Will video game graphics ever look real?

[ScottPuss20]

The graphics for some video games are very true to life, but when will game graphics get so good that you can't pick the different between them and reality? If at all? If they do get to this stage (in GT at least), it would be like a camera following a real-life car, and people like my dad wouldn't know that I was playing a video game. So, is it possible?

 

[vasiliflame]

The graphics for some video games are very true to life, but when will game graphics get so good that you can't pick the different between them and reality? If at all? If they do get to this stage (in GT at least), it would be like a camera following a real-life car, and people like my dad wouldn't know that I was playing a video game. So, is it possible?

My mum thought gran turismo 3 at the time so yeah I think they will ish

 

[michrulejj]

Not until 3D is perfected. Until then you can somewhat tell that its not reality. But Technology will always get better and advance so anything is possible.

 

[Earth]

Personally I think the turning point will be the 4K resolution. In 12-15 years I think hardware will be powerful enough to really take advantage of that resolution and we'll finally see truly lifelike graphics

 

[sumbrownkid]

Well we are getting "close" to realism as much as possible, but at the same time I don't think computers can match true realism.

The Fox Engine by Kojima Productions though looks brilliant during cutscenes.

 

[Slash]

We can get close but it's never going to match real life.

 

[LeMansAid]

We're almost there, and still way off. Textures, lighting etc. merely need be linearly extrapolated to achieve photo-realism, or as good as. Real life in motion is likely a different story though. Pre-defined animations just aren't going to cut it when playing a game.

Personally I think the turning point will be the 4K resolution. In 12-15 years I think hardware will be powerful enough to really take advantage of that resolution and we'll finally see truly lifelike graphics

My movies on dvd look pretty life-like, despite being lowly standard definition.

Also depends on if we're talking about real realism or not. Life does not unfold at 24 frames per second for example. Real cinematic and "real life" will look quite different.

 

[Com Fox]

I believe we can but it wonn't likely impress me.

The last time graphics impressed me was when the N64/PS1 generation transitioned to the GC/PS2/Xbox generation with the models not looking 2D or looking like they were out of shapes. It is nice to look at todays graphics but if we stayed with PS2 style graphics, I wouldn't be bothered.

 

[Bo]

I think the next-gen graphics we're starting to see are an indication that the current attempts at outright realism are going the wrong way somewhat. Essentially, it's going "too real". Things are getting polished and glossed up too much for my liking.

 

[PletdeKoe]

No, i think our perception (eyes and brains) will always realize it's not real. Yes we can sometimes be fooled, but tere will always be a moment where the immersion will be broken.

Even if te graphics will be really real live, the fact of the matter is that they are still graphics and we will always be able to tell.

 

[optiongamers]

I think we can get to a point where graphics will almost look real but I don't think we will ever get to the point where it looks identical to real life.

 

[kikie]

Game graphics is nicer and more beautiful to look at than real life 'graphics'. Real life is boring.

 

[Tyger]

Game graphics is nicer and more beautiful to look at than real life 'graphics'. Real life is boring.

This is true, graphics and CGI still look too "clean", even when portraying dirty stuff. Also real life is very random, for example a track in GT will repeat the same tree assets but in real life every tree is different and there is likely to be much more variety. Games need more dirt, more rubble, and perhaps more procedurally-based conditions and assets.

 

[Wolfe]

If you've ever caught yourself noticing a peculiar visual artifact in your daily life -- an unexpected reflection or refraction of light, an unusual pattern, a trick of perspective -- consider how "fake" something like that would appear in a videogame. When we find something unexpected and peculiar in real life, we think, "huh, neat." In a videogame, we tend to think it's an error.

One clear example I can think of is Saturn's hexagon, which resembles a texture goof-up.