Sprites vs. 3D models

[King K. Azo]

Yeah, so it's just something I'm curious about. What do you prefer? High quality sprites or high quality 3D models?

Or do you like those games that try to combine both?

Discuss.

[Toffee.]

Or do you like those games that try to combine both?

So like, what, games that use 3D assests but stick to a 2D style?

(Fighting games, for example)

[Draconus297]

You've ignited a firestorm.

 

Personally, I like both, provided they're done well.

 

Good sprites can take advantage of the fact that they're pixelated and make the best of it, they can go for a cartoon look that 3D models can't achieve all that well, and are easier to load and loop. Sprites don't need to be fancy or highly detailed, but they really benefit from it. In a sense, sprites make up the greatest skill differential: anyone can make a good sprite with some effort, but those who put in the work to make the detailed ones can handily get the credit they deserve.

 

When it comes to 3D models, it's a numbers game. Unless you take advantage of the sharpness of a low-polygon model, generally speaking you want as many polygons as possible to work with and make your style smoother. But, when you have the resources to get higher counts . . . you can go realistic, you can go fantastic, you can go for just about any style you wish and it'll still work. 3D is less the amount of effort you put in- everything takes lots of time and work, unless you're doing something that would be total garbage- and what you do with the time you've spent. Smaller skill window, larger toolbox.

[King K. Azo]

So like, what, games that use 3D assests but stick to a 2D style?

(Fighting games, for example)

More like... hmm... hang on...

 

 

Like this. They use spirtes, but the background is a 3D model.

[Thar]

I prefer models in a 3D game and sprites in a 2D game. 2.5D games are weird.

[mitchermitcher]

I generally don't mind either way but I'm kinda more fond of sprites.  Especially for fighting games.

 

It's 2015 now, I kinda doubt there's anyone who's strongly against 3D models, and I'd like to think there aren't people who are strongly against sprites either.

[Flame Dragon]

I've always been a fan of sprite work. Personally, I've found that when you look at older games, sprite based ones have aged a lot better than model based one in terms of graphics. Its just harder to make good looking models.

[Airride]

I prefer sprites for pretty much all games. It feels like it's a lot easier to make things stand out/use funky colors in sprites, while models sometimes end up muddy in terms of how you can see them, and you can't do anything weird with the colors and still have it work.

Example being Link to the Past (Pink Hair works visually), compared to Between worlds (Still good graphics, not gonna lie but it's more "stadard" colors.

Another thing is interesting in-between sprites, or being able to do things "Snappier" since with models, people generally have them actually move and shtick when turning, but with sprites they just...flip. or there's a turning animation, but it just feels faster.

I see the advantage of models since you can do lighting effects, but I generally prefer sprites over models. Mainly with cartoonier games like kirby, Pokemon, and such, at least.