Video Game and Internet Aesthetics - Low Poly Textures

I have always loved video games growing up. They were my escape into another world, into another story, and were my equivalent of a good book, or getting lost in the outdoors, depending on the game.

Low Poly / PSX Video game aesthetic

My favourite video games are low-poly graphics and textures. Restricted technologies meant developers were confined to choosing performance over realism. But these restrictions are now seen as nostalgic, and having ethereal qualities. I believe this is due to the sharp, contoured colours, almost abstract modelling, and contrast lighting, which reminds me of liminal spaces.

Game development of the 90s was technologically restricted, by including a higher polygon count (Number of surface areas on an object), then the frame rate would suffer resulting in choppy and slowed gameplay with delayed responsive times (Schneider, 2014). As Schneider best describes, "it's a visual style forced to make do with a limited number of polygons.". These artistic choices are being revived on a more mainstream level, replicated not just in games but also art (See artist Gao Hang in a further post). As Couture writes, many game developers of today are employing this 1990s aesthetic.

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"The deliberate choice of a minimalist low-poly art style is a movement toward making the player use their imagination. It's a way of creating a visual style that simplifies and clarifies aspects of the game. It's yet another tool that lets developers keep a clear vision of what their game should be."

(Couture, 2016)

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He also writes how the first time gaming was a big part of many people's lives, and any aspects that can touch on that like the visual choices, can create a pleasant nostalgia.

Take-aways

• The trick to this style is:

  • Seamless gradients

  • Minimal, geometric representations

  • Contrast lighting

• Play with these elements in future works. What kind of message are you wanting to convey? The ethereal qualities of these games are parallel to the emotions felt, and reasons why I love nature and the landscape.

  • Use this phrasing when talking about your work. Best explains your thought processes, and why you love these interests.

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References

Couture, Joel. (2016). Why are so many devs employing a retro low-poly mid-1990s aesthetic? [online] Available at: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/art/why-are-so-many-devs-employing-a-retro-low-poly-mid-1990s-aesthetic-#close-modal [Accessed 25th April 2024].

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Schneider, T. (2014). A comprehensive history of low-poly art, Pt. 1. [online] Kill Screen - Previously. Available at: https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/poly-generational/ [Accessed 25th April 2024].

Further Reading

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Aesthetics Wiki (2020). Low Poly. [online] Aesthetics Wiki. Available at: https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Low_Poly [Accessed 25th April 2024].