Topic: Video game trailers that show nothing but CGI

[tendoboy1984]

How are players supposed to get excited about games that just show CGI trailers? What happened to showing actual gameplay and graphics?

[azeke]

actual gameplay

This is 2014, get with the times. We only want dudebro shooters and dumb QTEs.

[ejamer]

It's been working for years already. Why change what ain't broke?
Bull shots and mock-up CGI videos. Even better than the real thing.

[azeke]

One of my favourite videogame trailers, intro for Rome Total War is made entirely of 100% in-game footage.
It kinda looked like balls even then, with low-poly models and stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvZWOG8QkOg
But damn if it isn't one of the most amazing trailers ever made, the sheer scale still floors me.
When you see these kinda crappy models, it's not a bad thing because you realize that they're crappy because they're are EXACTLY as they are in-game and the epicness will be the same in ACTUAL game.

[oohhboy]

It's an impressive trailer, but even that cheats a little bit. I don't think at the time any consumer computer could render that in real time. It is rendered by the game, just one frame at a time with replay data.

[Ceric]

Complete with Magi-Lift Ladders.  Get up that wall faster with the Hands Free Magi-Lift Ladder.

Considering what there throwing out and the time I think its looks pretty good.

[azeke]

It's an impressive trailer, but even that cheats a little bit. I don't think at the time any consumer computer could render that in real time.

You think wrong.
I had rather mediocre PC when first Rome cme out and it ran 1000 on 1000 skirmishes just fine. With towers, ladders, elephants, scorpions what have you.


That's the thing -- actual in-game battles were often even more epic than the trailer, you could do the flying arrow cam, which was the hottest stuff after LOTR did it first.

[ShyGuy]

This CGI trailer stuff started with Final Fantasy 7, right? Dirty Square, dirty Sony...

[Stratos]

This has been a problem for a long while. I remember even a decade ago game sites would bar their E3 "Best of Show" awards from being given to games with just CGI trailers.

[nickmitch]

I think the industry really needs to move on from it.  In the days when it started, it let developers show off trailers that looked better than the games, so it was easier to build hype.  Now, the games should look great in-game and not just in the cut scenes.  There's really no excuse for it.

[Stratos]

I especially dislike games that rely too much on their cutscenes. Use the in-game engine to keep the look seamless.

[nickmitch]

I think teasers are the only acceptable exception.  That Mortal Kombat X tease (if CGI) looked just like the gameplay footage, only more dynamic (i.e., geared for a trailer and not for playing).

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I too blame Sony, I remember buying Legend of Dragoon based on the commercial thinking it had Dreamcast like graphics, boy was I disappointed. I still liked the game but it pissed me off.