I think most gamers would agree that graphically, AoC and LoTRO would be the top two...but where does Aion fit in? I think it is clearly better then WoW's aging graphics but how does it compare to the rest? 

From an Artistic standpoint, Aion easily beats both.

From a technical standpoint, it's AoC , Lotro , Aion with the difference between Lotro and Aion being very small.

LOTRO has some terrible character models and animations, i couldnt never play a game if my character's looked that bad.

AoC has some great graphics but the client isn't able to handle large scale PvP battles. Aion looks great and handles large scale PvP flawlessly and thats the real difference for me. Aion wins by a fatality.

Originally posted by Gameloading

From an Artistic standpoint, Aion easily beats both.

From a technical standpoint, it's AoC , Lotro , Aion with the difference between Lotro and Aion being very small.

Artistic is really a subjective thing.

I prefer grittier, more realistic type world and atmosphere so AoC takes it for me. Someone who prefers high fantasy would choose Aion.

I will say that Lotro's character models and animations are horrible, the rest of the game looks great though.

Originally posted by Gameloading

From an Artistic standpoint, Aion easily beats both.

From a technical standpoint, it's AoC , Lotro , Aion with the difference between Lotro and Aion being very small.

I disagree, AoC has a much more advanced graphics engine. For me the list would go Lotro, AoC, Aion. Aion of course has the best engine, since it uses the crysis engine.

I actually don't playing LoTRO because to me the graphic sucks.  But I felt Aion got really good graphic.

It's probably the realistic art thing.  If you going for realistic graphic, it need to be pretty damn good to impress people.

And for fantasy graphic, it can be midiocre and it loos good already.

Aion graphics are pretty  but  cartoony.  To me they are a step backward from LOTRO and AOC.

I think from an art perspective LotR is the best of the three but that's because the art direction in Rings is more the type of fantasy I can relate to from the books I've read, pnp D&D days, movies I've see, etc.

From a graphical standpoint I have to say AoC is the most impressive.  I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again but as bad as AoC is for an mmorpg from a graphical standpoint it's the most impressive I've seen in an mmorpg.

Although the player character design and detail in Aion is impressive.  If you were just judging that then I would actually say Aion but when it comes to other things like landscape and terrain texturing Aion doesn't seem to be as good as the other two.  I'm not saying it's bad either it just seems a bit lacking in detail and texturing compared to the other two games.

Originally posted by Xodus316

Originally posted by Gameloading

From an Artistic standpoint, Aion easily beats both.

From a technical standpoint, it's AoC , Lotro , Aion with the difference between Lotro and Aion being very small.

 

I disagree, AoC has a much more advanced graphics engine. For me the list would go Lotro, AoC, Aion. Aion of course has the best engine, since it uses the crysis engine.

Aion uses the CryTek engine which was used for Far Cry 1 and then sold to NCSoft in 05ish, not the Crysis engine.

As for graphics in an MMO... AoC at the top of the heap.  LotRO for environment.  CO then WAR likely next overall graphically.  EQ2 for models.  Then VG as an overall look again. Aion would probably come in about there for overall look.  The art style is great where PC/NPC models are concerned but the actual technical quality is dated which it is since it uses a 5 year old engine.

Lets not confuse preference for technical merit.

Originally posted by Perfection66

LOTRO has some terrible character models and animations, i couldnt never play a game if my character's looked that bad.

AoC has some great graphics but the client isn't able to handle large scale PvP battles. Aion looks great and handles large scale PvP flawlessly and thats the real difference for me. Aion wins by a fatality.

 

 

I totally agree, character models in LOTRO are pretty bad, but the game world is one of the best out there. AOC has both an amazing game world and characters. Sieges are laggy as hell but that’s a different story all together, I can have 50 plus players visible in AOC and still maintain 60 plus FPS.  In a normal group or even a 24 man Im kicking 80 plus.

AION has decently detailed models though I despise their facial features and mannerisms (way to feminine). But AION fails at the game world level, washed out and pale, no mood or atmosphere. I would stick with the original posters rank of AOC LOTRO first then possibly AION.
 

Originally posted by Perfection66

LOTRO has some terrible character models and animations, i couldnt never play a game if my character's looked that bad.

AoC has some great graphics but the client isn't able to handle large scale PvP battles. Aion looks great and handles large scale PvP flawlessly and thats the real difference for me. Aion wins by a fatality.

 

 

what he said

Pretty much. It's AOC then LOTRO than AION for me. Though I think TOR is going to replace AION for the third spot.

A lot of users here are confusing, graphic, artstyle and personal taste even with the fact the 3 aspects compose a game´s visuals.

Everquest2, AION and AOC have the better animation and character modeling (by better I mean more sophisticated not a matter of taste).

Vanguard has superior textures, vegetation and indoor locations geometry  if we compare to LOTRO

Everquest 2 (even using old shaders) and AOC have the best dynamic shadow system.

AION has superior character modeling and animations than LOTRO and AOC.

LOTRO only has nice natural open field locations but they are technicaly inferior if we compare to Vanguard natural open field locations.

Models and indoor locations in Lotro are very outdated comparing to other MMOs. (this is why every LOTRO screenhot we see are from open field locations usually without characters or without close ups). DX10 doesn´t help to "fix" these graphical inconsistencies.

Vanguard has some fantastic aspects but characters and animations are horrid.

AOC has some nice aspects too but vegetagion is out of place and outdated (this is what happens when you try to update an ancient engine to use the latest shaders).

 Lotro has nice "green" locations but it is by no means sophisticated even with dx10 gimmick and higher resolution textures (AION could use some of these).

A lot of people like LOTRo´s artstyle and a lot of people love AION artstyle, but when we talk about advanced graphics (indoors and outdoors), animations and models (the techinical side of 3D)  AOC, AION, EQ2, Vanguard (and of course the upcoming Tera and some other games) all have some strong points and some let downs.

Edit-In my opinion AION has a superior visual composition than Lotro and AOC as it is the most visualy balanced of them. You don't find huge visual "holes" in AION like you can find in LOTRO (characters and animations) and AOC (vegetation and functional issues).

...

Champions online also has better graphics although it's not for everyones taste.

1. Age of Conan
2. Vanguard
3. EverQuest II
4. Lord of the Rings Online
5. Warhammer Online
6. Dungeons & Dragons Online
7. Aion
8. Saga of Ryzom
9. World of WarCraft
10. RuneScape

Frankly. But I'm known to have serious problems with most varieties of stylization and technical minimalism.

Originally posted by Umbral

 

A lot of users here are confusing, graphic, artstyle and personal taste even with the fact the 3 aspects compose a game´s visuals.

 

 

You win the internetz...

What he said, in its entirety.

Originally posted by Saerain

1. Age of Conan
2. Vanguard
3. EverQuest II
4. Lord of the Rings Online
5. Warhammer Online
6. Dungeons & Dragons Online
7. Aion
8. Saga of Ryzom
9. World of WarCraft
10. RuneScape

Frankly. But I'm known to have serious problems with most varieties of stylization and technical minimalism.

Agghh!! 

1. Agreed
2. LOTRO so much hawter
3. Vanguard
4.  Aion?
5.  D&D Online
6.  Warhammer online is a joke for graphics
7.  WoW despite it looking cartoony has some amazing art direction.

 Performance must be taken into account when discussing graphics. Aion currently delivers the best overall package, its how all graphical elements compliment each other.

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9882/aionaltgard.jpg

In his latest interview with Aionsource, Yongchan lee (Aion producer) said they are planning to implement additional real-time rendering techniques that will improve the game visually [Prolly means HDR support]. He also said they are reviewing adding DX10 support.

The Elyos starting area (Aion) is probably the most beautiful area I've seen in an MMORPG.  And Aion's characters are superb too (though not sure their animations are that great -- partially because they intrude upon the gameplay...and when combined with the game's terrible camera actually hurt the playability of the game a lot.)

I dunno, overall I'd go with Aion as the most attractive artistically.  AOC was alright.

I'm not sure LOTRO is even in the running, due to lackluster models.  My characters in that game looked like ass.

I dig the WAR character animations, and think they added a ton to each character, but the rest of the game was merely average graphically.

Comparing graphics in games tend to be very subjective. Personally i think i prefere the pre rendered landmaps from Baldurs gate 2, compared to alot of new 3d rendered MMO`s. A game can have a very advanced 3d engine with alot of features only cutting edge computers really can run, but tbh, things like normal mapping can actually make a game look even worse if the artists behind dont know how to use it. On the other hand, havoc, antialiasing and further out in the future, raytraced light and shadow, will prolly do alot, even for bad design.

Personally i prefere style over technology; a good example is Ben Hibbons Code Hunters( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmeP1YkaeTo&feature=related,) which easely beats most more realistic 3d animations/game trailers.