Graphics

[Quickhit]

When I saw some videos on youtube about RIFT it looked quite promising,especially the class system etc...So i desided to download the beta to try it myself.
Tbh,I feel that graphics doesnt reach my expectations...think they are pure for such game..not only the graphics but also the char customazation...it has few options...
What are ur point of view guys?

[sadinkaraga]

Rift look gd if you can max it. You need still to consider that you played beta and there is more features to be added. If you ask me i love the game. I have been on all betas and there is still some bugs and problems. I hope Trion will sort it out.

[Quickhit]

Well I compare graphics with Aion which in my opinios are AMAZING.Both max graphics!
About beta,its the first time that i play beta so im not experienced ^^I just fell love with class system that i expected smth more about graphics so id buy it...now im still in doubts

[ClayMeow]

Graphics are pretty good for an MMO. Environments look good and are varied. There are weather effects (rain, snow, fog). The rifts look cool. Most of the creatures/mobs look really good and vary in sizes from omg-i'm-going-to-step-on-it to holy-cow-that's-bigger-than-a-house.

There are only three main things that are lacking when it comes to graphics, IMO:
Spell effects - most of them look good, but I'd like to see a little bit more variety and uniqueness. For example, a pyro's fireball looks pretty puny and doesn't look much different than an elem's crystalline missiles except it's reddish instead of yellowish.
Character customization - more hairstyles should be in before the headstart, so that should help a little, but it would have been nice to have a few more options, like body type.
Armor models - Some of the armor in the game looks totally awesome, especially the end-game gear, but low level models are rather drab, especially for mages...robes are always fail in games.

[CenturyChild]

Probably worth mentioning too, that in most MMOS betas, they have debuggers running in the background.
This can negatively impact performance as well.


I would assume, at launch, performance will be slightly better since no BETA debuggers are running.
At least, thats been the case in the last couple BETAS ive been in when they went live.

[Johnster1]

I haven't played the beta yet, but from what I can see it's looking freaking awesome.

But here we have another gamer who thinks the graphics are everything. No - these graphics have been seen in the WOTLK Downloadable Content for WoW, Age of Conan and Elder Scrolls.

It's an awesome game, and the graphics are only a small part of it. If you're buying this game for the graphics, then you're making a very costly mistake - I did that with CoD:MW2 - though the graphics were good, the story was too short.

It's about the gameplay - it's an MMO, so the graphics should be the last thing you wanna look at for this game. Oh, and you may have to tone them down because of your graphics card.

[Integral]

The graphics are fine, at least for me they are (every single setting on max).

With regards to customisation, how long do you plan on staring at your character's model? Go play HKO or something if you care about stuff like that.

[Charadras]

I look forward to the game because I like the mechanics, but I dislike the graphics, which I find grossly over-the-top: every mob is two hundred feet tall, the weapons and armour are grotesque and ridiculously oversized, everything that can possibly glow and many things that shouldn't are like the main drag in Las Vegas... It's all too much.

[Quickhit]

But here we have another gamer who thinks the graphics are everything. No - these graphics have been seen in the WOTLK Downloadable Content for WoW, Age of Conan and Elder Scrolls.

It's about the gameplay - it's an MMO, so the graphics should be the last thing you wanna look at for this game. Oh, and you may have to tone them down because of your graphics card.

Well, i dont really understand with what criteria u wrote what u wrote...
Btw I compare Aion's graphics with Rift's ones so I find it logical as the time pass the graphics should be slighty better or equal, but noway worse.Some things dissapointed me on Aion and I wanted to find a game better than it on EVERY field.Well Rift class system was far best from Aion so I was almost conviced that I found the game that i desired.but when I saw the player that I created and the skill animation etc... I was like hmm...pity.I dont say that rift's graphics sucks ,ffs, but I strongly believe that this game should have much better graphics.

@<<Mr.>>Johnster1 when i have played full graphics on Aion I dont think that my problem is my card it would be too foolish to speak about graphics then ^^and generally if u compare graphics with WoW..ok Rift own...but i dont compare things with the most popular ones(no offence,every1 make his own choices)

[Mouseraider]

I always felt that Aion and WAR had too much stuff for every square meter, be it vegetation or something else. The Rift graphics somewhat reminds me of WAR except it doesn't feel as cramped, and the overall coloure spectrum is kept in check.

[CenturyChild]

The gameplay itself is nothing new really.

I mean, if you've played WOW, EQ2, WAR, AION .. You've played RIFT already. Generally speaking.

They advertise it as a cutting edge, Next-Gen MMO ... but IMHO .. thats just not all all true.
Its the same old formula we've seen so many times before.
The graphics are OK for MMO, but there are better looking ones out there.
AION for example looks much better visually IMO, as does LOTRO to an extent.
Its also still using DX9 .. hardly next gen.

But overall, the game looks nice. Its not amazing, but it isnt bad either.
Visually, it looks better than WOW I think. About on par, but a bit better than EQ2.
Of course, thats just my personal opinion, not really a fact.


The game feels heavily influenced from WOW/EQ with a strong touch of WAR & touch of AION.
Its kind of a mix of the best of all of them, all rolled into one game.



Having said all that, that doesnt mean the game is bad or that I didn't like it.

In fact, I found it quite enjoyable, and a lot of fun.
Although its the same old formula gameplay wise, it is put together quite nicely. And it works.

Just don't expect something new and unique if you've played any of these other MMOs for any length of time.

Just my 2cents for what its worth.

[Quickhit]

I totally agree with you.
MMO will be a MMO do that and that over and over and over again...wont change ;)
Ofc tha graphics is quite OK for an MMO but i expected it something like graphics Aion or better and gameplay... a mix of all :P with icing on the cake the class system ^^ Maybe i have come to wrong conclusions playing beta but who knows...

[liho1eye]

RIFT runs on the ancient Gamebryo engine, so crappy graphics is expected.

[Roost]

RIFT runs on the ancient Gamebryo engine, so crappy graphics is expected.

lol

lets look at some actual proof instead of wannabe aphorisms.

this is default settings, i didnt change any setttings they are very middle of the road, so game can look much better:

http://i54.tinypic.com/24eq33m.jpg

Compare to Crysis on HIGH Settings:
http://i51.tinypic.com/103bfqr.jpg

some more shots (none are cgi or anything like that):
http://i52.tinypic.com/2mxg51s.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/e00289.jpg


sure, the lighting on crysis looks better with dx10. but again, i played rift with DEFAULT settings, basically medium, not high or maxed.

I think it looks great, and it ran at 60 fps most of the time except one small area of a zone in which there were obviously optimisation issues and it dropped to like 15. and in the packed area of city dipped a bit to like 40. but most of the time it was quite smooth.

[Taric]

RIFT runs on the ancient Gamebryo engine, so crappy graphics is expected.

Kind of a dumb thing to say...

It is a ridiculously modified Gamebryo engine. So heavily altered.

The graphics are incredible on max.

[dannythefool]

Kind of a dumb thing to say...

It is a ridiculously modified Gamebryo engine. So heavily altered.


Unfortunately they didn't modify it enough to use DX10 or DX11, which is the reason why they had to disable full AA again after beta 6 -- there were only about three people whose computers could handle it as DX9 only allows FSAA...

It does look pretty though, if you're thinking of Gamebryo as the engine behind Fallout 3, it definitely looks better than that. It's not quite the ultimate experience in visual entertainment either, but MMORPGs typically aren't. And character customization just falls short of their "next generation" slogan, look at the character creator that Eve Online got earlier this year if you want to see next generation. But Eve does not have to download 5000 different character models every time you meet people in the game world...

[Fnorp]

The graphics solid, like the game in general. They are neither great nor jawdropping, but solid. Some of the landscapes and such are very pretty. Other stuff, like animations, ain't that great.

[CrawlingChaos]

It does look pretty though, if you're thinking of Gamebryo as the engine behind Fallout 3, it definitely looks better than that..

I guess i didn't get the memo... But since when did Fo3 look " bad ?"

[Taric]

I do agree that it is nothing revolutionary, but you kind of have to make peace with that when making an MMO. If your audience is going to be restricted by hardware, then an MMO really wouldn't be the best thing to make (seeing as how population is important).

On the side of character customization, did you guys hear the podcast about the reasons why you can't edit every little thing? I did, and it was quite enlightening. Lot to type, so I would prefer not to, but if you get the chance, listen to it.

[Fnorp]

I do agree that it is nothing revolutionary, but you kind of have to make peace with that when making an MMO. If your audience is going to be restricted by hardware, then an MMO really wouldn't be the best thing to make (seeing as how population is important).


I never got that argument. Tthe companies should create awesome looking games, and people with crappy hardware simply reduce the details, until they have a balance of looks and playability. That way everyone gets what they want.
If they create a game that looks worse than possible from the start, then they obviously just lack the funds that an awesome looking game requires.

[Dreznin]

If graphics are important to you, try these:




Vindictus - uses the Source Engine for physics and is graphically impressive for a MMO. Plays like a MMO version of God of War - less 1,2,3,4 spam and more attack combos in real time. Free to play, cash shop for extras that aren't game breaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnKJpXZxmyU





Entropia Universe - uses CryEngine 2, has a level of character customization that makes Rift look generic, though less than when it used GameByro (2002-2009). Used to be called "Project Entropia", now the entire engine is licensed to other companies for them to each create their own in-game planets, each with a different theme (Planet Calpyso is the original, ROCKtropia is a music themed planet sponsored by musicians such as Motorhead and Kevin Rudolph, and NextIsland is a planet with a time travel mechanic). Technically free to play, but uses a Real Cash Economy system, linking the in-game currency to the US Dollar. As such, making money in-game is HARD AS HELL and the no player that isn't delusional should EXPECT to make money off of it. Playing for fun, not profit, is the key to enjoying it. Not a game for those who wish to race to "max level" either, as there is no max level and reaching the upper end of the skill spectrum takes years of hardcore playing and can be quite expensive. If you can be happy being a mid-level player, you can have quite a fun on the same budget as your normal pay-to-play MMO. The video below is from Planet Calypso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG6uN6sa_z8




So there you have it - two aesthetically amazing MMOs on two ends of the expense spectrum. While both can be played 100% free, the Vinductus cash shop items only provide relatively minor benefit, while more money = more power in Entropia. So, if you want a pretty MMO, pick your poison.

[Johnster1]

Have a look at these images - you might consider looking at these graphics compared to "the other game that we shall not mention because it causes too much flaming":

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/bloodpetal.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/soultrees.jpg

The second link (above) shows you skill trees and how different they are to that other game (that causes the flame wars)

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/lumbermill.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/winterbuildings.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/winterscenery.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/treants.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/scenery2.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/lizzardmen.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/ancients.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/Tree2.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/canyon.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/Mordib/Rifts/raceclass.jpg

The pictures on [insert that game's name here] were on max, and Rift's were on Ultra. Many thanks to Tristany who took the screenshots and has proven how good the graphics on this game are. ^_^

To the Hammer Legion: WHERE'S YOUR GOD NOW?!

[WikingDK]

I have just been in Iron Tomb for the first time. I have never seen better graphics in a MMO. AoC come close, but not 100% IMHO. This game is amazing. I play a cleric and spell effects looks so cool :) damm nice.

[Freyar]

They look fairly impressive after being so used to the dated visuals of "the MMO that shall not be named".

[Foulplay]

Well, i dont really understand with what criteria u wrote what u wrote...
Btw I compare Aion's graphics with Rift's ones so I find it logical as the time pass the graphics should be slighty better or equal, but noway worse.Some things dissapointed me on Aion and I wanted to find a game better than it on EVERY field.Well Rift class system was far best from Aion so I was almost conviced that I found the game that i desired.but when I saw the player that I created and the skill animation etc... I was like hmm...pity.I dont say that rift's graphics sucks ,ffs, but I strongly believe that this game should have much better graphics.

@<<Mr.>>Johnster1 when i have played full graphics on Aion I dont think that my problem is my card it would be too foolish to speak about graphics then ^^and generally if u compare graphics with WoW..ok Rift own...but i dont compare things with the most popular ones(no offence,every1 make his own choices)

Aions graphics arent that advanced. A lot of the textures were quite low res. Im pretty sure that Rift is way better looking than Aion was.