Do you honestly believe that 2D games are dead?

I think you need to clarify if you're talking about 2D graphics or just 2D gameplay.

2D graphics can only look so good, but 2D game gameplay can still rock.

Dave

Geometry Wars.

'nuff said.

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Original post by kaeumgprogrammer I've been reading a lot of current news events and such about the 2D game market. They're trying to say that the 2D world is coming to it's end, but there are a lot of people that demand 2D quality games on consoles, not just GBA, DS, PC, and mobile phones. I don't think 2D games are going anywhere. I know that it may not be as "big" as 3D, but there's still a market for them. I know for a fact that there a lot of people like me who don't even play 3D games, not because we hate them or anything, but we just get more fun out of 2D games. What do you guys think?

I want 2-D games to stick around forever, but I find that what I want greatly differs from what the greater majority of the gaming population wants.

2d gameplay will exist forever, but 2d graphics are pretty much at the end if it's life. We'll definitly see more Animal Crossing / Warcraft III - style 3d models limited to 2d of freedom.

Hand drawn sprites will only be around for the occasional retro game.

I don't believe that 2D is dead quite yet. I think that as holographics and projected imaging/3D user interface becomes more advanced, 2D use will recede, and eventually be stuffed in the world history books. Who knows when that'll happen. :)

It is still fully applied in current game UI, vehicle UI, medical imaging device UI, amongst countless other fields.

I think the idea of a sprite is perhaps what is all but dead. Today it seems that the main technique is to use orthographically projected quadrilaterals in OpenGL, Direct3D, etc.

In the sprite's defense though, I have to admit that the use of sprite-like artwork in Nintendo's contemporary Paper Mario series for Gamecube is quite visually appealing.

It was certainly a fresh break from the 3D cel shading craze which was streaming through both the for-profit and the academic graphics development sectors at the time. :)

Aside... I would love for Capcom to produce a remake of the original Strider game in 2.5D. That would be awesome!

At the same time, they could redo Final Fight. Classic. :)

[Edited by - taby on March 31, 2006 11:10:23 AM]

I think 2D animation / sprites will (almost) always have a place in web games (like popcap). Also, I think a lot of education software will continue to use 2D graphics for a long time to come... due to the 'feel' it creates.

I miss 2D adventure games (Monkey Island 1-3, Space quest, etc). Nowadays it seems it is cheaper to go to 3D than pay artists to draw all those scenes by hand.

I don't think 2d games are going anywhere, for the simple fact that some games don't need to be 3d.

Also, 2d art is much simpler to create, so you'll be seeing it for a long time in indy and amateur games.

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Original post by Steadtler I miss 2D adventure games (Monkey Island 1-3, Space quest, etc). Nowadays it seems it is cheaper to go to 3D than pay artists to draw all those scenes by hand.

Lucasarts and Sierra, wow. I haven't thought of them in a long time. :)

I am guessing that these artists may say that they would rather use hard physics to calculate the image, rather than trusting their own inherently flawed brushwork, depth perception, and colour space skills.

Not even Durer or Escher were perfectly accurate, despite however small the visual deviations may have been. In their defense, they had no computational tools like we do today.

I guess I'll have to wait a while longer to ask of them their opinions on the concepts behind modern ray tracing. :)

2d prerendered, and semi-prerendered are going to be around for a lot time. Loading a set of sprites that are based off of 3d models that are 40,000 polies each is a lot easier to do than to actually render them realtime.

We're going to see more of a hybrid of 2D and 3D holding parts of the market.

I swear, i've seen this thread before. 2D isn't going anywhere. As long as there are casual gamers, 2D is here to stay.

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Original post by taby Aside... I would love for Capcom to produce a remake of the original Strider game in 2.5D. That would be awesome!

You know, there is a 2.5D version of Strider in the arcade, and it's awesome!

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Original post by Talroth We're going to see more of a hybrid of 2D and 3D holding parts of the market.

Not anymore it isn't. We're desperate for texture memory as it is, and the lack of scalability of prerendered images is not acceptable. We're better off with mid poly models that are normal mapped.

I think there is still a market, as long as the game can engage the player, and make them use both hands (a la an FPS), then it could hit it off.
Some dev make the mistake of making a 2D game that doesn't utilize the mouse.
In my opinion, the mouse is the greatest joypad of all time.

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Original post by spacemonkeystudios I think there is still a market, as long as the game can engage the player, and make them use both hands (a la an FPS), then it could hit it off. Some dev make the mistake of making a 2D game that doesn't utilize the mouse. In my opinion, the mouse is the greatest joypad of all time.

Unfortunately, sir, you're opinion is wrong [smile]

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Original post by taby Aside... I would love for Capcom to produce a remake of the original Strider game in 2.5D. That would be awesome!

You got that right brother! Ratings ++ for having undeniably good taste.

Well I am of the opinion that your opinion on my previous opinion is....wrong. Yes.

If anyone thinks 2D is dead they need to check out Braid by Jonathon Blow. This game is simply amazing, and is possible one of the most interesting and mind blowing games I've ever seen. Not to mention...it's 2D.