Today I'm going to talk about the two major graphics types; 2D and 3D. The advantages and disadvantages of each type and the implications of gameplay.
2D Graphics are two-dimensional images generated on a
computer. This means that the image is flat with no depth. In games, this
limits players to moving left, right, up and down with no Z-axis.
In video games, 2D graphics were the norm from the early
seventies to the early nineties. After this point, 2D games began to
de-popularize substantially. Today, 2D games are often relegated to mobile
gaming platforms. This is to both optimize for processing power and optimize
for control restrictions of mobile gaming platforms.
This image is from the game Tempest. It imitates depth but
still has 2D game limitations. For example, the perspective is stuck in place
and the player can only move left and right.
3D Graphics are three-dimensional images generated on a
computer. They have a Z-axis, giving the image depth. 3D graphics are used in
many industries, particularly media industries, like Video-Games, Television
and Movies. In order to run 3D graphics in real time, you will need powerful
hardware like a modern computer or games console.
In the games industry, 3D-capable consoles were released in
the early 90’s with the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Since then most games
consoles run 3D graphics. Earlier consoles would only be capable of running a
limited number of sprites in a 2D scene. Running 2D graphics isn’t always a
processing power restriction. For example, despite being fully capable of
running 3D games, the iPhone is often given games with 2D graphics. This is due
to their simplistic nature and the design of the iPhone architecture making 2D
games easier to control than 3D.
A good example of the extra depth of 3D came with the
release of Super Mario 64. Released on the Nintendo 64 in June 1996, Super
Mario 64 was ground-breaking with its fully controllable 3D camera. This was
perhaps the first time a 3D game had been released with intuitive control of 3D
perspective and control.
Tomb Raider, released in October 1996, is another good
example of 3D graphics coming into their own on video game platforms. Tomb
Raider offered a realistic art style that was able to transport the player into
many different ancient location. While it didn’t have the intuitive and natural
controls of the Super Mario 64 camera system, it offered an art style that was
very realistic for the time and one of the first showcases of the possibilities
of 3D graphics.
No comments:
Post a Comment