Why do most iPhone RPGs look like SNES games from the early 90s?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by tsharpfilm, Dec 17, 2009.

  1. tsharpfilm

    tsharpfilm Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    1,359
    0
    0
    Digital Artist
    USA
    I'm not saying every iPhone RPG should be as lavish or as beautiful as Dungeon Hunter, but perhaps a tiny bit more detail could go into the characters and animations? Don't get me wrong... Games like Zenonia are a lot of fun, and are worth every penny, but imagine how much better they would be with sharper, smoother, graphics...
     
  2. B34$T

    B34$T Well-Known Member

    Aug 10, 2009
    1,185
    0
    0
    Because the SNES was and is the best system ever ;).
     
  3. RankoSao

    RankoSao Well-Known Member

    Nov 7, 2009
    1,487
    0
    0
    College Student
    State of Hysteria
    qft!
     
  4. dogmeat

    dogmeat Well-Known Member

    Apr 6, 2009
    1,680
    2
    0
    Information Security Engineer
    San Francisco, CA
    Pixel graphics is a dying artform. Any schmuck can learn to create simple 3d models, but it takes years of practice and an eagle eye to be a good pixel artist. So before you start discounting pixel graphics, think about what you say.
     
  5. tsharpfilm

    tsharpfilm Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    1,359
    0
    0
    Digital Artist
    USA
    #5 tsharpfilm, Dec 17, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2009
    :D

    Yes, it was a very nice system, but the iPhone / iPod touch are rocking some pretty impressive hardware, and it's barely getting a workout.

    I'm not saying every RPG should be in 3D. All I'm suggesting is that the quality of the animations could maybe be punched up a little.
     
  6. le'deuche123

    le'deuche123 Well-Known Member

    Feb 5, 2009
    2,476
    18
    0
    Because 16 bit sprites are simply amazing. Play Final fantasy VI and chrono trigger. That should put you in the proper place to appreciate such an artform:)
     
  7. tsharpfilm

    tsharpfilm Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    1,359
    0
    0
    Digital Artist
    USA
    I think you guys are just attached to your old systems. :p
     
  8. chrisrushing

    chrisrushing Well-Known Member

    May 21, 2009
    510
    0
    0
    Graphic Designer
    Chattanooga, TN
    Man i grew up on SNES and the quality of the games/story/gameplay... etc... is still so solid to this day. I'd pay money to play a solid rendition of Chronotrigger, Secret of Mana, FF on my iPhone.
     
  9. BATTLE BORN

    BATTLE BORN Well-Known Member

    Aug 14, 2008
    689
    7
    0
    Las Vegas, NV
    that was the golden age of gaming. and that's why my SNES remains connected to the 56" screen in my living room ;)
     
  10. Aurora

    Aurora Well-Known Member

    You're kidding, right? "As beautiful as Dungeon Hunter"? Oh god *throws up*.
    Also it's because of the style maybe? 2D characters, like ones found in Inotia 2, is much better than crappy 3D graphics that has lag and lacks smooth controls (Dungeon Hunter).
     
  11. yourofl10

    yourofl10 Well-Known Member

    Dec 11, 2008
    4,176
    43
    38
    You got a problem with that?

    anyways, I don't really like those kind of graphics but the artists gotta be talented!
     
  12. carnivore

    carnivore Well-Known Member

    Dec 11, 2009
    195
    0
    0
    germany
    nuttin' beats da NES fool! ;)

    SNES was awesome, but against the NES it's just like another Mega Drive... :)

    god, i would love another rpg with the artwork of the original zelda.
     
  13. tsharpfilm

    tsharpfilm Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    1,359
    0
    0
    Digital Artist
    USA
    I have no problems with Inotia: A Wanderer of Luone. The graphics are sharp, and the animations are smooth.

    Nope. I just wish there was more variety. Almost all of the RPGs in the App Store look like SNES games.
     
  14. Madgarden

    Madgarden Well-Known Member

    Mar 10, 2009
    1,681
    2
    0
    Galactic Game Creation Overlord
    Kitchener, ON
    Check out the awesome animations in Sword of Fargoal!

    Oh wait, there aren't any. It's still awesome though. ;)

    I agree with pixel graphics vs. 3D. It's not only a stylistic choice, but things just look (and play) way better in 2D with precisely designed pixel graphics. With 3D, your visuals are at the mercy of the engine, the camera, etc.
     
  15. tsharpfilm

    tsharpfilm Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    1,359
    0
    0
    Digital Artist
    USA
    #15 tsharpfilm, Dec 17, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2009
    I never said 3D was better than 2D. I'm only suggesting that the 2D graphics / animation in iPhone RPGs could be a little cleaner. Instead of only using 2 frames for each animation, maybe they could use 6? :) Earthworm Jim is a good example of a quality 2D game.
     
  16. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
    11,200
    7
    38
    Because that's the way we like'em! ;)

    This reminds me of a discussion I had with a guy working at EB many years ago, I was buying some RPG for the GBA and he asked me why role playing games were so popular on the system - my response was that since the system did not have the uber 3D graphics, developers had the time to work on decent gameplay/story (and/or had to since they couldn't sell the game on pretty graphics alone!)

    One other random story - speaking about pixels, the first thing I booted up when I got my 36" Wega was Outlaw on the Atari 2600. :D

    [​IMG]
     
  17. misfitskater6

    misfitskater6 Well-Known Member

    Oct 3, 2009
    344
    0
    16
    Seattle, WA
    The simplistic yet high level of detail is what I like. Even though it's only 2D and only consists of pixels, the detail is really cool.

    A lot of people think that some of those SNES RPGs are among the best games ever made (they pretty consistently appear on top games lists), and I'm sure that some devs, maybe not intentionally, try to buy into the appeal of those older games by making new ones that look like they belong on the SNES.

    The problem is, and even for these type of games on real consoles, they just don't have the depth or playability that the SNES games had, and therefore are just never anywhere near as good. All of the iPhone RPGs that look like they're SNES-era games don't compare, and even ones on the DS aren't any good (especially the Mana ones, it makes me sad). The closest any have come in my opinion are the Golden Sun games (dear God please leave GSDS in 2D...) and Mother 3.

    I'm hoping that we'll someday see an iPhone RPG that will be comparable, but I'm not holding my breath. But with that said, Across Age could definitely be the first really good one.
     
  18. Trotgar

    Trotgar Well-Known Member

    May 9, 2009
    218
    0
    0
    I don't mind 2D graphics, but I like them when they are sharper, and I don't really like the JRPG-style graphics.

    I'd like RPG's with graphics like iDracula.
     
  19. Eli

    Eli ᕕ┌◕ᗜ◕┐ᕗ
    Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold

    Holy crap some people can literally whine about anything.

    I suppose "why do RPG's use pixel art" is a step up from raging out over Canabalt.
     
  20. CommanderData

    CommanderData Well-Known Member
    Patreon Indie

    I was concerned about where this thread was heading as well, because of the amazing quality of most SNES era RPGs. But this is a statement that makes sense! :D

    2D pixel art is fantastic, but if you use too few frames of animation (to save time, money, memory, whatever) it looks very choppy and at times unprofessional. My new game's sprites will be using 6 or more frames for most every animation, and I can tell you it does make a big difference in the look and feel.
     

Share This Page