Explosions - Last Post for Today

from AshesoftheSingularity Forums

Don't mean to spam. I'm just offloading from weekend thoughts, for what they are worth.

 

I read somewhere that part of the motivation behind Ashes was more units, more guns, and way more explosions.

 

Sounds awesome in theory.

 

Any one else missing the last item in that list, though?

 

The explosions?

 

They are present (sort of), but could be a lot prettier, no?

 

As it stands, lower tier units just kind of dissolve super quick.

 

Same with buildings. 

 

Not a real and rewarding sense of "boom."

 

Anyone else want to see this aspect of the game tweaked? 

 

Were the explosions "toned down" to make the screen less hectic and the game more playable?

 

I really don't think the current state is so bad, but it definitely squelches some of the epic feel if there aren't huge and gratuitous explosions.

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Reply #1 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Devs have said they are working on improving the explosions, with building explosions somewhat taking after solar panels blowing up in TA. From that I'd guess we'll get bits of the buildings and its debris blowing out. Really looking forward to their take on it as spinning debris in TA looked very cool.

I don't know if improved explosions for units will come at the same time. I kind of expect them when they start allowing for unit metal reclamation (instead of dissolving). 

Either way, improvements are being worked on so, something to look forward to.

Reply #2 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

 I kind of expect them when they start allowing for unit metal reclamation (instead of dissolving). 

 
Didn't even know this was on the horizon. 
 
Now THAT sounds pretty cool.
 
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Is there a new roadmap published somewhere?

 

Or are you just commenting based on snippets elsewhere?

 

 

 

Reply #4 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Quoting fantstc1, reply 3

Is there a new roadmap published somewhere?

 
Or are you just commenting based on snippets elsewhere?

Explosions have been asked about and answered by a Dev a couple of times now elsewhere.

The unit ruins and reclaims used to be on the game's roadmap, though it is no longer listed there. That doesn't mean it won't come though as they have changed things as priorities change. The road map doesn't look as far forward into the future as it did initially. Hopefully that is so they don't get tied down to certain time frames before they are ready, rather than a worse alternative reason :) 

The current road map is here:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/228880/discussions/1/490123938434377747/

Reply #5 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

This is one of my biggest pet peeves at the moment. I thought it was a graphics bug at first myself until I watched the official gameplay video. The weapon fire streaming from the units themselves looks amazing, but the hit effects and subsequent explosions are completely the opposite sometimes. It really stands out because of this.

I understand there is a balance for game performance and battlefield readability, but there is definitely alot of room for improvement here.

Frigate explosions would be an easy one to improve. At the moment they make a poomf smoke ring and the unit itself just dissolves very obviously in the middle with a shader effect. There should be a small accompanying explosion to help make the unit's destruction abit more obvious to the player that would help disguise the death effect.

Cruisers are much the same. They appear to have a few more effects used than frigates but again the same thing applies, they need a few more explosions added to help disguise the death transition effect.

Buildings also could use more explosions, they have mostly smoke effects at the moment and the model disappears very obviously once its destroyed which takes away from the quality of the game. 

Reply #6 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Quoting Phazon88, reply 5

This is one of my biggest pet peeves at the moment. I thought it was a graphics bug at first myself until I watched the official gameplay video. The weapon fire streaming from the units themselves looks amazing, but the hit effects and subsequent explosions are completely the opposite sometimes. It really stands out because of this.

I understand there is a balance for game performance and battlefield readability, but there is definitely alot of room for improvement here.

Frigate explosions would be an easy one to improve. At the moment they make a poomf smoke ring and the unit itself just dissolves very obviously in the middle with a shader effect. There should be a small accompanying explosion to help make the unit's destruction abit more obvious to the player that would help disguise the death effect.

Cruisers are much the same. They appear to have a few more effects used than frigates but again the same thing applies, they need a few more explosions added to help disguise the death transition effect.

Buildings also could use more explosions, they have mostly smoke effects at the moment and the model disappears very obviously once its destroyed which takes away from the quality of the game. 

They are meant to be bringing in wreckage at some point so probably not going to do too much to these kind of effects until that is in place. I don't mind things dissolving/being vaporized if it is from laser beam type weapons, but if it is from more conventional projectiles then it doesn't fit. Looking forward to wreckages and improved building explosions which are also meant to be on the cards.