Horizons Then & Now

[hems303]

Hi CMDRS

I just caught an early video by CMDR Erimus that well known explorer. His videos have always be well done, but this one has really got me to wondering.
I played back when this video was shot, back in the primordial times of early ED..... have a look for yourself and answer my following question:

Are those graphics for real? Look at the textures on the cockpit dash, look at the lens flairs, the skybox and even the simple dirt on the cockpit canopy...... were the graphics really THAT good back then?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anrOpjzsDVg

Now go look at the latest iteration of ED.... do the visuals compare...good or not so? [where is it]

o7

 

[metatheurgist]

That's a beta vid, many things weren't finalised then and personally I do think some textures were toned down when the console version hit.

But I'm not sure what you're seeing. Skybox seems the same to me. Canopy, I'm not sure about, you probably don't notice it as much since they removed most of the silly flaring effects; it's still scratched, I dunno about dirt. Cockpit dash? not seeing anything special there either.

Lens flare, well many of us demanded that dumb effect be removed and we were successful. Humans eyes don't have lens flare, that's a stupid cinematic effect of old cameras. Modern cameras don't even flare anymore, if you don't believe me check out the dumb lengths JJ had to go to get them in his films.

 

[hems303]

Fair comments metatheurgist, as an artist I'm obviously looking at things from a slightly different slant, there is to my eye a 'simplification' to the graphics since early days, probably to ease the load on the various hardware setups out in the wild. Re: the lens flare... on reflection (pun intended) you have it right.

On thinking about it, I do now vaguely remember the debates about claims (not substantiated by FDev if I remember correctly) of reducing the graphics quality on console launch.

Re: the muck on our cockpit glass.... the very noticeable cut'n'paste of repeating patterns of 'smear' since chapter four landed is a retrograde step IMHO.... it looks like the off-world refugees hand-washing the windscreens of our ships have a very repetitive hand action... if you get my drift. (VERY noticeable on the Asp Explorer).... it just looks silly. https://imgur.com/a/oIojrkI

Thanks for your input Rep+1 for some good points

Fly safe

o7