I agree with every bit you wrote about John Carmack's contribution to gaming hardware and computer graphics.
But it should also be noted that both these topics are not that important in the gaming industry as they used to be when Carmack started. Graphics have become "good enough" for 3D in 2004 or so, and much earlier for 2D.
The bottlenecks in todays video games are in Artificial Intelligence (for simulations), game mechanics and story telling (which is on a all time low if you ask me).
The latest Game from Carmack I know of, Rage, was just more or less the same as every other "AAA" shooter released within the last 6 years.
Yes; that's why I like Indie games more now; they are more creative with game mechanics + story telling. I think the current next-gen hardware is not enough of a leap to make enough difference; if you just take the Unreal engine it'll all look nice now. Complex AI or actual realistic human + animal movement of body/face (no, currently they are not) would require a lot more advances in hardware/software. For a big jump in AI I would say memristors would be something. But after HP shouting that they would be selling them last year, the hype died down :)
But it should also be noted that both these topics are not that important in the gaming industry as they used to be when Carmack started. Graphics have become "good enough" for 3D in 2004 or so, and much earlier for 2D.
The bottlenecks in todays video games are in Artificial Intelligence (for simulations), game mechanics and story telling (which is on a all time low if you ask me).
The latest Game from Carmack I know of, Rage, was just more or less the same as every other "AAA" shooter released within the last 6 years.