I don’t mean to completely disagree with you, I do think that graphics actually get somewhat of a bad rap, just that I think the tradeoff is real even if it doesn’t really scale linearly.
I mean, seeing Half-Life 1 pop up as an example of drive-by game development is interesting
Its true that Half Life 1 marked the turning point from systems focused games to content focused games with its scripted sequences and setpieces. Its also where Valve created the “cabal” development process, which was supposed to be more organized than the development for games like Quake.
I included it mainly because in the making of Half Life 1 documentary the texture artist mentioned that whenever she would make a new texture oftentimes a level designer would just grab it and use it simply because it was new and exciting. The problem was that if every level used every texture then they started to look same-y, so she actually had to start labeling the files as groups and tell people to try to avoid mixing them together. And this was supposed to be more organized than earlier games lol, you can imagine how thrown together they must’ve been.
I’m reminded of a similar story from the development of Deus Ex 1. There’s one level where you walk around an abandoned mansion searching for clues. Unlike the rest of the game, which is mainly stealth / fps, in that level you have to explore and solve a puzzle while listening to an NPC talk about her childhood growing up there. Apparently the guy making the level had to yell at his fellow level designers to stop adding enemies to the rooms of the mansion.
Anyway, sorry if my posts are really long and rambling, I just like talking about games.
I don’t mean to completely disagree with you, I do think that graphics actually get somewhat of a bad rap, just that I think the tradeoff is real even if it doesn’t really scale linearly.
Its true that Half Life 1 marked the turning point from systems focused games to content focused games with its scripted sequences and setpieces. Its also where Valve created the “cabal” development process, which was supposed to be more organized than the development for games like Quake.
I included it mainly because in the making of Half Life 1 documentary the texture artist mentioned that whenever she would make a new texture oftentimes a level designer would just grab it and use it simply because it was new and exciting. The problem was that if every level used every texture then they started to look same-y, so she actually had to start labeling the files as groups and tell people to try to avoid mixing them together. And this was supposed to be more organized than earlier games lol, you can imagine how thrown together they must’ve been.
I’m reminded of a similar story from the development of Deus Ex 1. There’s one level where you walk around an abandoned mansion searching for clues. Unlike the rest of the game, which is mainly stealth / fps, in that level you have to explore and solve a puzzle while listening to an NPC talk about her childhood growing up there. Apparently the guy making the level had to yell at his fellow level designers to stop adding enemies to the rooms of the mansion.
Anyway, sorry if my posts are really long and rambling, I just like talking about games.