Why cant sports games match shooters/rpg?

[bodhiball]

So I am not a "gamer". Have never really played or enjoyed anything but sports games, particularly (mostly) baseball and absolutely love what the Show has to offer. I have also always been critical of the graphics in sports games, wanting so much to have the most realism possible along with great game play. Not knowing a whole lot about video games, I accepted that what we get is what the medium can provide....

...Until I started watching reviews of games like Bioshock, MetalGear Solid, Fallout, etc. These games create unbelievable life-like characters (in perfect proportion) realistic lighting, weather effects and natural worlds that look like live video. The movement and action and frame rates are incredible, and the cinematic cutscenes are like watching a movie.

So I guess my question, geared mostly towards the SCEA guys, and my HOPE and WISH is why cant we have the same level of realism and graphics in sports games (The Show?). It seems obvious that the consoles can handle the load, and the technology is obviously out there. If The Show LOOKED like any of these games, with their perfect proportions, lighting, weather, mood and realism, it would be absolutely incredible.

I realize its a semi-useless rant, but I am serious in wondering why the same level of detail is not put into sports....perhaps the one year develop times? Maybe the fact that these other games generate a lot more revenue?

Can it be done?

[Crash Davis]

im not sure, but if I had to guess, it would be due to making 30+ stadiums look like there real life counterparts that must take alot of room/effort. but im no genius its just a guess.

[Brian SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by bodhiball

So I am not a "gamer". Have never really played or enjoyed anything but sports games, particularly (mostly) baseball and absolutely love what the Show has to offer. I have also always been critical of the graphics in sports games, wanting so much to have the most realism possible along with great game play. Not knowing a whole lot about video games, I accepted that what we get is what the medium can provide.... ...Until I started watching reviews of games like Bioshock, MetalGear Solid, Fallout, etc. These games create unbelievable life-like characters (in perfect proportion) realistic lighting, weather effects and natural worlds that look like live video. The movement and action and frame rates are incredible, and the cinematic cutscenes are like watching a movie. So I guess my question, geared mostly towards the SCEA guys, and my HOPE and WISH is why cant we have the same level of realism and graphics in sports games (The Show?). It seems obvious that the consoles can handle the load, and the technology is obviously out there. If The Show LOOKED like any of these games, with their perfect proportions, lighting, weather, mood and realism, it would be absolutely incredible. I realize its a semi-useless rant, but I am serious in wondering why the same level of detail is not put into sports....perhaps the one year develop times? Maybe the fact that these other games generate a lot more revenue? Can it be done?

Using Fallout as an example, if you mod it to spawn more than a few enemies the framerate will drop on even a top end machine. In my tests Oblivion (a similar engine) topped out at 4-5 enemies, and that's why designers are always careful to limit on-screen enemies (or have lower quality enemy models).

In a baseball game you also have a lot more players rendering at the same time, and as a sim we can't use some of the tricks an FPS would use to optimize.

I'd say in an FPS, graphics is also a much bigger focus and a majority of the challenge. For a deep sim-style sports game, you have a lot more complex components besides that. The gamer might not see this visually, but programming wise a proper sports game is a lot more complex than a proper FPS.

[wookie48]

Good skinny. I kinda wondered this as well. So how would yo say games like COD4 were able to pull this off when they had say a squad base fireteam going against lets say 7-8 vivible insurgents on one map. I think about 15-18 people all with individual sound bites. Just wondering, I am always looking for more know how about game development

[Knight165]

Ha....
I saw Brian on last night and knew he would find this question.
Right up his alley!
What kind of omnipresence do you guys at SCEA have?!
It's kind of eerie

M.K.
Knight165

[myghty]

Uncharted graphics in MLB The Show would be awesome..... :mmmmmm, unchaaaaarted:

[bodhiball]

thanks for the reply Brian, always great to get a response and I appreciate you taking the time.

I understand the explanation....hopefully someday soon the consoles will be able to handle whatever you guys want to throw at them.

[Brian SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by wookie48

Good skinny. I kinda wondered this as well. So how would yo say games like COD4 were able to pull this off when they had say a squad base fireteam going against lets say 7-8 vivible insurgents on one map. I think about 15-18 people all with individual sound bites. Just wondering, I am always looking for more know how about game development

A common technique is the further away a person is, the lower the model quality. For example, you could have hundreds on screen if you're willing to sacrifice visuals enough. More importantly, good level design will ensure you don't see too many on your screen nearby at the same time. Almost all FPS's drop framerate once you manage to circumvent this (the alternative is to drop quality).

It also helps that the COD4 team happens to be well staffed and very good at Graphics - the majority of a FPS, whereas in Sports the graphics are just a component.

Sound bites aren't really significant from a technical standpoint. In cutting edge games it's almost always Graphics, then Physics/AI.