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Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Which video game stats matter most to you?

Graphics
Sound Effects
Music
Story
Game play/Mechanics

I think that the story and game play are among the two most important for me. I really can't stand a game that goes nowhere or is too difficult to figure out how to play (Tales of Symphonia).

So, which are most important for you guys and also, did I miss any?

Posted: Mar 05 2009 02:34 pm

If you asked me last year, I'd say just gameplay, however, after playing Shadow of the Colossus, I need to include Story and Music.

Posted: Mar 05 2009 02:42 pm

Gameplay and story is a must for any game...

Posted: Mar 05 2009 02:46 pm

Gameplay is by far the most important thing in a game to me. If the gameplay is bad the fun factor is gone from the start making the game pointless for me to play. If I had to rank the above stats I would order them like this:

1. Gameplay/Mechanics
2. Story
3. Music
4. Graphics
5. Sound Effects

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

1) Game play/Mechanics- Whether a game is innovative or a competent clone, being able to enjoy how it plays is the basis for playing about 99% of games

2) Graphics- I don't necessarily mean this in the sense of being top-of-the-line new-age graphics, but more art direction and visual presentation of the world. It helps draw you into the environment and the world so you can get lost in the game.

3) Music- Good music/aural ambience provides the mood for any game. The soundtrack can enhance the fear of a survival horror game, the epicness of a big battle, or bring out the laugh in a joke.

4) Story- I don't need a Bioshock/Half-Life epic with interesting story presentation with political/philosophical undertones (though it is infinitely awesome with some). I just ask that a story-centric game have passable acting, present itself well, and let its narrative unfold in a solid way that doesn't make you angry at the story.

5) Sound Effects- Make a gun sound powerful, footsteps atmospheric, monsters imposing and whatever you can. If you can at least do a basic job of making good sound effects, then good. If you can make them kick ass and push the game beyond the realm of the crowd into a pure hit, then bravo.

Joined: Oct 12 2007 Posts: 821

in order of most important to least

Gameplay/Mechanics
Music
Graphics
Sound Effects
Story

Posted: Mar 05 2009 05:48 pm

Gameplay goes above everything else, without it the game would either be not enjoyable at all or unplayable and would defeat the purpose of the other factors existing.(Except music I guess, since you could probably put it on your mp3 player...)

The least needed for me, would probably be graphics as in this day and age, games with actual bad graphics are pretty hard to come by.(The only example I can name is that Cruisin' game on the Wii, it looked like an N64 game)

Posted: Mar 05 2009 06:55 pm

1. Gameplay
2. Story
3. Music
4. Sound Effects
5. Graphics

Posted: Mar 05 2009 06:59 pm

In a forum of retro gamers, graphics are generally not going to get a high rating around here. No question, gameplay is the single most important thing in a video game.

Posted: Mar 05 2009 07:40 pm

TopShelf wrote:

In a forum of retro gamers, graphics are generally not going to get a high rating around here. No question, gameplay is the single most important thing in a video game.

I second that, TopShelf.

Anyway, here's how I'll rank those fives stats from top to bottom, GP:

1.) Game Play/Mechanics
2.) Music
3.) Story
4.) Sound Effects
5.) Graphics

2011 SNES Champ Joined: Dec 04 2006 Posts: 1929

Gameplay is the most important, tied with story in the case of RPGs.
Graphics and music can make a good game great, but bad gameplay will make any game suck, no matter what.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Do you guys think that I am missing any stats? Or do those 5 count for all that matter?

Posted: Mar 05 2009 11:35 pm

I don't believe you're missing anything, maybe fun factor, but that kinda ties in with gameplay.

Posted: Mar 05 2009 11:55 pm

1. Story - I hate to say it, but if a game doesn't have a good story driving it along, 100% of the time I get bored with it and move on to another game. This is a perfect example of why I don't like Halo. The only possible exception to this rule is Resident Evil; while the stories behind the RE games aren't particularly bad, I'm more in it for the gameplay than anything else.

2. Gameplay - This is rather obvious; if the game sucks, I won't be playing it.

3. Music - It's going to be playing in the background for the entire duration of the game, so you better make it decent. And also, it should suit the mood; for example, I don't think the Silent Hill games would produce quite the same effect if, say, 80s hair metal was playing in the background.

4. Sound Effects - Normally this isn't a big factor for me. In fact, I'd say that the only time I've ever been annoyed by sound effects was in GTA: San Andreas; handgun shots sound oddly plastic, and immediately grated on my nerves.

5. Graphics - I can name at least ten PSone games that have crap graphics in comparison to today's graphics, that are infintely better than some of the drivel that comes out today. Beautiful graphics are nice, but not absolutely necessary.

Joined: Oct 12 2007 Posts: 821

GPFontaine wrote:

Do you guys think that I am missing any stats? Or do those 5 count for all that matter?

I personally think of likable characters as something separate from story, but that may just be me

Posted: Mar 06 2009 02:11 am

For some games, "Replayability" is important.

"Controls" is very important for many games. But, that could fall under "Gameplay" I guess.

Oh, and don't forget the EA/NEA rating. (aka "Was it made by EA?") very important. as well.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Knyte wrote:

For some games, "Replayability" is important.

"Controls" is very important for many games. But, that could fall under "Gameplay" I guess.

Oh, and don't forget the EA/NEA rating. (aka "Was it made by EA?") very important. as well.

Replayability is a consequence of other statistics, at least that is how I see it.

As for the rating, do you mean the ESRB rating? I have never heard of an EA rating.

Posted: Mar 06 2009 10:42 am

You know, after thinking about it I don't think how I rank the stats is the same for every genre. If I'm playing a schmup story is of no concern to me at all and I would say graphics would rank higher than music in that case. If I'm playing an RPG story is very important to me, and music would rank higher than graphics. I am not sure I can stand behind my earlier post. The only thing I can say for certain is that gameplay is the most important stat to me regardless of genre.

Posted: Mar 06 2009 12:49 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

Knyte wrote:

For some games, "Replayability" is important.

"Controls" is very important for many games. But, that could fall under "Gameplay" I guess.

Oh, and don't forget the EA/NEA rating. (aka "Was it made by EA?") very important. as well.

Replayability is a consequence of other statistics, at least that is how I see it.

As for the rating, do you mean the ESRB rating? I have never heard of an EA rating.

EA as in Electronic Arts. I believe it's a joke, as many games are made/produced by EA.

Posted: Mar 06 2009 12:57 pm

1. Gameplay
2.Story
3. Graphics
4. Music
5. Sound Effects

Posted: Mar 06 2009 01:05 pm

1. Gameplay
2. Sound Effects/Music
3. Replayability
4. Graphics
5. Story

Title: Title: Title: Title Joined: Sep 18 2008 Posts: 258

Gameplay and Story are the most important things in a game to me... unless of course the game is Final Fantasy Tactics where the story was probably written by a braindead post-war japanese vet, yet remains one of my favorites.

Posted: Mar 06 2009 05:15 pm

Syd Lexia wrote:

1. Gameplay
2.Story
3. Graphics
4. Music
5. Sound Effects

This doesn't apply to Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

In the case of those games, music is the most important thing and graphics/story are tied for least important.

Docinsano's Channel 63 · Posted: Mar 06 2009 05:52 pm

Hahahahaha! You people and your video game judgements! I know nothing of these stats, I have my own complex rating system: It's called sitting down and playing the fucking game for hours and hours and days and days and weeks and weeks and years and years. Then, when I have a grasp on the general idea of the game, I comment on it. Gameplay ranks #1 followed by story for me otherwise the rest are garbage and therefore land into "grey area."

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Should special effects be considered a part of graphics or its own element?

For example explosions, shadows, etc...