May 2023 Visual Update Package WIP video

[Enceladus828]

From Team Fusion: 

 

The following notes from Mysticpuma, a beta team member, should have been included with this video posting.
 

From Mysticpuma:
4K Landscape Textures – 5.411/5.412 VR Beta patch
Work in Progress

Please note this is an old version of Speedtree and this video showcases the land textures only. Trees (amount and density) as well as “popping” into view will change when the new version of Speedtree is integrated. Also, the Speedtree 8.42 vegetation is NOT included in this Beta yet... and the shimmering of the trees which is seen will not be present in the final.

This is an unfinished version of the graphics software, and anomalies remain present. TFS is working to correct these errors and the Visual Update work is not complete.

[THERION]

Looks amazing - now we get some hedgerows!

[Dagwoodyt]

Outstanding ?

[philiped]

I have to offer some constructive feedback: sadly the new landscape colours look absolutely nothing like the British landscape in the summer. The summer of 1940 was one of the hottest on record. The current (old) landscape colours accurately reflect how the landscape would look, with fields burnt almost orange/brown from the sunshine. I have always been very impressed with how the current landscape looks. In my opinion it is the closest any sim has got to nailing the South East of England during the summer.

The colours in this video are closer to how the country would look during the Spring, but even then I don't ever recall flying over the South East and seeing such vast stretches of grass-green.

Indeed, I know you mention that the trees are WIP, but the old landscape's usage of trees accurately reflects the height and density of the vegetation that borders the fields. The new hedges are very welcome, but they look tiny and pitiful compared to how the actual vegetation would look, and therefore the scattering of trees just looks entirely fake, and IMO ruins the immersion. 

I don't see the new landscape as a step forward. It just doesn't look realistic. But I am open minded to the fact it is still WIP and that, perhaps, the new SpeedTree package will improve what we are seeing?

I am born and raised in the SE of England (BoB country), so my opinions are based on countless hours flying over the SE.

[ATAG_Snapper]

Thanks for your comments, Philiped.

 

The OP was made by a community member from outside the beta team, so I’ve added some relevant notes to emphasize that this video was made from a very much work-in-progress beta version and not to be misinterpreted as the finished update.

[Bussard_x]

7 hours ago, philiped said:

I have to offer some constructive feedback: sadly the new landscape colours look absolutely nothing like the British landscape in the summer. The summer of 1940 was one of the hottest on record. The current (old) landscape colours accurately reflect how the landscape would look, with fields burnt almost orange/brown from the sunshine. I have always been very impressed with how the current landscape looks. In my opinion it is the closest any sim has got to nailing the South East of England during the summer.

The colours in this video are closer to how the country would look during the Spring, but even then I don't ever recall flying over the South East and seeing such vast stretches of grass-green.

Indeed, I know you mention that the trees are WIP, but the old landscape's usage of trees accurately reflects the height and density of the vegetation that borders the fields. The new hedges are very welcome, but they look tiny and pitiful compared to how the actual vegetation would look, and therefore the scattering of trees just looks entirely fake, and IMO ruins the immersion. 

I don't see the new landscape as a step forward. It just doesn't look realistic. But I am open minded to the fact it is still WIP and that, perhaps, the new SpeedTree package will improve what we are seeing?

I am born and raised in the SE of England (BoB country), so my opinions are based on countless hours flying over the SE.

 

The current map is "English Channel - 1940 Summer". With the release of version 5.0 and the upcoming 6.0 the Summer map should cover spring/summer '40/'41/'42, not only August 1940. So you have to make some concessions here. The graphics of the new landscape is a major step forward in my opinion, textures are looking more refined and there is now the addition of agriculture and cattle. Really looking foward to the final version with updated Speedtree. Appreciate the work!

 

 

 

[BOO]

41 minutes ago, Bussard2 said:

 

The current map is "English Channel - 1940 Summer". With the release of version 5.0 and the upcoming 6.0 the Summer map should cover spring/summer '40/'41/'42, not only August 1940. So you have to make some concessions here. The graphics of the new landscape is a major step forward in my opinion, textures are looking more refined and there is now the addition of agriculture and cattle. Really looking foward to the final version with updated Speedtree. Appreciate the work!

 

 

 

@philiped raises valid points over and above seasons. The "new" obviously isnt the finsihed article but those lanes are  very "present".  Wasnt a wow video for me. Kent looks more like the Yorkshire Dales. Like the fire and explosion effects it make me wonder if there isnt an element of change for sake of change going on within TFS. 

 

And the OP may not be in the Beta but the maker of the video is. So i guess its release was sanctioned. 

[philiped]

15 hours ago, BOO said:

@philiped raises valid points over and above seasons. The "new" obviously isnt the finsihed article but those lanes are  very "present".  Wasnt a wow video for me. Kent looks more like the Yorkshire Dales. Like the fire and explosion effects it make me wonder if there isnt an element of change for sake of change going on within TFS. 

 

And the OP may not be in the Beta but the maker of the video is. So i guess its release was sanctioned. 

 

 

I can certainly see improvements in the overall texture quality, but I have to agree that it does feel like change for the sake of change. 

It took TFS a while to absolutely nail the landscape colours and foliage density, so these changes do feel like change for the sake of change.

I should add that regardless of how hot the summers are here in Southern England, we still never see anything like what the video presents.
The density of the vegetation is a major one for me though. The photo below is a good example of just how dense the hedges and trees are that border the fields. The hedges effectively blend into the trees, especially when viewing them from altitude. Currently CLoD lacks actual hedges, so TFS did a great job utilising the trees to achieve something very similar. It is great that the team are now implementing hedges, but those in the video just look nothing like what you would typically see. The hedges look like lovely, cultivated garden hedges; whereas most fields would have much larger, bushier hedges, making the fields look as though a giant marked them out in a big felt-tip pen.

I don't want to sound too anal about this. I think TFS are doing a great job, but the immersion of flying over SE England hinges a lot on nailing these details (for me at least)

 

[9./JG52_J-HAT]

I've heard that since the new trees haven't been implemented yet, it looks different than what they are striving for. And once they are, it will look different. So maybe that will solve the vegetation issue. 

 

Hopefully Buzzsaw can post about this more thoroughly here. 

[BOO]

1 hour ago, 9./JG52_J-HAT said:

I've heard that since the new trees haven't been implemented yet, it looks different than what they are striving for. And once they are, it will look different. So maybe that will solve the vegetation issue. 

 

Hopefully Buzzsaw can post about this more thoroughly here. 

I think it’s perhaps a case of damned if you, damned if you don’t. Until the new trees are in Noone outside if TFS will really know. 
 

At present it looks very sterile but so does the original if you can the trees. 

[Enceladus828]

@Semor76 Why is this video sad to you?

[philiped]

The more I watch the video, the less impressed I am by what we are seeing. The towns and villages look significantly worse, and extremely sparse in terms of the number of houses. Indeed, the way the buildings pick up the light looks extremely cartoony in relation to the scenery, whereas currently the buildings blend in very well (despite the washed out filter CloD currently has). This is very noticeable in the shot showing folkestone/dover.

Are both videos showing the game being played at the exact same graphical settings? I can't believe that any part of this scenery is considered a significant or necessary improvement. 

At least it's all WIP, and hopefully this feedback will be taken on board.

[AKA_PumpkiCraterman1]

Damn, tough crowd.  Old version of speed tree I think is what I read.  Land textures only.  They look pretty good to me.

[Cloyd]

Some in this crowd would complain about free bjs.

[354thFG_Leifr]

Hmm, tough one really.

I thought the ground textures had been recently (within TF timeframes) updated, and I'm not sold on these new ones being any better - in fact I think they look a little poorer. I'll reserve full judgement for the complete implementation of SpeedTree, maybe it will suddenly click together, but I have to say it doesn't look particularly like an impression of the South-East of England. The land is too green-blue, the current version has just enough of a brown hue pushed through it that it gives the better impression of those hot summer days.

[Dagwoodyt]

I'm just appreciative that someone has at last divised a technique to showcase the changes implemented. Please don't stop ?

[Dawson]

Very well made video MP.

[Bussard_x]

Rather have more houses than trees, if have to choose.