The Changing face of Graphics... (for the none belivers) :P

[locutus12]

High res images, make sure you zoom in if your browser auto resizes

http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy1.jpg
http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy2.jpg
http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy3.jpg

Three of the best I could find without firing the game up. HL2 is an awesome game with a really efficient engine, capable of running on lower end systems at decent quality but equally capable of stunning high quality visuals as in the above shots.

You just cannot play that game with all the bells and whistles on and not think: Wow, that looks damn good!

picture 2, that marble pillar, it looks real?! as does the gun and glove!! mine didnt look that good must go back and check the settings...

 

[ob1]

Hl2 does scale well, still playable and looks okie even on integrated geforce 4

 

[nO}{8]

ive been hearing a lot of people saying recently that "we have all this hardware but our games are crap" and "games havent advanced that much in the last ten years" and a few other comments...

no youve missheard people when they say this what they actually mean is "games havent advanced much in the past ten years, in gameplay" hl1 plays nearly the same as as hl2. technology has advanced loads, but gameplay has not moved one inch.

 

[matt100]

when I see stuff like that it makes me wonder...

I mean I like shooting stuff... I don't want to have a cup of tea simulator or a shopping level.. if it ain't broke eh?

 

[Black Dog]

Advancements in graphics are fine but it's the gameplay and content of the games that matter.

I think most games delevopers are finding it harder and harder to find original and new ideas.

 

[MoNkeE]

no youve missheard people when they say this what they actually mean is "games havent advanced much in the past ten years, in gameplay" hl1 plays nearly the same as as hl2. technology has advanced loads, but gameplay has not moved one inch.

No he didn't. Read the "PHOTO REALISTIC GRAPHICS!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT NEXT????????????" thread.

-RaZ

 

[Zefan]

I stand officially corrected and actually quite chuffed that I was wrong

Nice collection of shots and a nice thread

 

[PinkFloyd]

High res images, make sure you zoom in if your browser auto resizes

http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy1.jpg
http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy2.jpg
http://www.bit-tech.net/content_images/lost_coast_benchmark/eyecandy3.jpg

Three of the best I could find without firing the game up. HL2 is an awesome game with a really efficient engine, capable of running on lower end systems at decent quality but equally capable of stunning high quality visuals as in the above shots.

You just cannot play that game with all the bells and whistles on and not think: Wow, that looks damn good!

Thats HL2 lost coast. thats cheating
It has better graphics and the textures iirc were definetly better than the main game. Although I'm yet to try it on my 7900gt with it maxed out.

UT2004 is still a great looking game in my mind, the details textures make textures looks so much better, without sucking resources. most textures are 1024x1024, with the detail textures on top they can look twice that. And to think I used to play it on full with a 9500pro.

Unreal Engine 3 vs Crysis2
Should be a big big fight

 

[HeX]

Thats HL2 lost coast. thats cheating
It has better graphics and the textures iirc were definetly better than the main game. Although I'm yet to try it on my 7900gt with it maxed out.

UT2004 is still a great looking game in my mind, the details textures make textures looks so much better, without sucking resources. most textures are 1024x1024, with the detail textures on top they can look twice that. And to think I used to play it on full with a 9500pro.

Unreal Engine 3 vs Crysis2
Should be a big big fight

HL2 : Episode 1

1280x1024 4xAA 8xAnniso HDR (some have been resized)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/1.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/2.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/3.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/4.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/5.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/6.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/7.jpg

Enjoy.

 

[XD-3]

Thats HL2 lost coast. thats cheating
It has better graphics and the textures iirc were definetly better than the main game. Although I'm yet to try it on my 7900gt with it maxed out.

UT2004 is still a great looking game in my mind, the details textures make textures looks so much better, without sucking resources. most textures are 1024x1024, with the detail textures on top they can look twice that. And to think I used to play it on full with a 9500pro.

Unreal Engine 3 vs Crysis2
Should be a big big fight

Unreal Engine 3 vs Crysis2
Should be a big big fight

On DX10 ATI Xfire with a third card for phsyx i can see it now

30" dell
X3 X2100 XT-X's
and 7.1 surround on an X-FI Elite pro

I have the last part just need the 3 cards and the dell lol

XD-3

 

[XD-3]

HL2 : Episode 1

1280x1024 4xAA 8xAnniso HDR (some have been resized)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/1.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/2.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/3.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/4.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/5.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/6.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.bushby2/hl2ep1/7.jpg

Enjoy.

All i can say is stunning i have put of getting this until i play HL2 again so i can get back into the swing after 360'in it for weeks but i think a HL2 bing is on the cards so i can get EP1 and play strait after

Thanks for though's pics you have restored some of the PC faith over the 360

XD-3 PS: just need DX10 and then the 360 will take a back seat once again for the rain of the pc to comence lol

 

[titaniumx3]

HL2 is the best game engine in my opinion (followed closely by Farcry). The thing I liked about it is the atmosphere and ambience it creates in outdoor environments, combined with the subtle sounds it's incredibly realistic and creates a genuine feeling of immensity and distance. This screenshot is from one of the coast scenes and while it isn't as graphically realistic as some games, the end presentation is simply outstanding; pictures don't really do it justice.

I also think the Doom 3 engine is great for its intended purpose but feel it is a little too intense in its use of shaders and a bit monotonous. I also miss the quirkiness from the original doom games and the classic demon styling (i.e. the horns and goat feet). I can remember nearly crapping my pants when I first encountered the cyberdemon in D2!

 

[PinkFloyd]

The thing I liked about it is the atmosphere and ambience it creates in outdoor environments

Hmm odd, I personally thought thats where it was most lacking. Visually the game is good, (lacking in a few areas - mainly effects and some textures) but it lacked atmosphere

 

[locutus12]

Hmm odd, I personally thought thats where it was most lacking. Visually the game is good, (lacking in a few areas - mainly effects and some textures) but it lacked atmosphere

if your talking about Half Life 2, then you must have missed something, the out door parts were down right creepy, especially the abandoned highway.

 

[Naj]

if your talking about Half Life 2, then you must have missed something, the out door parts were down right creepy, especially the abandoned highway.

That, and even more so, Ravehnholm. Man i don't know why but i hate playing games when the setting is in low lights, gives me the jeepers!

 

[Conman]

The graphic just got better and better, however, the most important thing about game is the Design of the game itself. The story and the smooth interface which lead us to excitment.

Many games on the market have eye candy graphic and many of them are really XXXX.

 

[Gashman]

lol, im sorry and i know im gonna get flamed to hell for saying this, but those high resolution, eye-candy HL2 shots still don't look as fantastic as people rant on about HL2 being, the first screenshot, the only thing thats particularly good is the water, the reflection in the ground infront and the over exposure, thats literally it as far as i can see. don't bother saying im blind, because im just telling you what i can see on the screen, it looks badly textured (especially the distant objects) and too computer generated, same problem far cry has as well no matter what resolution or effects you play with, i am still with my initial statement that GRAW looks better, and so does quake 4, sorry but thats just what i see on the screen infront of me

 

[KizZ]

Nice work there Locutus. Physics chage as well

 

[PinkFloyd]

if your talking about Half Life 2, then you must have missed something, the out door parts were down right creepy, especially the abandoned highway.

I'm guessing you haven't played FEAR.
Thats atmosphere.

 

[v-zero]

HL2 is stonking game, but its far from best visually, would easily rate GRAW, quake 4, etc. higher

GRAW is horribly ugly, and it doesn't make up for this by running well or being a half-decent game. I have it on 360, and on PC. I have SLi 7900gts, and it still runs like a half-dead Llama and is incurably irritating to play...
I think metallic environments and player/character movement looks very good on the Doom3 engine(especially with Quake4), but otherwise it is lacking.
Oblivion looks great, not a whole load to pick on there - the game can be limited by its massive scale (if you catch my drift).

HL2 with mods still looks very pretty, and Far Cry still makes me smile... A tropical environment does a lot to show off the possibilities and limitations of an engine, and in this was Far Cry was well ahead of the curve.

However, my choice for best looking, and best designed engine (released) goes to that of FEAR. Everything looks/sounds great in that game. Sparks from bullets, clever but not over-exaggerated kick-back from auto weapons, the satisfying screams of the enermy AI, radio chatter, dark corners - Even gimmicky "bullet-time" has some serious splendour to it... I could go on, the engine has a surreal amount of polish to it... Its only drawback seems to be performance. For an SM2 (proving that SM2 can be just as good as most SM3) game, it takes a hell of a lot of graphical power - but if you've got that power, the game screams excess...

IMHO anyway...