Wii graphics worries

[Bad^Hat]

Just looking at the latest 2 articles on IGN Wii, for the new Super Monkey Bowl and Tony Hawk's games, and the screenies aren't looking so hot. Not too worried since I've seen what the system is capable of with Mario Galaxy and Zelda: TP, and they look great for what they're trying to accomplish, but these screens look... well, last-gen to be honest. What's up?

http://media.wii.ign.com/media/824/824977/imgs_1.html
http://media.wii.ign.com/media/824/824474/imgs_1.html

Thought they might look better in motion, but the videos are just as uninspiring... I've seen better on PS2 =/

(and yeah, I know graphics aren't everything, the games still look like they could be fun regardless, and I'm looking forward to Wii no matter what)

[Cole]

You must remember right now Developers are working off of Gamecube hardware as the graphics card of the Wii has yet to be completed. Also Developers will probably improve the graphics before the final release.

Nintendo can't force 3rd party developers to have Wii put the graphics at full potential.

[Bad^Hat]

Oh, really? Awesome, thought it looked suspiciously like Gamecube :P

Seems a bit misleading to release trailers with these graphics though...

[destrukt]

i remember seeing an article and i think it was ati talking about how the current graphics aren't anywhere near the quality possible with their gpu in the wii.

i'm a tiny bit worried too, but i think it will end up being fine.

[ríomhaire]

If graphics are the most important thing to you go play Grand Turismo.

[VictimOfScience]

These are two games that I am looking forward to the least on the Wii, but yes, they don't look like anything special. Its true that the graphics potential has a long way to go to be realized on the Wii, so none of us should worry and besides, even if the games only look a little better than GC games (RE4 anyone?), then that will be good enough for me, especially if they immerse you in the gameplay with the unique controller.

[Cormeh]

If Nintendo can get TP looking that good on the 'cube, then it'll probably be early 2007 when they themselves are pushing the Wii.

The majority of third party games on GC were graphically poor anyway.

[Lucid]

Stop worrying about the ****ing graphics, and start worrying about the controller. >.>

[Cormeh]

Worry about the controller why? :O

[Gray Fox]

If realistic drivingmodel, rich gameplayfeatures, good car sound and soundtrack, rich and diverse carchoice and offcourse graphics are the most important thing to you go play Grand Turismo.
QFT

Worry about the controller why? :O
It's cursed

[Reginald]

Most people have already said what I'm going to say.

If the Gamecube can do Twilight Princess and Resi4, then the Wii should have no troubles. Especially when you look at Super Smash Brothers Melee, a game that came out 3 weeks after launch here in the UK and still one of the best looking games from this (last?) generation; perhaps with the exception of slowing slight age next to Brawl now.

Also, if the XBox can handle the Source engine... with a few problems, and the Wii is at least 3 times more powerful than that, surely that means that with some refining, the Wii could handle Source totally? I know it's not going to happen because Valve have pledged alleigance to the 360 but it's interesting to think about.

[Zephos]

I think that with the reduced power of the Wii, maybe people will start resorting to artistic direction instead of pure graphical awesomeness (Oooo I'm Crysis, LOOK AT ME!!!). Anyway, we've all seen Twilight Princess, and I think we all agree it looks very very nice :)

[Ren.182]

http://www.gentendo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=2

COD 3 on the Wii. Magazine scans so the images look like crap, but you can see that the gfx dont look that bad.

I'm not worrying about the graphics, they'll turn out ok in the end.

[Reginald]

http://www.gentendo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=2

COD 3 on the Wii. Magazine scans so the images look like crap, but you can see that the gfx dont look that bad.

Those look pretty nice actually. The smoke in particular looks just as good as the smoke you see on CoD 2 on the 360.

[destrukt]

If graphics are the most important thing to you go play Grand Turismo.
who is saying the graphics is all that is important ? clue, find one. :)

[satch919]

With the Wii, I really don't care about graphics as much. I just want to experience games with the level of interactivity that the Wii provides. :)

[sea]

In this case, the poor graphics are because of two things: Super Monkey Ball has always been about art direction and style rather than beautiful reflective everything, so you can see why the developers aren't focusing on rendering the bananas with massive texture maps and specular highlights.
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam looks sad in screenshots, but you also must remember that the game is going to be moving very fast, all the time, so you won't notice this lack of detail anyway. Of course, I'm also attributing it to the developer being lazy, but the other is a solid reason.
I am a master of lists.

[99.vikram]

No fair! Nobody has the right to be obsessive-compulsive but me :frown:

[satch919]

(SearanoX) Plus, I don't think the Tony Hawk series has ever been known for it's spectacular graphics. There's always developers that never take advantage of a systems power.

[Reginald]

In all honesty, will anyone be getting Tony Hawks anyway? May be worth a rental if it has multiplayer. That is all.

As for Super Monkey Ball, I couldn't care less about the graphics. In fact, if there was an entirely accurate model of the jungle or something surrounding me, I'd take my eyes off the course for a split second and cause fatal anger and Wii-mote throwing.

[AmishSlayer]

I think everybody that's getting a Wii is getting it for the fun gameplay that will be had with the titles...not graphics.

As far as I'm concerned everything could look just like GC games and I'd love it.

[Erestheux]

Stop worrying about the ****ing graphics, and start worrying about the controller. >.>

Er, why? You realize it will have 4 gamecube controller ports, correct?

Those two games look like they probably aren't any main titles or anything, especially Monkey Balls which was a pretty crap game for the cube.

I have so much faith in Nintendo this time around, as I've always had, but this time I think they will be the nicest of them all :D

[AmishSlayer]

Those two games look like they probably aren't any main titles or anything, especially Monkey Balls which was a pretty crap game for the cube.

I have so much faith in Nintendo this time around, as I've always had, but this time I think they will be the nicest of them all :D

How dare you! Monkey Ball games are great party games.

I have a feeling Nintendo will really come through with the Wii as well. Can't wait to see some of the other titles that will be coming next year let alone play the launch titles.

[VictimOfScience]

I have a feeling Nintendo will really come through with the Wii as well. Can't wait to see some of the other titles that will be coming next year let alone play the launch titles.
Yup. And if the DS is anything to go by, then Wii are all in for a lot of fun later this year! Sure, the DS doesn't have the greatest graphics in the industry, but through clever gameplay and innovative controls, it brings us back again and again. I see the Wii doing the same exact thing. Its going to be loads of fun.

[Bad^Hat]

article ... ati ... their gpu in the wii.

That's kinda reassuring too :>

If graphics are the most important thing to you go play Grand Turismo.

Erm...

(and yeah, I know graphics aren't everything, the games still look like they could be fun regardless, and I'm looking forward to Wii no matter what)

And I hated Gran :)

These are two games that I am looking forward to the least on the Wii...

Yeah, I had considered the possibility that these were the exception to the rule.

In this case, the poor graphics are because of two things:[list=1] Super Monkey Ball has always been about art direction and style rather than beautiful reflective everything, so you can see why the developers aren't focusing on rendering the bananas with massive texture maps and specular highlights.

Actually, the video looked really bland to me from a graphics and art perspective.

(SearanoX) Plus, I don't think the Tony Hawk series has ever been known for it's spectacular graphics.

O rly?

http://www.tonyhawksproject8.com/ <-- Part of the reason it worried me that this one looked so crap, considering how damn sexy that's looking. Almost like they're saving that for the "worthy" consoles and lumping a cheap spin-off on the Wii that looks like it's still using the old engine. Which poses further questions as to whether the Wii would be able to run Project 8 (unless it can and they're releasing both... should really look into that >.>).

http://www.gentendo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=2

COD 3 on the Wii. Magazine scans so the images look like crap, but you can see that the gfx dont look that bad.

Not like those screens are anything to go by, but it looks exactly like CoD2 to me. Which wouldn't be so much of a problem if the game wasn't gonna be another clone in every other way :P (that said, I love CoD 1 & 2, but I'm not expecting much in the way of innovation from 3).

Disclaimer: Gameplay > graphics. <3 Wii. Etc.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR TEN THOUSAND POLYGONS PER MODEL. YOU ARE NOT YOUR HYPER-REALISTIC BUMPMAPPED TO HIGH HELL TEXTURES. YOU ARE NOT YOUR ****ING OVERDONE BLOOM EFFECT.


Edit - Looks like Project 8 is just for the PS3/X360 =/

[ríomhaire]

who is saying the graphics is all that is important ? clue, find one. :)
I said most important.

[satch919]

O rly?

http://www.tonyhawksproject8.com/ <-- Part of the reason it worried me that this one looked so crap, considering how damn sexy that's looking. Almost like they're saving that for the "worthy" consoles and lumping a cheap spin-off on the Wii that looks like it's still using the old engine. Which poses further questions as to whether the Wii would be able to run Project 8 (unless it can and they're releasing both... should really look into that >.>).

I was talking about the past versions of the Tony Hawk franchise.

[theotherguy]

well its important to note that graphics are more up to the developer and not so much the console maker. While graphics are ultimatley dependant on the console's power, you could still have crappy graphics on a game for the most powerful console in the world. What really matters is the skill and art direction of the developers. So I say, judge the power of a console by the graphics of its best developer. In this case, judge by what nintendo has been putting out, which has been looking surprisingly good.

I'm sure that over time the 3rd party developers will learn techniques from nintendo themselves and we will be seeing much better graphics. 1st generation launch titles on a totally new console usually look quite a deal worse than what we shoudl be seeing one or two years from now.

[Erestheux]

How dare you! Monkey Ball games are great party games.

I have a feeling Nintendo will really come through with the Wii as well. Can't wait to see some of the other titles that will be coming next year let alone play the launch titles.

I thought it was poop :P

Wasn't all that bad, but it got really frustrating and boring.

Plus it was totally not about the graphics.

[hungryduck]

You must remember right now Developers are working off of Gamecube hardware as the graphics card of the Wii has yet to be completed. Also Developers will probably improve the graphics before the final release.

Nintendo can't force 3rd party developers to have Wii put the graphics at full potential.
QFT

[sea]

YOU ARE NOT YOUR TEN THOUSAND POLYGONS PER MODEL. YOU ARE NOT YOUR HYPER-REALISTIC BUMPMAPPED TO HIGH HELL TEXTURES. YOU ARE NOT YOUR ****ING OVERDONE BLOOM EFFECT.I have read in places that the Wii is actually able to push nearly as many polygons as the XBox 360. The main difference comes in texture resolution and whatnot. Of course, considering I can't remember the source (aside from that it was reputable), I can't exactly say I'm 100% correct here.

[<RJMC>]

so it will look better?

I hope and I remenber I read somewhere about a new bumpmaping technique they are going to use or something like that

[Bad^Hat]

I have read in places that the Wii is actually able to push nearly as many polygons as the XBox 360. The main difference comes in texture resolution and whatnot. Of course, considering I can't remember the source (aside from that it was reputable), I can't exactly say I'm 100% correct here.

Cool, seem to recall the N64 being more about the polys and less about the textures too, and it didn't suffer too badly for it. Beyond a certain point of detail it's not very noticable on consoles anyway.

[VirusType2]

I think the texture detail is much more important than poly performance. In most cases, you can get away with having a game made out of squares and rectangles - just slap a high rez texture on it and it looks like something real. You can't make circles with polygons. It's not possible. Why try? Make everything simple.

The textures on the PS2 games when I first got my PS2 were infuriating. Here I bought the system since I was hyped beyond belief. I had already bought a Dreamcast and loved the shit out of it (the ****ing thing won some kind of Science award and was part of an exhibit since it had on-line capability built in with a web browser in this console), and every ****ing douche bag N00b clueless ****ing retard Sony fan-boy ****ing dip-shit bandwagon ****er "OMG PLAYSTATION!@!" "graphics sooo good OMG OMG" I finally broke down and got one, mainly so I could play Gran Tourismo (SEGA GT wasn't nearly as good) Damn thing didn't even have a modem.

I get this thing home and it was just one big splash of ****ing mud on my screen - like a layer of peanut butter or vaseline smeared all over my TV. What a piece of shit. I was so mad I spent like $500 for this thing with memory card and a couple games. I totally felt like a sucker. Meanwhile I went back and played my $89 Dreamcast for about 666,000 hours on-line playing PSO and other killer online games like Quake III and 2K sports games. (I'll never forgive you Sony for killing the DREAMmachine Dreamcast and putting SEGA out of the buisiness with your lies and vapor)


I already see this poor texture quality in screenshots of the Wii games. I'm sorry, but Nintendo said it themselves, "If you want super graphics, buy a different system." Nintendo doesn't sell hype, so you can expect a great game machine. Stop worrying about it. You have seen super shitty low rez video camera off screen videos of Zelda:Twilight Princess and you didn't care did you? You couldn't wait to play the game.

I wouldn't worry about the graphics. Trust me, they will look impressive once you start playing. You are going to make yourself sick trying to imagine the Wii as $600 console that it's not. If you really want to watch 15 ducks floating around with realistic physics, just download a Sony tech demo video. :hmph:

[destrukt]

I said most important.
hehe, that doesn't really change anything. :)

Sonic Wild Fire
A next-gen entry into the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise developed exclusively for Nintendo's Wii console. The title, purportedly developed by a "top-tier" SEGA team led by Yuji Naka, will not be a port of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game tentatively dubbed "Sonic the Hedgehog [next gen]." Instead, it is said to be an entirely original effort designed from the ground up to take advantage of Wii's unique controller.
screenshots: http://wii.ign.com/objects/800/800277.html

looks fine/okay..

[VirusType2]

Just a couple of last things. The Wii is supposed to be like 3x more powerful than the Gamecube right? Isn't that pretty great? Also, since the Wii runs in something like 640x480 resolution (standard TV resolution), it doesn't need to be as powerful as the other new consoles to play similar graphics. You might be able to see the jaggies, but that never bothered me.

And another thing, it's amazing what Nintendo can do with their hardware. You cannot judge their hardware by specs. They know exactly what the system needs to be able to do. In fact, the incredible and overwhelmingly successful Super Nintendo ran at a measly 1.3Mhz. 1.3Mhz!!!!!! My PC runs at 2.66 Ghz. I don't think the SNES even had a separate GPU/CPU

Clock cycles:
1 gigahertz = 1000 megahertz

So this means the CPU alone(not counting my GPU) in my PC is about 26 thousand times more powerful than a SNES. Does that make the SNES games any less great? No way!


But we aren't talking Super Nintendo, we are talking Wii. You can rest easy knowing that the graphics are going to be brilliant from many games, even if some games don't look that great - isn't that the case on any system though?

Nintendo knows how to make some seriously entertaining games. :)

[Bad^Hat]

My mind is sufficiently settled, still as hyped for Wii as I ever was. And now I play the waiting game...