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Graphics are absolutely important. They are an essential part of video games, a window into another world and a prime indicator of the technology that powers it. However, the true value of visuals is not in their realism a game’s aesthetic does far more to establish its character than its polygon count. A cohesive style is all you need and it’s often better to stick to proven technique than it is to attempt something cutting edge. We still need pioneers to light the way, but for most there’s no harm in sticking to safer waters a development span of half a century means that graphics can lean on an ever richer heritage. We have come a long way. So, what does the future of graphics hold? Perhaps one day, video games will transcend our perception of reality exceeding the natural acuity of the eye to make an utterly convincing scene. Technology inches ever further, frustratingly slow for the impatient today but nonetheless with an irresistible inertia.
Space Invaders was created by Taito in 1978.
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press start They say graphics aren't important but every game I've ever played has had them. Game visuals are the most obvious indicator of their technology. From naive origins, to an explosion of arcades and home consoles, and the emergence and refinement of three-dimensional games graphics have come a long way over the course of video game history. So, what are the most important graphical milestones? How has available technology shaped the type of games we play? And shouldn't it be about the gameplay instead?â€
In their earliest days, video games amounted to little more than electronic novelties. These pixel pioneers broke new ground with every step in an era when simply moving a flicker of light across a television screen was incredible. Games like Pong were a space age wonder, tapping in to a surge in sci-fi interest and becoming the earliest major success of the video game industry. For the first time ever, video games were cool. It wouldn't last forever, of course and once the novelty wore off, the need for more advanced hardware and more impressive visuals became clear.â€
Pong was created by Atari in 1972.
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full color graphics
Boot Hill was created by Midway in 1977.
Full-color graphics were an early threshold for arcade games and while color television had existed since before the second world war, most early video games were limited to a monochrome display. Some games used colored overlays to spruce up their playfields a translucent plastic sheet applied on top of a black and white display. Obviously quite a limited solution, but it was at least a cheap one and while monochrome games continued to rake in coins, technology would have a chance to catch up. â€
Galaxian was created by Namco in 1979.
Indy 4 was created by Atari in 1976.
Gotcha was created by Atari in 1973.
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The very first arcade game to use a colored display is difficult to pin down some existed only as prototypes, such as a color variant of Gotcha. Some early multi-player racing games used color to differentiate each player’s car Indy 4 in 1976 is one early example, and Car Polo in 1977 was the very first color arcade game to use a microprocessor. However, these early examples are normally glossed over in favor of the first truly successful RGB color game Galaxian. Essentially a fancier version of
Space Invaders, each of the brightly-colored alien ships could flit freely across the screen and perhaps more impressive were the multiple colors used in each sprite for its time, the game was an audiovisual treat. By 1980, color graphics were the norm, Pac-Man just wouldn’t be the same without its colorful ghosts and the familiar yellow protagonist.
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pixels vs plot
Tennis for Two was created by W. Higinbotham in 1958.
Pixels haven’t always been the norm. In the early days of the arcade, there were two principal paradigms for rendering an image on the screen: raster or vector. Raster comes from the latin word ‘rastrum’ meaning rake, and today is the more familiar method of drawing on-screen.The electron beam rapidly sweeps every line of the display in sequence, forming a grid and line-by-line, a picture is assembled. Vector graphics directly manipulate the electron beam to form their images, in a similar manner to an oscilloscope indeed. Very early games like Tennis For Two used an oscilloscope display.
The most famous vector arcade title is the game Asteroids, and while its graphics might be sparse, the perfectly smooth polygons do boast a certain charm. Compare the appearance of two similar games using each of these methods the smooth vector lines of Space Wars versus the blockier pixels of Star Cruiser. Vector graphics are cleaner, but less versatile while raster images can’t reproduce smooth lines, their ability to render more complex scenes, and filled shapes helped to secure the pixel’s dominance.
Dig Dug was created b by Namco in 1982.
Space Wars was created by Cinematronics in 1977.
Star Cruiser was created b by Ramtek in 1977.
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Zaxxon was created by Sega in 1982.
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smooth scrolling Early arcade games normally had fixed play fields a game’s arena was sized to fit the screen. Scrolling the display to slowly reveal a level required more grunt it demands the ability to shift around large chunks of memory. Early driving titles like Super Speed Racer were the first to introduce scrolling, although the hardware limitations did force some concessions mirrored track-sides and a rather spartan roadway Defender in 1980 was an evolution of the space shooter, and set the scene for future side-scrolling shootem-ups despite its simple graphics. It offered freedom of movement across a planet’s
surface along with a host of aliens to shoot. wvSimilarly, the top-down view seen in Xevious is often cited as the origin of the vertically scrolling shoot-em-up with the player’s ship at the bottom of the screen shooting upwards as the scenery slowly unravels below. SEGA’s Zaxxon was the first isometric game, complete with isometric scrolling simulating 3 dimensions with a 21 diametric projection. This technique was employed by many later games particularly strategy games of the early 90s with a pseudo 3D appearance that still fits the pixel grid.
Xevious was created by Namco in 1982.
Super Speed Racer was created by Midway in 1979.
Defender was created by Williams in 1980.
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sprite scaling Similarly, the use of sprite scaling resizing images on the fly is sometimes seen in games attempting to lend their otherwise flat graphics a sense of depth.
Radar Scope was created by Nintendo in 1979.
Turbo was created by Sega in 1981.
Early Nintendo shooter Radar Scope shrank sprites in the distance to give the impression that you were gazing across a plane of space the goal to repel any invaders. More impressive was the scenery in 1981’s Turbo although painted in garish colors, and with quite some distortion the effect is nonetheless outstanding when compared to other games from a similar time. The advent of 16 bit arcade hardware brought about more colors, and the ability to shift more pixels than ever before and SEGA’s “Super Scaler” tech in the mid 1980s blew everything else out of the water.
Hang-On was created by Sega in 1985.
Truly, a new era was beginning. Hang-On combined smooth sprite scaling with blistering frame rates and alongside its impressive lean-to-steer motorbike cabinet, it certainly made an impact at the arcades. Running on the same hardware was Space Harrier an into-the-screen rail shooter that would set a benchmark in sound and graphics, as well as establishing the basis for the Top-Gun inspired After Burner. Perhaps the most incredible graphics of the early 1980s were those seen in Dragon’s Lair leveraging the huge storage potential of laser disc technology, it was a bona-fide interactive movie. Too bad it wasn’t much fun to play. The middle of the 1980s saw the end of the arcade’s golden era, and the rise of the home consoles instead. Arcades would still rule the roost as far as graphical power was concerned, but the ground they broke earlier meant that cost-reduced home consoles could deliver both colorful graphics and smooth scrolling.
Space Harrier was created by Sega in 1985.
Dragon’s Lair was created by Cinematronics in 1983.
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Super Mario Bros. was created by Nintendo in 1985.
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There is a certain beauty in well designed pixel art. It speaks of a simpler era a time when sprites reigned supreme. Designed to move across a game’s play field, sprites are two dimensional images that represent the player, enemies, or other non static aspect of a game. Often drawn with the help of dedicated hardware, they have been an essential facet of computer graphics almost as long as games have existed. Early sprites were small in size and limited in palette, but as the pace of technology increased they became larger, more detailed, and much more colorful. Huge sprites meant huge arcade impact.
Street Fighter II was created by Capcom in 1991.
sprite supreme
Games like Strider were held in high regard for the sheer scale of the action towering characters and sweeping plasma swords. This was made possible by the powerful CPS-1 arcade board with custom sprite chips capable of drawing 25616 color sprites per scan line. This was the board that would power Street Fighter II a title which would set a benchmark within the fighting game genre, with large and diverse character sprites coupled with fluid action. It sent the popularity of fighting games skyward and kick started a new wave of arcade popularity. Graphics might not be important, but they certainly attract attention.â€
Punch-Out was created by Nintendo in 1984.
Strider was created by Capcom in 1989.
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parallax scrolling One technique that proved particularly popular during the 2D era was parallax scrolling: splitting the foreground or background into a number of layers which move at different rates, to give the impression of scene depth. Moon Patrol was one of the first games to make effective use of the technique, with its colorful mountain vista background. It’s a striking effect and home computer users were quick to imitate with games like Parallax on the Commodore 64 even named for the scrolling effect.
Moon Patrol was created by Irem in 1982.
By the time of the 16-bit machines, it was a far more attainable technical feat: and would become a common sight in 2D platformers. Shadow of The Beast’s colorful implementation impressed: and as hardware power increased, scenes became more complex: and the processing power of the SEGA Megadrive gave games like Sonic The Hedgehog more character than ever.
Shadow of the Beast was created by Reflections 1989.
Parallax was created by Sensible Software in 1986.
Sonic the Hedgehog was created by Sega in 1991.
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It was an era of cartoon mascots, and platformers were en vogue. The arcades were no stranger to animated heroes: tie-ins to popular television series such as the Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles or The Simpsons were major draws, and their frantic paced four-player action was the perfect fit for the social nature of such amusements. On the home consoles, the success of games like Mario and Sonic inspired a large number of similar games and the familiarity of film licenses made tie-ins like Aladdin a huge success. The colorful world and expressive animation of Disney gave the game a great visual grounding and ensured its place as a best seller.â€
The Simpsons Arcade Game was created by Konami in 1991.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wa created by Konami in 1989.
cartoon classics
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Earthworm Jim was created by Shiny Entertainment in 1993.
World 2: Yoshi’s Island embraced a painted aesthetic: rather than a push for showy effect or realistic appearance. It’s this style that helps the game’s visuals stand up today while it might not be technically impressive, there is a hand-drawn charm consistent throughout.
Disney’s Aladdin was created by Virgin in 1993.
Super Mario World 2 wa created by Nintendo in 1995.
Some characters were home-grown. Shiny Entertainment’s Earthworm Jim had all of the style and flair expected of the platform genre, but did so with a new creation: a powered-up worm wearing a cybernetic super suit. Its zany sense of humor and unique style made for a memorable close to the 16-bit era. Super Mario
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swan song By the mid 1990s, sprites were starting to become pass the focus was starting to shift towards a new wave of three dimensional games, and the potential that lay within another dimension. That’s not to say that 2D games went away entirely there were still plenty about, and the mature tech behind them made for some particularly impressive visuals towards the end of the decade. The lush sprite work in games like Metal Slug remains a pinnacle of the style unbound by color or size restriction, and with fantastic animation. Some games work best in 2D and while 3D fighting games eventually rose in popularity, there were still plenty of traditional sprite-based ones such as SNK’s long-running King of Fighters series. Beautiful, but a dying breed the best handdrawn sprites require good artists, however there are some techniques that serve as a passable alternative.
Metal Slug was created by SNK in 1996.
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The King of Fighters ‘98 was created by SNK in 1998.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves was created by SNK in 1999.
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rotoscoped animation Animation is a vital part of making movement in games believable and in the days before motion capture, some artists would draw from reality using a process called rotoscoping. The original Prince of Persia sprites are traced directly from video, an intensive technique, but one that delivers natural looking movement with realistic inertia. Similar techniques were used in other cinematic platforms, such as Another World and Flashback. Both made use of rotoscoping for in-game sprites and for cinematic cut scenes fluid in motion yet compact enough to fit on a couple of floppy disks.â€
Another World was created by Delphine Software in 1991.
Digitised sprites were fashionable for a while, using images taken directly from photographs or video of real-life subjects. The earliest example is Journey, which featured black and white images of the band but the
Flashback was created by Delphine Software in 1992.
Prince of Persia was created by Broderbun and Domark in 1998/90.
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technique wouldn’t become commonplace until the early 90s. Winners don’t use drugs nor do they have any qualms in slaughtering drug dealers by the dozen. Narc was a very early 32 bit arcade machine, with thousands of on-screen colors and hugely impressive digitised sprites for its time and unabashed ultra violence paired with realistic images certainly courts controversy. The realistic characters and large number of animation frames found in fighting games were a good fit for digitization. Reikai Doushi and Pit Fighter paved the way, but it was one game in particular that flung such sprites to
the forefront Mortal Kombat. Photo real characters and brutal action made the game a controversial one which in turn ensured its popularity. Like Streetfighter II before it, Mortal Kombat’s realistic sprites were particularly influential titles like ClayFighter were clearly molded in its image, and the previously hand-drawn riders of Road Rash were replaced by real bikers in the third installment. The impressively rendered Donkey Kong Country was perhaps the pinnacle of 2D 16 bit platforms colorful, beautifully animated and a smash hit to boot.
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ClayFighter was created by Visual Concepts in 1993.
Narc was created by Williams in 1988.
Digitised sprites were fashionable for a while and used images taken directly from photographs or video of real-life subjects. The earliest example is Journey, which featured black and white images of the band, but the technique wouldn’t become commonplace until the early 90s. Winners don’t use drugs , nor do they have any qualms in slaughtering drug dealers by the dozen. Narc was a very early 32-bit arcade machine, with thousands of on-screen colours and hugely impressive digitised sprites for its time, and unabashed ultra-violence paired with realistic images certainly courts controversy. The realistic characters and large number of animation frames found in fighting games were a good fit for digitisation.
Journey was created by Bally Midway in 1983.
digitised sprites
Mortal Kombat was created by Midway in 1992.
Reikai Doushi and Pit Fighter paved the way, but it was one game in particular that flung such sprites to the forefront: Mortal Kombat. Photo-real characters and brutal action made the game a controversial one which in turn ensured its popularity. Like Streetfighter II before it, Mortal Kombat’s realistic sprites were particularly influential. Titles like ClayFighter were clearly moulded in its image, and the previously hand-drawn riders of Road Rash were replaced by real bikers in the third instalment. The impressively-rendered Donkey Kong Country was perhaps the pinnacle of 2D 16-bit platformers: colourful, beautifully animated and a smash hit to boot.
Pit-Fighter was created by Atari in 1990.
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Myst was created by Cyan Software in 1993.
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multimedia advent The advent of multimedia technology meant more room for pre-rendered content and full motion video. Games like Myst took full advantage of the huge amount of storage space that CD’s brought enabling atmospheric pre-rendered backdrops. The serene island setting of Myst proved a shining example of what the emergent technology was capable of. Most early CD based games were pure tripe, however games like Night Trap for the SEGA CD are remembered not for their groundbreaking technology but instead
for their awfulness. All the bluster of new tech, and none of the impact. The future wasn’t in interactive movies and while the compact disc’s extra storage would become very useful in the years ahead FMV would eventually give way to games with more depth.
Microcosm was created by Psygnosis in 1993.
Night Trap was created by Digital Pictures in 1992.
The Need for Speed was created by Pioneer Productions in 1994.
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polygon realm
Battlezone was created by Atari in 1980.
Two dimensions are all very well and good, but even the earliest game developers yearned to extend into the third dimension. The ability to craft a virtual space, the forging of a polygon realm. Of course, with limited hardware it was no mean feat early 3D games were burdened with heavy compromise. The very first were limited to wire frame representations and although simple, games like Atari’s Battlezone could paint an immerse scene with just a few lines.
Similar tech was used to great effect in 1983’s Star Wars Arcade putting the player in the pilot seat of an X-Wing to recreate the attack on the Death Star, complete with trench run. Even the 8 bit home micros managed to get in on the wire frame action space trader Elite’s visuals might have been spartan, but the game offered a huge swathe of space to explore.
Star Wars was created by Atari in 1983.
Elite was created by Braben & Bell in 1984.
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I, Robot was created by Atari in 1984.
early systems without dropping the frame rate to unacceptable levels. The very first flat-shaded polygonal game was arcade title I, Robot all the way back in 1983. It was definitely ahead of its time, but a new paradigm is a tough sell, and the game would not prove a financial success.
The advanced hardware needed for 3D games and the decline in arcade interest over the next few years rendered them prohibitively expensive so it wouldn’t be until the end of the decade that 3D games would become more prevalent. As home computers became more powerful, certain genres would embrace flat-shaded polygons as a trademark of early flight simulators, which valued full freedom of movement over arcade action or graphical detail. Some driving games employed this technique, too Geoff Crammond’s Stunt Car Racer in 1989 had you driving at breakneck speed round a fanciful track complete with three dimension.
Stunt Car Racer was created by Microstyle in 1989.
The next logical step from wire frame polygons was to fill them with flat shading a simple effect, but still tricky to achieve on
F/A-18 was created by Intellisoft in 1988.
flat shading
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Mario Kart was created by Nintendo in 1992.
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Star Fox was created by Nintendo in 1993.
mode 7 and super fx Not content with dull flat-shading, some turned to hardware tricks to simulate 3D worlds and the Super NES Mode 7 could be considered a rudimentary form of texture mapping. It was only a half-measure, but an ideal way to introduce a 3D feel to classic 2D action and games like Super Mario Kart maintained a healthy frame rate while still giving the illusion of into-the-screen racing. The SuperFX co-processor included in carts like Star Fox enabled polygonal 3D graphics, blended with sprite scaling effects and other 2D elements. Offloading graphics onto another processor would prove a useful technique in the future but some machines would rely on sheer grunt instead. â€
Grand Prix Circuit was created by Distinctive Sofwtare in 1989.
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Wing Commander was created by Origin Systems in 1990.
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ibm compatibles IBM compatible PCs had the benefit of a modular design along with a price point far aloft from console hardware. This meant that by the early 90s, they could start to push graphical boundaries. However, early PC games could be pretty ugly 4 color CGA and 16 color EGA modes often left games with a distinctive, simple look. VGA graphics were a step up, offering 256 colors with far more nuance and a break from unnaturally bright shades. Early PC titles would sometimes make use of pre-rendered backgrounds games like Alone In The Dark reserved polygons only
for the player and enemies, with the remainder of the world painted as a bitmap. This technique is a useful one for preserving limited graphical power instead of rendering a full 3D scene, you can instead divert attention to more detailed character models. Some early games were more ambitious, taking a first-person perspective instead of a fixed camera view. Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss was an impressive game that took RPG’s into the third dimension and in turn would influence the rise of the first person shooter.
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One technique that made early texture mapped games viable was raycasting. It’s an efficient approach to scene rendering
Doom was created by id Sofwtare in 1993.
that focuses solely on what the player can see, and when combined with simple level geometry can be made quite performer. Wolfenstein 3D’s levels were built on a simple square grid, all on a single level this meant that the walls could be fully texture mapped, while the game remained
playable even on a modest PC. Wolfenstein is the grandfather of 3D shooters, but in terms of overall impact Doom was the daddy. Building on the Wolfenstein engine, Doom extended its feature set to permit levels with more organic design no more fixed grid maps, the addition of variable lighting, and elements at different elevations. As a result, Doom was more atmospheric, its locations more believable and paired with high-octane action it proved quite the success. It inspired a huge number of clones, and paved the way for the FPS genre as we know it today.
Wolfenstein 3D was created by id Sofwtare in 1992.
raycasting
Catacomb 3D was created by id Software in 1991.
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true 3d
Treading in the arcade’s footsteps, the fifth generation of consoles could more confidently tackle full 3D graphics, and so platforms like the Play Station and Nintendo 64 saw the rise of the polygon within a home setting. Super Mario 64 transplanted
the previously planar plumber into a colorful 3D world and would prove to be arguably the first successful 3D platform game. It blended the finest elements and charm of previous Mario titles with new technology full freedom of movement and a dynamic camera system that permitted exploration without frustration. Play Station had its own 3D platforming heroes, with games like Crash Bandicoot and despite the low polygon count afforded by the hardware, its characters are expressive and its art style charming. These games were not only technically impressive they were fun to play true 3D games were a novelty no more, and instead an integral part of mainstream gaming.
Super Mario 64 was created by Nintendo in ]1996.
Many of these early games were reliant on tricks to simulate a 3D world limited geometry, the use of sprites or other time-saving hacks. True texture-mapped 3D games required a great deal of processing power, and so it wasn’t really until the second half of the 1990s that such games took hold. Vanguards of hardware, the arcades led the way with titles like Ridge Racer although dated today, at the time it was universally praised for its sound and graphics.
Crash Bandicoot was created by Naughty Dog in ]1996.
Ridge Racer [PS1] was created by Namco in ]1994.
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Magic Carpet was created by Bullfrog in 1994.
Descent was created by id Software in 1996.
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important example of early software rendering full 3D without shortcuts or compromise. Id software were prime innovators within the PC gaming space and not content with the countless clones their creations spawned, they set the bar even higher with the release of Quake. Quake was very much a true 3D game gone were the sprites and lack of vertical aiming of Doom, replaced with polygonal enemies, weapon view models and biaxial aiming. Quake, in all its brown hued lovecraftian glory, was a prelude to the next wave of 3D graphics development.
Quake was created by Parallax Software in 1994.
While console hardware arrives in discrete generations, the pace of PC development is continuous and with the popularity of PC gaming post Doom, there was no shortage of 3D titles. Magic Carpet was an interesting attempt at transplanting Bullfrog’s earlier god game formula into a third person perspective. Hugely impressive from a technical perspective, although its game play was slightly lacking and was otherwise overshadowed by more conventional games of the era. Descent was notable for its six degrees of movement, permitting full exploration of its maze like mines. A peculiar blend of space shooter and Doom clone, it stands as an
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voxels
Outcast was created by Appeal in 1999.
One final footnote worth a mention are voxels volumetric pixels, an alternate approach to polygon construction. Instead of triangular faces, objects are built from 3D pixels essentially building blocks, polygon construction. Instead of triangular faces, objects are built from 3D pixels essentially building blocks, in a manner similar to Minecraft. Ideal for carving out terrain from height maps, games like Delta Force and Outcast are an interesting example of what would prove to be an evolutionary deadend. Although voxels showed some promise, any progress was nipped in the bud by the rise of 3D acceleration. With dedicated hardware games now had the power to construct smooth and detailed worlds without compromise. The magic of hardware acceleration was about to unfold.â€
Delta Force was created by Novalogic in 1998.
Unreal was created by Epic and Digital Extremes in 1998.
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voodoo It powered games like Winning Run, and was the first arcade board specifically designed to accelerate polygonal 3D graphics. Others followed suit and in the arms race at the arcades, hardware 3D graphics would become the attract mode. Similar hardware assistance found its way into the home consoles, too the Super NES Super FX chip-set was a latecomer to the fourth gen, and provided faster polygon rendering.
Half-Life was created by Valve in 1998.
Three dimensional games were clearly the future but traditional computer architecture was not designed to fit. Early accelerator cards like 3DFX’s Voodoo unlocked CPU rendering limits, and saw a bloom in the potential of 3D gaming. Faster frame rates, higher resolutions and better graphics than ever before. Like so many visual firsts, the earliest hardware assistance for 3D games can be found in the Arcades, 2D tricks were old hat by the late 80’s and so the 3D tech provided by Namco’s System 21 Polygonizer was a no-brainer.
Driver’s Eye was created by Namco in 1990.
Far Cry was created by Crytek in 2004.
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By the fif th generation, a graphical co-processor was a must polygons were hot, and the hardware had to match. Once 3D cards reached the PC market, they quickly became a must have accessory for gaming and the modular nature of PCs has helped them to establish unchallenged graphical dominance since. Games like Doom and Quake pushed sales of powerful 486 and Pentium class CPUs and when paired with a dedicated GPU, not much could touch the PC’s power. paired with a dedicated GPU, not much could touch the PC’s power.
Half-Life 2 was created by Valve in 2004.
Unreal II: The Awakening was created by Legend Entertainment in 2003.
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first person sequel It was first person shooters that garnered the most attention for their graphics with games like GLQuake getting early support for 3D acceleration. By 1998, the first wave of shooters designed to take advantage of such hardware started to roll out and the first Unreal was certainly a head turner in
Doom 3 was created by id Software in 2004.
its day. With a silky smooth frame rate, colored lighting, detailed textures and level geometry Unreal and its engine would quickly become associated with cutting edge graphics. Its technology would go on to power many other games more than just an impressive looking demo, Unreal would prove to be a powerful and portable platform id Software’s tech behind Quake would see similar.
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brown
games used became quite the trend for a while, with developers desaturating colors as part of an effort towards realism. The origin of the style can be traced to Quake, with its subdued tones imparting a gothic industrial charm but an aversion to bright colors would later permeate games across all genres. The minimalistic approach of
Shadow of the Colossus was reflected in its palette choice with subdued tones complementing the games restrained style. Other uses are less fitting the dull yellowed tones of Need For Speed Most Wanted are consistent throughout giving the game a certain unified look, but crushing the color gamut in the process. Although the excessive use of brown has abated slightly in recent years, it does still crop up duller tones are a good fit for post apocalyptic settings, after all.â€
Shadow of the Colossus was created by Team Ico in 2005.
It seems that the popularity of World War Two shooters during this time left a lasting impression. The gritty brown hues these
Need for Speed: Most Wanted was created by EA in 2005.
Call of Duty 2 was created by Infinity Ward in 2005.
Gears of War was created by Epic Games in 2006.
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bleed into their surroundings as though viewed through a cinematic lens smeared with vaseline the effect intended to make bright objects appear brighter. One of the first games to make use of this effect was Ico with its soft lighting reinforcing a naturalistic style. The technique become more popular in the wake of Monolith’s Tron 2.0 the neon like glow a fitting addition to emulate the original film’s visuals.
Tron 2.0 was created by Monolith in 2003.
Brown was but one trademark of this era and it was a common counterpart to another blinding effect in bloom. Bright objects
TES IV Oblivion was created by Bethesdas in 2006.
bloom
The techniques they used were detailed in an article, and since then the effect has found its way into many other titles. Overdone bloom is a common criticism levied at games of this era It can be a convincing effect when subtle, but when presented with a novel tool, developers are not always known for their restraint. More recently, the effect has been toned down and can help an otherwise flat looking scene by simulating the higher dynamic range of natural light or by adding a touch of cyberpunk inspired neon flair.â€
Deus Ex Invisible War was created by Iron Storm in 2003.
Ico was created by Team Ico in 2001.
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While dull tones and cinematic effects are both intended to inject realism into games some took a more stylized approach instead. Cel-shading is the deliberate use of flat color and inked outlines to give 3D images a cartoon-like appearance. Early titles like Jet Set Radio embraced the style, and catapulted it into prominence and it served as a pleasant reminder that not every game has to drudgingly adhere to reality. The style can be divisive, however The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker’s visuals are striking, but the game’s sales are overshadowed by the much more successful Ocarina of Time, a fact sometimes attributed to the cartoon style.
Jet Set Radio wa created by Smilebit in 2000.
Auto Modellista wa created by Capcom in 2002.
cel shading
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TLoZ The Wind Waker was created by Nintendo in 2002 and remastered for HD in 2013.
start of the seventh console generation, and marks our arrival in a contemporary era. The 3D technology was mature, and hardware more powerful than ever so where do we go from here? â€
Borderlands was created by Gearbox in 2009.
Cel shading marks a deliberate shift in focus towards a cohesive aesthetic instead of photorealism. This was a departure from a time when every new game was expected to make a major leap forward in visuals an important realization as video game budgets spiral ever upwards. The middle of the millennial decade ushered in the
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future crises a nanosuit, and its predator like ability to cloak. The game was also ridiculously good looking. It asserted the PC’s graphical dominance once more and embarrassed the newly hatched Gen-7 consoles and yet few would follow in imitation. Its need for a particularly powerful machine led to the game becoming a standard punchline for hardware requirements news of a new supercomputer is all very well and good. But can it run Crysis? Perhaps this was a limiting factor in the game’s success why risk the investment, when there are doubts as to how well it might run?
Cysis wa created by Crytek in 2007.
A new generation had arrived. The future was here, and the future was Crysis. Crytek were already known for pushing boundaries with their previous title, Far Cry. Its lush tropical setting and open ended game play provided leverage for the impressive tech to shine huge draw distances, detailed foliage, and expansive levels. Ubisoft retained ownership of the Far Cry franchise, and so Crytek set out to push technical limits further with a new IP. Crysis mirrors Far Cry with its island setting and open ended game play, but this time came with the addition of weapon customization,
Guitar Hero II wa created by Harmonix in 2006.
Wii Sports wa created by Nintendo in 2006.
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The market gets narrower as you get closer to the bleeding edge, and pushing forward graphical technology won’t always pay dividends. Instead, it was the gimmicks of casual gaming that led the charts during this era the Wii wasn’t impressive from a graphical perspective but everyone wanted one anyway. Even amidst the core gamer market, franchises like Guitar Hero and Rock Band would prove to be particularly lucrative. A seed of doubt. Perhaps graphics aren’t that important after all.
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Limbo wa created by Playdead in 2010.
The rise of indie games in recent years is further evidence their lower budgets mean a greater ability to deviate from AAA norms. Some games purposefully evoke a bygone era drawing from a rich history of graphics a palette of styles steeped in nostalgia. VVVVVV’s visuals are heavily influenced by the Commodore 64, for instance sticking to the same sprite size and palette limitations of the classic hardware, despite the abilities of contemporary machines. For all the milestones passed, indie games are not afraid to regress with some games even eschewing basic convenience, such as color.
VVVVVV wa created by T. Cavanagh in 2010.
indie scene
Fez wa created by Polytron in 2012.
The completely desaturated Limbo does help craft the game’s gloomy tone dark silhouettes reminiscent of shadow theatre an uneasy audience witness to grisly death. On the brighter side, the cartoon heroes of yesteryear hold a very dear place in many hearts and it’s easy to see the influence of classic platforms in games like Super Meat Boy. Titles like this are not simple retro remakes, however they bring with them a more modern sense of game design, and sometimes a twist of modern mechanics the time warping effects in Braid, for instance or the dimensional geometry bending seen in Fez.
Super Meat Boy wa created by Team Meat in 2010.
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Hero Core wa created by D. Remar in 2010.
Braid wa created by Number None in 2008.
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The Light wa created by S. Noskov in 2012.
There are plenty of indie games with realistic graphics but a freer license to explore aesthetic without expectation has seen some games forge a unique identity through their appearance. The blocky terrain and low resolution textures of Minecraft are one of the game’s most distinctive features. The simple style plays into a retro cool, but the
expansive worlds, social multiplayer and limitless potential for creativity are very much based on modern innovations. It’s the perfect junction between old and new and as a result with impressively broad appeal. When you consider its success, Minecraft serves as very strong support for the argument that graphics don’t matter.
Rogue Legacy wa created byCellar Door in 2013.
Minecraft wa created by Mojang in 2009.
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The Last of Us wa created by Naughty Dog in 2013.
Grand Theft Auto V wa created by Rockstar in 2013.
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ARMA 3 wa created by Bohemia Interactive in 2013.
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back to reality However those enamored with photorealism, fret not despite all this indie nonsense we have made some progress in the seven years since Crysis. If there’s one thing the fixed hardware of consoles is good for, it’s optimization the Xbox 360 and PS3 have had every drop of potential squeezed out of them over their lifespan. The culmination of a generation led to games like the Last of Us for the PS3 with graphics far beyond anything from the first half of the system’s existence. Similarly, the open world of Grand Theft Auto V is hugely impressive in scope considering the limited resources available. Titles like these stretch the modest abilities of eight-year-old hardware to its limit but on the other hand, PCs boast unrestrained power and such
potential shines in games designed to take advantage of top tier hardware. After all, why bother having a gaming PC if all you’re going to play are console ports? Purebred PC games like ARMA can indulge in detailed graphics and expansive open worlds safe in the knowledge that the game won’t have to endure any compromise. The later Crysis sequels did make their way onto the consoles, but the game remains at home on the hardware that best does it justice. The power of the PC is a much touted thing and while the average spec is more modest than some might admit, for the enthusiast’s tier a world of blistering graphics awaits. And if the base standard of commercial offerings fails to impress, then there’s always the option of mods.
Far Cry 4 was created by Ubisoft in 2014.
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next gen With the recent arrival of a new console generation, there has been a long needed jump in the visual standard of mainstream games. Most of these early gen titles are nothing more than cross-gen ports, but there are some unifying trends emerging in those that embrace raised performance caps. Like brown and bloom before, game developer’s love for cinematic effects knows no bounds and so we’re enduring
a fashion for some new showy effects. Most seem intent to replicate the flaws inherent in lenses and cameras, and to disguise the otherwise clean digital nature of computer graphics. Cinematic realism is alive and well.
Ryse Son of Rome was created by Crytek in 2013.
Kill Zone Shadow Fall was created by Guerilla Games in 2013.
Assassin’s Creed was created by Ubisoft in 2013.
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chromatic aberration
Destiny was created by Bungie in 2014.
Chromatic aberration is a recent addition to some games simulating the divergence of different light wavelengths towards the perimeter of the screen. It’s entirely deliberate. And entirely artificial. â€
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare was created by Sledgehammer Games in 2014.
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depth of field Simulating depth of field is another effect lifted straight from photography selectively blurring a scene based on focal distance, casting a sharp plane in a sea of soft blur. This is normally reserved for cut scenes, or in select cases such as aiming down a weapon’s sight it’s difficult to implement convincingly without tracking the player’s eyes precisely.
Forza Horizon 2 was created by Playground Games in 2014.
Sniper Elite 3 was created by Rebellion in 2014.
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motion blur Motion blur is an artifact of continuous movement captured in discrete frames a simulation of exposure time, with blurred streaks left in the wake of rapid movement. It is no substitute for a higher frame rate, but it can help smooth the appearance of motion no matter the refresh rate, it will provide some interstitial information and otherwise enhance the sensation of speed.â€
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bloom 2.0 the human eye isn’t a camera, these imperfections can add a sheen of authenticity. Such techniques are relatively new and will go overused as a result but with time, they
Halo 4 was created by 343 Industries in 2012.
should become subtler and join an ever increasing palette of visual tricks.
Metro Last Light Redux was created by 4A Games in 2014.
If you thought bloom was bad, then you won’t care much for the next-gen equivalent improbably massive light flares, and the illumination of dust and grease on a filter plane. Like a layer of filth that no cleaning can shift, throwing stuff at the screen is a popular way to convey a sense of a scene’s environment. All of these effects are designed to sell the illusion of reality and while
introduction
Game INDEX
05 Editorial
48
Another World
06
Press Start
82
Auto Modellista
pixel pioneers
56 Battlezone
10
Full Color Graphics
16
Pixels VS Plot
22
Smooth Scrolling
10
Boot Hill
79
Call Of Duty 2
67
Catacomb 3D
52 Clayfighter
Sprite Supreme
28
Sprite Scaling
34
Sprite Supreme
23 Defender
38
Parallax Scrolling
73
40
Cartoon Classics
70 Descent
44
Swan Song
81
Deus Ex Invisible War
48
Rotoscoped Animation
17
Dig Dug
52
Digitised Sprites
41
Disney’s Aladdin
54
Multimedia Advent
77
Doom 3
69
Crash Bandicoot
Delta Force
67 Doom
Third Dimesion
56
Polygon Realm
61
Flat Shading
63
Mode 7 and Super FX
65
IBM Compatibles
67 Raycasting 68
True 3D
72 Voxels
Voodoo Bloom
29
Dragon’s Lair
75
Driver’s Eye
41
Earthworm Jim
57 Elite 61 F/A-18 75
Far Cry
49 Flashback 11 Galaxian
74 Voodoo
45
Garou Mark Of The Wolves
77
79
Gears Of War
First Person Sequel
78 Brown
10 Gotcha
80 Bloom
64
Grand Prix Circuit
76
Half-Life 2
82
Cel Shading
New Generation
84
Future Crises
91
Back to Reality
92
Next Gen
94
Chromatic Aberration
95
Depth of Field
96
Motion Blur
97
Bloom 2.0
74 Half-Life 29 Hang-On 81 Ico 11
Indy 4
61
I, Robot
82
Jet Set Radio
52 Journey
70
Magic Carpet
80
The Elder Scrolls Iv Oblivion
63
Mario Kart
45
The King Of Fighters
44
Metal Slug
56
The Need For Speed
56 Microcosm
40
The Simpsons Arcade Game
38
Moon Patrol
80
Tron 2.0
53
Mortal Kombat
28 Turbo
54 Myst 76 52 Narc 79
Need For Speed Most Wanted
56
Night Trap
72 Outcast 11 Pac-Man 39 Parallax 53 Pit-Fighter 07 Pong 49
Prince Of Persia
35 Punch-Out 71 Quake 28
Radar Scope
69
Ridge Racer
39
Shadow Of The Beast
78
Shadow Of The Colossus
39
Sonic The Hedgehog
29
Space Harrier
06
Space Invaders
16
Space Wars
17
Star Cruiser
63
Star Fox
57
Star Wars
34
Street Fighter Ii
35 Strider 61
Stunt Car Racer
68
Super Mario 64
34
Super Mario Bros.
41
Super Mario World 2
23
Super Speed
40
Teenage Mutan Ninja Turtles
16
Tennis For Two
Unreal II The Awakening
73 Unreal 65
Wing Commander
67
Wolfenstein 3D
23 Xevious 22 Zaxxon
“A Brief History of Graphics”, is the title of a video uploaded by the user Ahoy on youtube, which I made into a book. The video was uploaded on January 18th of 2015, and last seen online in June of 2015. This book was made for academic purposes only. The typeface used for this text was Univers, a sans-serif typeface created by Adrian Frutiger in 1954. Andreia Sousa FBAUP — 2015
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