New graphics for booster??

[_____________Joramon]

I've yet to see screenshots of the updated graphics for the booster pack that we were promised. Starting to wonder if there wont be any updated graphics.

[Xaielao]

www.ao-basher.com


they have quite a few.

[_____________Joramon]

Well, I've seen those screenshots and the only new things are the towers, yalms and the space station, but thats not exactly updated graphics, its the same old graphics we are used to be seeing, and we'll be able to see that even without the booster.

[Xzeepo]

the graphics are fine.... what do u want?

[_______________Chace]

I thought they said the graphics engine was getting some optimizations, not an update to the graphics themselves.

[-Zagadka-]

Hrm, actually, yea. FC has been fairly tight-lipped about whatever graphics engine updates they are doing. At this point, I would suspect that anything new you'll see will be some lighting and effects additions. It's hard to tell, because AO has some pretty bloody spiffy special effects that we rarely (if ever) see. The "lasers" bouncing between the towers in the new screenshots may be something new, though the discs are pretty standard.

Whatever the case, I wouldn't expect some big revolution in how the models and landscape are rendered. I know they HAVE been working on updating the graphics engine for some time, but I think the general line is more how much they have completed in time to ship.

[_____________Joramon]

While the graphics in AO currently are nice, I would not mind them updating the models a bit. Perhaps add some graphical difference to some of the armors that currently look the same but have different names(not variations of the same armor, but it would be nice if you could actually see that the worn metaplast armor is worn.) and the same thing concerning weapons. Heck, I wish they'd throw in some new faces while they are at it.

.....Nothing wrong with dreaming....

[_____________TanisAS]

We see the pet casters in 14.6 get their pets. Maybe the graphical enhancements can be new npc models. All they need do is randomly assign say a meta mob with an ID at the server between 1 and 10 and he can look like that model which would be contained within the enhanced graphocs engine.

Downside... whos a team mate and whos a mob *shrugs*

[____________Dominata]

Originally posted by TanisAS


Downside... whos a team mate and whos a mob *shrugs*

The mob is the one beating on you with some sort of weapon, most probably...

[_______________Tiran]

Well, the 14.6 patch (booster without boosterstuff) has changed the graphics loading, it seems like.

Now, it looks like polys are actually being loaded closest first, resulting in Hidden Surface Removal in video drivers actually working.

That means a bit higher frame rates in cities, especially when facing a blank wall up close. =)

[Gearbox]

I'm noticing an improved framerate on test as well, though it's difficult to tell whether it's the engine or the lower population that caused it.

I do know that I can fly through 20K with totally smooth framerates on test (in 1280x960, 32-bit max detailed textures). No crowd, of course.

[Animosity]

I dont think the graphics update you want is the graphics update that they promised.

I have a pretty uber machines that playes any game on the market smoothly. I would love to see AO take advantage of my system.

I seriously think it wont happen for some time. Maybe in Shadowlands will you get the real graphics update you want, that uses more of your graphics card.

Ani