Questions and requests:
Are there any plans on the table to allow shadows and reflections in software modes? The reason I ask is I'm on a tight budget, but a) am not afraid to sacrifice resolution->Other graphics and b) am fairly confident in my CPU speed. I don't want to save $100+ for a graphics card, only to not need it in 1/2 version updates.
Request: Allow a client-side (Ingame) changing of the ambient and directional lighting *intensities*, not colors or directions. This would not only allow togglable day/night cycles (Though they would have no real effect on gameplay), but also allow for a more 'Dramatic' feel to some maps while not changing the map configs themselves.
Reflections, Shadows, and Lighting
Moderator: Moderators
Sorry, it doesnt matter if your confidence in your CPU is justified or not, just forget it.
If your GPU is crap, no CPU can help you out, as for those tasks they are about 50-200 times slower.
And the "only to not need it in 1/2 version updates" makes no sense...
A current high end chip (dual core A64, Pentium D) is about as fast in software rendering than a GPU from the 90s.
And what YOU want (reflections, shadows) falls into the worst eyecandy cathegory (as in pixelshader effects, which eat most gpu power). Why _DO_ you want it if you are to cheap to get any decent Graphics card?
If your GPU is crap, no CPU can help you out, as for those tasks they are about 50-200 times slower.
And the "only to not need it in 1/2 version updates" makes no sense...
A current high end chip (dual core A64, Pentium D) is about as fast in software rendering than a GPU from the 90s.
And what YOU want (reflections, shadows) falls into the worst eyecandy cathegory (as in pixelshader effects, which eat most gpu power). Why _DO_ you want it if you are to cheap to get any decent Graphics card?
Because it's pretty.
There's gotta be some way of at least getting animated water and some different, simpler shadow types. Honestly, I can run FarCry at near full settings with no problem, there's no reason Spring's SFX needs to be such a resource hog, that's all I'm saying. What about flat shadows? What about animated texturing for water? Seriously, just leaving older computers behind in the graphics department is just not cool. Besides, newer graphics cards even have trouble running the full settings, so having some simpler yet nicer graphics would be VERY nice.
PS:
There's gotta be some way of at least getting animated water and some different, simpler shadow types. Honestly, I can run FarCry at near full settings with no problem, there's no reason Spring's SFX needs to be such a resource hog, that's all I'm saying. What about flat shadows? What about animated texturing for water? Seriously, just leaving older computers behind in the graphics department is just not cool. Besides, newer graphics cards even have trouble running the full settings, so having some simpler yet nicer graphics would be VERY nice.
PS:
was supposed to be 'one or two versions from now'.And the "only to not need it in 1/2 version updates" makes no sense...
ahk that was a somewhat nasty reply,
Slamoid I think you and others would benefit from variable rendering engines, the ability to switch between OpenGL full 3D to directx 9 to software rendered mode etc.
I think we should have more support for lowerend systems by allowing us to turn off textures, implementing an OTA style rendering engine, or even the most basic of symbols on a heightmap picture.
Just because they're cheap and old doesnt mean we should leave them behind... Afterrall not all of us ahve lightning fast GPU's, what about those of us with a 32MB itnegrated graphics card? My stepdads comp has that and spring runs ok with all the settigns at minimum but its in 800x600 res and it's still not around 25+ fps at start time.
Slamoid I think you and others would benefit from variable rendering engines, the ability to switch between OpenGL full 3D to directx 9 to software rendered mode etc.
I think we should have more support for lowerend systems by allowing us to turn off textures, implementing an OTA style rendering engine, or even the most basic of symbols on a heightmap picture.
Just because they're cheap and old doesnt mean we should leave them behind... Afterrall not all of us ahve lightning fast GPU's, what about those of us with a 32MB itnegrated graphics card? My stepdads comp has that and spring runs ok with all the settigns at minimum but its in 800x600 res and it's still not around 25+ fps at start time.