UPDATE 6 - 8 September
Things are looking a lot better in patch 1.4 - at least in terms of what is going on within the ring systems and the asteroids.
There has also been a nice update to the filtering on the galaxy map, in 1.4. I problem was introduced in 1.3, when you put the filter on, you could only see a short radius of stars around your current location and if you moved the camera you saw no stars at all. In 1.4 you still get a 'bubble' of filtered starts, but this bubble now moves with the camera so you can look as far as you like across the galaxy for specific star types.
I haven't had a chance yet to look at wear and tear paint degradation.
The issue with low quality models on nebula when there are more than one in view still remains. Only one nebula will be in high quality (the largest) the rest remain in low. Prior to 1.3 in was the closest nebula that remained in high quality. Frontier did acknowledge this, but didn't seem particularly interested in making a fix for it.
I have seen some people mention there are some reductions in model geometry, however I haven't seen this myself (mainly because I haven't been looking for it, and perhaps it isn't all that obvious).
Here is a video for the improved changes to rings and asteroids:
[video=youtube;CUyf_5K877U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUyf_5K877U[/video]
There are a number of threads out there now on the graphics, I'm making this one in the hopes that Frontier see it and respond. To that end can we please keep this thread civil and not discuss theories as to why we feel the graphics have changed. We have a number of other threads where all of that can be discussed.
Frontier: Can we please have a comment on what is going on with the graphics.
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UPDATE 5 - 24 August
I just took this screenshot. Ring systems just are no fun any more. They used to be one of the most stunning aspects about the game; great graphics, awesome atmosphere, really good combat, with large scale epic fights that you had to navigate around the dangers of the rocks.
Now ALL of that is gone. We have these awful looking rocks, the combat is dull, there are no large scale battles, and there is zero atmosphere. Frontier, I really do appreciate the fact that you replied to this thread - but it really would be great if you would let us know when all of this will be fixed.
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UPDATE 4 - 22 July
Paint wear and tear has dramatically changed.
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UPDATE 3 - 10 July
There is an apparent change in certain nebula, which I noticed occurring most noticeably in the Horsehead Nebula. There is a clear quality change. Like with the other changes, many people feel it is subjective. However the fact remains that the game is displaying the lower quality asset rather than the high quality asset. This may be a bug (I hope) or it maybe a change in the parameters which dictate which nebula out of a group gets drawn in high resolution.
Frontier have responded to this issue, and I'm grateful to Matt inson for taking his time to come to the thread I made to give us a bunch of replies, which clarify the situation a bit. I think we can be pretty certain that something within the game has changed here, and that the change is certainly unintended. However it's not clear whether Frontier will have the time, or find it necessary to fix this.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164552
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164552&page=6&p=2513381&viewfull=1#post2513381
Check the full thread to see all of Matt's other responses. It's very clear that he as well as Frontier care about this.
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UPDATE 2 - 04 July
The screenshots of the close-up asteroids were taken on Basic Combat, and the screenshots of the station were taken on the "Docking" tutorial mission. The asteroids in the animated gif were taken in Celeano.
Here's a smaller image for those that don't want to click the spoiler tags...
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UPDATED 03 July: Fog / Ring
These two shots where taken with the star, the planet and my ship all in the same positions in relation to each other. It's about the best we have so far of a direct, like for like comparison.
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Ship Cockpit - Texture Downgrade
- Massive texture downgrade
- Mesh changes, notice reducing in polygons in circular vents on the left and right of the dashboard
- Lighting changes
EDIT: 10 July
Thanks to TinMan for highlighting that the Sidewinder cockpit is actually now vastly improved. Personally I still prefer the style of the old banged up scratched dashboard, but I don't think anyone can argue that the new cockpit is much better:
It still seems there are seem less than ideal changes for the dashboard itself though:
This image by ozrix84
Dust/Fog Changes in Ring Systems:
Images from CaptainKremmen
This has been reported and responded to here:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=161349&p=2460939&viewfull=1#post2460939
Galaxy Map Changes:
Patch 1.2
Patch 1.3
Texture Reduction:
Image from NeilF
I don't have any earlier versions of this shot, but it's clearly not looking good.
Ring LOD:
Patch 1.3
From Alpha 4:
Patch 1.2:
Image from FalconFly
Station Letterbox Draw Distance 1.3
Planet Surfaces
And just as an example on planet surfaces showing how things have changed over a longer period of time, here is a section of images taken from a post further in this thread made by CMDR Commander.
Things are looking a lot better in patch 1.4 - at least in terms of what is going on within the ring systems and the asteroids.
There has also been a nice update to the filtering on the galaxy map, in 1.4. I problem was introduced in 1.3, when you put the filter on, you could only see a short radius of stars around your current location and if you moved the camera you saw no stars at all. In 1.4 you still get a 'bubble' of filtered starts, but this bubble now moves with the camera so you can look as far as you like across the galaxy for specific star types.
I haven't had a chance yet to look at wear and tear paint degradation.
The issue with low quality models on nebula when there are more than one in view still remains. Only one nebula will be in high quality (the largest) the rest remain in low. Prior to 1.3 in was the closest nebula that remained in high quality. Frontier did acknowledge this, but didn't seem particularly interested in making a fix for it.
I have seen some people mention there are some reductions in model geometry, however I haven't seen this myself (mainly because I haven't been looking for it, and perhaps it isn't all that obvious).
Here is a video for the improved changes to rings and asteroids:
[video=youtube;CUyf_5K877U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUyf_5K877U[/video]
There are a number of threads out there now on the graphics, I'm making this one in the hopes that Frontier see it and respond. To that end can we please keep this thread civil and not discuss theories as to why we feel the graphics have changed. We have a number of other threads where all of that can be discussed.
Frontier: Can we please have a comment on what is going on with the graphics.
------
UPDATE 5 - 24 August
I just took this screenshot. Ring systems just are no fun any more. They used to be one of the most stunning aspects about the game; great graphics, awesome atmosphere, really good combat, with large scale epic fights that you had to navigate around the dangers of the rocks.
Now ALL of that is gone. We have these awful looking rocks, the combat is dull, there are no large scale battles, and there is zero atmosphere. Frontier, I really do appreciate the fact that you replied to this thread - but it really would be great if you would let us know when all of this will be fixed.
------
UPDATE 4 - 22 July
Paint wear and tear has dramatically changed.
------
UPDATE 3 - 10 July
There is an apparent change in certain nebula, which I noticed occurring most noticeably in the Horsehead Nebula. There is a clear quality change. Like with the other changes, many people feel it is subjective. However the fact remains that the game is displaying the lower quality asset rather than the high quality asset. This may be a bug (I hope) or it maybe a change in the parameters which dictate which nebula out of a group gets drawn in high resolution.
The Horsehead Nebula may not be displaying correctly.
Please take a look at how the nebula is being displayed on the galaxy map in 1.3.7 - the map version does not match the game version:
EDIT: Notice when Galaxy map loads up (for the first time in a game session) the Horsehead Nebula loads in layers / stages. The in-game Horsehead Nebula matches one of the incomplete stages of nebula within the galaxy map.
[video=youtube;O6qzvryjgZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qzvryjgZY[/video]
Please take a look at how the nebula is being displayed on the galaxy map in 1.3.7 - the map version does not match the game version:
EDIT: Notice when Galaxy map loads up (for the first time in a game session) the Horsehead Nebula loads in layers / stages. The in-game Horsehead Nebula matches one of the incomplete stages of nebula within the galaxy map.
[video=youtube;O6qzvryjgZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qzvryjgZY[/video]
Frontier have responded to this issue, and I'm grateful to Matt inson for taking his time to come to the thread I made to give us a bunch of replies, which clarify the situation a bit. I think we can be pretty certain that something within the game has changed here, and that the change is certainly unintended. However it's not clear whether Frontier will have the time, or find it necessary to fix this.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164552
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164552&page=6&p=2513381&viewfull=1#post2513381
Check the full thread to see all of Matt's other responses. It's very clear that he as well as Frontier care about this.
------
UPDATE 2 - 04 July
The screenshots of the close-up asteroids were taken on Basic Combat, and the screenshots of the station were taken on the "Docking" tutorial mission. The asteroids in the animated gif were taken in Celeano.
Here's a smaller image for those that don't want to click the spoiler tags...
------
UPDATED 03 July: Fog / Ring
These two shots where taken with the star, the planet and my ship all in the same positions in relation to each other. It's about the best we have so far of a direct, like for like comparison.
------
Ship Cockpit - Texture Downgrade
- Massive texture downgrade
- Mesh changes, notice reducing in polygons in circular vents on the left and right of the dashboard
- Lighting changes
EDIT: 10 July
Thanks to TinMan for highlighting that the Sidewinder cockpit is actually now vastly improved. Personally I still prefer the style of the old banged up scratched dashboard, but I don't think anyone can argue that the new cockpit is much better:
It still seems there are seem less than ideal changes for the dashboard itself though:
This image by ozrix84
Dust/Fog Changes in Ring Systems:
Images from CaptainKremmen
This has been reported and responded to here:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=161349&p=2460939&viewfull=1#post2460939
Galaxy Map Changes:
Patch 1.2
Patch 1.3
Texture Reduction:
I don't have any earlier versions of this shot, but it's clearly not looking good.
Ring LOD:
From Alpha 4:
Patch 1.2:
Image from FalconFly
Station Letterbox Draw Distance 1.3
[video=youtube;qcQSCiPgfjs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcQSCiPgfjs[/video]
Planet Surfaces
And just as an example on planet surfaces showing how things have changed over a longer period of time, here is a section of images taken from a post further in this thread made by CMDR Commander.
IMO surface detail in early betas was much more interesting than what we have now. Although craters for example looked a little cartoonish, overall planets had more memorable detail, variation and character to them. Some even simulating Voronoi-like erosion features.
Planet Surface images by CMDR Commander from this post: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162195&page=5&p=2479432&viewfull=1#post2479432
Planet Surface images by CMDR Commander from this post: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162195&page=5&p=2479432&viewfull=1#post2479432
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