Can Great Graphics Overcome Mediocre Gameplay?
By: Susan Arnold
Supervisor: Myque Ouellette/Chad Walker
Masters of Interactive Technology degree conferred March 24th, 2007
Thesis / Project completed: March 21st, 2007

This thesis studies the importance of visual design in video games.  Gameplay is often pushed in front of graphics as being the most important part of a game: the definition of a game’s success or failure.  This study looks at first-person-shooter (FPS) players’ opinions on two maps with polar differences in visual and gameplay qualities to find what gamers see as more important.  Many things attribute to gameplay including sound, pacing, timing, audience, and story.

This study focuses solely on gameplay/fun and visual/graphic quality of FPSs using Half-Life 2 (HL2).  The approach begins by producing two HL2 maps and then testing each with a group of testers.  This approach makes it possible to focus on just the visual aspects including lighting, texture choices and application, model choices and placement, detail geometry, and the overall feel/mood.  The gameplay aspects being tested include pacing, critical path, replayability, and fun.  This study questions whether high quality visuals are a necessary aid to gameplay and must fit with the gameplay to create a believable and immersive experience.  The hypothesis expected that the testers would overall feel that gameplay was more important, but that visuals were also important to the maps immersion.  The study also expected that without both elements the players would feel the map was missing the other.  The results show that gameplay remains more important to the average gamer for enjoyment of and immersion into a game/map.

Download entire thesis (.pdf)