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Of the titles that came out last year, which ones did you think made the greatest technological leaps forward, in terms of game control, sound, lighting effects, graphics, gameplay, etc.

A game?

It was a good year for RPG's. But I would say Warcraft 3. It's depth of plot was stunning.

well i think the cpl and wcg tournaments have stepped in up remarkabley. www.thecpl.com and www.worldcybergames.com are their sites. The cpl is now having their summer 2003 tournament in dallas TX for counter-strike and the total purse being given away is $200,000!!! Check out their sites, 192 teams playing at summer cpl (my team one of them !!!)

He was talking about a game, Nick. Not some LAN party. Don't you ever read the posts you're responding to?

I think Morrowind was an amazing step for first person RPG play. Amazingly large world with nice bump mapped water, shadows, weather effects etc.

One of the most stunning games I played last year.

My sentiments on Morrowind as well. If it isn't the most well put-together game of 2002, it is up there.

I think MOHAA was a pretty big step in terms of gameplay, but one of the best games overall would have to be GTA3(PC); truely a stunning game!! Morrowind will have to be up there too.

I shouldn't discount GTA3 just because I played it through on the PS2. I was really just thinking of games I had played on the PC. I don't know if the PC version was as graphically stunning as Morrowind, but the world seemed as real or maybe even more so than Morrowind. Another astoundingly large game.

Yes, GTA3 is a very large game. The graphics in the PC version are a lot better than in the PS2 version, but they are still nothing special. I would say Morrowind has better graphics by a pretty safe distance.

If we're talking about graphics, then I would think Splinter Cell would be more of a technological advancement than Morrowind, wouldn't you?... I mean, where else have you ever seen lighting effects and ambient gas effects like those of Splinter Cell? I'm pretty sure that the thermal vision, night vision and general lighting of S.C. far exceeds those of any other game at this time (that I've seen so far). Music and voice acting are excellent too, but as for technological leaps, the movement capabilities, gadgets and lighting are all strong contenders for most advanced of the year, IMO. But tell me ~ why do you think Morrowind is so technologically advanced?

Come to think about it, I think that Splinter Cell's graphics are quite superior to Morrowinds. But are we talking about PC version of S.C.? If we are, then better graphics are to be expected, although if we are talking about both games on the XBOX console; I'm not sure that S.C. is really that much better. What are your views?

I have all three consoles and a PC, so I get to experience a broad range of games as well as variations of each game. I have Splinter Cell for both PC and XBOX. I got it on XBOX first and then had to have it for PC. My opinion is that the graphics are still superior either way. Not because the game "looks" better or anything like that - that's a matter of personal preference. What I mean is that the actual lighting effects, camera tricks, environmental renderings, etc., are all more advanced than what was previously seen in games of it's type. It was an actual 'advancement' as opposed to just being another nice looking game. Does that make sense?

Perfect sense, you like the styles in which Splinter Cell was made. You are right in saying there are no other games like S.C., or at least none that I have come across. If they made more games like S.C., the gaming world would be a better place!

Splinter Cell was released this year (2003) was it not? I would agree it was a step in graphics but he was talking about 2002

GTA3 was a pretty large advancement. I (along with some other people) have never really paid attention to 3rd person shooters - like Oni, Tomb Raider, etc. but GTA3 was really good.

Well, I don't know when the PC version came out. My Dad got it for Christmas on XBOX, then I got it for PC after the 1st of the year. Either way, the game itself has been out since the end of last year. I couldn't find any release date info at the website ~ maybe you'll have better luck (http://www.splintercell.com/us/

Blah it does matter. This year or last, it was still amazing.

Uh...keyword TOURNAMENT.