How important is the graphic quality of a pokemon game?

[Phi-Bi]

This is the first time I start a new topic so pardon me if I'm putting this in the wrong section.

Anyway to the point of the question: how important is the graphic quality of a pokemon game? I mean graphic in general is important in a game since it's the medium to tell the game plot. However do you really pay attention to the detail of the graphic quality? Is it intriguing for you specifically in pokemon fan game to not having game graphic in top quality? Do you appreciate custom graphics from Pokemon fan game? If you say there is a Reborn fan mod with updated graphics (let's say 4th gen or 5th gen), do you really appreciate it? (and just ignore that such fan mod will be a huge and rather impossible to be done, I just want to ilustrate the question here...)

To sum it up, I just want to know what's everyone's opinion about the importance of the graphic quality in a game specifically pokemon fan game~

[kirlial]

I find there's a trend between nicer graphics and better fangames though I wouldn't say the graphics themselves matter to me very much. I'll appreciate if they're more detailed, yes, but it wouldn't fundamentally change my opinion of the game, I can still enjoy a game even if it uses default graphics. Honestly, I also love when fangames use gen 2 graphics; maybe it's the nostalgia but they're very charming.

However, I think it's vital that you have the correct graphics to match what the game is trying to show. For instance, if a game ventured into something like the bottom of a well then I think the graphics should make that environment seem believable - the may necessitate some custom graphics. Even if it's only a few small tiles, such as having a broken bridge, or broken glass, the graphics need to make the broken bridge look convincing. It would be slightly jarring if the graphics didn't match what the area is supposed to look like.

All this assumes that the maps themselves are relatively well constructed but if it's a badly done map then it doesn't really matter how nice the graphics are.

[laggless01]

You forget that those gens also had very different aesthetics outside perhaps the pokemon themselves compared to gen 3 and even amongst each other. Graphics alone don't make a game 's visual appearance, they merely increase fidelity. A game with great graphics can still look ugly af (on that topic:

)
Yeah, those aesthetics (coupled with the graphics they're designed for) would make the game look really beautiful (imagine gen 5 panoramic views of the city...one can dream, hey).
And having separate move animations makes the game less dull and adds to immersion and replay value (you don't use all moves in a run per se...).
It's always a plus if your game looks good. But even if reborn had such aesthetics and graphical quality, if the story/game was dull, I would've tuned out after a short while. As example, Omicron is a snooze compared to this game, but one can argue it looks nicer at times (moving shadows? pretty cool).

[Cobalt996]

I like good graphics if the rest of the game is still remembered. A game can be beautiful, but if the maker disregards the other key components (plot, mechanics, etc), the graphics don't just make the game "good," leading to greater initial sales, but a small long-term value. On the contrary, a game with good mechanics and plot won't advertise or initially sell as well, but once word gets out that it's just ugly, the sales rise. Obviously, this pertains to games that actually have a need for plot or mechanics (eg, most fighting games do not have a detailed plot, but has a larger need for smooth mechanics). Better to make it pretty if you think it'll bomb; if you plan for it to have time put into it, hash out everything else before the graphics—most people don't like the feeling that they are playing a broken or incomplete game.

Yes, I blatantly ignored the context of this being a "Reborn fan mod for graphics." Sue me for being more practical. Actually please don't.

Another thing to keep in mind is how various components stress the system they run on. Essentials itself slows down RGSS Player a bit just from its size; adding further mechanics (field effects, excessive eventing, w/e else) or enhancing the graphics (say Gen3 to Gen5) makes it run slower on computers that aren't really dedicated to making things like that run. And, of course, too much just makes RGSS player run slower, without much possible fixing clientside. Just keep in mind the "average" system specs before bloating the game too much (maybe even test it on weaker computers to be certain).

[FairFamily]

Well, graphics are important and at the same not. As long as they don't are out of place or downright cringeworthy I'm fine with it. If they are however it hurts the game a lot. So I just have a minimum if they reach it OK otherwhise very bad.

[Kithros]

I don't think a game needs to necessarily have high quality (in regards to performance requirements and the like - if a games graphics are so bad that it's actually painful to look at then there's of course a problem, but even low quality graphics can still look okay) graphics and the like so much as the graphics just being consistent within the game - ie. you don't want to try to have high quality graphics if you're going to have some parts of the game with low quality stuff because the difference is really jarring and immersion breaking.

Essentially, a graphics improvement definitely can help a game.. but only if it's done right, if you have a half-assed improvement where some things are 'improved' and everything else is left the same it often does more harm than good. Honestly the same could be said about a lot of things in game development - if you aren't willing to put the effort into designing something properly chances are it shouldn't be put in the game at all.. and keep in mind that you should be applying that to virtually every aspect of the game, not just the graphics, and you probably won't have time for everything you want to do so you'll usually have to prioritize and skip over some things (generally this means if you don't have a big budget that you can forget about having high quality graphics with 3D and all because there are so many more important aspects to work on)

[Hank_Nghiem]

I don't believe any standard of graphics is necessary for great video games. I would recommend looking at a game like Undertale. When i went into that game I abhorred the graphics, but stuck with it to the end. I enjoyed the game very much even without any fancy art done or even 3D graphics. So because of this I don't believe good graphics are necessary in any game, that includes Pokemon games.

On a side note I think consistent theme is way more important than any graphic could ever achieve. Take Cubivore for instance a game where there are cube monsters, cube land, and cube everything yet I relatively enjoyed the game. The graphics were plain, simple and not very interesting but dang look at all the colors, look at the variation of limb combinations, and it stayed consistently novel and colorful throughout the game. If suddenly there was a realistic bear that appears I would probably be very unhappy about the sudden graphic tumor that popped up in the theme.

[Masquerain]

For me personally, any graphics for a pokemon game from gen 3-4 onwards are fine. What I deem important is map and sprite quality I'd say... I know it's no easy process and I probably couldn't do better myself, but in all honesty, fangames that may have the best stories are capable of putting me off with abominations for spriting or mapping.

tldr as long as it looks good for the graphics it's modeled after, it's fine

Edited May 3, 2016 by Masquerain

[Commander]

There are three things that are equally important when making a fan-game: story, gameplay, and the graphics, however, that does not mean the quality of all three have to be equal, but they help balance each other out. A horrible story can be forgiven which superb gameplay and somewhat pleasing graphics on the eyes. Likewise, a game with horrible graphics can still be enjoyable with an amazing story and gameplay. It's an interesting balance, but it's one best to learn pretty early.

While graphics aren't a standalone thing, I'll try to explain how they are important or can be very effective to a game. Consistency over quality is a major point as you never want anything jarring sticking out as people like looking at things and will remember anytime they see it. (It's similar to me when I see a cringeworthy plot since I'm a writer...ish). Graphics is more or less something to help boost the other two. Due to the gen III and IV design, you almost certainly won't be able to pull some wowing visuals, but animations help immerse people in the story since nobody likes watching people monologue while standing in place. Environments and the world, if they look gorgeous, will keep people's attention and sometimes make them forget about a sour moment (I love the look of Reborn's Wasteland which made me forgive the tediousness of that section).

From a gameplay perspective, flashy color are flashy. No seriously, flashy combat isn't necessarily a bad thing as it makes battles more interesting and engaging. Think of your favorite move to watch and ask yourself why. Gen I's thunderbolt is one of my favorites just due to that nostalgic sound, but Gen III's wing attack is my favorite just due to that gust of wind motion. It's a heck of a lot better than Raptor Ex's fire ball for every attack (including growl).

As for my honest opinion, graphics are very important to any type of game, pokemon included, but you're already in a structure designed for low quality visuals so I honestly don't think you need to spend too much time on it. Just don't neglect visuals.

[Caz]

When you think about it it's trivial, really. Graphics only complement the initial 'wow' factor. When you enter a game with good graphics you don't spend the whole game praising its detail, you mention at the beginning that it's a pretty game and then it's over. Graphics are nice, but they're not important to a game. What is important to the game is its story and game play, which complement each other. Game play becomes more interesting when you're working towards a story related goal and the story becomes more enjoyable when you get to play it. Graphics complements neither of these things and as I've said, only contribute to the initial 'wow' factor.

[Syglory]

To me, graphics don't mean nearly as much as the storyline or playability of the game. I pretty much don't mind the graphics as long as the storyline interests me. However, I do feel that good graphics can improve a game to a certain extent, and of course I would prefer to have better graphics over bad ones.

I fully agree with Caz's statement, and his statement for the most part sums up my own opinion on graphics.

[Zumi]

From my own standpoint, I really do think the graphic quality of a fangame is important. I've been working with sprites and graphics for fangames for quite a long time now, and I feel like the higher quality the work of the sprites and overall graphics, the smoother the game will look, not to mention that it feels much more like a good amount of effort has been put into making the game look nice.

Of course, if people have only recently started spriting I can't really expect them to pump out amazing work either if they have no experience whatsoever so I'll cut slack for those people, but if the graphics look as if they were half-assed and I know that the person who made them can do a lot better than they've put out, I'd honestly feel like it's a bit disappointing, mainly because it could add so much more to the atmosphere of the game if the graphics were done nicely, even if it's very simplistic and depends on the generation the graphics are from.

Sure, they may not add much to a story itself, but it most definitely helps with the look and feel of the game, and more importantly setting an atmosphere. If you're going for i.e. a ruined town and the graphics look all sloppy and messy, you usually get the impression of "Okay... I get what they were trying to do here, but...", while on the other hand, if you create and use convincing graphics, it's usually much easier to convey a concept or idea to the player, and therefore could also be a tool to explain things that aren't as easy to explain with text only.

So... I myself consider good graphics as my viewpoint as an artist, but from a more objective standpoint it honestly depends on if you're using graphics to create a certain atmosphere for a game, or if they do not add much to the atmosphere of a game (so a more simplistic game that is more oriented towards story than looks or isn't going for a balance between the two). It just really, really depends on how much influence the graphics are supposed to have.

[Ice Cream Sand Witch]

Tilesets: It's neat if a game has custom tilesets and graphics, but they're more of a bonus. I can still enjoy a game that just has the default as long as I like the other qualities of the game.

Sprites: These are important. If a game just uses pre-existing trainer sprites for important characters, that's a major turn-off. I want to know what the rivals, gym leaders, etc. are supposed to look like.

[Truly Deceptive]

Actually, there is one aspect of the 3rd-Gen overworld I find preferable: you can take more steps per second.

[Phi-Bi]

Hmmm..interesting.Thanks guys for sharing. I myself doesn't consider graphics that important than aesthetics just like the video lagless01 shared to us. However I think that custom graphics add a new fresh looking looks combined with original character design and good mapping quality. I think about graphics as 'marketing' factor for a game since graphics is the first impression upon looking forward a release of a game. And to be honest when I first discovered Reborn in some blog I have forgotten my first impression upon looking at the screenshot is..oh this is just another fan game but somehow, somehow my gut feeling told the opposite. Now I'm grateful that I followed my gut feeling instead of first graphical impression. Yeah, I think first impression is important especially when you know nothing about the creator of the game at the moment.