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Graphical feedback

Discussion in 'Release 7 Feedback' started by Lord_Darkmoon, Jun 27, 2014.

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  1. Chris

    Chris Tech Lord Moderator Ambassador SOTA Developer

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    I'll try and set better defaults for post effects next release. We're just trying to keep from fixing everything at once so we can make every release look better than the previous one. :)
     
  2. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    I think that effects that are clearly visible like bloom and depth of field could change the first impression the game has on players.

    I noticed that bloom on "level" 2 not only adds a cool looking effect to the game but also has two more effects:

    1. It "masks" some rough edges on trees and plants, especially on leaves so that trees look a bit more natural.

    2. It gives the overall look of the game a more stytlistic feel. Somehow with bloom set to a higher level the game feels a but more like a fairy tale, which is not all meant in a negative way. The Ultimas created such an atmosphere, too - at least for me. So this is a very good thing if SotA feels a bit more like Ultima :)
     
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  3. Nietzsche

    Nietzsche Avatar

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    Don't like bloom myself sorry. If you squint your eyes you also get the same mask effect. It's just covering up the problem rather than fixing it per se. I prefer the current style realistic graphics
     
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  4. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    Then it would be great if it would be an option in the graphical settings and we could choose if we want to use it or not.
     
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  5. twobells

    twobells Avatar

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    Damn you for combating my outrage with calm facts!

    However:

    [​IMG]



    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Yup, 2002.
    Weather, lighting, atmosphere and a wonderful menacing soundtrack.
    Graphically, SOTA is not far off Elder Scrolls III at the moment, is it?
    You know, I think Darkmoon is onto something with his idea of a 'Isometric view', it would allow the developers to pan back and out from that close-in perspective that can look a little basic and ugly.

    If anyone fancies an isometric 3D rpg, they couldn't go wrong with Pillars Of Eternity or the Planetscape Torment remake. Here is a screenie from Pillars:

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. Joviex

    Joviex Avatar

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    isometric would be a large deviation to do now.

    While I agree it would have been nice to use, been inline with the originals, and probably saved some hair pulling instead of full on 3d, it really is something you need to plan for, not just change up midstream.

    you'd think it'd be easy with an already full 3d universe, but it ain't.
     
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  7. Malchor1

    Malchor1 Avatar

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    Not trying to complicate things but waves in certain open water areas would make sense
     
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  8. Floors

    Floors Avatar

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    I think Pillars of Eternity is going to be really fun to play.

    But it's also a totally different kind of game.
     
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  9. StrangerDiamond

    StrangerDiamond Avatar

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    common man trim the posts you quote lol...

    Chris thanks for telling us what to expect and what not to expect I really appreciate too...

    Honestly my own opinion is I don't like full 3d, makes my head spin... I don't need fancy graphics and randomly placed stuff springs out to me like an eyesore... like random vegetation. I prefer that everything is unpolished even almost to the point of minecraft, but that there is alot of variety and angles and combination of objects in a dynamic manner. Moss at the bottom of a tree, rocks imbeded within the roots of a tree etc... places that are more rocky or sandy...

    I rather Chris you spend time making every place unique than try to much to get to the ultimate graphical level and perfect shadows and whatnot, I don't feel darkmoon criticism is hard to fix to all is good :)

    I used to see isometric as a limit to art but then I realised how people got creative with it... it became an art in itself.

    I'll play with both but having to kick a camera around really makes my head spin, especially in closed places like dungeons... not having the cam pop through the wall to give me some peripheric vision makes me go totally batcrazy :) maybe have a lil gnome hold the cam for me please ? hehe
     
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  10. Lordy

    Lordy Avatar

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    Perfect Post
    I quote 100% of it.
    Portalarium is trying hard and i'm sure they will improve alot overall look by launch.
     
  11. StrangerDiamond

    StrangerDiamond Avatar

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  12. Ironclad

    Ironclad Avatar

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    I feel that bloom should be relegated to the options menu and not turned on by default. Luckily the trend of developers hiding graphical imperfections with generous amounts of bloom is coming to an end, as many people are sick of it. Bloom and lens flare are photographic artifacts which do not contribute to the realism and immersion of a game (unless our character has cameras instead of eyes).
     
  13. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    The question is, does SotA need realistic graphics or more stylized ones. I would vote for stylized as the Ultimas also had a more stylized look. And I think that some bloom adds to create a stylized look to a game.
     
  14. Kleshar

    Kleshar Avatar

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    These ones
     
  15. Lord_Darkmoon

    Lord_Darkmoon Avatar

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    I'm playing Divinity Original Sin right now and it uses very colored graphics and bloom and this creates a very cool "dark-fairy tale like" atmosphere - imho.

    Playing Divinity assured me in my opinion that there should at least be an option to turn up Bloom in SotA.
     
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  16. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    Divinity: Original Sin is also one of the games that the developers say uses Ultima 7 as its ideal. The original concept was to be able to build a game with the same level of open gameplay, world interactivity, and huge feature set, but with a modern engine and graphic system. Unfortunately, some of that was cut for release (day-night cycle and full NPC schedules), but the ideal is still there.

    I personally like some bloom, and I don't mind lens flare (heck, we even got one in the opening video of Ultima 9!). As long as the story is solid and the gameplay is entertaining, the exact abilities of the engine are secondary.
     
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  17. Kleshar

    Kleshar Avatar

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    Lots of you guys complaining about bloom *sigh*... the fact is , I'm not even talking about bloom. Compare this:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    with this:

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    " real " atmosphere vs SOTA's actual atmosphere.

    colours vs monochrome.

    You must be obviously blind or fanboying if you can't notice any difference.

    Where is the " bloom " or the "realism" factor? The negative feedback is all about the colours of the game world and the lightning system: it is as if the sun had died lol.

    It's not the case to talk about stylized/realistic/lepcmasterrace graphics or bloom: better if you talk about artistic direction.

    Minecraft (which I've personally always hated as a game) could be also minimalistic in terms of graphic but its artistic direction is colourful and full of life around every corner.
    Even Morrowind's game world is more lively if compared to SotA.

    If you want to create a dark-fantasy world (because of the story?) it's fine to keep on going like this but do not pretend to be the new LOTR/Ultima/Forgotten Realms universe if you're going to have that kind of muted atmosphere with its monochrome palette.

    By the way, I wish you the best with SoTA, Portalarium: keep on polishing the elements we've been talking in this topic and in the other ones inside the feedback forum . Extra content can wait until the release of episode 2,3,etc. . If you want to create a real fantasy experience, you need to concentrate on game's quality right now.
     
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  18. Jimmy Haffa

    Jimmy Haffa Avatar

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    I said this in another post but I will reiterate here since it seems to fit. I am not a person that needs the highest of graphics or realism but I do care a lot for artistic direction. I don't want generic this and that. I want it to feel like it's own actual original world and not something that was built off of random RPG template A.
     
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  19. Ironclad

    Ironclad Avatar

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    I think the shattered moon is certainly a step in the right direction.
     
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  20. Akrondar

    Akrondar Avatar

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    I really like LOTRO landscapes, i hope we can get something like that
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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