Grass

[reefo]

I think the grass looks fine, update your computer before crying the graphics suck. Oh what's that, you are playing on ps3? Then please shut up.

[Lirion]

I wasn't here during 1.0 launch but did people complain about the grass then too? Because let's be honest, 1.0 wasn't exactly Crysis level of graphics and the grass, well I barely remember any grass in 1.0.

[Shougun]

I wasn't here during 1.0 launch but did people complain about the grass then too? Because let's be honest, 1.0 wasn't exactly Crysis level of graphics and the grass, well I barely remember any grass in 1.0.

1.0's grass was horrible. well if you can call it grass it was more of a cluster of pixels on the ground for a sort of ground.. bush thing. Thanalan's was the worst, the greenness of the other territories helped it not look so bad. But the many colors of Thanalan's.. looked like tossed cookies imo. (If you compare 1.0 to 2.0 the change is astronomical, but 1.0 was in a really bad place lol its like comparing minecraft to crysis on ultra)

Some people did complain about 1.0's grass too, though of course you've got the normal people then who like to mock you for having different issues then themselves. Its quite like looking at that animation thread when it was revealed that the animation quality was going down for smoother experience on lower ends.

[Imoen]

I'm not expert in the plant department but... It just looks like they are using low quality alpha channel for the current grass/plants (Black/white for transparent on/off, no grey scale in between for blending) on top of that it it looks like low rez alpha hence the stair stepping effect. There could be overdraw or light issues with having it blend better but again I'm no expert in this part of development.

I agree though it could use some love, the chisel alpha thing always creates a flicker/sparkling effect over the scene while running through that always drives me batty.

[Lirion]

If how grass looks is a big issue for you in a game then I think you should consider yourself happy. I think UI, gameplay and accessibility far outweighs pretty grass. But that's just me.

I don't mind they working on cranking up the graphic settings but putting time on making grass pretty considering the other problems the game had is not exactly the best priority. The great thing about MMOs is that you can always update them, the bad thing about MMOs is you rarely get a second chance if you fail the launch. I'm pretty sure if AAR bombs there will not be a third chance. Pretty grass will not make people stay if the other stuff are not up to it, the devs are humans, they can't just snap their fingers and have everything they or the fans want. So let them focus on the important stuff and once that's done, focus on pretty grass and wet effects. Maybe that's the reason they're not supporting DX 11 at launch... time and deadlines man, what a pain in the ass.

The game is by no means ugly as it is already.

[Shougun]

I'm not expert in the plant department but... It just looks like they are using low quality alpha channel for the current grass/plants (Black/white for transparent on/off, no grey scale in between for blending) on top of that it it looks like low rez alpha hence the stair stepping effect. There could be overdraw or light issues with having it blend better but again I'm no expert in this part of development.

I agree though it could use some love, the chisel alpha thing always creates a flicker/sparkling effect over the scene while r
running through that always drives me batty.

The shimmering effect makes me very batty too XD (my eyes are trying to pay attention to detail and having good FPS you see every shimmer)

Maybe that's the reason they're not supporting DX 11 at launch... time and deadlines man, what a pain in the ass.

The game is by no means ugly as it is already.

Yeah and by no means do I want them to delay the game for great grass or not tweak the UI because they are working on foliage physics. (The part that bugs me is every model is so crisp in detail all the lines are so nice, but the foliage which is so jaggdy - its very abrasive imo in comparison to the rest of the game - Its like tossing Minecrat models into Crysis)

[Imoen]

If how grass looks is a big issue for you in a game then I think you should consider yourself happy. I think UI, gameplay and accessibility far outweighs pretty grass. But that's just me.

I don't mind they working on cranking up the graphic settings but putting time on making grass pretty considering the other problems the game had is not exactly the best priority. The great thing about MMOs is that you can always update them, the bad thing about MMOs is you rarely get a second chance if you fail the launch. I'm pretty sure if AAR bombs there will not be a third chance. Pretty grass will not make people stay if the other stuff are not up to it, the devs are humans, they can't just snap their fingers and have everything they or the fans want. So let them focus on the important stuff and once that's done, focus on pretty grass and wet effects. Maybe that's the reason they're not supporting DX 11 at launch... time and deadlines man, what a pain in the ass.

The game is by no means ugly as it is already.

You know, it IS low priority and by no means a game breaker, but people always say this stuff like there is only like 5 guys on the team or something. I just can't stand it when people are like "OH THEY SHOULD FOCUS ON THIS INSTEAD OF THAT" when its like 2 totally different departments working on it.

With that said, yes maybe the art peeps responsible for this have their plates full, or maybe this is a technical art issue and they have their plate full. Who knows.

[Lirion]

You know, it IS low priority and by no means a game breaker, but people always say this stuff like there is only like 5 guys on the team or something. I just can't stand it when people are like "OH THEY SHOULD FOCUS ON THIS INSTEAD OF THAT" when its like 2 totally different departments working on it.

With that said, yes maybe the art peeps responsible for this have their plates full, or maybe this is a technical art issue and they have their plate full. Who knows.

Where did I say there is only 5 people?

I don't know how many are currently developing the game, I'm guessing a lot. But as you said, grass isn't on the top of the priority list and I think therefor shouldn't take development time from things that needs to be finished for launch. It's not like this thread is about balance or gameplay issues, it's about grass. Now if he played the beta and thought the class balance is all messed up, that is worthy of their attention. Complaining about grass before the game is even finished and knowing where the game was, is IMO not worthy of their attention at this time.

[Imoen]

Where did I say there is only 5 people?

I don't know how many are currently developing the game, I'm guessing a lot. But as you said, grass isn't on the top of the priority list and I think therefor shouldn't take development time from things that needs to be finished for launch. It's not like this thread is about balance or gameplay issues, it's about grass. Now if he played the beta and thought the class balance is all messed up, that is worthy of their attention. Complaining about grass before the game is even finished and knowing where the game was, is IMO not worthy of their attention at this time.

I didn't say you said there was only 5 people, I said people say this stuff LIKE there is only 5 people.

Case and point, the guys working on gameplay are most likely not the guys working on art. Thus having an artist work on plants does not effect any gameplay development time. (That was my point)

[Shougun]

Where did I say there is only 5 people?

I don't know how many are currently developing the game, I'm guessing a lot. But as you said, grass isn't on the top of the priority list and I think therefor shouldn't take development time from things that needs to be finished for launch. It's not like this thread is about balance or gameplay issues, it's about grass. Now if he played the beta and thought the class balance is all messed up, that is worthy of their attention. Complaining about grass before the game is even finished and knowing where the game was, is IMO not worthy of their attention at this time.

Every detail is worth attention - and I already specified that its not high priority but rather a "bla bla isnt doing anything assign him flora detail".

I could argue the classes are fine and its a waste of your time mentioning them. So please dont use that argument. Obviously I feel its worth while to mention - else I wouldnt have mentioned it, and I'm more then reasonable with the priority of the issue.

There is no "higher priority you cant mention anything else rule".

And as Imoen is pointing out you have no idea how many or who are working on what - so there could be a graphic artist twiddling his thumbs and you are saying "no dont make my game better even though it wont effect anything else".

Obviously Yoshida isnt going to stop designing a job class or balancing combat to make grass better. "Everyone stop! All 500 of you! We need to work on grass"... -_- if they did that I'd appologize lol