I'd be in favor of optional downloadable content packs for SWTOR. These don't affect game play, just the presentation of the game to the people who download them:

Mesh & Texture Pack DLC:

1. 2048 x 2048 environmental textures wrapped around high-poly meshes (trees, rocks, building facades, etc.)

2. UV Map updates to other areas (like the horribly rezzed-out console on the Jedi Defender ship on char select)

Soundtrack DLC:

1. 5.1 Soundtrack downloads with more Star Wars scores

2. Configurable options for soundtracks as to where they play, such as the juke boxes

Character DLC:

1. High-poly meshes / textures for PC and NPC bodies. In Everquest 2, you can select a regular body type or an alternate body type, and regardless what anyone else has selected, what's presented is what you select.

Tint, Lighting, Shader, & PP AA DLC:

1. Layered on top of existing default options

2. Located on another tab on the Graphics preferences window for T&L options such as post-processing anti-aliasing sliders (TAA or mixed-mode D3D OGMS) and tint / hue / intensity sliders

Why as *optional* downloads? Why complicate the life of the people building updates by having N+3 graphics sets, or maybe even N times 3 (some graphics, I believe, change between languages - example, any text expressed as geometry or textures with planet names, since Alderaan is Aldérande in French) rather than just 3.

And of course there would be the added complication of the updaters (BitRaider and normal) and what the Preferences panel looks like with different combinations of packs installed and ...

No. Keep it simple. One set with all of it - the main game, the graphics sets, the T&L set, and the expanded soundtracks.

Why as *optional* downloads? Why complicate the life of the people building updates by having N+3 graphics sets, or maybe even N times 3 (some graphics, I believe, change between languages - example, any text expressed as geometry or textures with planet names, since Alderaan is Aldérande in French) rather than just 3.

 

And of course there would be the added complication of the updaters (BitRaider and normal) and what the Preferences panel looks like with different combinations of packs installed and ...

 

No. Keep it simple. One set with all of it - the main game, the graphics sets, the T&L set, and the expanded soundtracks.

Because not everyone's hardware can handle high-end T&L or the video memory to handle 2048x2048 textures. Their computers shouldn't melt just because I want better graphics.

Because not everyone's hardware can handle high-end T&L or the video memory to handle 2048x2048 textures. Their computers shouldn't melt just because I want better graphics.

If only there was a way to configure those things, perhaps a preferences panel.

Sorry. Of course it would be configurable, and probably off by default, and hard-capped if it's clear that there isn't enough memory to load the textures / activate the T&L features.

I totally agree with the OP on the textures for this game being very outdated. I was away from the game for like 18 months and just starting playing again to catch up on the expansion. Having played a lot of AAA games over the last couple years and coming back to this game really made it stand out how poor the textures are in this game. I know its DX9 and all but I think they could do better. I mean on my 2080Ti would like some better textures and if it was a checkbox to add them to the client from the game launcher then only those with machines that could handle them could use them and those that could not could uncheck them.

I would definitely pay the full price of a new game if they overhauled the graphics engine for this game, though I know that is a pipe dream the texture improvements I believer are totally possible, look at all those remastered games out there that did this.

I totally agree with the OP on the textures for this game being very outdated. I was away from the game for like 18 months and just starting playing again to catch up on the expansion. Having played a lot of AAA games over the last couple years and coming back to this game really made it stand out how poor the textures are in this game. I know its DX9 and all but I think they could do better. I mean on my 2080Ti would like some better textures and if it was a checkbox to add them to the client from the game launcher then only those with machines that could handle them could use them and those that could not could uncheck them.

 

I would definitely pay the full price of a new game if they overhauled the graphics engine for this game, though I know that is a pipe dream the texture improvements I believer are totally possible, look at all those remastered games out there that did this.

I don't care in the least about the old planets. If i turn it to ultra the game looks beautiful.

But, i'd pay 60 for a new game engine too (SWTOR2 with the proper hero engine maybe?). For different, performance based reasons. But that's not gonna happen.

Things like graphics upgrades should be in the base game for everyone though. They should not be payed DLC.

Can you imagine what they will do if you open this door? They will sell you muddy games and you need to pay to unlock those high res textures. Huh... no thanks.