Life is Feudal Official Forum

[Methelina]

We want to know how do you think, the graphic quality of the game is important or not?

[Blutaar]

Sure better graphic, but only if the fps dont went down

[Ariel]

I do believe that gameplay is the most important factor of any game, if the gameplay is boring and bland, lets face it, people are going to notice. However graphics should definitely not be overlooked as they tend to play a heavy factor, at least for myself, in the contribution to immersion.

[Kdchan]

I prefer that development focus mainly on gameplay and bug fixes, and only after on polishing animations and graphic.
So yes, both are important for the final result but gameplay should have priority overall.

I choose option 2.

[Kossako]

Graphic is important. Most people nowadays look at graphic first and won't even try game if graphic is not good enough.

It is not mentioned but I can swallow bad graphic but more important for me are animations. No matter how graphic looks like, if animations are broken then you notice it first while watching trailers before trying out game.

[Thurgeis]

I prefer that development focus mainly on gameplay and bug fixes, and only after on polishing animations and graphic.
So yes, both are important for the final result but gameplay should have priority overall.

I choose option 2.

+1

[Arrakis]

I am very picky player, I need a perfect gameplay, freedom and good graphics. But I don't mean sweet, smooth graphics like CryEngine 3 or something, I mean stylish, fitting in the overall look.

So what I'm trying to say, graphics are important for me, but it's not on the first place. For instance Gothic 1/2, I love that game and it's graphics, even if all is square and simple, it's just epic game that doesn't need improvements.

But in mmo where I can change the world I'd like to be able to look at this world with pleasure, get an eye-gasm with the look of the nature!

[Cloud]

I do believe that they need decent graphics, something that will bring realism to your game. But as the others say, concentrate on your gameplay and bug fixing then get onto the graphics.

[Sensei]

For now I voted 3.

I believe the most important thing is to get this baby up and running asap in Alpha to test the basic mechanics, playability, and general stability of the game. The prettiest game in the world won't go anywhere if it keeps breaking down/dc'ing etc etc.

As such I think that graphics that don't actually distract from the game would be fine.

That said - as the game hopefully moves forward graphics quality will become increasingly important.

As long as the prioritization is playability/stability first, eye candy after, I think it will be fine.

There will be a grace period of some tolerance. How long I don't know - but anyone with half a clue realizes Rome wasn't built in a day on a shoestring budget.

[BartusPL]

Graphics look good now, I like the colors and color saturation.
I would add more shine to the metal and better support for normalmap.
I don't like candy graphic's style like We can see in other's Korea MMO, with these all lights efect's.

For My importan is one thing. If We can run game on the old computer, then We can have more player's.
Important is good LOD system for client too.

It would be good to see more details on the map, more types of vegetation. More visible plants for alchemy.

[Valdin]

I like good graphics but gameplay and content are more important to me than the look of a game. That said I do not think that the graphics from the videos and screenshots are bad.

You can have amazing graphics all you want but if the game is full of bugs and content is lacking than the appearance no longer matters.

Graphics can always be better but that should not be at the expense of the flow of the game. This game is built around PvP and that above all else needs to be smooth even in the largest of battles.

[Demonic]

To be honest, IDC about graphic quality. Hell, I was addicted to Minecraft Gameplay is the thing for me.

[Demetrius]

I'm playing wurm since 5 years ago, I didn't care about graphic or animations, I care mostly for the features and the crafting it is a good game, but obviously the graphic does its part in the immersion, but I'd like to see you on fixing bugs and implementing your features than worrying for graphic, that's not a priority but I hope if you want to do the graphic part right, try to optimize it, it's a big problem in Wurm, and I think that the population is low for that too, not so many computers can afford that heavy graphic P

[Sting5]

Gameplay always goes first forward of everything. I mean the core of every successful game is finding the best gameplay/graphics ratio, but all in all - gameplay goes above all.

[Poleis]

Whether graphics quality is more important than gameplay also depends on the type of player.

Most MMOs like LiF (e.g. Wurm, and in more distant memory also Roma Victor) usually have a core group of hard-core players. This is usually a relatively small, but important part of the total potential player population. They will want to be involved in testing, are sometimes willing to donate money to developers before release and generally are willing to cope with less-than-average graphics quality. For them, "gameplay is everything" is the mantra.

The general gaming population is accustomed to very high-quality graphics. As such, before trying to get those in the more general gaming population and casual gamers on board, it may be worth it to put some extra effort into polishing the game's graphics. Several MMOs have sadly failed because of their graphics quality at the time they started marketing the game to the general gaming population.

It is possible to survive solely on a group of hard-core gamers: World War II Online:Battleground Europe immediately comes to mind. Very few MMOs survive the 12+ years that game has survived so far, though.

As a former game reviewer, I'd say graphics quality is important, but it is perfectly possible to survive on average graphics quality or even below-average graphics quality as long as you make sure that you do not market the game to less-hard core gamers who are used to AAA-quality titles. Eventually, however, if one wants to grow a game's population, improving graphics is unavoidable.

[PabloX]

One of my concerns is how would higher graphics affect performance in larger encounter with dozens, and hundreds of players on screen. Sieges, battles and city building are all core features of the game, which typically bring more people together, if a higher graphics scheme causes this to falter it may be more detrimental, as no one wants to fight in a "slideshow lagfest." This may be a matter of optimization or server strength as well. But simply put gameplay trumps graphics for me as long as everything is visually painless. It doesn't need to be pretty but it should not frustrate players with ugliness either. Clunky animations should be worked on if there are any though.

[Thokan]

What on God's green earth is wrong with the graphics as they are?

They are purdy and clean, there is no need whatsoever to throw shaders at them, and as Pablo said; aslong as the animations are good, we're good.

[Raxx]

Gameplay > graphics any day, but to a certain extent where it's not discouraging or discomforting to watch visuals

[Arrakis]

Yeah I don't really care, most of these minigames are impossible to complete.

[Krevente]

Animations are probably one of the most important elements when it comes to display. Jerky or rigid animations can make the game feel unnatural. Good animations make the game feel smooth and helps the overall flow of the experience.

I really like the graphics of LiF with the softer feel.

When 3D graphics first came out they were very rough and made my eyes bleed. Over time there's been this leap forward, but not everyone pulls it off well. I think it's important that a game adopt a "style" and go for that rather than just trying to make the graphics more 'realistic' because a TON of them fall short and it just looks horrid.

Not to start an inter-community rivalry, but the graphics of Gloria Victis attempt to pierce that veil, but just fall short. I prefer LiF's graphics to be honest.

Then again I've suffered through some pretty terrible graphics engines in the name of gameplay!

[En_Dotter]

I have been playing video games since i was 5 and i am 29 now. For the last 10 years it seems to me that majority of game developers is trying to make games look nice for the eye but rather simple when it comes to enjoying other aspects. For the love of god make a good engine and make the game play and atmosphere stunning.
As the time passes you can improve graphics if needed.
ASCII is the way to go if u ask me.
I would also want to add one thing. While game play is the most important thing in my point of view, the music and sounds must be at the same level. "Epic" games need music and sound for the immersion. I beg of you to hire some professional composer and a sound designer for your game even at the cost of graphics.
Those are my honest opinions and its up to you to discard them or take them seriously.

[Dylanj]

Obviously gameplay is most important but the graphics have to be good they dont have to be absolutly amazing but they have to be decent gameplay comes first as always but the graphics have to be decent. With games I played years and years ago i would happily play again because the graphics were good when i played them and gameplay was awesome so I could easily play them again today but if i came across those games today I may think the gameplay is good but wouldnt be able to play them because the graphics are unbearable as long as you focus on gameplay but also work on the graphics so they are also at least decent everyone will be happy

[Elysana]

Immersion is very important to me.

Graphics do help with the immersion, but I am perfectly satisfied with LiF's graphics so far. I've played so many single player games and MMOs that flaunt amazing graphics, but they couldn't immerse me into the game at all, mainly because they didn't have substance.

Graphics will certainly attract players, but I would not sacrifice substance for eye candy. The graphics should not be overlooked, but I would choose quality game play over it any day.

Music should not be overlooked, either.

[Thokan]

The MMO triple-A graphics are horrid nowadays anyway. Haven't seen anything that would surpass Age of Conan. Everything is just more or less cartoony or fifty shades of pixelshader dark. Horrid.

[PrimusPalus]

Poor poll choices... but I would say that my stance on graphics are this:

They are definitely important and will determine the length of life of a game... but they shouldn't be the first and foremost the developers work on. I can live with sub-par graphics so long as the end goal will be to bring them up to standard.

I don't think they should be ignored and left as is (from the videos). I wouldn't call them "bad" like one of the poll choices... but they're certainly not industry standard.

Here's an amazing medieval game coming (no multiplayer), but standard level graphics on a top tier engine:

http://youtu.be/nyfmd9ZMyIw

Now if that game had the features this one is working towards, there would be some concern. Just make sure to get the graphics up there before they delve into multiplayer. Hehe.

[Thokan]

Kingdom does look pretty sweet, but it is indeed a singleplayer. There is no way they could convert that game, with those graphics and mechanics, into a MMO.

It really is unfair to compare graphics of a MMO with singeplayer ones. It's apples and pears.

[PrimusPalus]

Kingdom does look pretty sweet, but it is indeed a singleplayer. There is no way they could convert that game, with those graphics and mechanics, into a MMO.

It really is unfair to compare graphics of a MMO with singeplayer ones. It's apples and pears.

I'm not directly comparing the two games. It's just that Kingdom is more along the lines of what I call, "Industry Standard". Basically what most games should be expected to have this day in age.

Now as an example... War of the Roses is multiplayer. It's arena based... so not an MMO and definitely not a sandbox... but the graphics are amazing. On par I would say with Kingdom (maybe slightly lower).

In a better comparison... take some of the sandbox mods for ArmA, or the current Day Z standalone. Current gen graphics (slightly lowered) but still MMO-ish with an open world feel. Take Star Citizen and look at those graphics... granted they're space vs ground... they also have MILLIONS of dollars vs a small indie team with less than one... but we are capable of high end graphics like Kingdom in an MMO.

As I said though... I wouldn't be too concerned with them being an up front focus. Get the features and functionality going then do a major overhaul of the graphics. Get us up more towards the industry standard. That would be my recommendation.

[Falke88]

I don't give a shit about graphics - I'm grew up with them ASCII Games and games like "Neo Scavenger" skill rock my Top #10 even tho their graphics suck.

Therefore I never played games like Crysis 2-3 longer than 1 hours because gameplay was so plain and boring.

[ZeviL]

Graphics could help you reach a wider player base in the beginning - BUT gameplay makes people stay.

Gameplay is much more important.
Animations and sound is also more important than the actual graphical look.

As a Darkfall player I tend to set all graphical options to minimum to increase the performance in battle. I won't kill my enemies with a nice shiny shield and blue sky with fluffy graphical bees flying around in AAx16; I will do it with my fully working weapons.

[Nalle]

"I don't care much. It should not distract and that's all"

Because when it comes down to it, gameplay is key and graphics can never make up for a game with faulty or bad gameplay.

So focusing on the gameplay first and making it work properly and then fix the graphics is the way to go.