In 2024 and beyond, we are reaping the rewards of sophisticated game technology, the likes of which humanity has never experienced before. From today’s innovative AI game engines to machine learning technology, we are capable of providing next-generation audiovisual elements to a discerning base of players.
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A Race Through Time: from Pixels to Photorealism
Game graphics played an outsized role in redefining the gaming experience for players. Video games, in particular, have witnessed tectonic shifts in the evolution of game graphics from pixels to photorealism. This transformational journey has created a paradigm where it is virtually impossible to distinguish between reality and the results of photorealism technology.
Video game graphics got off to an exciting start in the 1970s. This continued through the 1980s, as sprites and pixels dominated game design and development. These highly pixelated images featured limited color and resolution, resulting in the ostensible block-style characters and gaming milieus.
Many of the video game elements of the time gained international acclaim and have enjoyed an enduring legacy. The most famous pixelated video games include the likes of Super Mario Bros, Pat Man, and the inimitable Space Invaders.
Scores of top-tier video games feature pixel art, notably the Mario and Luigi series. These are excellent examples of mainstream Spritework. Consider Hyper Light Drifter, Fez, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Sword and Sorcery, Axiom Verge, Celeste, Cave Story, Stardew Valley, Owlboy and Hyper Light Drifter. The evolution from pixels to photorealism spans decades. It is marked by dramatic and unprecedented technological innovation and advancements.
From the rudimentary block-shaped appeal of pixels, replete with jagged movements and sharp edges, the gaming world has eased into a smooth, seamless, and suave photorealistic arena where lifelike realism abounds. We recall, with a sense of nostalgia, the rudimentary arcade games of yesteryear, the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Console-based games like Pong, Donkey Kong, Tanks, Space Invaders, and others left an indelible mark on society’s consciousness. While Pong showcased a ping-pong-style attraction with paddles and a ball, it was a black-and-white game with basic mechanics.
And still, players were mesmerized by this attraction, much like they were in the late 1970s games Space Invaders and Asteroids. Both were epic outer space adventures.
From 8-bit to 16-bit Gaming
Pixelated art was the primary mechanism for showcasing game graphics, including characters, backdrops, in-game elements, etc. Clearly limited by its form, pixels are essentially minuscule color squares. Game developers use these colors a.k.a. pixels, to build characters and backdrops, settings and scenes, display emotions, and showcase environments. Tremendous creativity is needed to bring pixel-based visual elements to life.
However, this rudimentary technology was not forsaken; game designers, technical experts, and animation professionals conjured up sprite flipping, tile-based graphical design, and other elements to save memory, create bigger scenes, and maximize limited resources. We see evidence of this across the board, particularly during the 1980 and 16 bit graphics.
During the 1980s, systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) gave rise to the 8-bit home-based gaming consoles. So, too, did Sega’s Master System (SMS). The NES was the bedrock of 8-bit gaming by 1985 in the USA. We recall scores of Super Mario Brothers legendary titles, including Super Mario Brothers (Released in 1985).
The Legend of Zelda was equally engaging, immersive, and expansive. With dungeons, dragons, warlords, heroes and heroines, mystics, wizards, and critters all over the place, game developers sought additional upgrades in the graphical displays of the characters and gaming environments.
Enter 16-bit graphics gaming. This dramatic and unprecedented change had far-reaching implications for in-game elements, notably:
- Enhanced Color Palettes These: 8-bit systems with full support of up to 256 colors, but the 16 bit systems displayed thousands, enhancing visual vibrancy.
- Improved Resolution: Enhanced resolution provided more intricate detail and real-life prospects.
- Sophisticated Sound: Boosted audio hardware enables more engaging soundtracks, all within the broader framework.
Those aren’t the only changes that occurred in the 1980s and 1990s. This was also an era of lag-free gaming, a major upgrade from the 8-bit generation of gaming audiovisual capacity.
The introduction of 16-bit technology saw the introduction of world-famous titles like Sonic The Hedgehog, Final Fantasy VI, and Street Fighter II. The graphics interfaces were fluid, the colors were sharper, and the animation was seamless.
And yet more work remained. Fast forward to the mid-1990s, and we saw a dramatic shift to three-dimensional gaming. Great games like Super Mario 64, the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina, Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto III, Tomb Raider, and Final Fantasy performed superbly well with this new technology.
Cinematic Level Gaming Prowess
But innovation’s greatness is its dynamic nature. It’s an ongoing work of art, and that’s precisely where cinematic cutscenes come into the picture. Storytelling began to evolve on a much deeper level, and with it, the technological demands needed to advance progress. Audiences, players, and invested stakeholders of the gaming community wanted something better, more immersive, and more dramatic.
Enter pre-rendered CGI effects with ultra-realistic environments and dazzling characters. This began with the GameCube and PS2 era, when cinematic cut scenes facilitated increased continuity, compelling gameplay, and resplendent narratives, resulting in greater immersion, engagement, and interaction.
Back in the 2000s were characterised by many Internet-related advancements like Ethernet and Wi-Fi. This naturally lent itself to enhanced photorealism, with no pre-rendering. Increased polygon counts softened the edges of jagged images, rendering a more realistic and appreciated gaming experience. We recall with fond admiration games like Gears of War and LA Noire, courtesy of powerful video console platforms like PS3 and Xbox 360.
But of course, all of this pales in comparison to today’s sensational photorealism. We now have the sublime Xbox series X/S with PS 5 delivering expectations. The cinematography is so far advanced, the graphics are ultra-realistic, and the inclusion of Hollywood-level film elements into gaming technology is complete.
We are seeing many more true to life reflections, global illumination effects, and shadows than ever before. Consider games like Red Dead Redemption 2 as a case in point.
Where to next? Perhaps ultra-realistic holographic gaming? VR and AR visual constructs? Infinite possibilities abound.