A lot of photos that use HDR look amazing. Things just pop out and make the pics look that much better. Saying something like I'd rather stay in the past if photos in the future look this horrible. is just a lazy blanket statement based off a small set of photos that look bad. Sure, we all make lazy blanket statements, but it's true in this case. 

however i'm not going to act like a cock because people disagree with me 

i personally prefer stuff without any processing at all beyond levels tweaking. i like to see stuff the way my v1.0 eyeball sees it, i guess. 

however i'm not going to act like a cock because people disagree with me

You obviously know nothing about posting on the internet.

Also, your mom, and stuff. 

really nice demos:
http://www.effectgames.com/demos/canvascycle/ 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14455307@N07/sets/72157622860877546/with/4128263416/ 

Something of my homekitchen...
hello earth...
Hall, will you please open that cargodoor!

http://members.home.nl/gimli/tb05.wmv 

Those make me want to play some old adventure games 

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8147497

I believe it's my job to make the player feel smart for figuring something out, rather than making myself feel cool for outsmarting the player. I've played way too many games that followed the latter philosophy to make that mistake.

Something similar can be said about excessive difficulty, btw. 

and also,

Just trying to figure out how to reach a certain ledge or room was often hours of gameplay. Surprisingly, we found that this approach to design still works in 2007.

The guys from Crystal Dynamics are pretty good with this sort of stuff, the game does have developer comments for every level, sometimes several, as a bonus feature, which can probably be found on youtube. They were sometimes pretty insightful. 

a Cubrik?

http://members.home.nl/gimli/GarEmaxton.jpg

a Brewkick?

http://members.home.nl/gimli/GarEmaxto0.jpg

Oh no, nothat!

http://members.home.nl/gimli/GarEmaxto1.jpg 

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/29/gare-maxtons-amazing-intimidator-puzzle-would-make-scaramanga-pr/ 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Nd1qtk1Go&feature=player_embedded#!

Kind of reminds me of a level from that Might&Magic fps. Awesome scenery and its screaming for a source engine map to be made from it :) 

what the fuck, that's is insanely cool. :o
and that little settlement or whatever at the end with the stream going between the two sheer cliff walls with all the broken stone at the bottom... oh em gee!

also, i absolutely loved the cliffside village that you're talking about. dark messiah, it was. 

http://www.dezeen.com/2010/08/02/an-atmosphere-excavated-by-john-becker/#more-89900 

Wow that is rad. 

Awful music but beautiful canyon images.
http://vimeo.com/13888708 

i switched on my sound in the middle of the movie and it made me laugh, because it really is so hilariously bad. awesome. 

http://www.aila.org.au/sea-change/slides/009.htm 

 

could be used as controlled prison islands, when one gets too full just open the floodgates to lessen the population of that island, pump the water back out, and restock. 

Some early RTS talk and gorgeous free tiles: http://www.lostgarden.com/2005/03/game-post-mortem-hard-vacuum.html 

http://pineapples101.blogspot.com/2010/03/2001-space-odyssey-promotional-photos.html 

Those aren't high res at all, the quality is horrible, best to check out the remastered version from the bluray:
http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/screenshots/2001-a-space-odyssey?movieid=526