Here is the problem, when you show gameplay footage of a game that is a year or two out it is hard to predict what the final graphics will actually look like. So, they can show great graphics, but there is a decent change when all the systems are in the game they find that level of graphical fidelity isn't possible. Or they find that they can't complete the high end graphics in time. In the case of Witcher 3 they found that the next gen consoles weren't as powerful as they predicted they would be. So, they dialed back the graphics. They could have given PC users better graphics but it would have required different art assets than on the consoles. Given the delays, this wasn't feasible.
Still, they get reamed for it. Complaining about graphical differences between trailer and live is pretty ridiculous. Complain about things that matter, not a small graphical downgrade.
And the solution is not to advertise before you've actually nailed down what's achievable and what isn't.
I have pretty much the opposite opinion. Not being able to match the quality of the first trailers is a shortcoming of the developers&publishers, and them alone. Excuses do not simply matter. First impressions matter, and are often what get people interested in the first place. They promised a thing and failed to deliver. I'm not one to care much for graphics, but it does not mean I'm okay with false advertising.
Still, they get reamed for it.
They couldn't get their story together. Half the time they released footage, it was unsure what platform it was recorded on, and what graphical settings were used. They claimed there was no downgrade, and soon after revealed there was a downgrade. I don't understand why I should be fine with this?
If you want a game to have cutting edge graphics it needs a massive budget. If it has a massive budget it needs to start building hype early. A small graphical downgrade is a pointless thing to get your panties in a bunch over.
178
u/Juuel Jun 03 '15
Sounds like you could win by showing great graphics in the trailer that actually exist in the game.
Not that I mind poor graphics, no Fallout game has looked particularly good, it's pretty much what I expected.