Why is this game so pixelated?

[Unster]

I get the idea, simulate every pixel. But I think visually it's overdone. I wish the pixels were smaller so everything would have better visual clarity. I'm pretty sure the average modern gaming PC could handle that. Do you guys actually like the big pixels?

[ZimzamTimtam]

You're a bit of an oxygen thief.

[Antonio Margheriti]

Why are you so pixelated?
You're visually overdone, neeerrrrd.

[Goaliosis™]

Originally posted by Unster:

I get the idea, simulate every pixel. But I think visually it's overdone. I wish the pixels were smaller so everything would have better visual clarity. I'm pretty sure the average modern gaming PC could handle that. Do you guys actually like the big pixels?

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(NOT TO BE TAKEN PERSONALLY) -> BTW your avatar is very low quality pixels =] maybe ask valve to up the pixel density to my liking! (bad attempt at a terrible joke)
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I don't have a problem with it being as detailed as it is right now. Your question is valid, but I am not sure what the reasoning is for the scaling the way it is. Maybe a dev will chime in for the reasoning.

So you are having a hard time understanding what is being displayed or do you just want to zoom out to see more of the level?

[Leopoldo3]

they arent big dude if they were too much smaller they would be hard to percieve and the whole concept of interactivity between stuff would be ruined

[S.Scribbles]

I respect that you feel this way, but I absolutely love it! That being said I wanna upgrade my pc so I can use the 4k pack for monster hunter. So not just someone whole specfically likes 'chunky' pixel graphics

[Unster]

PepperJack & Zimzam, I don't know why you guys are taking this personally. Grow up, will you? I was asking an honest question and providing constructive feedback, nothing more.

Let's be honest here. The game at first glance looks like something out of the 80's. I'm not a fan of the look. But I like the physics, interaction and atmosphere of the game. So I'd much prefer if the pixels were smaller and there were more of them. Everything would look sharper, especially the characters. It wouldn't reduce interactivity in any way. The only problem might be lower FPS on low-end computers, but I'd like to see a higher-res option for the PC's than can handle it.

[Lodestar]

Originally posted by Unster:

PepperJack & Zimzam, I don't know why you guys are taking this personally. Grow up, will you? I was asking an honest question and providing constructive feedback, nothing more.

Let's be honest here. The game at first glance looks like something out of the 80's. I'm not a fan of the look. But I like the physics, interaction and atmosphere of the game. So I'd much prefer if the pixels were smaller and there were more of them. Everything would look sharper, especially the characters. It wouldn't reduce interactivity in any way. The only problem might be lower FPS on low-end computers, but I'd like to see a higher-res option for the PC's than can handle it.

higher res would destroy the entire way the engine works. that also means massive changes in gameplay. so you cant just make it magically go from 1 pixel to 4 smaller ones.

[Unster]

@devolutelize, that doesn't sound right. There's already a lower-res option in the menu. Take a look yourself. What would be wrong with a higher-res option? No one is forcing you to use it.

[Unster]

You guys have to keep in mind these aren't actual pixels we're talking about. They're just blocks. They can definitely be shrunk & increased in number.

[Lodestar]

Originally posted by Unster:

@devolutelize, that doesn't sound right. There's already a lower-res option in the menu. Take a look yourself. What would be wrong with a higher-res option? No one is forcing you to use it.

that doesnt do...anything. wierd.

Originally posted by Unster:

You guys have to keep in mind these aren't actual pixels we're talking about. They're just blocks. They can definitely be shrunk & increased in number.

yes, but a higher number changes the core gameplay. enemies with more pixels have different hitboxes. single pixel things would have drastically decreased hitboxes, unless you make them have 4 pixels, in which case nothing has changed. its a wierd graphics change that would need more than a little tweaking.

[Snobby Hobo]

You need to be really careful asserting yourself on topics you're not knowledgeable about. It will piss people, quite rightly too, off.

The answer to "why" it is so pixelated is related to your wrong assumption of "most computers can handle it anyway". Having individually physically animated "pixels", you rightly said they are indeed just small boxes(which are also correctly called pixels - may I add) rather than pixels on your monitor, is incredibly expensive for your hardware. If the game were fully CPU driven I'm fairly certain almost no computer would be able to run it. There's some impressive shader magic going on under the hood.

You could have partially deduced this from other games. If it were so easy to run, why didn't other games do it before? Simulated physics are absolutely no mystery. We have had advanced liquid simulation in 3 dimensions since a decade at least. We have had ragdolls since a long time too - but "even" those cause serious issues in modern games. Noita has all of the above seamlessly.

So in summa, the answer is very simple: no, your computer would not be able to run it weren't in for the fact the world is so pixelated.

[Baron Von Sucko]

Originally posted by Unster:

You guys have to keep in mind these aren't actual pixels we're talking about. They're just blocks. They can definitely be shrunk & increased in number.

So... you want to increase the number of pixels in a game where every pixel is part of the physics system, and you don't see a problem with multiplying the number of pixels by 2^x.

[Unster]

If I were the developer for this game, I certainly would experiment with the block size and make them as small as possible. Given how smoothly this game runs, at least on my PC, it's a safe assumption that the blocks could have been made smaller and still maintain performance. So I don't think the blocks are the way they are strictly for performance. It's also the retro style that the devs went for. Again I'm not a fan of it.

incredibly average, FYI, I'm a game programmer myself and it's ironically you who is asserting himself here. Get off your pedestal. Geez some of you are a touchy bunch. It's just a game and all I did is ask a valid question. Quite a toxic community here.

[Snobby Hobo]

Originally posted by Unster:

If I were the developer for this game, I certainly would experiment with the block size and make them as small as possible. Given how smoothly this game runs, at least on my PC, it's a safe assumption that the blocks could have been made smaller and still maintain performance. So I don't think the blocks are the way they are strictly for performance. It's also the retro style that the devs went for. Again I'm not a fan of it.

incredibly average, FYI, I'm a game programmer myself and it's ironically you who is asserting himself here. Get off your pedestal. Geez some of you are a touchy bunch. It's just a game and all I did is ask a valid question. Quite a toxic community here.

I've no issue believing you're a programmer. Almost everyone is, or at least call themselves, nowadays including myself. And I can tell you with great conviction I'm more knowledgeable on the subject than you are.

Your argument of "but it runs great on my end" is vague and possibly irrelevant. The goal when releasing a game is to have it work properly on as many systems as possible. Noita has a very advanced physics system that would not be feasible given a larger "resolution", for a lack of a better term. What degree could be achieved within acceptable boundaries I simply don't know, but given the technicality of what has already been achieved in this game I'm entirely certain the developers weighted this themselves too. The game definitely isn't just "pixelated because they wanted it to be".

[Lodestar]

Originally posted by Unster:

If I were the developer for this game, I certainly would experiment with the block size and make them as small as possible. Given how smoothly this game runs, at least on my PC, it's a safe assumption that the blocks could have been made smaller and still maintain performance. So I don't think the blocks are the way they are strictly for performance. It's also the retro style that the devs went for. Again I'm not a fan of it.

incredibly average, FYI, I'm a game programmer myself and it's ironically you who is asserting himself here. Get off your pedestal. Geez some of you are a touchy bunch. It's just a game and all I did is ask a valid question. Quite a toxic community here.

i saw like, maybe 2 people insult you. as a joke. overall a bunch of people tried to point out the flaws in your idea. first off, they probably did mess with pixel size. it IS only logical. secondly, this doesnt match retro at all. everything is vastly different from normal pixel games. the pixels are too small to be retro, and too big to be modern. not to mention sprite design and hitboxes.