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Suggestions on improving graphics.
suzumiyaharuhi1
Member Posts: 18 Arc User
Right now STO is filled with overwhelming and, maybe, unnecessary visual effects. I know that I'm being picky but it's not necessarily the more effects the better. More importantly it's about getting the right effects that helps building ST immersion. So here are my thoughts:
Gear effects:
Cannon: Currently the cannon bolts fly too slowly and looks rather like missiles cause it would change course to hit the targets. Maybe the bolts in the ST 2009 movies fired by Enterprise are better looking--they are fast, slimmer and with awesome sound effect.
Beam array: In ST movies or TV series, whenever a phaser array fires, there's a prefire sequence during which the beam is "assembled", while the current in-game phaser fire effect sucks. Seriously what's with the star like bloom on the array!?
Shield effect: Now I admit that it's cool to have shields like Reman Shield or Maco Shield to provide special effects on the hull, but some effects are really not desirable. For example the Maco shield makes my Sovereign glow like glasses or plastic regardless of which hull material I use. So instead of changing the hull color, change the shield color and effect. For example when hit make the shield bubble look like the ground ability Cover Shield.
Combat effect:
Full impulse/Warping: The effects in ST: Legacy and ST movie 2009 are better, with bursting sound and distorted vessel image.
Ship maneuver: For small ships like escorts, tapping the arrow keys would make the ships "shake" and that's not natural at all. Try to make it more gradual.
Hull: When the hull is hit by weapons, there's rarely any significant effects. Take a look at Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, the effects are simple yet amazing----splashing sparks on the hull and shaking screen, etc, not to mention that the hull material there looks more solid.
Last but not the least, when loading screen after changing map, it would be better to provide animations like ship docking into space dock.
Gear effects:
Cannon: Currently the cannon bolts fly too slowly and looks rather like missiles cause it would change course to hit the targets. Maybe the bolts in the ST 2009 movies fired by Enterprise are better looking--they are fast, slimmer and with awesome sound effect.
Beam array: In ST movies or TV series, whenever a phaser array fires, there's a prefire sequence during which the beam is "assembled", while the current in-game phaser fire effect sucks. Seriously what's with the star like bloom on the array!?
Shield effect: Now I admit that it's cool to have shields like Reman Shield or Maco Shield to provide special effects on the hull, but some effects are really not desirable. For example the Maco shield makes my Sovereign glow like glasses or plastic regardless of which hull material I use. So instead of changing the hull color, change the shield color and effect. For example when hit make the shield bubble look like the ground ability Cover Shield.
Combat effect:
Full impulse/Warping: The effects in ST: Legacy and ST movie 2009 are better, with bursting sound and distorted vessel image.
Ship maneuver: For small ships like escorts, tapping the arrow keys would make the ships "shake" and that's not natural at all. Try to make it more gradual.
Hull: When the hull is hit by weapons, there's rarely any significant effects. Take a look at Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, the effects are simple yet amazing----splashing sparks on the hull and shaking screen, etc, not to mention that the hull material there looks more solid.
Last but not the least, when loading screen after changing map, it would be better to provide animations like ship docking into space dock.
Post edited by suzumiyaharuhi1 on
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You can turn off visual effects for ship equipment that adds them, just like disabling armor visuals for your character and boffs. Right click the item and "disable visuals".
Thanks for the tip!
Answers above.
they could simply merge the beams, it doesn't make much sense to fire 8 beams at the same time anyway.
Of cause they can... Just not currently...
The question is: Is the worth the reward to invest time in altering how weapons in space work..
I am pretty sure the answer is no.
Also the energy bolt for DHC is too fat in my opinion.
And I know it's an issue of personal taste, but the visual effects in ST 2009 are better than the older movies due to improved tech and more money invested. At least I wouldn't call it horrible.
There is the same problem in everygame that's not a FPS, like SWTOR. A FPS will calculate the hit/miss chance based on what happen, not on flat chance to hit vs defense.
And, I would have to agree with it too, it is sudden and jarring. Making the initial bank much more gradual, then quickly banking harder for a full turn, would probably smooth out those small adjustments in heading without that overly-aggressive banking you get at the same time.
-- Smoov
-- Smoov
Also a lot of the bigger AoE effects are so large and visual assaulting that you can't even see your ship anymore, feedback pulse, grav well etc. That could use some serious toning down.
Cannons could use some alterations as well, instead of just adding more and more shots coming from the same 2 hard points, why not spread the location where the cannon fire is originating from across the available hardpoints. Cannon equipped ships usually have a lot of them compared to beam arrays on fed ships. Would also make the visual fitting better with canon visuals.
All weapon fire could also use some speed up of the travel time, especially torpedoes, its embarrassing that those are slower then the ship firing them. It would also help with the guided cannon shots to look less funny.
If they seriously want to improve things, they need a new engine first....
Not GFX but the cannon sounds are so anoying too.
I would love the transwarp to have the Hyperspace jump effect from stargate.
I do agree that the current version is overkill, and as for the earthquake effect, that can be turned off under options.
One of the best things I did
The longer each shot takes, the more in-transit shot you end up having to render.
I agree on speeding up the torps tho. Those torps are basically inertia-based propulsion pushing its explosive to its destination, and as long as the thrust is on, the speed just keeps getting faster and faster. If you're passing your own torps, then something is very wrong. Even with the slowest torp in the game, you may end up getting ahead of the torp briefly within the first second of launch, but as soon as that propulsion kicks in, the torp should be quickly passing you and high-tailing it to its target.
The torp used in Undiscovered Country, ended up being slower as the torp doubled back on itself, reversing its course as it was trying to follow the exhaust trail, but in a straight-line (mostly) trajectory, except for course corrections of a few degrees while it is tracking its target, it is mostly a direct transit, so that thrust just keeps building up speed the whole way.
-- Smoov