Current Events > Is the cost of making AAA games, killing creativity?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Yes for me.
The last creative era for AAA titles would be the PS2, NDS, XBOX. Ever since then, AAA titles have been mostly following the popular trend. Even now, PC big hits are 90% shooters or battle royal/early access.
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People want it both ways. They want measurable graphical and aesthetic improvements, but they also want more content and more freedom. The more advanced the graphics, sound and other elements, the less robust the game world can be. Companies have finite resources, and they can't do everything. It sucks, but its sort of always been the case.

Dash_Harber posted...

People want it both ways. They want measurable graphical and aesthetic improvements, but they also want more content and more freedom. The more advanced the graphics, sound and other elements, the less robust the game world can be. Companies have finite resources, and they can't do everything. It sucks, but its sort of always been the case.

I don't want advance graphics. I don't want open world or shooters/action/medieval crap. I am so sick and tired of it already.
Imagine if they put all that resources into a story rich game. The last AAA title I truly enjoyed was Last of Us.
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CrazyandLazy posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

People want it both ways. They want measurable graphical and aesthetic improvements, but they also want more content and more freedom. The more advanced the graphics, sound and other elements, the less robust the game world can be. Companies have finite resources, and they can't do everything. It sucks, but its sort of always been the case.

I don't want advance graphics. I don't want open world or shooters/action/medieval crap. I am so sick and tired of it already.
Imagine if they put all that resources into a story rich game. The last AAA title I truly enjoyed was Last of Us.

I didn't care for The Last Of Us.

Anyway, there are games that appeal to both camps. AAA titles generally veer towards aesthetics because that is what AAA fans generally like.

You ever consider that maybe you just aren't their target audience and that is totally okay?

Dash_Harber posted...

You ever consider that maybe you just aren't their target audience and that is totally okay?

Meh. Gamers these days throw around money left and right. DLC out the wazoo. Pre orders. Early acess = alright we'll give you money just cause we like the concept.
Maybe it's just me being an old fart but I used to see more interesting articles browsing the web in the early 2000s for video games. You go to IGN or whatever and there's a load of upcoming gaming news.
If you go to IGN now, it's the same 2 or 3 articles for every damn console and PC.
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CrazyandLazy posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

People want it both ways. They want measurable graphical and aesthetic improvements, but they also want more content and more freedom. The more advanced the graphics, sound and other elements, the less robust the game world can be. Companies have finite resources, and they can't do everything. It sucks, but its sort of always been the case.

I don't want advance graphics. I don't want open world or shooters/action/medieval crap. I am so sick and tired of it already.
Imagine if they put all that resources into a story rich game. The last AAA title I truly enjoyed was Last of Us.

I love The Last of Us, but theres plenty to criticize it for. The actual game parts are very barebones and simplistic. The gameplay itself feels like filler for the story and pretty graphics giving it the feel of realistic characters and cinematography.
I mean if you want more of TLoU that bad you could just go watch a movie, or if you want longer more fleshed out character a development like the game offers watch a show.

TLoU is one of my favorite games of all time but using it as an example for this is kinda weak.
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CrazyandLazy posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

You ever consider that maybe you just aren't their target audience and that is totally okay?

Meh. Gamers these days throw around money left and right. DLC out the wazoo. Pre orders. Early acess = alright we'll give you money just cause we like the concept.
Maybe it's just me being an old fart but I used to see more interesting articles browsing the web in the early 2000s for video games. You go to IGN or whatever and there's a load of upcoming gaming news.
If you go to IGN now, it's the same 2 or 3 articles for every damn console and PC.

I'm old enough to remember gaming before the internet, and I sort of think you may be remembering things nostalgically. News has always been a bit of a rehash. That's true of all types of news. The only real tangible difference is that now we have wider coverage and more firms covering it, so it can seem like information overlaod.

Either way though, AAA consumers demand shiny polish. Maybe you and me don't care for that, so we spend more time with smaller, cult games. And that is totally okay and a healthy situation to be in.

RockRapDubstep posted...

CrazyandLazy posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

People want it both ways. They want measurable graphical and aesthetic improvements, but they also want more content and more freedom. The more advanced the graphics, sound and other elements, the less robust the game world can be. Companies have finite resources, and they can't do everything. It sucks, but its sort of always been the case.

I don't want advance graphics. I don't want open world or shooters/action/medieval crap. I am so sick and tired of it already.
Imagine if they put all that resources into a story rich game. The last AAA title I truly enjoyed was Last of Us.

I love The Last of Us, but theres plenty to criticize it for. The actual game parts are very barebones and simplistic. The gameplay itself feels like filler for the story and pretty graphics giving it the feel of realistic characters and cinematography.
I mean if you want more of TLoU that bad you could just go watch a movie, or if you want longer more fleshed out character a development like the game offers watch a show.

TLoU is one of my favorite games of all time but using it as an example for this is kinda weak.

TLoU had one of the most fun multiplayer I've ever played in a long time. It was totally new and different, imo.
If I wanted to watch tv, I'd watch it but it's not too much to vent about the current state of gaming. Solo games are non existent unless you look at Steam games. This wasn't the case in earlier console eras.
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Dash_Harber posted...

CrazyandLazy posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

You ever consider that maybe you just aren't their target audience and that is totally okay?

Meh. Gamers these days throw around money left and right. DLC out the wazoo. Pre orders. Early acess = alright we'll give you money just cause we like the concept.
Maybe it's just me being an old fart but I used to see more interesting articles browsing the web in the early 2000s for video games. You go to IGN or whatever and there's a load of upcoming gaming news.
If you go to IGN now, it's the same 2 or 3 articles for every damn console and PC.

I'm old enough to remember gaming before the internet, and I sort of think you may be remembering things nostalgically. News has always been a bit of a rehash. That's true of all types of news. The only real tangible difference is that now we have wider coverage and more firms covering it, so it can seem like information overlaod.

Either way though, AAA consumers demand shiny polish. Maybe you and me don't care for that, so we spend more time with smaller, cult games. And that is totally okay and a healthy situation to be in.

Meh. The gaming scne has changed but it has only been this drastic in the current console era. Japanese game makers went to mobile and the market is saturated with crap (in our opinions).
For example, I had a **** ton of hours on my NDS that it broke. I bought a 3DS last Black Friday, only to find that there aren't that many games as the NDS.
Where's the advance war? Where's the Lost in Blue titles. Games like these have went into a grave.
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It depends. Would a game like Cuphead have benefited from having and AAA budget and the interference of a publisher?
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LordFarquad1312 posted...

It depends. Would a game like Cuphead have benefited from having and AAA budget and the interference of a publisher?

It would have been longer that's for sure. Would have had more marketing which would lead to more sales. More sales mean there would be a sequel in the works. If most indie games had 1/5 of the finance to AAA or if AAA companies branch off for something new, we would be able to enjoy more games.
I mean, marketing isn't even hard these days. Streamers are reviewing games left and right. They are always looking out for what's new to play.
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CrazyandLazy posted...

It would have been longer that's for sure. Would have had more marketing which would lead to more sales. More sales mean there would be a sequel in the works. If most indie games had 1/5 of the finance to AAA or if AAA companies branch off for something new, we would be able to enjoy more games.
I mean, marketing isn't even hard these days. Streamers are reviewing games left and right. They are always looking out for what's new to play.

Maybe so, but would it being longer actually be good though? I've come to appreciate short games, as long as the experience is memorable. I'd rather play a 2-3 hour game like Portal than an open world, repetitive game any day.

Also, they announced they have already sold 1 million copies. For an indie game, to do that in a couple of weeks being only on XBONE and PC that's amazing.

Also, Ubisoft and EA tried to open an "indie branch", that's how we got Unraveled and Child of Light. At the same time, they're EA and Ubisoft, so...
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LordFarquad1312 posted...

CrazyandLazy posted...

It would have been longer that's for sure. Would have had more marketing which would lead to more sales. More sales mean there would be a sequel in the works. If most indie games had 1/5 of the finance to AAA or if AAA companies branch off for something new, we would be able to enjoy more games.
I mean, marketing isn't even hard these days. Streamers are reviewing games left and right. They are always looking out for what's new to play.

Maybe so, but would it being longer actually be good though? I've come to appreciate short games, as long as the experience is memorable. I'd rather play a 2-3 hour game like Portal than an open world, repetitive game any day.

Also, they announced they have already sold 1 million copies. For an indie game, to do that in a couple of weeks being only on XBONE and PC that's amazing.

Also, Ubisoft and EA tried to open an "indie branch", that's how we got Unraveled and Child of Light. At the same time, they're EA and Ubisoft, so...

I prefer games that are long but are creative. Had a blast playing Darkwood and This War of Mine. I just wished AAA companies branch off into other genres. Or Indie Devs know how the old days were. Kinda sad that people like us have to look through Steam to play the type of games we want. We used to have handhelds like NDS but now no more.
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CrazyandLazy posted...

I prefer games that are long but are creative. Had a blast playing Darkwood and This War of Mine. I just wished AAA companies branch off into other genres. Or Indie Devs know how the old days were. Kinda sad that people like us have to look through Steam to play the type of games we want. We used to have handhelds like NDS but now no more.

I totally get what you mean. I miss the good old days of handheld Castlevanias. Luckily, some really good metroidvanias have come out recently.
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LordFarquad1312 posted...

CrazyandLazy posted...

I prefer games that are long but are creative. Had a blast playing Darkwood and This War of Mine. I just wished AAA companies branch off into other genres. Or Indie Devs know how the old days were. Kinda sad that people like us have to look through Steam to play the type of games we want. We used to have handhelds like NDS but now no more.

I totally get what you mean. I miss the good old days of handheld Castlevanias. Luckily, some really good metroidvanias have come out recently.

Yup.
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