, but it will have many, many more gameplay features that IMO more than make up for this.

That being said, Skyrim looks fantastic. Hopefully they fix the hair though.

[barbara belmonte]

I will be content if the environments are similar to or better than Oblivions. What I really like, however, is that they have vastly improved the look of the creatures and characters (more of an artistic change than a graphical one, but the fugly characters have always been my main gripe with their previous titles).
So, for me as long as it looks as good as Oblivion, I won't be bothered. Besides, I'm on PC, after a while there will be a slew of texture/environment mods to download and ogle at.

[naomi]

If the gameplay is great I would be fine with Morrowind graphics. But if the gameplay svcks, then I don't care how good the graphics are, I will not be buying it.

[Ash]

I agree.

But then, I'm not only WOWED by Graphics, this IS an Elder Scrolls game, right?
I was WOWED by the new Fallout games while I played games like CoD and Halo casually and never got the WOW from them.

Although, I have to admit, Battlefield 3 looks gorgeous.

Yes. Exactly. I'm WOW'ed by the music and feeling of Skyrim in the trailer. But if we're talking about in terms of graphics, I am not WOW'ed as much as I am with other newer games.
I'm not saying TES is a bad game or anything, I'm only talking about in terms of graphics. And only that.

I already know Skyrim will WOW me by its music, lore, depth, freedom and feeling. But graphics play an important role here as well. It really boosts the atmosphere (and feeling...) of the game imo. It also makes more things just tastier to look at
A road actually looks like a road. A sword actually looks like a sword. A dungeon look creepy and so realistic you barely want to enter. Graphics is an underlying thing that matters all the time in my opinion, and that's why I also think it's a very important thing. Exactly how important, I don't know. I think no ones knows, until they've actually played Skyrim

[Charleigh Anderson]

oh noz a 20 hour long linear FPS looks so much better than skyrimz which haz over 1000 hours of sand box open ended game play.

get over it, and besides I don't want to get a new PC to play skyrim, it looks beautiful and that's enough for me at least

as long as its 3D and has good textures I will enjoy it.

[Lindsay Dunn]

Yes. Exactly. I'm WOW'ed by the music and feeling of Skyrim in the trailer. But if we're talking about in terms of graphics, I am not WOW'ed as much as I am with other newer games.
I'm not saying TES is a bad game or anything, I'm only talking about in terms of graphics. And only that.

I already know Skyrim will WOW me by its music, lore, depth, freedom and feeling. But graphics play an important role here as well. It really boosts the atmosphere (and feeling...) of the game imo. It also makes more things just tastier to look at
A road actually looks like a road. A sword actually looks like a sword. A dungeon look creepy and so realistic you barely want to enter. Graphics is an underlying thing that matters all the time in my opinion, and that's why I also think it's a very important thing. Exactly how important, I don't know. I think no ones knows, until they've actually played Skyrim

Yeah. Battlefield would be in production for another 4-6 years if they were going to make the game anywhere near Skyrim size anyways

And I didn't mention Crysis 2's graphics because I've played the MP demo and it...well I didn't like it at all.