WAR (Warhammer Online)

To the OP:

Yep, this thread is laughable really. Not so much because of your question, but because of the excuses given by many of the players. Now, don't get me wrong- I understand fully the whole 'gameplay/ graphics' bit, being a cg artist myself... but there is a so called 'event horizon' where you get the best graphics you can without sacrificing gameplay.

On most midrange pcs today, WAR hasn't even come close to that 'event horizon'. In fact, I am going to dare to say that they have purposely scaled down their potential, to try and get more of the WoW crowd. You know, the people that haven't upgraded their systems in 4 years, because they can play their favorite game just fine without doing so. Basically the ones running on toasters with screens and a keyboard.

Now for me, in the weeks leading up to this launch, every one wrote the graphics question off as saying "its in beta, they will be better at launch" yadda yadda. No they weren't better at launch. They are still extra low polys with somewhat low rez textures. The only thing I see different in these, vs wow- is the use of low rez bump maps. WoW doesn't use them, this makes it seem like WAR's textures are sooo much better?! No. It is simply WoW 2.0 in the graphics department. Nothing like what MJ promised. Course, anyone who has seen MJ or PB over the years, know not to treat them any different than Erling.

As for the 'they are on par with LoTRO' crowd. You guys think that low rez textures AND polys all around is a good thing in this day and age? The only thing LoTRO has/d going for it was the use of procedural textures in the environments (its what made all those nice little flowers at your feet as you walked, and those too were extra low rez)

Now I appreciate that they went with WoW's lighting system. You know, the scanline sun 'lighting' with ambient turned way down (or up depending on if the zone had a sun or not) Believe it or not, that was a good gameplay vs graphics decision. Most mmos games out now that try to use a more realistic radiosity, have failed with glitching bugs.

But really, they could have done so much better with these graphics. At the very least, made the grey plane further out in the environment so you can actually see more of it. At best they could have baked hi rez, multimapped textures onto slightly higher poly models (this helps reduce the load time of both, and therefore lag). Not really needed for skin, but at least the armor sets and weapons. Maybe even use higher poly/ mapped environments in the less 'visually busy' areas too.

There was a comment above about missing file size vs what was stated on the box- my 2 coppers tell me that that is probably animation upgrades. Which would go a long way to actually make the toons/ weapons act as they should. Just speculating on that one...

Originally posted by Kainis

To the OP:

Yep, this thread is laughable really. Not so much because of your question, but because of the excuses given by many of the players. Now, don't get me wrong- I understand fully the whole 'gameplay/ graphics' bit, being a cg artist myself... but there is a so called 'event horizon' where you get the best graphics you can without sacrificing gameplay.

On most midrange pcs today, WAR hasn't even come close to that 'event horizon'. In fact, I am going to dare to say that they have purposely scaled down their potential, to try and get more of the WoW crowd. You know, the people that haven't upgraded their systems in 4 years, because they can play their favorite game just fine without doing so. Basically the ones running on toasters with screens and a keyboard.

Now for me, in the weeks leading up to this launch, every one wrote the graphics question off as saying "its in beta, they will be better at launch" yadda yadda. No they weren't better at launch. They are still extra low polys with somewhat low rez textures. The only thing I see different in these, vs wow- is the use of low rez bump maps. WoW doesn't use them, this makes it seem like WAR's textures are sooo much better?! No. It is simply WoW 2.0 in the graphics department. Nothing like what MJ promised. Course, anyone who has seen MJ or PB over the years, know not to treat them any different than Erling.

As for the 'they are on par with LoTRO' crowd. You guys think that low rez textures AND polys all around is a good thing in this day and age? The only thing LoTRO has/d going for it was the use of procedural textures in the environments (its what made all those nice little flowers at your feet as you walked, and those too were extra low rez)

Now I appreciate that they went with WoW's lighting system. You know, the scanline sun 'lighting' with ambient turned way down (or up depending on if the zone had a sun or not) Believe it or not, that was a good gameplay vs graphics decision. Most mmos games out now that try to use a more realistic radiosity, have failed with glitching bugs.

But really, they could have done so much better with these graphics. At the very least, made the grey plane further out in the environment so you can actually see more of it. At best they could have baked hi rez, multimapped textures onto slightly higher poly models (this helps reduce the load time of both, and therefore lag). Not really needed for skin, but at least the armor sets and weapons. Maybe even use higher poly/ mapped environments in the less 'visually busy' areas too.

There was a comment above about missing file size vs what was stated on the box- my 2 coppers tell me that that is probably animation upgrades. Which would go a long way to actually make the toons/ weapons act as they should. Just speculating on that one...

QFT.  I feel the exact same way.  Really seems they are intentionally holding back.

I'd say the graphics with the AA and AF forced on are very much like Lotro, except grittier. I like it. Here are my two galleries.

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/Preview%20Weekend%202/

Oh and compare this shot to the lotro deer in forest shot. See? We have deer and lush forests too.. only as dark elves, we are setting them to blaze to the high heavens! *Grins*

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/Preview%20Weekend%202/

Forgot to mention before: I do like the skydome maps in WAR, compared to WoW and Lotro. Those two were the extremes, and it looks like WAR got the right 'happy medium' with the skydome. The only other game to do that has been AoC thus far. However, the rest of the textures just feel like a better paint job on the basic map than WoW. Still not using it's potential, and therefore still think it is holding back too much.

See, there are some things I can appreciate about WAR

Originally posted by Balthaazar1

I'd say the graphics with the AA and AF forced on are very much like Lotro, except grittier. I like it. Here are my two galleries.

 

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/Preview%20Weekend%202/

 

Oh and compare this shot to the lotro deer in forest shot. See? We have deer and lush forests too.. only as dark elves, we are setting them to blaze to the high heavens! *Grins*

 

s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc340/Warhammer3302/Preview%20Weekend%202/

 

 

 

If using DX9 graphics in LOTRO, I'd agree that the graphics are similiar.  However, with DX10 enable, LOTRO are far superior.

I almost wish I didnt upgrade to Windows XP from Vista now.. but doesn't matter too much at the moment, Im all for War, maybe Lotro again someday.

Originally posted by Goldknyght 

What subtle beauty? The beauty that comes with a updated clone of WoW, is this the beauty you speak of? I don't need shiny graphics i need good ones. And what gameplay? The gameplay in this game is the same as that of WoW, Lotro, EQ series, DAoC, hmm can keep going. Theres nothing new here that screams PLAY ME OR ELSE.

For those that may be confused, WAR is about gameplay, not graphics. If you want graphics over gamplay, AoC is that way ----->.  They would be very glad to have you. 

And, I'm not sure what exactly "new" you're looking for, but WAR has more "new" features than any other recent MMO that I can think of. Let's see:

Public Quests, open groups, leveling XP from PvP,  Tome of Knowledge, etc, etc. I've had more fun in WAR from levels 1 to 6 than I've had in most other MMOs from levels 1 - 30.

Originally posted by barkjj

What happened to all that?

Whatelse didn't make it at launch? Can someone make a realistic list that isn't making excuses?

War graphics are the best in the industry imo.