Sound or Graphics

[luemmel 20]

In the case that you have to decide to have a good graphic or a good sound in OFP, what would you prefer?

From my point of view, a very good and powerful sound with 5.1 surround is more impressive than a higher resolution.

What is you opinion?

[FCOPZ-illuminator 0]

I prefer a better sound...

[xnodunitx 0]

Each has its own very important role but I'd have to go with sounds,you can have bad graphics and good sounds but you cannot have good graphics and bad sound.

[stakex 0]

Its really a 50/50 thing...

Good sound can really set the atmosphere... but if the graphics aren't on the same level then the will kill that atmosphere just as easily.

[shadow 6]

To me, playing a game is like watching a movie. The sound is 50% of the entertainment-value, the graphics is the other 50...

[crave22 0]

If I had to choose, I agree with Shadow.

However, if I didn't have to choose, I'd say screw 'em both and give me good gameplay. Graphics and sound is a plus, but playability is what matters to me. Why else would I play OFP?

[malick 0]

Sure thing is, both are equally important in a game.

I'll say 33% sound, 33% graphics, 33% gameplay/atmosphere.

Doh, you'll have to rethink your poll

[GBee 0]

As others have said, I can't vote for either option. I can't rate sound higher than graphics or vice-versa. Gameplay is more important than both, but is nothing without them.

It is also unclear what sound you mean ... environmental & background audio? Weapon sounds? Sound physics? Radio chatter & voice acting?

They have varying degrees of importance for me. If weapons didn't precisely match their real life sounds it wouldn't bother me*. However atmospheric sound; birds, insects, wind, rain are very important to immersion.

I would like to see some variation in vehicle explosions - secondary explosions, fuel tanks igniting, ammunition cooking off, shapnel and debris hitting the ground. All of which would subtly add to the atmosphere.

* Weapon sounds might matter more to someone who has actually been in a war zone. Personally I only ever fought in small exercises where the majority of noise came from rifles, light machine guns and flash bangs. I've never heard an M16 or M4 fired in real life so I'm not bothered that the in-game sound is wrong.

[Balschoiw 0]

What kind of poll is that ?

Both need to be good to make an overall good impression.

[InqWiper 0]

I think the sound as it is now is worse than the graphics so i voted for sound. I was thinking of the way I can hear a bush being run over by a tank from across the island but cant remember hearing any explosions or shots fired from the same distance. Also I think its important to be able to hear where the enemy is. Often (mostly in other games) I am pissed off because I cant hear if the enemy is infront or behind me or above or below me. Maybe I just need to get better headphones but I have more problems with sound than graphics

[Spoock 3]

both are very important for evoke realism

[wolfbite 8]

I believe both have to be on par with each other great sound doesnt matter if it looks like sonic the hedgehog

[twisted 128]

as far as the games success is concerned graphics is by far the most importnat for stimulating sales. look at OFP:Elite - most reviews complaints about it are its sorta dated looking graphics. it may be shallow but it is the real world.

on another note, i recommended OFP to a family member. he bought it (GOTY edition) and tried to play it but did not like the animations and so left it alone. . Thankfully there are a few animation packs out there to help things out.

Sound only becomes importnat whhen the game is bought and played. realism and immersion are really enhanced by good sound and ruined by bad/mediocre.

so i'd say graphics 70%, Sound 30%.

[Baphomet 0]

A game with good graphics and very tinny generic sounds isn't going to appeal much except perhaps to the demographic of individuals who are entertained by shiny objects.

A game with average graphics and superior, realistic high quality sounds is going to seem more engaging, more ambient and create a better illusion of actually being there than the former will.

This is half of why FDF was such an awesome game. The sounds. They made the game so much more immersive than any other mod out there. Everything was in your face, the roar of gunfire, the ear shattering boom of heavy artillery.

I've noticed personally that there's a difference between the way FDF's guns sounded (for the most part) and how a lot of sounds for guns and explosions sound in games.

Most games have gun effects that sound exactly the way they do when they're recorded on tape or video.

That is to say they don't replicate that sharp "crack" and resonant "thud" which seems to be lost in most recordings of firearms.

AKs really suffer from this. Since they don't sound nearly the way they do in most recordings or video as they do when you're actually firing one. You more or less hear a "pop" and the slide moving back, and I assure you it's a bit more than that.

Quote[/b] ]it may be shallow but it is the real world.

The real world? No. Those people are (edited for content) console jockeys. Of course these dime a dozen staff writers for magazines are going to evaluate games on the most basic criteria because they're forced to review 'x' amount of games every month. Furthermore, most gaming rags are marketed to the aforementioned "entertained by shiny objects" demographic, and so are most of the games they review. So really. There's no validity in that statement.

What should have been said is "it's an unfortunate reality the that the bulk of most consumers who purchase games are the unsophisticated mouth-breathing console-gaming variety".

Yes. They do command the greatest share of the market, however OFP was never meant to take advantage of that market, which is why I always wondered why they put the effort into making an Xbox version of the game when clearly it would be under appreciated.

OFP and it's forthcoming sequels are niche products, the sales of OFP have proven however that niche products can also be very successful. You're dealing with an entirely different caliber of gamer when you're talking about OFP. Something the average console playing consumer couldn't really appreciate.

[TDogg 0]

I gotta go with sounds.

[Guest Ti0n3r]

Rofl. They are equally important to me.

[funnyguy1 0]

In the case that you have to decide to have a good graphic or a good sound in OFP, what would you prefer?

From my point of view, a very good and powerful sound with 5.1 surround is more impressive than a higher resolution.

What is you opinion?

In the case that I have to decide which part, graphics or sound I would prefer I would chose:

better AI/ physics/ and generall realism...

[metallicAL 0]

this really is 50/50 rediculous to think otherwise

[luemmel 20]

if you have ever tried out the "ECP Mod", I think that realisitc sounds can give more atmosphere than hi-res graphics or realistic physics.

but I am a little bit surprised about the current poll status. I thought that most players will prefere graphic improvmentes.

[Raptor 10]

better AI/ physics/ and generall realism...

me too, but I think grapic and sound, these are very important facts for a game, so I would vote for both.

[PainDealer 0]

I prefer sounds cos they don't need too much oxygen from the machine like some nice hot-ass sexy graphics.

[sniper pilot 36]

graphics way more important.....addons can be made with better sound....Graphics hard or impossible to edit....

[Baphomet 0]

That last post made absolutely no sense, especially considering the fact that the end user community for OFP has overwhelmingly moved in favor of developing, IMHO addons with ridiculously high detail.

This completely contradicts your statement. Unless you're referring to the INCLUSION of graphic features, that newer graphics boards support.

But aside from that, stating that it's impossible for the end user community to create ridiculously high-poly, high detail models and textures is patently absurd.

Whereas, BIS being a game developer with a likely better than modest budget and connections within it's industry, to procure and or develop sounds that would be difficult for your average user replicate in quality.

However, the OFP community has pleasantly surprised myself as many others with the quality of some sound modifications.

And yes, while shiny new visuals can entrance you for the first hour or two you play the game, it's sound more than visuals that will do more to make or break the atmosphere of a battle and your surroundings.

Don't believe me? Try making a sound pack of really bland crappy sounds and running some of the highest poly addons OFP has to offer, and then try your favorite soundpack and see, or rather hear, the difference.

You can have less than great graphics and great sound and have a decently immersive environment, you cannot have great visuals and shitty bland mundane sounds and achieve the same thing. It comes off as sterile and boring.

[zayfod 1]

IMO sound.

*The ear is quicker than the eye.

*The ear encompasses 360 degrees, the eye does not.

*Good sound can relieve graphical expectation and make its job easier by painting pictures in your mind of things;

                you can't see (inside buildings, behind hills or walls)

                that can't be drawn by any current graphic engines (individual multiple shrapnel impacts, ambient wildlife in forests, wind blowing through foliage)

the list goes on.

[stegman 3]

Graphics in my opinoin.

Guns go bang, cars go vroom, so what?

Just make it look good