Why do console video game screenshots look better than playing at home?

[goldenegg]

I've never really understood this.

When you go to sites like IGN, their screenshots rarely show any type of aliasing. I know that when a game is also available for PC, that version would be used for the shots. That still doesn't explain the games which aren't cross platform.

Anyone else notice this?

[sonick]

1. Your display device sucks
2. The screenshots you saw weren't in-game shots.

[goldenegg]

1. Your display device sucks

You assume too much. Got a Toshiba 46HX83.

2. The screenshots you saw weren't in-game shots.

After you've played a game, it's pretty clear what shots were in-game.

[Carnage]

After you've played a game, it's pretty clear what shots were in-game.

He was probably assuming you were talking about the Xbox360 and PS3 images, which are not in game yet.

Resolution probably is part of it. But also images could be touched up to make them look better. This is the media afterall.

[elty]

your TV is like 30 inches
your PC monitor is like 19", and the screenshot probably only takes 9.5" at most.

30 inches screen is about 9 times larger than a 9.5" image. so of cuz the quality will look worse on your TV.

[→ElectroLux←]

Yeah, the smaller the image the better it's resolution and looks.

[RedLightning]

I'm not sure about GC and PS2, but on the Xbox you can digitally take perfect screenshots via LAN if you're running a development BIOS. These shots will look significantly better than an analog capture, because they're basically read straight off the framebuffer.

[Headhunter]

"Screenshots" are often taken into Photoshop and touched up. You think Maxim is au natural?

[joshmxpx]

a lot of screenshots are also taken during video sequences and not during actual gameplay, which are two totally different looking aspects

[_pOtEnZa_]

You think Maxim is au natural?

lol