Watch_Dogs Is Out Today!

[The Colonel]

I think it's less about people thinking the game looks ugly and more about Ubisoft disabling the super duper ultra graphics and then denying it before the game released. If it looked the same as it does now from the get-go, people probably wouldn't give a **** about how good or bad it looks.

[DementedSun]

It wasn't an E3 trailer, it was E3 game play. The finished game should look just as good if not better than that. And even only having watched the E3 videos once back then, after seeing the actual game I was much less impressed, as something seemed off and I thought I was just looking at a last gen release for it, but no, it was PS4 and PC and they both looked 'meh'.

Also driving, how did they get that so wrong when they're clearly trying to borrow from GTA.

[Smouvy]

Well, if the consequence of keeping the beauty of the graphics is that the game will run like complete shite on PCs that aren't super advanced, then yeah, I can see why.

No clue about the console versions though.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Smouvy

Well, if the consequence of keeping the beauty of the graphics is that the game will run like complete shite on PCs that aren't super advanced, then yeah, I can see why.

Because graphical options in PC games to allow people with weaker computers to play them by voluntarily disabling or lowering the effect of parts of the graphics aren't a thing that exists and every AAA game has and are the inherent solution to this problem that is inevitable with literally every big-budget PC game that is ever released

[Breegullbeak]

Originally Posted by Smouvy

Well, if the consequence of keeping the beauty of the graphics is that the game will run like complete shite on PCs that aren't super advanced, then yeah, I can see why.

No clue about the console versions though.

Console Parity. It's why GTAV for PC isn't coming out until now. They know it can look better on PC so they are releasing it with better graphics. If the PC, PS3 and 360 versions all came out at once everyone would have went for the PC version or complained about it looking so much better on PC. Instead they release it a year later with versions for consoles that can come close to that level of graphics. It's pretty much trying to level the playing field so everyone gets the same experience or as close to that as possible. It's visible in most console titles bridging the generation gaps like Assassin's Creed 4, Watch Dogs, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and even last generation with Hitman Blood Money.

I honestly think that if Watch Dogs hadn't come to 360 and PS3, the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions would have had a better chance of looking as good as the E3 Demo. The reason the E3 demo looked so good is because while it was running on PC, game development for Watch Dogs started in 2009 and they had no idea how powerful PS4 and Xbox One would be. You can make the argument for graphics options on PC, but things like changing NPC counts alone can throw off the balance in difficulty gaining money, finding crimes, and hiding form other players online. Even large explosions would better conceal a player then the ones in the main game.