Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
New Graphics
Paganchild
Member Posts: 159
Has Blizzard implemented the new graphics yet? If so, are there any screenshots of what they look like?
If nit, I am sorry to have wasted your time 
________________________________
Fuego
Level 21 Gnomish Mage
Casador
Level 19 Night Elf Hunter
Silvermoon server
____________________________
Comments
I was wondering this too. Seems like a lot of features were turned off in the ST.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Which will it be...EQ2 or WoW?
What new graphics?
----------------------------------
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
----------------------------------
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
Yeah, what new graphics? I thought the low-rez thing was their mad "stylez"...
Yes a bloom effect was added. Also the following is a link describing changes to the animation system: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/patch-9-29-04.shtml#a
Hardware vertex shader support is added. So they are slowly upgrading the engine to incorporate new vid card technologies.
--------------------
Played: Asheron's Call 1, Dark Age of Camelot, Earth & Beyond, Star Wars Galaxies
Tested: Asheron's Call 1, Asheron's Call 2, Dark Age of Camelot, Eve Online, Lineage 2, Risk Your Life, Saga of Ryzom, World of Warcraft
Uninstalled ASAP: MU Online, Knight Online, Rubies of Eventide, Priston Tales, Star Sonata, DarkSpace
You probably mean "low-poly" - you can play at any resolution you like.
But yeah, they've activated a lot of high-level effects like pixel shaders and lighting.
Can't wait to see it all in OB!
Actually I was talking about the textures...
Yeah, I guess I should expect name-calling, shouldn't I...
well name-calling is never nice.... the graphics themselves are high-res just not in the same way a game like EQ2 is. Blizzard stuck to the low-poly of the Warcraft series rather than going for ultra-realistic graphics since they felt that wouldn't represent the Warcraft Universe. I'm not sure about the new graphic effects seeing as how I haven't gotten to see them in action yet but knowing Blizzard, I'm sure they are spectacular.
~Flyngtrmpt
Mattimeo - Officer in Light Brigade - Daggerspine
Dwarf Rogue
As well as giving the game that authentic Warcraft look, another reason they economized was that it doesn't put a strain on the average gaming system - a huge priority for any MMORPG when pre-addressing lag issues.
Blizzard have done such an awesome technical job with the graphics. They're vibrant, exciting and alive, and as a lot of other people have said, screenshots just don't do the game justice.
I understand the benefits with what you are saying, but the problem with overly accommodating low-end systems, or at least not accommodating high-end systems enough, is that the engine will look completely dated in a year.
EDIT: This is a problem for all games that use the PC as a platform. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. The name of the game is scaling. The ability to turn it all on or off.
I wouldn't say a year is long enough to make a game look "completely dated", but that's just the latest in a long line of subjective statements that depends entirely on the opinion of the person.
I would say, however, that the gameplay and support is what will keep people playing, and not someone going "Hey guys! Haven't you heard? There's another game with no PvP or RvR but the graphics look sort of vaguely like some clay-model version of real life! Let's play that instead!"
Anyway, I'll cut this post short since the discussion's strayed off topic and there's already a thread about which game has better graphics elsewhere.
I agree that gameplay and support are what keep people playing, but we are talking about graphics. WoW has dated graphics already, much less a year from now. Doesn't mean they suck, it just means that they are dated. Take it how you want to take it. Low-poly, fuzzy textures, and candy-coated colors are all things that lead to my subjective opinion that the game's graphics are dated. Your implied opinion the the contrary is duly noted.
EDIT: Just wanted to add that I will most likely be playing this game. Lots of my friends are, and that is where the appeal to me is. I just want to call it like it is.
You mean "I just want to call it as I see it". Very big difference.
Enjoy the game when you get to play it. I'm pretty certain you're in for a big surprise, going by your expectations. Your friends have good taste.
I'm in for no real surprise, since I've already played it. The real surprise will be in playing EQ2. But the bottom line is for me, that if my friends are playing it I will be playing it. Although I will most definitely buy EQ2 as well at some point (perhaps even on release day) and guiltily play it at night or when no one is looking ...
Errr... OK......
I'm finding it hard to keep track of which game you're looking forward to most. Up until yesterday it seemed like you were die-hard EQ2 all the way. I guess I missed something.
So which server did you play on in the stress test? What race(s) and class(es) did you play?
I think Blizzard did the right thing with the choice of style of the art work. With just using a simple example...
When you see the Disney cartoon "101 Dalmatians" (or any older Disney work, heck even Snow White which is very old by my standards)...it looks just as good or better than the animated movies put out today.
By not going the "bump mapped" and "textured all to hell" route, Blizzard has ensured their creation to stand the test of time better than most other MMORPGs. Yeah, Im a graphics whore (I have a 6800) but World of Warcraft is down right beautiful to play.
---------------------------------
Sothorn
Currently playing:
Planetside
Past Games:
Ultima Online, Anarchy Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Earth and Beyond, Eve: Second Genesis, Asheron's Call 2, City of Heroes, World of Warcraft (STBeta)
I liked how the cities and other detailed-areas looked in WoW. Where the graphics looked bad, IMO, was when the area didn't have much stuff besides trees, barrels, and barns. In places like that it really becomes evident of WoW's "older" graphics engine.
----------------------------------
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
----------------------------------
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
Can't remember the server now, but I played a Tauren Warrior as my main.
Why do you need to keep track of anything? I don't get attached to games before release like some might, but I still have hopes for a game and get excited about them. If I defend EQ2, it's probably because of some misinformation or biased attack that needs to be remedied. Most of my responses are just observations anyway.
I have a feeling I will like EQ2 better than WoW, but if WoW shows itself to be better at release, I'll have no qualms in playing it and tossing EQ2 in the virtual garbage. Any opinion you hear from me is based on my latest knowledge and conclusion, none of which are set in stone.
This should all go without saying, really.
Back on subject... Sorry for the derailment.
OK... I just wondered why your opinion changed in this one thread given that you've done nothing but criticize WoW up until now.
Thanks for explaining.
For the new animations, does this mean that during battle, but in between hits, you don't just stand there like a stick with your feet together and your hands just hanging down by your side? That was the only thing that bothered me in watching all the movies that you can find online.
Not sure what movies you've seen but I remember in the stress test as soon as you click to attack, your character adopts an attack pose and kind of moves in a "not about to take any sh*t from anyone" stance.
I know what he means. Characters look like they are just politely taking turns bashing each others' heads in. When will MMOGs change this?
Yeah, I guess it's unavoidable when using this type of combat system, but hey... At least WoW has nice satisfying bloodsplatters....
I still say they don't just stand there with their hands by their sides between attacks though. They definitely adopt an attack pose that they hold as long as you're in the process of attacking.
Maybe the clips you saw were from an early build?