Friday 2009-12-04 Screenshots Update discussion thread

[jermin]

My questions for Oleg:

1. Will players with high graphics settings have advantage over the players with low graphics settings in recognizing the dots?

Just as many modern PC games, low graphics settings will give a player more visibility than the high graphics settings. Because low gaphics settings tend to remove many resouce-eating eye candies such as AA, AF, HDR, fog, extra details like grass and dynamic lighting ect. While it definitely reduces the burden for low-end PCs greatly, it also enhances the visiblity dramatically. It is unfair for those who have spent a long time on saving money for up-to-date hardwares in hope of the most immersive graphics but turned out getting worse visibility than out-of-date machines.

This is the very reason why many professional FPS players tend to use extremely low screen resolution and graphics settings. And visiblity is much more important for flight combat simulation in my humble opinion, especially in servers with icons disabled.

In IL2, one can achieve much better dot visibility by turning off AA, AF, setting screen resolution as low as 800x600, setting object lighting and landscape lighting to flat. Yes, under such settings, IL2 looks very ugly. But it makes distant dots incredibly easy to spot. When playing in no-icon servers, this is a great advantage.

So, my request is to at least make high graphics settings have the same (if not better) dot visibility as low graphics settings in BoB so that we won't regret spending hard-earned money on high-end PC hardwares .

2. Will BoB include a much more detailed encyclopedia for all the objects showing up in the game? For example: The actual service time, service area, service squadron for each aircraft variant. This will make building historical missions much more easy.

3. Will you include a virtual testing field with all kinds of necessary testing tools in BoB for FM testing and Weapon testing ect. and then we can export them out to a program like il2compare? It would be extremely useful for us hard-core simmers.

[13th Hsqn Protos]

Originally Posted by jermin

Will players with high graphics settings have advantage over the players with low graphics settings in recognizing the dots?

Just as many modern PC games, low graphics settings will give a player more visibility than the high graphics settings. Because low gaphics settings tend to remove many resouce-eating eye candies such as AA, AF, HDR, fog, extra details like grass and dynamic lighting ect. While it definitely reduces the burden for low-end PCs greatly, it also enhances the visiblity dramatically. It is unfair for those who have spent a long time on saving money for up-to-date hardwares in hope of the most immersive graphics but turned out getting worse visibility than out-of-date machines.

This is the very reason why many professional FPS players tend to use extremely low screen resolution and graphics settings. And visiblity is much more important for flight combat simulation in my humble opinion, especially in servers with icons disabled.

In IL2, one can achieve much better dot visibility by turning off AA, AF, setting screen resolution as low as 800x600, setting object lighting and landscape lighting to flat. Yes, under such settings, IL2 looks very ugly. But it makes distant dots incredibly easy to spot. When playing in no-icon servers, this is a great advantage.

So, my request is to at least make high graphics settings have the same (if not better) dot visibility as low graphics settings in BoB so that we won't regret spending hard-earned money on high-end PC hardwares .

+ 1000

There have been so many people complaining about this for years and years. Myself at the forefront. The problem is that the focus is on allowing low hardware platform players to play. Regardless of the effect on fairness.

A very high percentage of online war pilots fly on low settings for the increased visibility for this very reason. It gives them an 'edge'

1c are not going to fix it no matter what you will read in these forums. Its more important to them to sell another copy to somebody on marginal hardware.

** Just do your best - 1c promises you a good 'combat flight' experience not 'fairness'

Life is not fair mate -

.
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[Insuber]

Why would one chose voluntarily to have a crappy image ? To make some more kills ???? To get some more points ???? It's so silly ...
I personally prefer 1000x a good 'combat flight' experience and less kills in my online flights. I invest on H/W exactly for this.

Bye,
Insuber

Originally Posted by 13th Hsqn Protos

+ 1000

There have been so many people complaining about this for years and years. Myself at the forefront. The problem is that the focus is on allowing low hardware platform players to play. Regardless of the effect on fairness.

A very high percentage of online war pilots fly on low settings for the increased visibility for this very reason. It gives them an 'edge'

1c are not going to fix it no matter what you will read in these forums. Its more important to them to sell another copy to somebody on marginal hardware.

** Just do your best - 1c promises you a good 'combat flight' experience not 'fairness'

Life is not fair mate -

.
.

[nearmiss]

Insuber

You aren't exactly wrong ... offline 1920x1200 Online 1024x768

Visbility is much better for finding and tracking enemy ferrets @ 1024x768

4 pixels is 4 pixels at any resolution, therefore make the pixels bigger with lower resolutions?

However, I think this option is available to the entire online community

It's not exactly an advantage for anyone as far as I can tell, regardless of hardware.

[=KAG=Bersrk]

Oleg, a little question (sorry for overwhelming):

Now in Il-2, only MG fire or bombs explosions can inflict damage to a/c or pilot on shute (also, FUEL Trucks and Ammo/FUEL RRvehicles).

Will it possible in SoW, when exploding of other objects could inflict damage? It will be great of players a/c could be damaged or even destroyed by splinters of exploded tank, or parts of bomber a/c wich is under attack...

[Oleg Maddox]

Originally Posted by =KAG=Bersrk

Oleg, a little question (sorry for overwhelming):

Now in Il-2, only MG fire or bombs explosions can inflict damage to a/c or pilot on shute (also, FUEL Trucks and Ammo/FUEL RRvehicles).

Will it possible in SoW, when exploding of other objects could inflict damage? It will be great of players a/c could be damaged or even destroyed by splinters of exploded tank, or parts of bomber a/c wich is under attack...

Will.

[MD_Wild_Weasel]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

Insuber

You aren't exactly wrong ... offline 1920x1200 Online 1024x768

Visbility is much better for finding and tracking enemy ferrets @ 1024x768

4 pixels is 4 pixels at any resolution, therefore make the pixels bigger with lower resolutions?

However, I think this option is available to the entire online community

It's not exactly an advantage for anyone as far as I can tell, regardless of hardware.

i must say here that that i am aware some people do use this method. But to be honest it dont give much if any advantage. Changing the conf.ini file imo has always been a better option. However seeing black dots in clouds over even greater distances has always been an issue and hopefully can be sorted in bob.

[Oleg Maddox]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

Insuber

You aren't exactly wrong ... offline 1920x1200 Online 1024x768

Visbility is much better for finding and tracking enemy ferrets @ 1024x768

4 pixels is 4 pixels at any resolution, therefore make the pixels bigger with lower resolutions?

However, I think this option is available to the entire online community

It's not exactly an advantage for anyone as far as I can tell, regardless of hardware.

There is minimal dots 2x2 pixels in Il-2. They are always the same minmal size doesn't matter which resolution using players as well as they disapearing also on one the same distance with any resolution.

[nearmiss]

Originally Posted by Oleg Maddox

There is minimal dots 2x2 pixels in Il-2. They are always the same minmal size doesn't matter which resolution using players as well as they disapearing also on one the same distance with any resolution.

I agree with the above, but I don't think we are saying same thing.

1920 x1200 pixels = 2,304,000 pixels on screen
1024x768 pixels = 786,432 pixels on screen

I agree they are always the same number of pixels and they should disappear at same distance any resolution.

I'm saying it is harder to see 2x2 pixels in an array of 2,304,000 pixels vs 786,432 pixels. I can see 2x2 pixels, if I am looking in the correct place. In a sea of 2,304,000 pixels it is more difficult to track 2x2 pixels, or find quickly as at lower resolution.

Also, in my situation I wear glasses. Maybe, someone with excellent vision can see at either resolution well.

[jermin]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

I agree with the above, but I don't think we are saying same thing.

1920 x1200 pixels = 2,304,000 pixels on screen
1024x768 pixels = 786,432 pixels on screen

I agree they are always the same number of pixels and they should disappear at same distance any resolution.

I'm saying it is harder to see 2x2 pixels in an array of 2,304,000 pixels vs 786,432 pixels. I can see 2x2 pixels, if I am looking in the correct place. In a sea of 2,304,000 pixels it is more difficult to track 2x2 pixels, or find quickly as at lower resolution.

Also, in my situation I wear glasses. Maybe, someone with excellent vision can see at either resolution well.

Yup, Hopefully oleg will address this probelm in BoB.