Quake from 1996 used very basic 3D graphics with low polygon counts, low resolution textures, and no advanced lighting effects. In contrast, Quake 4 from 2005 featured significantly improved textures, lighting that interacted with characters and environments, and over 2,500 polygons. The document compares the basic graphics of the original 1996 Quake to the major graphical improvements in Quake 4 from 2005, noting the rapid graphics advances between the nine years separating the two games.

1. Quake - 1996
Quake has a very low polygon
count
200 polygons with 1 320X200
8bit texture using predefined
palette.
No shadows or dynamic
environmental lighting
The projectile blood is of a very low
quality, they appear square-like and
are only one single colour.
The lighting is very basic the level is
lit by the game only. The in game
lamps and over head lighting add no
effects they are just bright
coloured textures.
The texture is of a very low
quality, the floor is
essentially a brown mesh,
itʼs trying to have this 3D
texture but it failed and it
just looks squashed.
The gun is a little better with itʼs
texture especially the barrel the
grey has been excellently
designed. The only issue with
this is that there isn't enough
detail to make it look smooth.
Quake 4 - 2005
Comparing the original quake with the last
made you can see an amazing
progression, the texture of the game is so
much better, the lighting is interacting with
the characters and the environment, and
there is 2,500 polygons is this game.
There is nine years difference between
these games and it has been nine years
since quake 4, and time has won the
graphics of games is far better and more
capable of the extraordinary, in games
today we have building fall from in game
interactions and about 4 million polygons
in a single character.