Gaming trends: upcoming challenges?
Gaming trends: upcoming challenges?
Hi there, I've noticed a concern about the pace of graphical improvements in games. It seems my perspective might be based on personal feelings rather than facts. Are developers really not pushing for better visual quality? It appears we're mainly concentrating on higher resolutions and faster frame rates with new hardware, while games themselves remain unchanged. In the near future, I wonder if the main challenge for PC gaming will be the games themselves rather than our equipment. By 2030, with a modest $500 build featuring 18-core processors and limited VRAM, will we still experience the same gameplay as in 2014?
Everything will progress step by step. HDR will become the standard, with higher resolution and frame rates. As better hardware emerges, game engines must be updated to take advantage of it. Texture quality will improve significantly, and physics effects will be added throughout—from the ground up to smoke, rain, snow, and even wind calculations. The main challenge will likely be the financial constraints of consumers. Eventually, games will become much more complex, requiring larger budgets to develop them. This will raise costs, leading to prices around 120 to 150 for standard releases—excluding DLC.
I believe many games will become much more realistic, and why should higher FPS be less important? I’ve heard the human eye can perceive up to 1000 FPS. I’m not sure, but experiencing 1000 FPS in VR and 8K might feel very smooth and lifelike, even if the visuals don’t improve much.
Consoles are stuck in a tech bind, but PCs bring fresh updates that outshine old standards. High refresh rates and powerful GPUs are becoming the norm, pushing pixel density to new heights. Focus on smooth 144fps performance rather than chasing 4K perfection. The industry is moving beyond basic models, using engines like UE or Frostbite to create hyperrealistic scenes. Designers are mastering sculpting techniques, achieving quality that rivals high-end rendering. This isn’t just about graphics—it’s about pushing the limits of what hardware can handle, making every frame count.
You looked at the development timeline of several games, starting with World of Tanks in 2010. It received a major graphics overhaul in 2018, resulting in two distinct renderer versions—one unchanged from 2010 with tweaks, and another updated in 2018. The improvements are substantial. The development team even released a video explaining their graphics progress.
You're curious about how far gaming has come. It seems like a big gap between what you remember from 2014 and what's available today. Just look at the games you've seen lately—Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Metal Gear, Phantom Rain, Witcher, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and even FIFA. Each feels like a leap forward compared to the past. What do you think drives this progress?
Also keep in mind that major projects follow a development phase with evolving hardware, requiring adjustments in programming. Don't overlook the fact that developers face constraints on hardware capabilities when targeting consoles. You might create an impressive game, but if only a tiny fraction of players have the right setup, it won't recoup your investment.
Essentially it's a rough oversimplification, but the idea is that graphics have reached their point of diminishing returns for a while. The time between GTA 4 and GTA 5 on various platforms is similar to the gap between N64 Goldeneye and Halo 2. Still, I don't believe graphics are even ten percent as crucial as art style and direction. That's why Super Mario 64 remains enjoyable to watch in 2018, and why Kane & Lynch 2 initially looked poor and deteriorated further over time. Overall, impressive visuals alone don't guarantee a great game.
It's clear I've observed these trends too. Games with top-quality photorealistic visuals from a decade ago often feel outdated now. On the flip side, titles that embrace an intentionally unrealistic style tend to hold up better over time. Beyond just the character's facial design, details like shadows, lighting effects, and object interactions are becoming more refined. I'm interested in how a character's appearance changes in real-world conditions—like sweat on their clothing during rain, footprints in snow, or how they react to handling items. The way they drink, the realism of glass pouring, facial expressions under sunlight, and even the feel of a sword's scabbard are all important. And those subtle animations, like squinting in bright light or the movement of a sword's hilt?
To some extent I concur with your perspective, yet I believe you overlook several important aspects. First, a $500 build won't guarantee 18 cores at 8.0 GHz. Moore's law is slowing due to diminishing returns, and I doubt we'll reach a chip with a base of 6.0 in the next 15-20 years without a major leap into quantum computing—perhaps not even in consumer devices. Second, while many focus on typical 2D games, VR could reshape gaming in the future. It offers vast room for visual enhancement and demands significantly more powerful hardware, while also opening possibilities for immersive room-scale holographic experiences. Third, graphics have improved considerably, which explains the revival of games like Undertale where high-quality visuals aren't necessary. Now players prioritize compelling narratives and engaging gameplay over raw graphics. This shift reflects how gamers' preferences are evolving.