As processor speeds increase and game development technology improves, photo-realistic graphics have become ubiquitous. However, as I watch my daughter discover her favorite games, I wonder if high-definition graphics matter at all.

Having grown up in the 1980s, I witnessed firsthand the evolution of graphics from arcade classics such as space invaders and Pac-Man to more intense immersive experiences like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Kombat. If you asked me which game was the most fun and engaging, I’m pretty sure the answer would not depend on graphic quality.

2-D or 3-D

For the past week or so my capstone student developer team has been discussing the look and feel of our final project. The project will include the ability to edit and play board games. This has made me wonder about the benefits of 2-D games with simple graphics vs 3-D games with more immersive photo realistic graphics. Granted, I don’t anticipate anyone in my program developing high definition in-game cinematics, but making these considerations as an important part of game development.

Since we started the project, I’ve had a few opportunities to think about the types of games my 10 year old daughter plays. In particular, she enjoys Roblox, Minecraft and the 2-D chess platform Lichess. All three games could be considered “Lo Fi“. While Minecraft and Roblox are 3-D, their focus is primarily on simplicity and massive online interactivity. Similar to my group’s project, Roblox allows individuals to create games and play levels.

Roblox – Adopt Me! has had 3.0 billion plays on Roblox. Image Credit: Roblox

The Demands of Immersive Gameplay

Many video game players have become accustomed to an immersive experience. For example, first person shooter style games such as Crysis have lead the way in interactive surroundings and high definition graphics. However, they have often been notoriously demanding on PCs and processors.

Similarly, open world style games such as Red Dead Redemption allow the player to travel across wide landscapes and interact with a sandbox-style environment. In my days as a video game tester, I worked on an open world project that presented considerable demands for the developers. In particular, they had to design the game in such a way that objects loaded into the world only when the player approached them. They had to avoid objects appearing to “pop-in” to the player’s field division. Often, using artfully placed fog or other artistic elements can help camouflage this effect. In the case of the beloved Red Dead Redemption, an immersive gameplay experience when coupled with a good story line has proven to be an extremely effective.

In my daughter’s case, she has been exposed to a variety of styles of games. However, at this point, she gets the most amusement out of Roblox. It allows her to interact with others and screenshot awkward visual bugs. Although I’m sure it’s not the intent of the developers, allowing users – particularly kids – to design their own level result in a lot of wacky chaos that young players find particularly entertaining. Like Minecraft, the 3-D graphics in Roblox are simplistic and block-like, easy for young players to manipulate and understand. There is no true realism but a very basic sense of physics that can be used to design levels.

The discussion of whether or not “good graphics” are needed in a game has been going on since the beginning of video games. The conclusion always seems to be somewhere in the middle – it depends on the goal of your game design. If it’s a lightweight, social experience that you’re going for, no need to rely heavily on graphics. But if you are looking for a realistic immersive experience, it’s worth investing in quality graphics.