I think we need higher poly models

Snipawolf · Post by **Snipawolf** » 10 Jun 2006, 16:36

Not mine, zaphod's pic for Upspring, otherwise though it looks like it has about 50 polys

We REALLY need a few modelers (I'm too inexperienced) to make some MUCH better models, I don't like my big blocky commanders

Theotherguy · Post by **Theotherguy** » 10 Jun 2006, 17:49

'nuff said

IceXuick · Post by **IceXuick** » 10 Jun 2006, 18:15

i dont' think putting higher poly models would be that good.

I think TA is meant for large battles, where there are 2 things important.

1. recognize every single unit by it's design
2. have alot of units

I can surely recognize all the units as they are now. With higher poly's in a zoomed out view, you might not even recongize them as easyly as they are now, and would kick down the performance when playing..

So i would say a no to higher poly-units.

AF · Post by AF » 10 Jun 2006, 18:27

it's the the poly count of units that lags, it's the number of objects onscreen that lags, e.g 1000 20 poly units is much laggier than 20 1000 poly units

Zenka · Post by **Zenka** » 10 Jun 2006, 18:59

Oh for the love of Caydr.
Surely you, Alantai Firestar, are capable of rememering all the previous threads about poli count.

bottom statement: Poli count doesn't couse noticable lag.
It's the texture what causes more lag. (and ofcourse pathfinding etc).

Ice, how can you not want better looking units? A high poli unit can have a recognizable design.
Loads of units lag the game, and high poli loads of units will to. (note not by the fact they are high poli).

Forboding Angel · Post by **Forboding Angel** » 10 Jun 2006, 19:03

Zenka wrote:Oh for the love of Caydr.
Surely you, Alantai Firestar, are capable of rememering all the previous threads about poli count.

bottom statement: Poli count doesn't couse noticable lag.
It's the texture what causes more lag. (and ofcourse pathfinding etc).

Ice, how can you not want better looking units? A high poli unit can have a recognizable design.
Loads of units lag the game, and high poli loads of units will to. (note not by the fact they are high poli).

quoted for truth

Pxtl · Post by **Pxtl** » 10 Jun 2006, 19:07

Just remember to avoid using higher polygons for more detail. Polys should be used for rounded surfaces, good shaping. Not detail. Detail is only pretty up close - at long range it just makes things harder to tell apart, because the detail just looks like noise.

Leaderz0rz · Post by **Leaderz0rz** » 10 Jun 2006, 19:20

honestly i've never zoomed in close enough to notice anything ;p

kujeger · Post by **kujeger** » 10 Jun 2006, 20:13

Theotherguy wrote:[img]xta%20comm%20image[/img]

'nuff said

Speaking of, someone should make his backpack yellow like it SHOULD be.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 10 Jun 2006, 20:50

higher polies for the purpose of good detail is one thing but we do not have many good modelers on this site.

IceXuick · Post by **IceXuick** » 10 Jun 2006, 21:07

well higher poly models would offcourse look better (in close-up anyway). The lag thing is an unfortunate thing of internet, and because this is played quite alot online, i do like offline AI or lan games aswell. As i do like to have huge battles, with really HUGE ammounts of units (why i liked the unit limit sliders that goes atw up to 10k :D)

So as apart from the lag story, which is true, my personal favour lies with bigger armies instead of nicer looking units.

I would even like somekind of mod, where the units are even simpler than they are now (cubes, cylinders, spheres would do) and let them swarm the map all over :D. But i could guess that pathfinding and lag would not be very kind to most people's pc's and connections.

Post by **Tim Blokdijk** » 11 Jun 2006, 00:56

IceXuick wrote:...

I would even like somekind of mod, where the units are even simpler than they are now (cubes, cylinders, spheres would do) ...

Don't you steal my ideas now..

bobthedinosaur · Post by **bobthedinosaur** » 11 Jun 2006, 05:55

maybe cubes with the unit's pic on them as a tex?

maestro · Post by **maestro** » 12 Jun 2006, 02:07

IceXuick wrote:well higher poly models would offcourse look better (in close-up anyway). The lag thing is an unfortunate thing of internet, and because this is played quite alot online, i do like offline AI or lan games aswell. As i do like to have huge battles, with really HUGE ammounts of units (why i liked the unit limit sliders that goes atw up to 10k :D)

sorry, polygon dont cause internet lags...
during internet gaming just data of unit coordinates and axis of each part exchanged...
hence lags of internet is mostly caused by pathfinding . 10000 simple unit will surely cause internet lags even if you have 2 gigs RAM coz there are 10000 position data of a unit, it is the bandwidth the bottle neck and the better solution to solve internet lags is launch your private ISP satelitte

so have too much poly, it will lags your PC, have too much unit it will lags due to bandwidth....

Molloy · Post by **Molloy** » 13 Jun 2006, 00:06

Wouldn't better textures be more to the point? We have insane detail on the maps now, yet we're still using 10 year old TA textures on the units!

Must say one of the things I wouldn't like about remodeled units is if they weren't recognisable. The Evolva models are technically good, but you end up losing alot of the TA look. The brawlers for instance are totally out of character.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 13 Jun 2006, 00:13

maestro wrote:sorry, polygon dont cause internet lags...
during internet gaming just data of unit coordinates and axis of each part exchanged...

That is all handled client side. Unit behaviors are not random and servers need only send certian parts of info... IE unit a moves, unit a targets enemy unitb.

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 13 Jun 2006, 00:37

IceXuick wrote:i dont' think putting higher poly models would be that good.

I think TA is meant for large battles, where there are 2 things important.

1. recognize every single unit by it's design
2. have alot of units

I can surely recognize all the units as they are now. With higher poly's in a zoomed out view, you might not even recongize them as easyly as they are now, and would kick down the performance when playing..

So i would say a no to higher poly-units.

Spring's selling features are in it's zooming and rendering. High poly models would sell those things so much more. Otherwize we mostly have a nonspectacular engine update to TA. Modern day video cards can easily handle the extra polies, might as well use them.

Snipawolf · Post by **Snipawolf** » 13 Jun 2006, 00:40

SwiftSpear wrote:
IceXuick wrote:i dont' think putting higher poly models would be that good.

I think TA is meant for large battles, where there are 2 things important.

1. recognize every single unit by it's design
2. have alot of units

I can surely recognize all the units as they are now. With higher poly's in a zoomed out view, you might not even recongize them as easyly as they are now, and would kick down the performance when playing..

So i would say a no to higher poly-units.
Spring's selling features are in it's zooming and rendering. High poly models would sell those things so much more. Otherwize we mostly have a nonspectacular engine update to TA. Modern day video cards can easily handle the extra polies, might as well use them.

Thank you, I was thinking of posting the exact thing but couldn't hit the nail on the head, my computer is about 3 years old, and has equipment from then, and can easily play with several thousand units, I have no lag problems whatsoever, so I do think it is a better idea, unless anyone has computers from 4+ years ago

VonGratz · Post by **VonGratz** » 14 Jun 2006, 04:48

IMHO I think that what we need are not exactly high poly units, but units with some better shape AND all faces when showed in close-up.

I suggest a TA Model bank, pointing the units that still not are remodeled to some extent versus others very enhanced or modified in a diferent shape.
As example of "diferent shape", I love the airplanes and tanks from Evolva, but some ships I dont like...but Its only personnal taste

For me its very strange to see some new units modeled side by side with others that are very low poly , have missing faces and empty "spaces " between pieces ingame.

VonGratz

Spring RTS Engine

I think we need higher poly models

I think we need higher poly models

Yes, but