Is it time for two base downloads?

[MANDOBLE]

1 - Hi Res, hi detailed, hundreds of MBs version.
2 - The actual low detail one.

Basically, for the people with 56K modems, even 8 hours of download is much cheaper than buying any new boxed sim with up to date graphics and effects.

If we have four months between updates and we play, for example, one hour per day, we spend 120 hours connected to internet for AH until new update is available, using 8 of these 120 hours to download a hi detailed version would be more than worth that time.

IMO, AH is getting graphically totally outclased by several years.

[AKS\/\/ulfe]

Originally posted by MANDOBLE
IMO, AH is getting graphically totally outclased by several years.

By what games? I'm only aware of two other games similiar to AH that have "updated" graphics... one oF 'em is Arcade and the other one is... well not doing very well right now.
-SW

[SunKing]

Even if I was on 28.8k I'd still want to play a hi-res game. I don't know what the issue is downloading overnight, seems well worth the time.

[streakeagle]

No one can deny the graphics are a bit dated, but in my opinion it is still the best WW2 air combat game. I have played IL-2, but I still enjoy AH far more. Despite any graphical limitations, the flight models are awesome and the textures generally make up for the low poly models. The only thing that is really an eyesore to me is the octagonal engines of radial engined aircraft.

Of course if hi-res models were available, I would fly them if my frame rates remained acceptable.

[lasse]

I would go for Hi-res, no doubt, even if it was a 400-600-800 MB download.

But I imagine it would eat a lot of HTC bandwith, right ?
With everyone DL`ing those huge files over a long time.

The Wild Vikings
Commanding Officer

Lasse

[Amboss]

I am sure there could be mirrors found, especially considering it is a "free" download.

I'd play a hires version as well, if it were available. I understand Hitechs concerns about supporting the largest userbase possible, but technically it's feasible to support low-end and high-end systems at the same time using a scalable graphics engine.

Players will  have to be able to:

- turn on/off pixel shader support
- turn on/off vertex shader support
- turn on/off bump mapping
- volumetric smoke/clouds on/off
- limit the amounts of simultanous lights
- set level of detail bias
- limit number of texturing passes
- modify display resolution

with the lowest settings resulting in visual quality comparable to todays AH.

-Amboss

[Nash]

I had it explained to me that theres a lot more to releasin' two versions of an update than throwin' files into winzip and posting them onna webpage and therefore this isn't gonna happen.

I guess an apt analogy is the Mac/PC support thing. It's not exactly double the work, but... it's work. Which means delay. I'd kinda rather they spit out the releases at the rate they do, and bring everyone up to a higher res version together when it makes sense to do so.

[Sixpence]

Well, I flew fighter ace 2 ,2.5 for years.The graphics were good and it was easy to play. When 3 was released(with maps and the territorial combat left unfinished) the lag seemed tenfold.That,the gameplay(capturing territory the best part of the game for me), and AH's lower price($30 cut in half) forced me to AH. And I say "forced" because I had tried AH before and it was to hard to learn and there was no in depth help file so I gave up on it.It wasn't worth $30 a month to learn a game.Now that i've learned it I think it's by far the better game. The graphics are not great, but they are good. And you don't need a high end graphics card and computer to play.If increased graphics are going to affect lag,gameplay, or price, then you are counter productive. I saw the new mustangs and the light from the guns firing for the new version and the first thing I thought was if it was going to slow the game down. If it isn't broke, don't fix it, plz!

[Pepe]

Mixed feelings here....

Of course I'd welcome more eye candy, but not to the price of increasing lag. If it merely affected user's end (i.e. no change in lag) It would be OK for me. If that's not the case, I rather like good net status to nice graphics.

Cheers, pedorra

[Amboss]

This "better-graphics=more-lag" argument is really beginning to go on my nerves.

You see, server-side, nothing changes, they ain't running no 3d graphics on the server. So, if the better graphics start to lag your CLIENT, then tone down the detail settings (of course those have to be available) OR get a faster computer. Either way you can still play but you do get a CHOICE.  And personally, I like to have choices.

It's no problem to release a single install that provides different graphics options. Actually I consider any argument beyond the download size one an excuse.

Graphics engine wise, you can implement the necessary options that reduce scene complexity and improve render speed for those with slower machine or the desire to max out their framerates.

Textures wise, you can simply deliver the highest resolution textures supported (for example a 64mb set) and have the setup utility render it down (a one time, offline process) to say a 32 or 16mb set.

Or if that is an insufficient or impractical solution, you release it with the lowest resolution textures required and allow for highres texture downloads in optional packages.

And a final point. Nobody in this thread critizes AH for being a bad game. It is in fact a great game, that's why we're here and here to stay. All some people would like to see are options to improve their game experience visually, which can be done without impairing the enjoyment of those pilots who run less powerful computer equipment.

Anyway, amen to my own argument.
-Amboss

[gatso]

Just an otion to download 256x256 or 512x512 textures would do me. The AH graphics engine already support textures higher than 256x256 (although I'm not aware of any limitations there may/may not be) so limited work on releasing new versions because no code would have to change. (hint and hope   )

Of course if the team don't already have higher res textures than the 256x256 examples were using now it's a whole heap of work for HTC so might not be practical. Who knows

I'm on 56k and I'd set it up to download overnight, For 512x512 your only looking at 130Mb ish (4x the current DL) no problem for most I assume.

Gatso

[vorticon]

it downloads a hulluvalot faster if you download i off the site not using auto downloader.

and who notices eye candy in a middle of a df?


id rather stick with a small download for the game rather then spend hours downloading a huge game (unless its properly partitioned before you start dwnlding and on a good server for the downloading.)