Is there any chance that 'realistic' looking smoke can be added in a future update?

[Mysticpuma]

Hello Casper, thanks for the reply and I think you get the point I am trying to make.

Due to the fact that you are making official updates, I appreciate that you have to take into account that not everyone has a fast computer.

The specific request I was asking for was the engine damage smoke and fire that trails after they are hit.

I can also appreciate that those who want big explosions, big smoke, big effects can download Mod packages and that is fair enough.

However getting back to Official updates, as much as I would like to see lots of fire and smoke/explosion effects incorporated, I do understand that once they go through quality control they may have too-much of a hit on performance, which is why Mod packs can be installed and taken out if they don't work for individuals. However as an official update, that is not practical to do and so it needs to work as the removal procedure would mean another patch!

What I am wondering is if the 2D sprite of striped smoke and the 'bubbles' of fire can indeed be swapped out for a low FPS version that gives the much better impression of flying through smoke that is easily visible in most mod packs now?

I wonder if such a mod exists that is FPS friendly, but maybe only affects the plane model smoke and fire, rather than the ground and bomb explosions?

I just hope that this far in there is a chance it can be looked at, as we have had the old striped stair-case effect for so-long now that maybe it could be fixed?

Cheers, MP

[EJGr.Ost_Caspar]

I really doubt, that there could be a version of i.e. smoke, that looks like in those videos from earlier in this thread and has an equal effect to framerates like the stock one. In fact I beliefe, that it is in any case increasing the needed calculating power by a few times. Why that?

One of the still most FPS-killing things in visual effects is gradient transparency, even worse in combination with Antialiasing and even more worse with overlapping transparent objects. So now look at what we have in stock game: two crossing sprites of gradient transparency (animated too but thats to be taken out of thinking for now) - two pieces overlapping in the worst case.

Now what about those mod versions... many sprites of gradient transparency, allways facing the camera. Seen from side this may be ok, but as soon as you go behind a damaged plane and into a smoke trail, the number of overlapping pieces grows immediatly. Thats why I cannot beliefe, that it can be made equally to stock version, in case of FPS...

However, I am talking about weaker systems... on actual rigs, you probably won't notice the difference. But we can not be so superficial to ignore the 'poor guys'.

Lets say, your suggestion is worth of investigation, but probably not suitable.

[CWMV]

Some of the effects posted earlier are the cinematic effects mods by Soccorista over at Ultrapack. Great mods but there are two different series, one for gameplay, and one for movie makers.
The gameplay versions are awesome, and greatly enhance the looks of plutonium efects pack.
The movie maker versions require signifigant work to make look right in gameplay. Add the fuel truck explosion effect, fire up the black death and watch the convoy attack 10 times and the effect will present itself in game 10 different ways, and half just don't look right lol.
But again, they are for movie makers, not gameplay. The gameplay versions are spectacular and run beautifully.

As to plutonium effects, on the two machines Ive run it on it actually improves framerates over the stock effects, on my last machine by more than 10fps when there were a lot of particles being generated. And with the advances made by the mod community in the form of UP3 and DBW the old 2d effects are simply an eyesore.

But that says nothing of TD. They work with the stock game. Why would they revamp the effects when they arent revamping the rest of the game?

[JimmyBlonde]

Originally Posted by vpmedia

Romanator21, youre free to do better effects

If all you can do is contribute trite, brainless comebacks like that then you should take up teaching.

The only mod I saw here that was very impressive was the fuel truck effect, the rest didn't even come close to the quality of that effect. I also think Rominator makes a good point in his post.

[DarC]

Originally Posted by EJGr.Ost_Caspar

I really doubt, that there could be a version of i.e. smoke, that looks like in those videos from earlier in this thread and has an equal effect to framerates like the stock one. In fact I beliefe, that it is in any case increasing the needed calculating power by a few times. Why that?

One of the still most FPS-killing things in visual effects is gradient transparency, even worse in combination with Antialiasing and even more worse with overlapping transparent objects. So now look at what we have in stock game: two crossing sprites of gradient transparency (animated too but thats to be taken out of thinking for now) - two pieces overlapping in the worst case.

Now what about those mod versions... many sprites of gradient transparency, allways facing the camera. Seen from side this may be ok, but as soon as you go behind a damaged plane and into a smoke trail, the number of overlapping pieces grows immediatly. Thats why I cannot beliefe, that it can be made equally to stock version, in case of FPS...

However, I am talking about weaker systems... on actual rigs, you probably won't notice the difference. But we can not be so superficial to ignore the 'poor guys'.

Lets say, your suggestion is worth of investigation, but probably not suitable.

What about making 3D particle effect an configuration option in graphic settings, something like Landscape [Perfect] option. It could be Particles [Perfect] or something like that. You won't be ignoring so called 'poor guys', and those with better PC could have those eyecandy effects.

(sorry for bad english)

[RegRag1977]

Originally Posted by JimmyBlonde

The only mod I saw here that was very impressive was the fuel truck effect, the rest didn't even come close to the quality of that effect. I also think Rominator makes a good point in his post.

+1

[vpmedia]

ok, you better not replace the 2001 effects in 2011 with new ones because he doesnt have the hardware

[Mysticpuma]

I wonder if it would be possible to consider the option of adding a switch that could activate 'extra' effects?

Maybe a message like "Activate Extra Effects if you think your PC can handle it".

That way those who would like to see them can switch it on, those who don't (or aren't able to run them) can switch them off?

Almost like the option in the conf.ini "Effects = 1" or "Effects = 2" , how about an conf.ini option of "Effects = 3" for those wanting new effects?

Cheers, MP

[RegRag1977]

@Mysticpuma and Vpmedia,



Make it an option or a line in the conf.ini file would be the best idea so that people can still have a game that can be run on their old system. The other problem that comes to mind is to decide wether the new effects will or won't change tactical situations in game (think better clouds for instance). Smoke would have to be done in a way that it doesn't change the tactical situation (object could be more visible or hidden by smoke, the visible distance at which one can see the smoke etc...) It's not just for cosmetics IMHO

[rollnloop]

origeffects=1 for older rigs, just like typeclouds.