Finally, decent graphics

[PapaFox]

For years now I've been wondering when Hitech would finally upgrade the graphics of Aces High. It's about time. I've been expecting some other combat flight sim with state-of-the-art graphics to come along and steal a huge chunk of Hitech's business. Looks like Aces High is safe for a while now, good show.

For those with slow computers, please realize that this is a competitive business and the standard just keeps rising. The reality is improve or die in this business. There's plenty of complaining by those with slower computers, and if it's possible to improve their visuals in the current version, please give it your best shot. However, if you were to take away these new graphics from the majority who can run them, you'd hear many times over the howling that's going on right now.

[dhyran]

 

100% well said

[grizz441]

For years now I've been wondering when Hitech would finally upgrade the graphics of Aces High. It's about time. I've been expecting some other combat flight sim with state-of-the-art graphics to come along and steal a huge chunk of Hitech's business. Looks like Aces High is safe for a while now, good show.

For those with slow computers, please realize that this is a competitive business and the standard just keeps rising. The reality is improve or die in this business. There's plenty of complaining by those with slower computers, and if it's possible to improve their visuals in the current version, please give it your best shot. However, if you were to take away these new graphics from the majority who can run them, you'd hear many times over the howling that's going on right now.

I think the most frustrating part for the lower end systems is the irony in it all.  Worse graphics in an upgrade.

[capera]

Job well done, HiTech and team. 

I realize that some players will need and upgrade, but that is how it goes. The game needs to advance and where some will cry that the programming could of been better, it simply comes down to this............ YOUR 5 year old PC will only support NEW games for only so long. If you want to be an incredible online pilot, you need to upgrade every few years.

Ok..........going back into the arena to die some more.   


capera
99th Aggressor Squadron (Tactical Air Group)
Officer Commanding

[canacka]

Excellent job!  Loving the new graphics and papafox has it right.  The game is improved to make things go with the times and abilities.  What if developers were too afraid to improve on such a great game as Pong?

[kilo2]

Honestly I didn't have a problem with the old graphics. I don't think it took anything away from the game. Coming from me that's big I am a big console game player and if I had a game with less than great graphics on xbox I couldnt get into it. But alas its not my game and the creators decided it was important so I like so many will deal with it(but I dont think it was needed)

[BaldEagl]

Well, having seen the screenshots I do believe Grizz has a point.  The low end shouldn't be worse than what the low end was previously.

I'm not in that boat as I'm running this fine but I have to sympathise and I can't understand what's causing the lower end of the graphics spectrum to take such a drastic hit.

[Anaxogoras]

I'm still waiting for AH to look like Il-2.

[gyrene81]

I'm still waiting for AH to look like Il-2.

Would be nice if someone turned that into an MMO flight sim...but probably not going to happen.

Papafox, it's not just the low or mid performance people who have experienced graphics problems...even iL2 doesn't suffer similar issues with a 128MB video card...yet with this update in AH, people with a wide range of hardware specs are having various issues...it's to be expected and hopefully HiTech and crew will get it ironed out...one thing that surprises me is the low number of people who actually participated in the beta testing...that could potentially have helped negate some of the issues people are seeing now.

[Vudak]

one thing that surprises me is the low number of people who actually participated in the beta testing...that could potentially have helped negate some of the issues people are seeing now.

[insert sound of slot machine paying out the jackpot]

[Yeager]

Todays graphics look fine.  Yesterdays graphics looked fine as well.  The water is a bit spooky now.  Hard to tell by looking at the water if Im 100 feet above it or 10 feet though..... 

[PapaFox]

A few of the things I like about the new graphics is that the water has texture and motion, and we get better sun reflection off the water. Also, look at the shoreline. It no longer looks like it was cut with a razor blade.

An even bigger consideration is the "Aces High Look". The previous version of Aces High produced excellent results for many low-end computers, but if you look at a screen shot taken in Aces High, you know it was taken in that program within half a second. It had "that look". Now I see a screen shot taken with the new graphics, and the shot is much harder to tell from the real thing. The textures are more complex/less apparent. More importantly, when I'm flying, the terrain looks far more realistic. I'm flying more now because the experience is more realistic and more visually appealing.

No doubt there are specific issues for some that need to be addressed, but that's part of the process of moving forward.

[PapaFox]

I think the most frustrating part for the lower end systems is the irony in it all.  Worse graphics in an upgrade.

Griz,
What has happened is that Hitech has changed the type of computer that Aces High is optimized for. The software is now optimized for a computer running a more capable graphics card and running a somewhat faster cpu. This was an essential step for moving forward in visual appeal. Since the program is no longer optimized for a computer with your specs, it's not surprising there is some degradation in quality for you. The up side is that the majority of Aces High users will experience a better flight sim, and when you upgrade your graphics card or computer you will too. It'd be nice if HiTech had the resources to offer two versions of Aces High simultaneously, but I don't think that's a workable solution.

[Saxman]

Todays graphics look fine.  Yesterdays graphics looked fine as well.  The water is a bit spooky now.  Hard to tell by looking at the water if Im 100 feet above it or 10 feet though..... 

Which is as it should be. Poor depth perception over water is a real hazard pilots had to deal with.

[slyguy]

For those with slow computers, please realize that this is a competitive business and the standard just keeps rising. The reality is improve or die in this business. There's plenty of complaining by those with slower computers, and if it's possible to improve their visuals in the current version, please give it your best shot.

And you, please realize that it's not only people with "slower" computers that are having problems.  Posts like this are more annoying than the micro stutters in the game.  It's the ones that should be running it smoothly and aren't that are the most dissenting right now.  People like me, but I've kept my mouth closed because I think HTC is going to get this fixed so that an AMD Trip Core, GF 9500GT card, 3GB of RAM, up to date mobo and power supply can get my frame rates back (i'm not running game with details off and sawtooth graphics in 2009, sorry.)   And if they don't, it's WWII Online for me that runs without a hitch.  But I won't cry at HTC it's their game and their decisions to make. 

I just wish them the best of luck getting the FR drain worked out.