Graphically (only) is Wing of Prey below or equal to the quality 'we' expect for SoW?

[Tempest123]

The cockpits in SoW are definitely 100% better than WoP, as are the aircraft details and from what I have seen I think the dynamic lighting and water is better too (I've played WoP). The only thing that WoP has over SoW now is the excellent terrain, with a great feeling of being "alive" really adds to the immersion, but covers a small area. I'm not too concerned but I would like to see a demonstration of SoW in HD with full Dx11 and full details, I know it's work in progress but its been 5 years I'm going to buy it anyways of course, but I think its about time we got to see another video.

[baronWastelan]

Clouds and atmosphere conditions are far more difficult and important at this stage. Landscape is straightforward, simply a matter of how many objects your PC can handle and how high of texture resolution your gfx card can manage.

[ECV56_Lancelot]

Graphically i think SoW BoB will be better. Now, talking about the TERRAIN, and TERRAIN ONLY, i don´t think it will surpass it, i think the quality will be lower. Too much details and objects for a map that will be way way way more bigger that WoP maps.
Of course, it´s just my speculation.

Maybe on smaller unreal maps we could see a terrain close as good as those of WoP, but i don´t think will be the case for the real big maps.

[Feuerfalke]

It depends on what you think is "better".

WoP is a game that tries to simulate the in-the-airplane-feeling as most people today know it: As shown in the many war movies, slightly blurred, desaturated and a touch of WW2-Gun-Cam-style.

BoB on the other hand will simulate what it is like to sit in a real plane. The world is not tainted in sepia brown (unless you have grey star or something) and you don't have a vignette-effect on this field of view (again unless you don't have some serious eye-problem).

Cinema or Reality - your choice - neither is better or worse IMHO. It just depends what you're looking for: Feel like a fighter-hero in a movie flying by keyboard or immersion and realistic view.

[Avimimus]

I expect SoW will have slightly worse art, but better graphics - not just in terms of technical capabilities of the engine, but rather in the utility of the engine for flight simulation (ie. visuals which are easier to fly in with icons turned off)

[kendo65]

I haven't played WOP, just seen quite a few videos. The best feature graphically of that game to me seems to be the terrain, which looks wonderful. Other aspects graphically don't seem quite so good - effects and explosions seem roughly of il2 standard (maybe modded il2 ), the exterior aircraft models look very like il2 to me; the cockpits seem to have been freshened up and look pretty good.

But comparing them to the finished or near-finished elements that we've seen of SOW - ie cockpits and aircraft models - I'd say SOW is graphically superior. (SOW really looks next-gen here.)

The other elements of SOW, effects + terrain, are harder to judge because they're still very WIP. I expect that once the effects are tuned and finalised they'll look far superior too.

That leaves the terrain. So much still to be done on this that all one can do is guess. Given that we've yet to see rivers, roads, towns fully integrated and the trees looking half decent, and given the quality of the ground shots posted a few weeks back showing the Spitfire in a wheat field, I'm quite optimistic that once the air-to-ground views are tuned the final result will be pretty good and possibly on a par quality-wise with the aircraft and cockpits. (Also it's going to be Direct X 11 V Direct X 9)

Maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist but I'd bet that Oleg will certainly be aiming to get all still-WIP aspects of the game up to the level of the already completed cockpits, aircraft and vehicles.

I take the point regarding the larger map in SOW, but would also point out that the recommended specs for WOP are 2GB ram and 512MB video card. Oleg has already hinted at possible minimum specs for SOW of 3GB or even 4GB ram!! SOW may take advantage of increased computer power to offset the demands of the larger map.

[Foo'bar]

Originally Posted by kendo65

I haven't played WOP, just seen quite a few videos. The best feature graphically of that game to me seems to be the terrain, which looks wonderful. Other aspects graphically don't seem quite so good - effects and explosions seem roughly of il2 standard (maybe modded il2 ), the exterior aircraft models look very like il2 to me; the cockpits seem to have been freshened up and look pretty good.

But comparing them to the finished or near-finished elements that we've seen of SOW - ie cockpits and aircraft models - I'd say SOW is graphically superior. (SOW really looks next-gen here.)

The other elements of SOW, effects + terrain, are harder to judge because they're still very WIP. I expect that once the effects are tuned and finalised they'll look far superior too.

That leaves the terrain. So much still to be done on this that all one can do is guess. Given that we've yet to see rivers, roads, towns fully integrated and the trees looking half decent, and given the quality of the ground shots posted a few weeks back showing the Spitfire in a wheat field, I'm quite optimistic that once the air-to-ground views are tuned the final result will be pretty good and possibly on a par quality-wise with the aircraft and cockpits. (Also it's going to be Direct X 11 V Direct X 9)

Maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist but I'd bet that Oleg will certainly be aiming to get all still-WIP aspects of the game up to the level of the already completed cockpits, aircraft and vehicles.

I take the point regarding the larger map in SOW, but would also point out that the recommended specs for WOP are 2GB ram and 512MB video card. Oleg has already hinted at possible minimum specs for SOW of 3GB or even 4GB ram!! SOW may take advantage of increased computer power to offset the demands of the larger map.

Amen!

[Novotny]

Originally Posted by Foo'bar

Amen!

Double Amen!

[Chivas]

I like the overall look of the WOP terrain, but its lacking in alot of details like roads, railways, London, and France. It basically only consists of Dover, Canterbury, Hawkinge, and Manston. The only thing I really like are the trees, rolling countryside.

Oleg has said the terrain will be better in SOW, and I see no reason it won't be, other than fps issues. Considering all the content the SOW map will contain. Consisting of a major city and who knows how many towns, villages, roads, railways. bridges, airfields, vehicles, etc. Never mind better aircraft, cockpits, DM, AI, moving weather patterns, etc.

[Flanker35M]

S!

SoW will be better in many ways for sure, but also more hungry for RAM, GPU, CPU and all the works to get them running. WoP graphics, especially terrain, are ahead of IL2. So are the cockpits and the shadows! But again..oranges, apples or even pears...In my eyes IL2 (modded, like it or not), WoP and SoW..ALL look good