How low? Dayz as a minimalist graphic experience

[Disgraced 1123]

So we've all heard the trope that it's not all about graphics.

You may or may not have noticed that in early media reports, DayZ was described by rocket as having roguelike elements. Roguelike's are very minimalist games graphically that have huge complications and implications outside of graphics.

If it were to increase things like the AI level of the infected, the enterability of buildings, the abundance of items or cities and so forth, how far down would you let the graphic level go to have a 'zombie apocalypse' experience?

This mod is at the top end of the graphics scale, in my opinion. It's part of why FPS games in general are so popular (and I'm speaking of 3D world mechanics).

Would you take more of a Second Life level of graphics? Still a 3d world, more polygonal, but saving server space and memory for more... stuff... more zombies, more buildings, more animals, more players per server, &c.

How low would you let it go? What if there were hundreds of players, thousands of zombies, myriad items, more... world... but it was simpler?

Graphics more like the first "Alone In The Dark"?

Forsake 3d all together... more like Ultima IV?

Venture?

Really a roguelike, with just ASCII characters?

I myself think that I am attached to the graphics. I would let the polygon counts and textures slide for more game experience, but not down TOO far.

[Legacy (DayZ) 1091]

How do you miss DayZ General Discussion?

Thread Moved from Off-Topic.

[Disgraced 1123]

How do you miss DayZ General Discussion?

Thread Moved from Off-Topic.

Just clicked the wrong thing. Inattention, that's how. they DO both have General in the name...

[xls.akm@gmail.com 0]

I myself think that I am attached to the graphics. I would let the polygon counts and textures slide for more game experience' date=' but not down TOO far.

[/quote']

Agree with this, allthough why can't we have both?

[dale 11]

Its a mod not a game, Arma 2 is a game (you pay for it) DayZ is a mod (you dont pay for it).

Sorry to be short with you but too many people call it a game :-/

The graphics etc are from Arma 2 not DayZ :cool:

[Publik 404]

Aesthetics > Graphics

Currently the aesthetics fit with "zombie apocalypse".

[spamaddict290 3]

If you load up your game and put the graphics level on low. That low, still visually appeasing but not super intensive.

(helps the framerate too!)

[flyingmonkey (DayZ) 0]

I'd probably hit a limit at GTA San Andreas.

[Disgraced 1123]

Dale' pid='98909' dateline='1339574686']

Its a mod not a game' date=' Arma 2 is a game (you pay for it) DayZ is a mod (you dont pay for it).

Sorry to be short with you but too many people call it a game :-/

The graphics etc are from Arma 2 not DayZ :cool:

[/quote']

Pedantry aside. Ahem. My point was not to take the current graphics level to task or lobby for an engine change or anything like that.

You see, many people play this MOD and enjoy it. Mine is a hypothetical question independent of the current constraints of reality. Some people "got it" so don't worry about that you didn't.

[Swampfox 0]

I'd be willing to take a graphics nosedive in favor of superior game play. Not all the way down to 2D though! Gotta keep the same game elements lol.

[bbob 1]

I personally think that graphical fidelity/style should be an extension of the gameplay, something that enhances, reinforces or informs the experience.

On that background, I think that Arma II's Chernarus is perfect for DayZ.

The realistic depiction of this world is great for immersion and the detailed environment makes it a challenge to spot players, who makes an effort to conceal themselves etc.

A more crude, simplified audio-visual style might well detract from this. But it all depends on how it's done, though.

Some artists can do incredible things even within very tight constraints.

Pretty =/= Technically elaborate

[Anemia (DayZ) 0]

I'm not sure but arent Random world, Randomized loot and permadeath generally what describes a roguelike rather than the graphics? It seems rather obvious to me that they would have lower graphics due to lower budget rather than anything else. I mean we are getting roguelikes with higher graphics all the time like grimmrock (or w/e it's called), wazhack etc.

As for the graphics, I don't think they could be lowered too much without having to change a lot of the game due to this stealth mechanic. Personally I wouldn't mind SS2 style graphics if the gameplay was changed accordingly.

[wolfgang784 13]

The big thing with this game, meaning Arma 2 itself, is that it is meant to be a military simulator. As a mod for the game, DayZ is trying to become a zombie apocalypse simulator. The graphics quality, at least to me, plays a decently high role in keeping the game immersion level up.

If I cannot feel like I am IN the game after playing for a few hours in the dark concentrating on it, then it is not a proper simulator. That can happen with lower quality games as well depending on how fun they are, but not if it becomes too low. A large part of how I judge games is how easily I can become focused on nothing else and essentially become my character.

So as for how low I would let them go, I would have to say a decent bit better than GTA San Andreas. Much worse than now, but not quite too terrible I don't think if the game could then hold hundreds or thousands of players with a large world and fully enter able buildings and such.

This topic is kind of moot however, since Arma 3 will allow much of this. If I remember correctly, it was said that servers could host 200 players easily, so we may very well see 3, 4, 500 player servers. Every single building in the game will be part of the open world in Arma 3 as well with better AI of course and general better everything.

[stinkyghost 28]

FPS > Graphics, I Wouldn't really like to go down to 2D But I think it would be pretty funny to watch, especially Bandits or someone driving a car xD

[Skint (DayZ) 138]

I think the high quality graphics makes this MOD work. All the ambient stuff going on like insects, trees and grass swaying, realistic textures, character modelling, it all adds to the immersion effect, I couldn't get into it if the graphics were lower (like GTA:SA as a few have used as a reference), it would just feel like a console game. Even though how the Mod plays is very important, you really need to feel you're actually in the world of Chernarus, and the Arma 2 level of graphics does that very well.