Grass

[Shougun]

You know what bothers me more about the grass, its not how pixilated it looks, its how it doesn't react to anything. I would much rather they put efforts into making the grass at least slightly react to someone running through it or rubbing up against a bush. Collision detection. Have yet to see a single thread complaining about that. Who cares if it looks good, I would rather have no grass instead of ghost grass. I'm afraid of ghosts...

Rofl

I'd love to see that too. There are some very simple techniques to get grass to bend when you are around it (its just a warp image effect). But a physics would be better (the warp effect while easy does look a bit "Indie".. lol). Would be amazing to see someone casting some kind of imploding spell all the grass leans in and then explodes and it all just gets blown hard back like a helicopter trying to land.

Or when the strong gust of wind whistles through the trees you can see the grass and limbs lean the way... That would be pretty cool.

(Grass and leaves already move, they just have no response to interaction).

[ZakarnRosewood]

Rofl

I'd love to see that too. There are some very simple techniques to get grass to bend when you are around it (its just a warp image effect). But a physics would be better (the warp effect while easy does look a bit "Indie".. lol). Would be amazing to see someone casting some kind of imploding spell all the grass leans in and then explodes and it all just gets blown hard back like a helicopter trying to land.

Or when the strong gust of wind whistles through the trees you can see the grass and limbs lean the way... That would be pretty cool.

(Grass and leaves already move, they just have no response to interaction).

Exactly, or even have a firey explosion singe the grass for a time. I know NeverWinter Nights the grass bent when you walked through it and thats quite an old game now. The thing is, how much extra computing power would they need and how much more information would need to be packaged and sent via internet, how much would this slow things down, is creating better grass going to reduce the quality of other, more improtant areas of the game/gameplay. Those screenshots had lots of grass.

I am not against adding in a patch later that increases some visual aspects of the game (IIRC Direct X11 support and SLI support is coming?) at least they arent as focused on the grass as some people are. They need to get the core systems to a playable state before worrying about the fluff.

[Shougun]

Exactly, or even have a firey explosion singe the grass for a time. I know NeverWinter Nights the grass bent when you walked through it and thats quite an old game now. The thing is, how much extra computing power would they need and how much more information would need to be packaged and sent via internet, how much would this slow things down, is creating better grass going to reduce the quality of other, more improtant areas of the game/gameplay. Those screenshots had lots of grass.

I am not against adding in a patch later that increases some visual aspects of the game (IIRC Direct X11 support and SLI support is coming?) at least they arent as focused on the grass as some people are. They need to get the core systems to a playable state before worrying about the fluff.

I think what they would do is package the data into the spell.

So you cast fire at X,Y,Z. The game sends that to the player and in the players computer the game decides how the grass will bend (if the player has environment physics on of course). They wont use any extra data over the internet for grass physics. Of course the computer itself will be working harder, but not the network - all the information needed is already being used (the game already asks "where did bob cast that??" and the server says "there", and then the players computer does the rest lilke playing the casting animation, the spell animation, and the grass physics).

Yeah DX11 (and 10 I believe) are coming in a patch planned a few months or so after release (I think it was like 4-6 months it was mentioned in the first roadmap).

And I agree they shouldn't be delaying the game for grass. But when they get a second to improve graphical features (more then just grass, I hope they visit grass as well).

[ZakarnRosewood]

I think what they would do is package the data into the spell.

So you cast fire at X,Y,Z. The game sends that to the player and in the players computer the game decides how the grass will bend. They wont use any extra data over the internet for grass physics. Of course the computer itself will be working harder, but not the network - all the information needed is already being used (the game already asks "where did bob cast that??" and the server says "there", and then the players computer does the rest lilke playing the casting animation, the spell animation, and the grass physics).

Yeah DX11 (and 10 I believe) are coming in a patch planned a few months or so after release (I think it was like 4-6 months it was mentioned in the first roadmap).

And I agree they shouldn't be delaying the game for grass. But when they get a second to improve graphical features (more then just grass, I hope they visit grass as well).

Thats the beautiful thing about games now-a-days. Its so easy to upgrade and patch things that dont work. For an example, League of Legends has been having regular updates that increase the graphics of their chr models, maps, skills, UI etc. TBH I dont even know if we need to tell them to upgrade any graphical detail. Once they are happy with how things are going and they arent so overworked just trying to get a playable game, they will have time to sit back and say "oh... I see what they mean about the grass. Well Takamori dosent have much to do right now, lets get him to redesign the grass." It will come and if they havent heard there is a stink about the grass by now, then nothing will get through to them.

[Shougun]

Thats the beautiful thing about games now-a-days. Its so easy to upgrade and patch things that dont work. For an example, League of Legends has been having regular updates that increase the graphics of their chr models, maps, skills, UI etc. TBH I dont even know if we need to tell them to upgrade any graphical detail. Once they are happy with how things are going and they arent to overworked just trying to get a playable game, they will ahve time to sit back and say "oh... I see what they mean about the grass. Well Takamori dosent have much to do right now, lets get him to redesign the grass." It will come and if they havent heard there is a stink about the grass by now, then nothing will get through to them.

Indeed

Too bad I cant lock the thread at your post lol - its pretty much all I'm saying. "Hey Yoshida, when one of your graphic members gets a second take a look at this please - our computers are strong and your program is very efficient so we've got some resources to spare"

[Linkurrra]

Exactly, or even have a firey explosion singe the grass for a time. I know NeverWinter Nights the grass bent when you walked through it and thats quite an old game now. The thing is, how much extra computing power would they need and how much more information would need to be packaged and sent via internet, how much would this slow things down, is creating better grass going to reduce the quality of other, more improtant areas of the game/gameplay. Those screenshots had lots of grass.

I am not against adding in a patch later that increases some visual aspects of the game (IIRC Direct X11 support and SLI support is coming?) at least they arent as focused on the grass as some people are. They need to get the core systems to a playable state before worrying about the fluff.

I fully agree that having the grass react to the player is a nice immersive element. I would love to see spells effecting the grass too.
One other thing to add though is when during casting the grass could whip in and out as you prepare your magic to cast. Like when helicopter hovers. Then whips forward with the spell when cast! It would add a lot to the power of the spell.

They could even make it so the effect is more extreme at higher levels. Like when your 50 space and time ripples when you enter the room! lol (okay that's kinda silly, but you get my point)

As far as it taking extra processing on the server or bandwidth is an non-issue. This type of stuff can be handled solely on the players client PC or PS3. There is no need to transmit what the grass is doing to the server or other players. It's purely for the player's experience. It has no gameplay element to convey other than, wow that spell is pretty powerful!