Author Topic: a guide for what ah2 sky and terrain should look like (Read 1643 times)

BenDover · « **Reply #15 on:** December 26, 2003, 02:38:40 PM »

No need to complain about the sky, its now extremly easy to change the colour through the arena options.

Normal sky

Brighter sky setting

Brighter haze setting

Tilt · « **Reply #16 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:42:21 PM »

Bendover is quite correct (I should have investigated more)........much of this could be improved just by choosing other arena settings although there is a function of the alpha map used in bump mapping darkening the ground tiles.

The following is with bump map on and we can clearly see the rectangular aspect as the bump map is engaged with range.

Also the sky (bluer)and fog(slightly bluer) colours have been changed below as well as the light being changed from white to white with a hint of blue. I also changed the sun to white with a hint of yellow. Bump mapping is now removed.

low down this still gives a very nice aspect of land and sky and the floor tiles look brighter.

Obviously it would be nice still to enjoy bump mapping so i would hope that the "transparant" part of the Bump map alpha mask can be made truely transparant.

I think it would be neat if the fog was either able to go out further than 17 miles or its denisity/distance gradient as haze be changed to make it less obscuring on the near side of its band.

The light from the sun would benefit from the ability to adjust its brilliance as well as its colour.

Citabria · « **Reply #17 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:52:16 PM »

agreed turning off bumpmapping makes a serious improvement in the look of the game when in flight. perhaps the bumps should only be visable when right next to the ground the way the current bump mapping is in ah1. this would be a much better configuration

Citabria · « **Reply #18 on:** December 26, 2003, 04:10:07 PM »

sky
r 200
g 222
b252

fog
r219
g233
b255

fog 17 miles
bumpmaps disabled

I found these sky setting using photoshop and pictures of real sky over england. I concentrated on the horizon transitions and recomend to htc that they enable more sky layers to simulate the gradual darkening of the sky when looking directly up or traveling at higher altitudes OR...

enable a gradient map that transitions between two colors, one at the fog level and one at the very high altitudes of the sky.

Tdawg1321 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 26, 2003, 09:15:58 PM »

guys dont forget this is an ONLINE flight sime. Online games are much more intense on your computer. All you need is one person to be running crap with all that stuff and it makes warping and everything all that much worse. I personally dont even think the graphics in AH1 are bad at all. I would be perfectly happy with AH1 graphics jsut add the more detailed objects, like the hangers, ships and such. I dont need to see detailed terrain when i fly. I dont know how many of you do much sight seeing when you're flying around i usually am looking for more planes to shoot, the only time is see the ground is when flying over a hill or plummeting to my death. I personally think it would be much better to keep the same graphics and upgrade the gameplay, like they will eventually do with TOD

Just my 2 cents

Citabria · « **Reply #20 on:** December 26, 2003, 09:28:41 PM »

its not about adding more crap its about the colors used and the filters and processes used

Tdawg1321 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 26, 2003, 11:31:25 PM »

last i checked putting trees and such on the ground is adding stuff. AH1 graphics are awesome for an online sim. Give me more interactive squadron stuff to do, mission objectives and such. leave the graphics a lone. Thats all i was sayin sorry if i ruffled anybodies feathers

Tilt · « **Reply #22 on:** December 27, 2003, 03:59:41 AM »

whilst we are discussing the colour of sky over jolly old blighty...............

This was taken a few moments ago at 09:45 sat 27th Dec From my back garden.

The view is to the South West toward Hinton on the Hedges air field (just the other side of the farm on the hill) The sun is out and still low in the South East. I am taking it from the shade of my house.

The vista is one of light almost whispy scatterred cloud.

I think the colouring as shown above is the same as I now see out my window

Kweassa · « **Reply #23 on:** December 27, 2003, 02:12:13 PM »

Tilt!

May I ask what your settings are on that last pic of yours??

I really like it!

and in fact, I want my AH2 to be just like it!!

TweetyBird · « **Reply #24 on:** December 27, 2003, 05:15:45 PM »

I have to agree, the current fog and color scheme is gloomy and depressing.

Barney Fife · « **Reply #25 on:** December 27, 2003, 07:23:04 PM »

I wasn't aware that war was supposed to be *bright* and *happy*. War is hell, period. Maybe you would be happier playing a Teletubbies game?

.....Or maybe HTC will see the light! We need to come together, and stop this senseless violence against one another. Instead of red meatballs on the Japanese planes, we could have peace symbols. Ooo, and tye-dyed B17's. Maybe the sun could have a big yellow

with "Have a Nice Day!" on it. The German cross could be replaced with Buddy Christ (because the Jesus cross is too depressing). Oh how joyous it would be!

vorticon · « **Reply #26 on:** December 27, 2003, 07:53:41 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Barney Fife
I wasn't aware that war was supposed to be *bright* and *happy*. War is hell, period. Maybe you would be happier playing a Teletubbies game?

i want a good realistic looking sky...dovers last pic is precisly what it looks like (on a good day) around where i am

Kweassa · « **Reply #27 on:** December 27, 2003, 09:53:00 PM »

Been fiddling with the settings, and I must say this is very significant in reproducing certain geographical locations!

For instance, I've tried all sorts of things such as trying to reproduce overcast conditions, deep fog, tropical sun, tropical sky out at the sea and etc etc.. and it was a blast!!

A piece of careful consideration that I never knew that it even existed.. wtg HTC!!!!

ps) I think we can even make some player guides for "Color Codes" for various situations.. like "R=x G=x B=x for Tropical scheme" or "R=a G=b B=c for Overcast scheme" and etc etc.

nopoop · « **Reply #28 on:** December 28, 2003, 11:39:37 AM »

Warbirds "fantastic" scenary was so dreary even WITH the sun at high noon that I contenplated sucking on a gunbarrel.

Gamma settings did no good. Just made for a brighter form of dreary..

Beta is too olivedrab on the terrain side. Good points all.

bigred · « **Reply #29 on:** December 28, 2003, 11:50:10 AM »

kinda off topic but maybe not...

I remember back in Art History class in college that the proper sense of light was a difficult thing for classical painters to master. There were stories of master painters who moved form Europe to America who were all screwed up for months-years until they adjusted to the different light of their new surroundings and could alter thier pallettes.

On a side note for any 3d modelers out there 3D-studio MAX used to have a "sun" plugin with a map of the earth you could click on, then enter the time of day. It would spit out the proper RGB value to set your Sun light to to exactly match local conditions... It might help out our map-makers to dig it up. The sun in the North African desert at noon is very different to noon in Finland for example.

-Bigred