The Daily Grind: How well is the game aging?

The only game that I have problems with in terms of graphics is FFXI. Not because they look bad, but because of the complete inability to make the game play smoother. SE decided to lock the framerate/latency to where 56k users can still keep up with their broadband compatriots. But now that broadband market penetration is at an all time high, the drawback is that the game plays so slow compared to even its competition back in the day, with little chance for a graphical update, thanks to "PS2 limitations" and the impending releasing of FFXIV.

Using a third-party program like Windower improves the situation somewhat by adding anti-aliasing and increasing draw distance, but still, it's just a bandage.

EQII handled well when i check it out. So did ryzom.

People often say, whilst tugging their beards and gazing wisely into the distance, that WoW needs a graphical upgrade, particularly the models they say, solemnly. But I've always thought WoW's look was timeless myself, and now I can't imagine it being any different.

Still a boring game though (he said, rummaging through a thick grey beard of +4 Knowingness).

WOW lives on stronger than ever

I still play FFXI. I have actually returned the game twice after long stints of playing other MMOs, namely WoW. I think the major draw for me is the gameplay mechanics and the combat system. FFXI is an incredibly deep game and sometimes daunting. However, to say that the game is on life support is, I feel, misleading. As I understand it, some servers have seen a major exodus over the past few years, whereas others are still thriving. The server I play on, Odin, has been closed for over a year to new players or transfers. The economy is still strong, but the rarity of high level items still keeps end game events breathing.

Graphically speaking, FFXI can't compete with many newer MMOs, but has still aged pretty well. FFXI has an endearing art style that still shines today.

WoW may have a timeless look, but that doesn't mean it couldn't use a facelift.

Guild Wars still impresses me every time I load it up.

EVE Online has gotten staggering graphics updates as of lately. Trinity, Apocrypha and Dominion have boosted the game to incredible (graphical) heights. Sure, the textures might be a bit low-res and the shininess of things is a bit ridiculous at times, but overall it looks great and the game doesn't stop impressing me. It's just so darn beautiful, and I have used [Prt Sc] more in EVE than in any other game, with the exception of Guild Wars.

Ah yes, Guild Wars. Amazing graphics, and amazingly low system specs. Though the graphics are starting to age slightly, the game is four years old, and they are still impressive. But what has always amazed me at Guild Wars is how it is truly different from other MMO's - you'll always recognise a screenshot taken in Guild Wars. The game simply has a look and feel you don't find in any other MMO. And judging by the teaser trailers of Guild Wars 2, the sequel will have a similar look, only slightly more Victorian steampunk, probably due to GW2 taking place about 250 years after the events of Guild Wars.

Ultima Online is still looking nice for a 2D game. ( I'm not talking about this new Kingdom "reburn"). I think this kind of design still have his place in our MMO.

Maybe I will resub with my old UO cheasapeake char...

I was surprised how acceptable EQ1 looked when I checked it out recently, nothing special but perfectly playable. The modern zones are pretty fair, and the blandness of the original zones was offset by the nostalgia I felt running through them!

AC on the other hand is a game I couldn't go back to simply because of the graphics, although to be fair I didn't think a great deal of the game originally and didn't play it for too long.

DAoC looked awful last time I checked it out.

EQ2, LoTRO and DDO all look fine, within their artistic design, as does WoW if you like the cartoony look - I can accept most of it but not the elven ears!

WAR looks very good these days and runs very well on my top of the range machine, but frankly nothing comes within a mile of AoC for graphics quality assuming max settings. That game will look awesome for years to come, and hopefully more players will come to appreciate it as they upgrade and can see the game at its best - assuming it continues to improve in other areas of course.

I always liked the graphics in GW, and I don't imagine it looks any different now although I haven't played it in a while. Last time I did it looked just as good although standards elswhere had undoubtedly advanced so it was no longer the best which it may have been at one time. I doubt they need to do GW2 very differently.

It's not the age of the engine that counts, but whether or not it can be extended easily to add new features. Engines like what runs EQ2 cannot be extended for many reasons, but mainly ones do to with how the architecture was implemented, which is why the armor sets are very limited (along with many other types of artwork, like shaders).

All in all, a good engine can be updated forever, all it takes is simple code extension either as interfaces or as polymorphism (via class inheritance).