Improvements To The Water In AH3?

[Kazaa]

I flew a few sorties over the new ocean and immediately noticed a few areas that I feel could use some improvement. This is just my opinion, so take it for what it is.

The amount of sun reflection from the water is very overpowering. This maybe realistic. From a user perspective, I find it to be very distracting, disorientating, nauseating.

In AH2, I believe there were static cloud reflections built into the ocean shader. This gave a great sense of depth perception when over the sea/ocean. The removal of this feature I find to be dearly missed as it allowed the user to get an eye ball calculation of the current altitude.

There’s a very noticeable colour banding issue (see image attached) when looking at the ocean from higher altitudes. Hopefully something can be done to improve, mask or fix this? This gets worse when post is enabled.

[Ramesis]

I was a crew member (not a pilot) at GTMO in the early '70s towing targets
in the S2c stoof for our squadrons Crusaders, ships etc.
I was responsible for deploying the targets and releasing them.
Typically we flew at 5k to 10k max and from what I recall,
unless there was excessive chop on the water, WE COULD NOT
see any features on the water other than the wake of ships 
Ram

[Ack-Ack]

Problem is with the water in AH3, you can't tell any features from 10ft above the water.  For me, unless I have the IAS/Altitude read out on, I can't tell when the sky ends and the water begins.

[Vraciu]

I was a crew member (not a pilot) at GTMO in the early '70s towing targets
in the S2c stoof for our squadrons Crusaders, ships etc.
I was responsible for deploying the targets and releasing them.
Typically we flew at 5k to 10k max and from what I recall,
unless there was excessive chop on the water, WE COULD NOT
see any features on the water other than the wake of ships 
Ram

You CAN see features in water unless it is dead calm.  Depth perception cannot be duplicated here so substitution is needed. 

The water here is effectively glass smooth unless you're at 500 feet.  I've flown over water plenty and it doesn't look like this.  Maybe I have better eyes than the average bear or something....but I can tell from six thousand feet....and three thousand feet....and on short final....differences. 

[Kazaa]

Problem is with the water in AH3, you can't tell any features from 10ft above the water.  For me, unless I have the IAS/Altitude read out on, I can't tell when the sky ends and the water begins.

This is the same problem I tried to express in the OP. It's almost impossible to get an eye-ball calculation of the altitude over the ocean. Something which wasn't an issue with Aces High 2.

[Kazaa]

You CAN see features in water unless it is dead calm.  Depth perception cannot be duplicated here so substitution is needed. 

The water here is effectively glass smooth unless you're at 500 feet.  I've flown over water plenty and it doesn't look like this.  Maybe I have better eyes than the average bear or something....but I can tell from six thousand feet....and three thousand feet....and on short final....differences.

HTC do a great job of giving the user as much feedback as possible, something which is key to making any game, fun. I remember when AH2 had it's first(?) graphical engine overhaul. We had the same problem with the ocean being too dark with no feedback of altitude depth. AH2's second(?) graphic overhaul fixed this perfectly by adding fake cloud reflections, more chop and making the water a lighter hue.

[DmonSlyr]

This water needs to be top priority or I feel like it's going to detour a lot of people from the game. Flying during night time is like flying in an all black room over water. It's throwing off energy state perception. It's just not good. I feel like it's going to have a very negative impact if this doesn't get fixed soon.

[EskimoJoe]

I like this photograph.

[popeye]

+1 to more texture.

Also, has anyone been able to ditch on water?  I die every time.

[100Coogn]

+1 to more texture.

Also, has anyone been able to ditch on water?  I die every time.

I've landed on the water, but sounds like landing on concrete.   

Coogan

[mbailey]

Problem is with the water in AH3, you can't tell any features from 10ft above the water.  For me, unless I have the IAS/Altitude read out on, I can't tell when the sky ends and the water begins.

Same....ive become a submarine commander more than once due to not being able to tell where it begins and ends.

[Kazaa]

This water needs to be top priority or I feel like it's going to detour a lot of people from the game. Flying during night time is like flying in an all black room over water. It's throwing off energy state perception. It's just not good. I feel like it's going to have a very negative impact if this doesn't get fixed soon.

Absolutely. I now refuse to do any sorties over or near the ocean. When I did, I found many people  complaining over vox about the same issues expressed in this thread.

[Ramesis]

You CAN see features in water unless it is dead calm.  Depth perception cannot be duplicated here so substitution is needed. 

The water here is effectively glass smooth unless you're at 500 feet.  I've flown over water plenty and it doesn't look like this.  Maybe I have better eyes than the average bear or something....but I can tell from six thousand feet....and three thousand feet....and on short final....differences.

I respect what ur saying V BUT, I have probably flown over water more than the average person and believe me... looking down through
a hatch for 2 or 3 hrs on each flight, I'm guessing I have a pretty good memory of what the water looks like at 5k -12k.
Ram

[Vraciu]

I respect what ur saying V BUT, I have probably flown over water more than the average person and believe me... looking down through
a hatch for 2 or 3 hrs on each flight, I'm guessing I have a pretty good memory of what the water looks like at 5k -12k.
Ram

I hear ya.   Still, as rendered it is not accurate. 

[lerxst]

any way to get white caps moving on the water beside the shore line like in the ocean to possible help with orientation,maybe seagulls flying about,schools of fish being eaten by birds and whales!!