Oolite Bulletins

ovvldc wrote:

There is already a reduced detail configuration. Perhaps it would be good to link the shaders and new models to that setting?

Not really. There are cards which have no problem with more complex models but stutter with even a few simple shaders (GeForce FX 5200, Intel GMA thingies). By the next “full” version there will be a setting for shaders – either off/on, or off/medium/high (with “medium” setting a macro allowing shaders to scale themselves back at loading time).

Making the redesigned ships standard has two requirements: 1) that all the built-in ships are replaced, with reasonably consistent design; 2) that each ship is available in a low-poly version (say, 25-30 faces average and no more than 75). To maintain reasonable size constraints, these would have to use the same textures as the full models (or some of the same textures). Automatically scaling down textures wouldn’t complicate matters hugely.

Go Dream Team!

Some really great ships that you guys have made.

I hope to see a full replacement released with Oolite in a not too distant future.

Definitely better to release a great looking game with a notice that a downgrade is available for those without the hardware to run it, than having the first impressions that people get be the visually less appealing of the two options - IMO

Ahruman wrote:

ovvldc wrote:

There is already a reduced detail configuration. Perhaps it would be good to link the shaders and new models to that setting?

Not really. There are cards which have no problem with more complex models but stutter with even a few simple shaders (GeForce FX 5200, Intel GMA thingies). By the next “full” version there will be a setting for shaders – either off/on, or off/medium/high (with “medium” setting a macro allowing shaders to scale themselves back at loading time).

Good point. How about
* low detail - no shaders, simple models
* medium detail - no shaders, complex models
* high detail - with shaders, complex models

Or you can go with an extra setting. I'm just coining this for UI simplicity .

Thanks for all the hard work!

Best wishes,
Oscar

UI simplicity is good, but the reality of graphics cards isn’t simple.

For the record, the polycount of the majority of my designs isn't really all that high. It very rarely goes above 300 polys with a couple of exceptions.

Shouldn't be too much of a performance hit.

Selezen wrote:

For the record, the polycount of the majority of my designs isn't really all that high. It very rarely goes above 300 polys with a couple of exceptions.

Shouldn't be too much of a performance hit.

However, Oolite’s built-in models have much lower counts – down to about a dozen – which keeps it playable on some pretty low-end hardware. I would prefer not to break that compatibility.