This is just a quick note to HTC in case they are reading the board.
Last night was the first night I was able to play 1.03 online. I have been reading the boards about framerate concerns after 1.03 was released and I was a little worried that I would be SOL after 1.03 was released. Here's why I was worried:
Pentium Pro 200mhz
128meg RAM
Creative Labs Graphics Blaster 16meg
33.3 Modem connecting at 28.8 max
I have to say that my worries that my system would no longer be able to handle AH appear to have been unfounded. Before 1.03 I had a general frame rate of 15 - 24 (which to me is still quite playable); nobody ever told me I was warping. I play at the resolution that's over 1000 (sorry I can't remember what it is exactly, I'm at work) with ground clutter on.
In general my framerate did not suffer. By "in general" I mean when not near the new special effects (i.e. normal flying (love my bombers)). In fact, it seems like my framerate may have actually gone up a bit; average framerates were 20 - 25. And then I turned off ground clutter and even went up to 33.
The only time I had real problems were when there were three or more smokes at a field and at least 10+ cons in the air (I was in an M16). Then my framerate dipped to 10, which is pushing it. Even with multiple small fires and maybe one smoke, my framerate was still 15+ (like I said, it's good for me since I've never known framerates over 25-30).
All in all, even though my PC is below the current minimum specs, I am able to play 1.03 (so far) with little or no differences from the previous version. Thank you very much HTC.
Fury
p.s. the smoke, fires, and ack bursts are really cool (can't think of anything else to describe them
) and the clouds/sunrise-sunsets and night was a whole lot of beauty and fun.