Friday September 2, 2011 Patch Info (Sorry, Not Today)

[akodonnell]

Holy coastlines, batman!

[Iku_es]

Thanks for the update luthier. I'm willing to try that beta patch.

I can't believe it ... people is already complaining. "I program better" , "Colors are wrong", "I want sliders" ... Take a break guys, go outside and enjoy. Otherwise you may end with an ulcer.

Have a nice weekend.

Originally Posted by Fjordmonkey

Until I'm actually flying above the landscape, I'll reserve judgement. And besides, I don't spend much time watching the scenery when I'm flying. Far too busy trying to survive both the enemy and my own stupidity.

also a screenshot is an instance!, we need to see the dynamic effect from dawn till dusk to understand to what levels our new effects are providing. My expereince leads me to understand it what it will be like in game. thats why i defend it so.

[Ailantd]

Originally Posted by adonys

Ali mate, I don't have any problem with desaturating the colours. But the landscape from the new shots is way too washed out and dark for a sunny summer day.

Also, if Ailantd is the same one who made the graphic mods for SH5 (and I think he is, the nick name is in no way a common one to be just a coincidence), there's one thing you can't accuse him: not having a photographic eye.

From the beginning of 2010 I constantly flew from London to Bucharest and back at least once a month, for a year and a half. The landscape I was seeing through airplanes's windows were in no way looking so washed out and dark IF outside was a sunny summer day.

Yes, the coulours were too saturated before, and that needed to be fixed, but now they've got in the other extreme I'm afraid

Yes, I´m the guy. And also a graphic artist and painter myself. So I think I have a good eye. You are right, some landscape colors (not all them) needed to be desaturated a bit and distant blue haze needed to be increased but as you said now they are going to the other extreme.

So, looking at the cockpit light, wich one it´s from a cloudy day and wich one from a sunny day?

[mvsarturi]

Originally Posted by Ailantd

I´m not happy.
So now even clear and sunny day it´s going to be a dark and foggy day?
Sorry, I don´t like the new colors and haze. Completely unrealistic to me for a clear day. That would be fine for cloudy days or for a lot higher fly, but not for sunny ones at that low level.

The new summer clear light day model make me want to stay at home near the fire with a hot tea, not at the beach. I´m starting to miss Oleg´s photographic eye. The cockpit has lost all that wonderfull and photographic light/shadow contrast... I guess that even the extremely amazing shadow effect flying under (or over) a cloud it´s going to be barely noticiable now.

I want the colors I have now :_( with only small corrections and stronger haze only for far distances. Snif... sob sob.

I agree, partly. It's good to have these new shorelines, but the atmospheric perspective is indeed a bit weird. It seems, in the second screenshot, that there's an exagerated density of air between the plane and the sea shore, and there's not enough contrast in this density from the shore to the far horizon. However, it's indeed in the clear and sunny days that this effect becomes more noticeable in the real world.
Anyways, I'd expect to see less air in front of me when looking at the beach in that screenshot.
I'm new to the comunity, didn't know Oleg Maddox was a photographer. Being so...his opinion was very relevant about this matter, as would be the opinion of other photographers, painters, designers and illustrators above any other professionals.
Given the new colors and the game interface, I think Maddox Games team could use some more designers.
Don't get me wrong, I love the game.

[adonys]

I guess we'll all have to wait to experience it in-game first.. maybe the screenshots aren't doing justice to their new render and colors..

[senseispcc]

Be patient, no hurry but many Hurricanes!

[Viper2000]

Originally Posted by luthier

The bug, for the curios, entailed giant 1500-foot grass suddenly growing all around you at altitudes below 500 feet. Quite a sight to see actually. Almost sad we found it first.

1. Model a 1500' Triffid to go with the grass.
2. When a player is kicked from a server, turn on the 1500' grass for that player, and then have a Triffid emerge from said grass and sting his aeroplane, blinding the pilot & causing the screen to go black...
3. The player being kicked should be completely immune to this if and only if he circles over the Isle of Wight.
4. ???
5. PROFIT!

[Blackdog_kt]

Originally Posted by luthier

We were *this close*, but a last-minute bug found with the new online map (the largest of three) means we have to recompile and rebuild everything – and that means it’s not going to finish today. The bug, for the curios, entailed giant 1500-foot grass suddenly growing all around you at altitudes below 500 feet. Quite a sight to see actually. Almost sad we found it first.

So, barring more botanic discoveries, we’ll have it out no earlier than the end of the day Monday.

Some patch info. The size is 490 MB, 300 of that being the new sounds. The speech sounds are now out in the open by the way, so you can play with them old Il-2 style.

The colors are greatly improved. See attached screenshots.
The new plane-seat selection co-op interface is there, as well as a few more surprises (not the big one though).

Sorry folks, we really tried!

Thanks for the information. My observations:

1) The new colours look really good, i didn't mind the old ones much but i do like the new ones too. Some of what people say in terms of light conditions and preferring the current colours and shadows seems reasonable to me, but i can't judge accurately because i don't have extended personal experience of how things look from up high, so i won't be passing any judgment.

2) Reworked water colour (1st screenshot) and transparent coastline (2nd screenshot) blend very nice with the rest of the landscape. In general, the main issue all along was not that visuals were bad (it already looked very nice to me), but how all the pieces of the puzzle fell together: some elements were sticking out more than others. Now all graphical elements seem much more in tune with each other and blend in a believable manner, very good job.

3) Very pleased with the map's new look and the reworked navigation/plotting tools, both in terms of aesthetics (border,icons) and in terms of functionality (more visible font size and colour for the nav tool that will make them really useful)

Coupled with the new aircraft/crew position selection interface it will be nice to fly some bombers in multiplayer with another player. Two people could take turns between one person flying while the other navigates and gives vectors to fly, then near or over the target one takes care of the flying while the other takes care of gunners and the bombsight.

Can't wait to see what the surprises mentioned turn out to be. Oh and the bug description is hilarious, can't help but to agree with the following quote

Originally Posted by AndyJWest

1500 ft grass! LOL! You could have at least given us a screenshot though...

[macro]

thanks for the update good luck with the bugs