Krusty- What I'm thinking is the area for improvement is the puffy clouds or fog banks you see now and again as opposed to the layers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they're in the same location for everybody, right? Now, they look alright from far away but look sub optimal close up, where you can see the layers from the edge, and can see right through them. The server is already keeping track of these clouds, right? Should be no change in overhead on the server.
I'd just like to see them done so they'd reduce visibility from all angles both ways when inside them, basically done as a smoke effect versus the flat texture that's used now. That'd be done on the client end, and should create no more overhead than the current cloudbanks do on the servers and connections. Same with the thin layers at 16k or whatever... It'd be just a flat bank overhead, with a thickness... The server wouldn't have to keep track of any more info though.
It's something I'd like to see, but I also realize the low-end PC people are a fairly important component of HTC's client base, so maybe the time has not yet come for such a thing. I agree it'd have to be on for all to be fair. I'm sure people would turn it off for an advantage if it were optional, but I think there's quite a few people who'd turn it on just for eye candy's sake. I know for myself, I can see cons in a lot of cases better with detailed water off, but I like the way it looks a lot better so I leave it on. I'd probably do the same with clouds.
Wiley.
