FAO FRONTIER: List of Graphical Changes / Issues for since Patch 1.3
- Thread starter Obsidian Ant
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Thanks Granite. Draw distance issues boil my blood:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=161646
Fly safe
I dont know.... If there will be more downgrades I'm thinking of claiming refunds. The game's visual is not what I bought.
Imagine buying a cell phone, and it looks just awesome. And its performance is quite ok. Now the company is withdrawing my phone to make optimizations on it. Upon getting it back I notice how bad the plastic and the screen looks. I notice how much of its appearance has changed to the worse. Sure the performance has gotten slightly better but I'm ashamed of its looks now.
This is how graphical downgrade feels to me.
Lile I'm being lured to buy something that eventually will be changed once I bought it.
Frontier, fix this nonsense!
Imagine buying a cell phone, and it looks just awesome. And its performance is quite ok. Now the company is withdrawing my phone to make optimizations on it. Upon getting it back I notice how bad the plastic and the screen looks. I notice how much of its appearance has changed to the worse. Sure the performance has gotten slightly better but I'm ashamed of its looks now.
This is how graphical downgrade feels to me.
Lile I'm being lured to buy something that eventually will be changed once I bought it.
Frontier, fix this nonsense!
I must agree with this. The flat white lighting is a bad design choice --it kills the atmosphere.
I agree that the draw distance is the biggest issue here of all the apparent changes. "Eye-candy" graphics for the sake of sakes is one thing, so downgrading or changing this/these is a shame but at least this hasn't affected actual gameplay such is the consequence of a reduced draw distance. When these changes do actually affect gameplay itself then yes I'm hoping a solution can be found.
(for instance, for those of us who use distant objects to align one's vector when the space dust has disappeared, the "pop-up" rear of station is of little use now)
Some will no doubt say that's not such a big issue, you fa off pilots are always complaining, but consider where else in the game during combat for instance where there is a clear threshold presumably where objects aren't being drawn until they are closer to you. Just an example, I'm sure there are many other scenarios where a reduced draw distance will become a hindrance.
Really, really hoping Frontier find a fix for this draw distance particularly, and/not to mention the other quite obvious lack of fog in rings, etc etc, no need to bang on about them all.
Again, in case there is any confision as to my opinions about Elite, it's a huge achievement even if it stays this way as it is now, simply somewhere down the line it's lost its graphical edge which is a massive shame.
I know you're incredibly busy Frontier fixing bugs and whatnot, not to mention the upcoming horizons etc (really excited about this incidently) but it would be most welcome to hear if anything is in the pipeline to address these graphical issues in the future
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.
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.
The "shock and awe" that once was has certainly disappeared (as is clearly shown by your screenshot there), again as I posted previously just above you, the phrase I seem to use more than anything to describe what's happened is "a shame". It really was SO good before these changes, but to get a second update from Frontier as to whether there are any plans in the near future to correct these things would be music to our ears.
Totally, your post very much reflects my own feelings. It is indeed a shame coupled with an intense sense of disappointment.
It is quite a while ago that we got the last update from Frontier on this. But even then, nothing was really said about fixing the problems - it was more a case of explaining what had happened. So yeah, I agree it would be very nice to get another update from Frontier that could let us know if they plan on improving things.
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Indeed, please Frontier.. say something
Sadly I think they already have. And as I've written elsewhere, they are choosing the path of least resistance which is perfectly valid and is used by most game developers. Witcher 3 is an excellent example.
Optimal graphics are introduced during beta/testing periods, and slowly dialed down to minimise performance difference compared to consols and average pc's.
Although sliders are implemented in graphical options menu, the game is dialed to run smoothly on average hardware, leaving users with better hardware at max draw distance and major pop up still.
FD are obliged to deny this as most other companies do, and that's fine. Just the way things are.
If you've been around since development, the cut corners are very obvious. If your new to the game, you see a game with average graphics. Which is indeed what E: D has become.
I'll repeat my plea for FD to dial the graphics and draw distance back up, and let those sliders actually have purpose.
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Hmm, I really hope you are wrong. I'll say it again, I'm happy with the game even as it stands, just not "more than" happy. I suppose we were spoilt in a way as Alpha backers and for us to not expect any optimisations at all let alone quite large ones would have been naive, but getting a fantastic game that started superbly, and improved for the most part right up until this 1.3 update, and then suddenly it was scaled back to the worst it's ever been (perhaps a bit unfair, but the ring systems and draw distance are the worst they've ever been.. now, although stutter is the best it's ever been).
I'm a little confused as to why they decided then at that transition from 1.2 -3 to do these changes all in one go and at that point. One would have thought it would have been a gradual process, dialing back certain little things to gain improvements (or not), but the huge swoop of changes after 1.2 to 1.3 was such that it almost seemed a temporary fix "for the time-being" to at least get this stutter under control and in a manageable area for most, with the intention to fix it properly in the future.
I don't know, being an optimistic guy I am holding out for a solution (possibly once everything has died down), and give us back the glory we once had.
Edit: you saying at the end is the most confusing decision to me "I'll repeat my plea for FD to dial the graphics and draw distance back up, and let those sliders actually have purpose".
I totally agree, why they can't give us the option to run the game as it was before 1.3 is baffling to me. I didn't really have any issues at 1.2 as I expect neither did so many others with a high spec rig, so not to have the choice, and not return it for those of us who can play it with these higher (proper Ultra) settings is something I don't understand. Give us the option.
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Granite, respect to you, but this is a bit of hyperbole.
Asteroid ring system visuals aside - which FD has struggled a lot in last releases - I personally think combat is clearly improved there. There's actual challenge - with making RES less of BH farms - to hunt there or mine there. Also this screen is very selective and it seems to represent how you *feel* about it, not actual issues with it. I have seen such rings and I have seen much better ones.
As for FD I don't think they need to say anything at this point - they have been reading this thread, answering some of questions, so they are definitely aware of issues (especially around ring shaders which seems to have caused some trouble). Let's hope they will be able to fix some of most pressing visual issues in upcoming releases.
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This right here. Stutter/lag/frames per second and so on are the bane of "3d" games. Sorting these issues are paramount. No matter what game engine your using, you gain performance by cutting graphical finesse.
This forum was full of "perfomance" threads some time ago. Now the issue is graphics. Go figure...
Performance first. Graphics second. (Content third?... <shudder>...
)Always appreciate your thoughts Pecisk.
My personal experience differs from yours greatly. Combat for me, in RES is not a challenge at all, regardless of whether I go there in a Sidewinder or a Clipper I rarely feel under threat. That is not hyperbole, but yes it is my opinion based on my own experience. It did not used to be this way. As you know, like some others out there, I have video 'proof' over the past year+ which clearly shows how the combat there has changed. Literally, I can fly into a RES without a shield cell bank without any worry. I rarely even need chaff. There are rarely multiple opponents there, and combat doesn't get as hectic as it once did. You are quite right Frontier have stopped the farming here, but some people (like myself) enjoyed the mass ship combat...and weren't doing it for the 'farming'. That is gone. And it's a great shame.
I could go to combat zones, but they don't interest me - and never have. I don't enjoy the pace of combat there, and the open space combat environment is dull to me. Again just personal opinion, but where we once had choice we now no longer do.
As for the graphics on the rings yes, there are still some good ones out there I agree. Thing is though you really have to search for them. There are far too many of these "broken" ones...and they look very bad. I don't think they look subjectively bad...they look objectively bad.
And you are right Frontier don't really need to comment on anything. But they never really told us when or if any of this will be fixed. We know they are aware of this thread, and I appreciate that they replied and explained what went wrong. But they never said they would fix this, and it has now been quite a long while (in relative terms).
I used to enjoy the rings because:
1) They looked great
2) There was mass combat there
3) The combat was a challenge
None of that is true any longer. That's not hyperbole - that is fact (based on my own experience), of which I have documented plenty. But if you know of some ring systems that still look great, have mass ship combat that are a threat and a challenge please post them here, because I certainly want to fly out to them. Trouble is with a game world as huge as the one Elite has, it's very likely we are seeing different things to each other. I'd love to find the places you have been hunting in.
While reading this thread to see if anything new has happened since Granite put all those infos toghether (obviously not ) I realise it's been a while since I visited a ring. They kind of make me sad, for real. It's like watching the burnt remnants of a landscape that once was mesmerising.
Not only that, but like others, I feel the graphics are now functional. Still rather good, but certainly not as good as they used to be. Some textures are incredibly low res. Details popping and unpopping on models and texture at very close distance constantly reminds me that I'm playing a game, and not a very beautiful one at that (it used to be beautiful, though). There are many examples, but the worst I've seen so far is the dropship. You can clearly see the switch from reasonnably detailed to untextured low poly when it's still close.
That's a shame. It does not even make me angry, as I said I'm just really sad.
) I realise it's been a while since I visited a ring. They kind of make me sad, for real. It's like watching the burnt remnants of a landscape that once was mesmerising. Not only that, but like others, I feel the graphics are now functional. Still rather good, but certainly not as good as they used to be. Some textures are incredibly low res. Details popping and unpopping on models and texture at very close distance constantly reminds me that I'm playing a game, and not a very beautiful one at that (it used to be beautiful, though). There are many examples, but the worst I've seen so far is the dropship. You can clearly see the switch from reasonnably detailed to untextured low poly when it's still close.
That's a shame. It does not even make me angry, as I said I'm just really sad.
Posted a Bug Report post in the bug section. Link: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=177235&p=2729714&viewfull=1#post2729714
Pic from the demo:
Pic from 1.3.8
This DOES makes me angry because it's not the first time a game has had its graphics "optimized" when consoles are being brought in.
My guess? Due to Xbox One's poor hardware, the devs had to optimize the performance by doing a number of things with the game's graphics. I.E Downgrading it. And to preserve parity between the platforms, the PC version was toned down as well.
Makes me a little sick.
Pic from the demo:
Pic from 1.3.8
This DOES makes me angry because it's not the first time a game has had its graphics "optimized" when consoles are being brought in.
My guess? Due to Xbox One's poor hardware, the devs had to optimize the performance by doing a number of things with the game's graphics. I.E Downgrading it. And to preserve parity between the platforms, the PC version was toned down as well.
Makes me a little sick.
This example has been refuted so many times it is not so funny anymore. Light comes from different source, obviously gamma is also changed a bit too...Also FD already explained they don't have to keep mystical parity between games. They can configure and tweak different version as they want to.
If that's true then I gladly take it back. Platform parity kills PC gaming.
Indeed. One of the things that makes Space Engine look so much better than E: D (subjective opinion obviously) is the light from multiple stars.
The fact that some refuted this example does not make it any less valid. Yes, the lighting is different, the source is not at the same place, alright. But it is undeniable that there is a loss of quality between the two versions. Is it due to the lack of dust? Maybe. Light sampling reduced? Maybe. I don't know, I can only observe. Have you been able to find the same depth as in pic 1 anywhere in 1.3?
On a sidenote, I'd go as far as saying it's a bit dishonest to showcase the original training missions as a valid demo for the final game. The first pic was a decisive part of what got me into the game. I'm not saying I would have skipped it if I saw the second instead, but it is certainly not as impressive.
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