Existing maps, grass, water etc.. will they improve ?

[IckyATLAS]

As new updates come in we do get new planes and improved cockpit, better plane models , better performance etc.

 

On one side we see a real effort in improving all that flies and even all that rolls. Example tanks have had many improvements. The collector vehicles too are excellent additions. Ships too have improved up to a certain extent. Effects have improved too. Damage models etc.

All this is warmly welcomed.

 

We have also seen a big jump that has been the lighting and cloud system a few years ago.

 

On the other side there do not seem much effort in tying to improve the existing maps. By that I mean vegetation, sea, water etc.

It was said by the Devs that Normandy was the maximum they could do as it was stretching the limits.

For me this is not very clear. What limits are we talking about. Map size?, Terrain topography ? Terrain model ?

Maybe. But the are objects that are added on the terrain.

Example the grass.  I know someone said just set the grass parameter down to zero and that's it. But I do not agree on that. I use Ultra and I have not seen any change. The overall grass diameter increases in Ultra but the density remains appalling and acceptable only in continental scorching summer type of climate due to the high grass color that is basically dried stems. But in an airfield in Kent (UK) that is just nonsense. First no high grass as it would be mowed down, and the the density and color.

 

Here below we have a Hurry in the Kuban Spring:

 

And this is the Hurry in an airfield in Kent (UK)

 

 

I cannot believe that this cannot be improved with the existing engine. There have been mods that improved somewhat the high grass with flowers etc. But modders have their limitations, only Devs can go deeper and really improve things.

 

And due to the large surface involved any improvement on the map will have a very big visual impact.

Isn't it worth investing a little and improve the existing maps? I would imagine that it is an excellent reward/cost ratio.

[AEthelraedUnraed]

49 minutes ago, IckyATLAS said:

Isn't it worth investing a little and improve the existing maps? I would imagine that it is an excellent reward/cost ratio.

Yes it is; updating the terrain and foliage shaders (trees are as bad as the grass) would make a huge difference.

 

I'm sure the next "project" will bring much progress in that regard, but it remains to be seen if it's still compatible with the current IL2 modules, or else if the announced engine upgrades will be backported. If not, then I doubt the Devs would want to spend costly development time on that.

[senseispcc]

I must say that all maps have a nice real feeling now, thanks to the “team”. 

[GSHWK_Houndstone_Hawk]

The area most need of improvement in my opinion are the inland waterways; rivers & lakes. Rivers, especially are nothing more than 2-dimensional 'ribbons' placed ontop the scenery. No depth, no banks. They look truly terrible and make the bridges look inadequate because of the total lack of river banks and sunken depth.

I'm guessing; like hedgerows & British & French farmland, it's too gargantuan a task which is a great shame indeed. 

[354thFG_Drewm3i-VR]

There are so many things in this sim that look like they're straight out of 2007. The terrain, particularly the grass, rivers, lakes, and trees are a huge example. In 2D, it can be somewhat hidden. In VR, they look SOOOOOO antiquated and honestly terrible. In most ways, the graphics of IL-2 GB are much closer to IL-2 1946 than a modern game. Don't even get me started on the color palette. This is why the team is taking what they can and rebuilding what they can't easily fix which will make a "new game engine," as Han let slip a few days ago. I just hope it's not TOO MUCH based on the old one. The only sad part is I don't think all of the existing content will be ported over, but rather likely resold. This is speculation, but reading between the lines that's why they haven't announced it yet: they don't want to completely sabotage sales for collector planes and FC while they work on a new, incompatible game engine based largely on the old one. This strategy makes sense, but I won't be buying anything else until there is more certainty in the series.

Edited October 11, 2023 by drewm3i-VR

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

Other things is when you place objects on the grass, the ground under and around object should change , the grass should be flattened and earth tramped. Now it looks like everything was put there by God's hand. Small objects are just hiden. LODs and colors of objects seen from above, not that far away are messed up. The environment need to change in New Project or we be in the same place since 2009.