Lighting suggestion, zoom levels, fighter contrails

from Sins Forums
I just preordered and downloaded the beta. Sandboxed for about an 3 hours on the smallest map(Close Encounters) and noticed a few things with the graphics that bugged me. Its nothing game breaking and I don't think any of them are bugs and they may be fixed in the final version but I thought I might bring them up just in case.

1. The lighting on the ships seems to be really dark making it hard to see the models except at just the right angles. Not sure how one would go about fixing it since the game seems to use the environment to light the models but its one of those cases where realism doesn't seem cool.

2. The level of zoom where the game switches on the icon overlay for the ships/structures seems low to me, there were times when I wanted to see the entire battle from a distance but when I zoomed out all the smaller ships became icons, I don't want to turn the icons off(I think theres a way, haven't checked) because they are absurdly useful but it'd be nice to have some way to scale when they show up for those times when you just want to watch an epic battle without having to put the camera right in the middle.

3. I think I read this elsewhere in the forum but the fighter contrails seem somewhat too thick when zoomed in but pop away too soon when zooming out(related to the icon overlay I think), fighters also seem to suffer most from the first point of my post, making it hard to see them except for the occasional blazing trail.

As I said I haven't spent too much time with the game yet, it's shaping up to be the best game I've played in years however as I have been itching for a good 4x space strategy that uses real time combat and this places above all the ones I've previously played; no annoying load screens and lack of depth like Sword of the Stars, balanced unlike Hegemonia's pump out the biggest ship you got until their dead mentality, and it has multiplayer and feels much more accessible than Galciv.

I will also say the level of polish you have on the beta itself is simply amazing and you should be commended for your work.

EDIT: Playing at 1280x1024, 2x anti, Highest Textures, all settings on.
12,003 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Everything is scalled so that its easier to see, if you try seeing the whole battle without icons you wouldnt know where half the ships are cause they would be only a few pixels and very hard to see.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
We've tweaked everything you listed and more in the final version. At the very least, you will have more user interface optiosn to customize it better to your own desires :)
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
Blair do u know something?

I fucking love you guys. :D

Everytime someone has a suggestion/complaint we get to know that it has already been addressed.
Its amazing that you guys changed so much and took all the feedback from beta4 to the final product.
If its rly all in the final and working properly then Sins will be for sure a hit. :)
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
Cool thanks. We definately can't do everything everyone asks for but it all goes thru evaluation and we do as much as we can. Of course we'll always refer to the list of suggestions when adding new stuff well past release. :)
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
:O This looks to be 1 of my games of the year ^^! Alongside Fallout 3, spore and Empire:Total War. Good luck! :CONGRAT:
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
Hey Blair,

Here's an idea. You know how there's an option of viewing additional bunch of information by holding alt (Planet names, etc)? Perhaps you guys could add a button that would allow hiding all of the icons (and maybe even planet gravity wells) allowing the user to observe the cinematic of a battle, with the convenience of returning to the icon view quickly and easily without the hassle of going into the options?
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
How about a cinematic button? Added to the top UI :)
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
How about a cinematic button? Added to the top UI


rofle :LOL: dont make such jokes :p
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Ok, you guys officially rock. Is there a way to rename capital ships and planets in beta? If not will it be in final?
Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
cant waite 18 days omg lol!!!! should be good just afetr my exams have finished so my grades wont drop loads so i guess thats good but what to do between now and when it comes out ....... umm i can think of some strange far of game ummmm maby a bit of sins to pass the time :HOT: Also it seems that shields look better on the blue sky boxes not the black u cant realy see anything on the black sky boxes
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Grr got to revise chemistary now grrr i just want to play sins! ahh crule world!
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
Ok, you guys officially rock. Is there a way to rename capital ships and planets in beta? If not will it be in final?


As far as I know, the idea is to allow renaming of capitals in the final version, and it's been disabled in beta ;)
Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

Yep, its there


Yay, I love being able to rename planets and ships, makes it feel a lot more personal when they take one of my worlds or blow up one of my ships.

One more question thats probably already been asked: Will there be more battle chatter from units in final? It was a really nice touch in the Homeworld series and actually made parsing large battles easier too since you could hear how the battle was going and not just see it. They also had a slider for it in sound options case you didn't want it.
Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top
How about a cinematic button? Added to the top UI


That would be perfect! (You weren't joking, right?) :)
Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top
Well, he's not eet.. so most times you can actually take him seriously :)
Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

Will there be more battle chatter from units in final?

Sorry, this one didn't make it.  (:( 

Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top
No problem at all, even now its awesome to watch Sins Battles ;)

Reply #19 from Sins Forums Top

Will there be more battle chatter from units in final?


Sorry, this one didn't make it.   




sad
Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top

No problem at all, even now its awesome to watch Sins Battles


True, but the cinematic view would definitely add to the epic feel.
Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top
Sorry, this one didn't make it.


Patch?
Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top
Patches don't add stuff like voice acting..
Reply #23 from Sins Forums Top
You never know with these guys  :D 
Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top
their patches are halfway to expansions and their expansions are halfway to sequels (at least with stardock, and ironclad appears to be from the same batch of pure awesome), so you never know.