Author Topic: a guide for what ah2 sky and terrain should look like (Read 1619 times)

Citabria · « **on:** December 25, 2003, 02:06:28 PM »

edit:

Requesting:
sky
r 200
g 222
b252

fog
r219
g233
b255

fog 17 miles
bumpmaps disabled above ground level

also requesting more sky color layers

reults with color changes fog 17miles and no bumpmaps...

the eto scheme of ah2 is very dreery.
it can have vibrant colors and look authentic. it dosnt have to look dull and grey, most of all the sky in ah is being ignored as is the ground when viewed from higher altitude. I hope these pictures can convey what I can not type as eloquently when I say the atmosphere of AH needs work.

or maybe a pacific theme...

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?placesearch=North%20Field&distinct_entry=true

_Schadenfreude_ · « **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2003, 02:27:32 PM »

dead link...very dreery indeed...

Citabria · « **Reply #2 on:** December 25, 2003, 06:52:40 PM »

blue sky, note the higher up you travel in the atmosphere
gradually the upper regions of the sky turn a deeper blue.
travel up far enough and you will see stars

Citabria · « **Reply #3 on:** December 25, 2003, 06:58:01 PM »

clouds

dosn't this pic of guam 1945 make you want to just go flying
through those clouds?

Citabria · « **Reply #4 on:** December 25, 2003, 07:54:03 PM »

landscape

England...

Germany...

Citabria · « **Reply #5 on:** December 25, 2003, 08:31:58 PM »

other game developers solution to atmospheric effects and colors...

IL2FB

FS2004

Halo · « **Reply #6 on:** December 25, 2003, 10:25:11 PM »

Amen, Citabria -- nice collection of how arenas should look. WarBirds lost lots of its appeal with its dismal dreary blue-brown-gray too-dark vistas.

And as others have pointed out, not much point in modeling WWII skies too foggy or hazy or other bad weather conditions because planes often did not fly in lousy visibility, at least when they could avoid it.

In addition, as many of your photos exemplify, Aces High II should allow exterior viewing like the premier system in MS Flight Simulator 2004. Few if any pilots can fight better using exterior views than the usual interior view from the cockpit.

A whole new dimension of enjoyment would be added with prettier (yes, p r e t t i e r) environments and exterior views on line (not to mention the incredibly better still pics and mopics).

Citabria · « **Reply #7 on:** December 25, 2003, 10:37:28 PM »

agreed on warbirds3. I hated the way warbirds 3 atmosphere looks, very dark and dreery like the sun ceased to shine in it. nothing bright or vibrant at all in that game.

external views... this is a graphics only topic not a online game settings topic dont derail it please.

JustJim · « **Reply #8 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:16:05 AM »

How are you supposed to fit all that detail in around a 50 mb file?

I mean sure I dowload 200+ mb demos on cable but can you hear the whining now, JESUS the file is over 50 mb and I have dialup

JustJim1
<< Dragon Hawks >>

Citabria · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:56:34 AM »

its somthing to aspire to.

JustJim · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2003, 04:05:26 AM »

I agree and I will always say what HTC does in 40 to 50 mb is incredible, can you even phathom what it would be if it were 650+ mb like IL2

I think those boys at Ubi would be shocked.

JustJim1
<< Dragon Hawks >>

artik · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2003, 04:48:59 AM »

Guyes you want realistic pictures?

Purchase an aircraft and fly!!!

How many developers HTC has? Like Microsoft? I do not think so.

What do you want them to bring to AHII first?
[list=1]

Good level graphics that asks computers upgrade?
Tour of Duty?
Good Flight Model?
Good Damage Model?
Wide aircraft collection from Early war up to Late war from all the theatres - Eastern, Western, Northafrica, Pacific etc?
Different game feachers to support SEA?
Good Terrain Editor and better Skin editing options to bring more theatres to CT and SEA?

So what do you think is first?

I think graphics is the last thing in all this long list!

And if you do not have enough imagination to feel flying over England when you participate in BoB CT or SEA...... I think graphics will never solve this problem.

CPR · « **Reply #12 on:** December 26, 2003, 11:08:24 AM »

I dont think changing a few pixels from brown- grey to yellows or reds will make the DL any larger. Brighten it up some.
Great pics Fester. One reason I like to fly is the awesome beauty that can only be seen at 15k.

Citabria · « **Reply #13 on:** December 26, 2003, 12:22:36 PM »

always with you what can't be done artik.
HTC has a way of figuring out how to do things people like you think can't be done.

as to whats first? thats htc's call not yours or mine

correct cpr

the bigest help that ah2 could be given would be by using the pictures above as a reference for more realistic color changes (more greens and yellows, more blue)

changes to the sky and fog processes and filters.

better or brighter lighting techniques.

more work on the fog and sky and land transitions.

Tilt · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2003, 02:05:34 PM »

I think festers point is very valid............

There may be arguements as to how real a "blue skies" vista is but at the end of the day its very clear that we feel happier in such environments.

How many of us feel a little depressed flying under blanket cloud in AH1? How welcoming is the blue sky above it?

I for one get depressed playing many games where gloom and shade is used to restrict the horizon and depth of detail required there in.....................

HTC may be forced to adopt some form of method to restrict depth of detail............ I would prefer something like "haze" (colour blending) rather than fog (detail masking) ............ I believe that what ever method is used it should optimise the "blue sky" effect to the fullest possible and be such that future hardware upgrades can make it more possible.

As for actual colours we presently see in the beta i assume these can be changed to brighten stuff up a bit. For me the use of Olive intead of bright green (for grass) is appropriate however the shade is too dull IMO.

This is an easy thing to correct in the present TE.

I believe that the alpha mask used over the tiles darkens them in some way........ this exaggerates the dull olive colour chosen.

In the TE the sky is a "hidden colour" but I am sure its as easily changed by HTC.