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[Official High Resolution Textures Post] Can we get a clarification on this?


Adelbert

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This is the 4th post about this issue:

 

1st post (117 pages long): http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=140954

2nd post (112 pages long): http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=151787

3rd post (125 pages long): http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=162569

 

*New Update 11/01/2012*

 

So here we go. The answer we wanted, and also probably the answer nobody wanted:

 

Hey everyone, thanks for bearing with us as we investigated the concerns raised here.

 

After investigation, it seems that the confusion here is a combination of a UI issue that's been resolved and a feature that's working as intended, but the reason why it's 'working as intended' needs explanation.

 

First, the UI issue. The preferences menu as it is seen on the Public Test Server for version 1.1 of the game is correct - there are only supposed to be two texture choices, 'Low' and 'High'. This replaces the original three-choice preference of Low/Medium/High because in reality, there was never supposed to be a 'Medium' choice - that was a bug.

 

Here's where we need to explain. As many of you have noted, your character in the game world is rendered using lower resolution textures than inside of cinematic conversation scenes. This was a deliberate decision by the development team. To understand why this was done, I have to briefly talk about MMOs and their engines.

 

In comparison to single player games and other genres of multiplayer online games, MMOs have much higher variability in the number of characters that can be potentially rendered on-screen at the same time. In MMOs, even though most of the time you'll see a relatively small number of characters on screen, there are certain situations in which many more characters will be seen. Some examples of these situations include popular gathering places in-game (in our case, the two fleets), Operations with large teams, and Warzones. In those scenarios the client (and your PC) has to work hard to show off a lot of characters on-screen.

 

During development and testing of The Old Republic, our priorities were to ensure the game looked great and performed well. In testing, we discovered that using our 'maximum resolution' textures on in-game characters during normal gameplay could cause severe performance issues, even on powerful PCs. There were a variety of possible options to help improve performance, but one that was explored and ultimately implemented used what is known as a 'texture atlas'.

 

To understand that I've got to get technical for a minute. When a character in the game is 'seen' by another character - ie, gets close to your field of view - the client has to 'draw' that character for you to see. As the character is 'drawn' for you there are a number of what are known as 'draw calls' where the client pulls information from the repository it has on your hard disk, including textures, and then renders the character. Every draw call that is made is a demand on your PC, so keeping that number of draw calls low per character is important. With our 'maximum resolution' textures a large number of draw calls are made per character, but that wasn't practical for normal gameplay, especially when a large number of characters were in one place; the number of draw calls made on your client would multiply very quickly. The solution was to 'texture atlas' - essentially to put a number of smaller textures together into one larger texture. This reduces the number of draw calls dramatically and allows the client to render characters quicker, which improves performance dramatically.

 

When it comes to cinematic scenes, however, characters are rendered using the higher number of draw calls and maximum resolution textures. This is because in those scenes, we have control over exactly how many characters are rendered and can ensure that the game performs well. The transition between 'atlas textured' characters (out of cinematics) and 'maximum resolution' textures (in cinematics) is mostly hidden by the transition between those two states (when the screen goes black), but obviously it's clear if you pay close attention.

 

In summary; yes, we had a small UI bug that unfortunately caused confusion over how the game is intended to work. The textures you're seeing in the course of normal gameplay are optimized for that mode of play. The textures you're seeing during cinematics are also optimized for that mode of play. They are higher resolution, but that's because we're able to control cinematic scenes to ensure good performance in a way we can't during normal gameplay.

 

We understand the passion and desire for people to see the same textures you see in our cinematic scenes in the main game. Because of the performance issues that would cause for the client, that's not an immediate and easy fix; we need to ensure we're making choices that the majority of our players will be able to benefit from. Having 'atlassed textures' helps performance overall, and that's a very important goal for us.

 

With that said, we've heard your feedback here loud and clear. The development team is exploring options to improve the fidelity of the game, particularly for those of you with high-spec PCs. It will be a significant piece of development work and it won't be an overnight change, but we're listening and we're committed to reacting to your feedback.

 

So no, we won't have high resolution textures in a 2012 AAA game anytime soon.

 

Thanks all for the support on this subject guys.

 

New Update 09/01/2012

 

We finally got a first response by Stephen Reid. I'll just quote it:

 

Hey all, wanted to let you know we're aware of this issue.

 

We're tracking down the details with the development team and will give you an update soon - hopefully later today.

 

I'll update this post as soon as we get that info.

 

 

Original 1st post with 117 pages: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=140954

 

I want to thank EVERYBODY for the support we are all giving to this post. Many good opinions here. More than 50 pages in 1 day clearly shows one thing: as customers paying for a 50$ product and worth 15$ a month, we deserve an answer.

 

//Update

 

Ok, since this has become the "official" post for the High Resolution Textures issue, I'm going to update this post for newcomers with the information we have at the moment. So, here are the facts we know:

 

1- The game had high resolution textures during beta. But they disappeared before releasing the live client.

 

2- You are NOT playing in high settings, no matter what your preferences window says. At this moment, medium=high, and there is no high, so you are all playing viewing your char's textures in medium quality.

 

3- This was expected to be fixed in the PTS. However, at this moment the issue hasn't been fixed for 1.1. What is more, they deleted the "Medium" quality option, and now there are only two options. Low and High. And yes, you are right: High is just the new Medium, as you can see in this screenshot:

 

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9238/swtor3.png

 

More info on this, by MaxWham:

 

Ok, I've made myself to download the whole Test Client, and that's what I've found:

Now there are only 2 options for "Texture Quality", "Shader Complexity" and "Character

Level of Detail":

 

http://floomby.com/content/Unhn91yMJ0

 

http://floomby.com/content/mx3gBmTTkS

 

http://floomby.com/content/axEz2UPYUE

 

This is how the game looks on Low:

 

http://floomby.com/content/5hsuNryE1E

 

And High:

 

http://floomby.com/content/SpcGe55FUk

 

So you see enviroment textures do change, but the character ones are always the same...

The options of "Low" and "High" only affect cutscenes, but unfortunately I can't make screenies during them:(...

 

4- Somehow, the high resolution textures are already in the game. But they are not being used while playing with your character. You can see em during dialog cutscenes. You can see them on your companions wardrobe preview window. And you can see them for 0,5 secs after clicking on your holo terminal in your ship. Here are some examples:

 

Medium: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/screenshot2012010419385.jpg/

High: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/screenshot2012010419390.jpg/

 

Medium: http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8974/screenshot2012010710454.jpg

High: http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/553/hirez.png

 

Medium: http://imgur.com/NqI7j

High: http://imgur.com/M7Geg

 

ToonPhil shared with us this one: http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3646/swtorhightextures1.png

 

Another one from Adamant:

 

Medium: http://i.imgur.com/PsqBo.jpg

High: http://i.imgur.com/U1RMk.jpg

 

And yet another one: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/UnruheEndlos/The%20Old%20Republic/TORTextureComparison.jpg

 

One of the best high/med comparison photosets I've seen in this forum, by Rhykker: http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5493/hirez.jpg

 

Gif showing the difference between both: http://m.uploadedit.com/bac/1325903803236.gif

 

and another gif: http://i40.tinypic.com/ip8wmb.gif

 

And a video:

 

And a WoW vs SWTOR comparison: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/UnruheEndlos/TORWOWComparison.jpg

 

Also, I'm getting this technical information from the user Lemon_King. It's really impressive what some users like him are finding inside the code:

 

FYI: Did some mining, in the Renderer where it handles Dynamic Models - There is code for once it has all the textures for a Player / NPC Dynamic model is resizes the texture by 50%. So forcing MipMap Bias to -1 won't work around this issue.

However, a crafty dll Mod for RemoteRenderer could get around this issue by setting the resize to 1:1 instead of 1:2."

 

XML Data for Controlling Texture MipMaps in RemoteRenderer.dll @ 0x00096B60

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<TextureObject>

<MagFilter>Linear</MagFilter>

<MinFilter>Linear</MinFilter>

<MipMapFilter>Linear</MipMapFilter>

<UAddress>Clamp</UAddress>

<VAddress>Clamp</VAddress>

<WAddress>Clamp</WAddress>

<LODBias>0</LODBias>

<MaxMipMap>1</MaxMipMap>

<Compression>Color</Compression>

<Type>Image</Type>

</TextureObject>

 

Direct Dump from RemoteRenderer.dll @ 0x000944B9

 

Shader Function for Downscaling Textures

Code:

#ifdef PS_1_x.#define TEX2D( value ) tex2D( tex##value, In.T##value ).#define EXTRA_TEXCOORD( value ) float2 T##value : TEXCOORD##value;.#define CONSTANT_SCALE( value ) ( ( (value) > 2.0 ) ? 1.0 : ( (value) / 2.0 ) ).#define RESCALE( value ) value += value.#else.#define TEX2D( value ) tex2D( tex##value, In.T0 ).#define EXTRA_TEXCOORD( value ).#define CONSTANT_SCALE( value ) value.#define RESCALE( value ).#endif.sampler tex0 : register( s0 );sampler tex1 : register( s1 );sampler tex2 : register( s2 );float4 consta : register( c0 );struct VS_OUT{ float2 T0: TEXCOORD0; EXTRA_TEXCOORD( 1 ) EXTRA_TEXCOORD( 2 )};float4 main( VS_OUT In ) : COLOR{ const float4 crc = { CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.595794678f ), -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.813476563f ), 0, 0.0 }; const float4 crb = { 0, -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.391448975f ), CONSTANT_SCALE( 2.017822266f ), 0.0 }; const float4 adj = { -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.87065506f ), CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.529705048f ), -CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.081668854f ), 0 }; float4 p; float y = TEX2D( 0 ).a; float cr = TEX2D( 1 ).a; float cb = TEX2D( 2 ).a; p = y * CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.164123535f ); p += (crc * cr) + (crb * cb) + adj; RESCALE( p ); p.w = 1.0; p *= consta; return p;}........#ifdef PS_1_x.#define TEX2D( value ) tex2D( tex##value, In.T##value ).#define EXTRA_TEXCOORD( value ) float2 T##value : TEXCOORD##value;.#define CONSTANT_SCALE( value ) ( ( (value) > 2.0 ) ? 1.0 : ( (value) / 2.0 ) ).#define RESCALE( value ) value += value.#else.#define TEX2D( value ) tex2D( tex##value, In.T0 ).#define EXTRA_TEXCOORD( value ).#define CONSTANT_SCALE( value ) value.#define RESCALE( value ).#endif.sampler tex0 : register( s0 );sampler tex1 : register( s1 );sampler tex2 : register( s2 );sampler tex3 : register( s3 );float4 consta : register( c0 );struct VS_OUT{ float2 T0: TEXCOORD0; EXTRA_TEXCOORD( 1 ) EXTRA_TEXCOORD( 2 ) EXTRA_TEXCOORD( 3 )};float4 main( VS_OUT In ) : COLOR{ const float4 crc = { CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.595794678f ), -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.813476563f ), 0, 0.0 }; const float4 crb = { 0, -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.391448975f ), CONSTANT_SCALE( 2.017822266f ), 0.0 }; const float4 adj = { -CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.87065506f ), CONSTANT_SCALE( 0.529705048f ), -CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.081668854f ), 0 }; float4 p; float y = TEX2D( 0 ).a; float cr = TEX2D( 1 ).a; float cb = TEX2D( 2 ).a; float a = TEX2D( 3 ).a; p = y * CONSTANT_SCALE( 1.164123535f ); p += (crc * cr) + (crb * cb) + adj; RESCALE( p ); p.w = a; p *= consta; return p;}.ps_2_0

 

 

It is important to note that after 200+ pages, Bioware still hasn't said anything about this.

 

I'm also quoting this very well written post:

 

Well, that thread on the PTS forum shows that they at least know about this one and are reading it. I have faith in Bioware to fix this issue, I'm sure they understand the damage to their credit by removing the medium texture setting and changing it to be called "high" and obviously the cat's out of the bag now. I think in general if they answer the following questions here, most of us will be satisfied -

 

1. Please clarify the "work around" requested in the first post of this thread, including a clarification of the sentence: If you installed prior to 5:00AM CST on January 4th, 2012, your graphics will display as "Low" even if actual in-game settings are higher due to automatic preference detection. and if reinstalling the game from origin, or any other source will remedy this issue.

 

2. Please explain the removal of the "medium" texture setting on the PTS and its apparent promotion to being called "high" despite the fact that it still retains all of the characteristics and low quality textures of the current "medium" setting.

 

3. Please indicate if a fix is being worked on/implemented, and if so, when we may roughly be able to expect it.

 

Muddy textures are not a game breaker. You can still, as I have, have an enormous amount of fun with this game. I think we jump the gun if we say that bioware is sweeping the problem under the carpet, without an explanation, we wont know for sure if that is the case until 1.1 goes live.

 

That being said, this is a Triple A title, from a Triple A studio, and a Triple A publisher. We are indeed paying customers who really want noting more than an explanation. I think we all generally understand that this isn't a "snap your fingers" fix, because if it was they would have no reason to hold it back. The frustration from most reasonable people in this thread is one of lack of explanation/communication.

 

We can split hairs about if the issue is lighting, or if its textures (though the visual proof shows textures http://m.uploadedit.com/bac/1325903803236.gif). And we can say "Why not just settle? Its a good game," But the core of this problem is a simple one - missing high res textures, and the apparent lack of information on a fix.

 

Say you buy a blender at Wal-Mart, you have really been wanting this blender. You have read previews about it online, you have been watching videos about it, and have been ooggling at pictures of it. One of its prime features, often advertized is the new "Mega Frappe" button. This button helps to differentiate this blender from its competition.

 

Alas! When you buy the blender and fervently remove it from the box, you find that the Mega Frappe button has been pried out, and the words "Mega Frappe" have been crossed out with a magic marker. Surely you would feel like you have been just been, for lack of a better word, screwed.

 

Now, replace the words Blender, with SWTOR and Mega Frappe with Hi-Res Textures and I think that you will find that the frustration is indeed well placed.

 

I have faith in Bioware to fix this issue, but we really do need to be told what is going on.

 

//Update.

 

So, this is what the official known bugs forums says:

 

If you installed prior to 5:00AM CST on January 4th, 2012, your graphics will display as "Low" even if actual in-game settings are higher due to automatic preference detection.

Workaround: Your graphics setting will display properly once modified and saved.

 

Workaround: Individual preferences will display properly once modified and saved.

 

Also, it was stated on 1.0.2 patch that:

 

Upon a new installation and first launch of the game, settings files and in-game graphics preferences are now consistent with each other.

 

So, please Bioware, can we get a clarification on this? Does this mean that if we reinstall the game using the online installer, we will get high resolution textures everytime and not only during dialog cutscenes?

 

If not, any ETA on when the high resolution textures bug will be fixed?

 

Thanks in advance for answering this confusive situation.

Edited by Adelbert
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Hey everyone, thanks for bearing with us as we investigated the concerns raised here.

 

After investigation, it seems that the confusion here is a combination of a UI issue that's been resolved and a feature that's working as intended, but the reason why it's 'working as intended' needs explanation.

 

First, the UI issue. The preferences menu as it is seen on the Public Test Server for version 1.1 of the game is correct - there are only supposed to be two texture choices, 'Low' and 'High'. This replaces the original three-choice preference of Low/Medium/High because in reality, there was never supposed to be a 'Medium' choice - that was a bug.

 

Here's where we need to explain. As many of you have noted, your character in the game world is rendered using lower resolution textures than inside of cinematic conversation scenes. This was a deliberate decision by the development team. To understand why this was done, I have to briefly talk about MMOs and their engines.

 

In comparison to single player games and other genres of multiplayer online games, MMOs have much higher variability in the number of characters that can be potentially rendered on-screen at the same time. In MMOs, even though most of the time you'll see a relatively small number of characters on screen, there are certain situations in which many more characters will be seen. Some examples of these situations include popular gathering places in-game (in our case, the two fleets), Operations with large teams, and Warzones. In those scenarios the client (and your PC) has to work hard to show off a lot of characters on-screen.

 

During development and testing of The Old Republic, our priorities were to ensure the game looked great and performed well. In testing, we discovered that using our 'maximum resolution' textures on in-game characters during normal gameplay could cause severe performance issues, even on powerful PCs. There were a variety of possible options to help improve performance, but one that was explored and ultimately implemented used what is known as a 'texture atlas'.

 

To understand that I've got to get technical for a minute. When a character in the game is 'seen' by another character - ie, gets close to your field of view - the client has to 'draw' that character for you to see. As the character is 'drawn' for you there are a number of what are known as 'draw calls' where the client pulls information from the repository it has on your hard disk, including textures, and then renders the character. Every draw call that is made is a demand on your PC, so keeping that number of draw calls low per character is important. With our 'maximum resolution' textures a large number of draw calls are made per character, but that wasn't practical for normal gameplay, especially when a large number of characters were in one place; the number of draw calls made on your client would multiply very quickly. The solution was to 'texture atlas' - essentially to put a number of smaller textures together into one larger texture. This reduces the number of draw calls dramatically and allows the client to render characters quicker, which improves performance dramatically.

 

When it comes to cinematic scenes, however, characters are rendered using the higher number of draw calls and maximum resolution textures. This is because in those scenes, we have control over exactly how many characters are rendered and can ensure that the game performs well. The transition between 'atlas textured' characters (out of cinematics) and 'maximum resolution' textures (in cinematics) is mostly hidden by the transition between those two states (when the screen goes black), but obviously it's clear if you pay close attention.

 

In summary; yes, we had a small UI bug that unfortunately caused confusion over how the game is intended to work. The textures you're seeing in the course of normal gameplay are optimized for that mode of play. The textures you're seeing during cinematics are also optimized for that mode of play. They are higher resolution, but that's because we're able to control cinematic scenes to ensure good performance in a way we can't during normal gameplay.

 

We understand the passion and desire for people to see the same textures you see in our cinematic scenes in the main game. Because of the performance issues that would cause for the client, that's not an immediate and easy fix; we need to ensure we're making choices that the majority of our players will be able to benefit from. Having 'atlassed textures' helps performance overall, and that's a very important goal for us.

 

With that said, we've heard your feedback here loud and clear. The development team is exploring options to improve the fidelity of the game, particularly for those of you with high-spec PCs. It will be a significant piece of development work and it won't be an overnight change, but we're listening and we're committed to reacting to your feedback.

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Hello all,

 

Since the previous incarnation of this thread passed the 1k mark, we've recreated the thread for you to continue your discussion in.

 

A couple of reminders for you to keep in mind:

 

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We thank you for your efforts in keeping the thread on topic, constructive and respectful.

 

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Originally Posted by PellonSW

This was how they look during BETA up to the final weekends of testing.

 

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/3...lmorra__9_.jpg

 

It was stated in the beta forums which are now gone that they were removing high-res textures in order to cut down the amount of data the players needed to download for the final weekends of test. After a number of player voiced their concerns over the suddenly lower textures in the game they stated that the final game will look much better and not to worry.

 

this is great proof of it all

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This is the 3rd post about this issue:

 

1st post (117 pages long): http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=140954

2nd post (112 pages long): http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=151787

 

*New Update 11/01/2012*

 

So here we go. The answer we wanted, and also probably the answer nobody wanted:

 

 

 

So no, we won't have high resolution textures in a 2012 AAA game anytime soon.

 

Thanks all for the support on this subject guys.

 

New Update 09/01/2012

 

We finally got a first response by Stephen Reid. I'll just quote it:

 

 

 

I'll update this post as soon as we get that info.

 

 

Original 1st post with 117 pages: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=140954

 

I want to thank EVERYBODY for the support we are all giving to this post. Many good opinions here. More than 50 pages in 1 day clearly shows one thing: as customers paying for a 50$ product and worth 15$ a month, we deserve an answer.

 

//Update

 

Ok, since this has become the "official" post for the High Resolution Textures issue, I'm going to update this post for newcomers with the information we have at the moment. So, here are the facts we know:

 

1- The game had high resolution textures during beta. But they disappeared before releasing the live client.

 

2- You are NOT playing in high settings, no matter what your preferences window says. At this moment, medium=high, and there is no high, so you are all playing viewing your char's textures in medium quality.

 

3- This was expected to be fixed in the PTS. However, at this moment the issue hasn't been fixed for 1.1. What is more, they deleted the "Medium" quality option, and now there are only two options. Low and High. And yes, you are right: High is just the new Medium, as you can see in this screenshot:

 

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9238/swtor3.png

 

More info on this, by MaxWham:

 

 

 

4- Somehow, the high resolution textures are already in the game. But they are not being used while playing with your character. You can see em during dialog cutscenes. You can see them on your companions wardrobe preview window. And you can see them for 0,5 secs after clicking on your holo terminal in your ship. Here are some examples:

 

Medium: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/screenshot2012010419385.jpg/

High: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/screenshot2012010419390.jpg/

 

Medium: http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8974/screenshot2012010710454.jpg

High: http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/553/hirez.png

 

Medium: http://imgur.com/NqI7j

High: http://imgur.com/M7Geg

 

ToonPhil shared with us this one: http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3646/swtorhightextures1.png

 

Another one from Adamant:

 

Medium: http://i.imgur.com/PsqBo.jpg

High: http://i.imgur.com/U1RMk.jpg

 

And yet another one: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/UnruheEndlos/The%20Old%20Republic/TORTextureComparison.jpg

 

One of the best high/med comparison photosets I've seen in this forum, by Rhykker: http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5493/hirez.jpg

 

Gif showing the difference between both: http://m.uploadedit.com/bac/1325903803236.gif

 

and another gif: http://i40.tinypic.com/ip8wmb.gif

 

And a video:

 

And a WoW vs SWTOR comparison: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/UnruheEndlos/TORWOWComparison.jpg

 

Also, I'm getting this technical information from the user Lemon_King. It's really impressive what some users like him are finding inside the code:

 

 

 

It is important to note that after 200+ pages, Bioware still hasn't said anything about this.

 

I'm also quoting this very well written post:

 

 

 

//Update.

 

So, this is what the official known bugs forums says:

 

If you installed prior to 5:00AM CST on January 4th, 2012, your graphics will display as "Low" even if actual in-game settings are higher due to automatic preference detection.

Workaround: Your graphics setting will display properly once modified and saved.

 

Workaround: Individual preferences will display properly once modified and saved.

 

Also, it was stated on 1.0.2 patch that:

 

Upon a new installation and first launch of the game, settings files and in-game graphics preferences are now consistent with each other.

 

So, please Bioware, can we get a clarification on this? Does this mean that if we reinstall the game using the online installer, we will get high resolution textures everytime and not only during dialog cutscenes?

 

If not, any ETA on when the high resolution textures bug will be fixed?

 

Thanks in advance for answering this confusive situation.

 

This is discussed on the dev tracker right?

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Start the chronometer, lets see how long it takes for this one to fill up. In the meanwhile

 

Notice LOTRO, a game that came out in 2007!

http://lotrostylist.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/lotro-outfit-8.jpg?w=584&h=474

 

Whats that? A character zoomed in who's armor textures dont look like a pile of mud? Surely this is impossible!

 

Notice Granado Espada! A korean MMO launched in 2007 as well!

http://www.goldicq.com/up_files/image/Article/2010/11/14/61253621.jpg

 

Surely this is a fluke!? I mean how can these companies make character armor this crisp?

 

Notice Rift, an MMO from 2011. From a company that had no games under their belt yet!

http://www.thetanooki.com/wp-content/gallery/rift/warlock_01.jpg

 

SWTOR is not following the standard right now. Its textures dont look nearly as good as they could and are being held back because of client stability issues that might or might never be fixed.

 

FFXIV- 2010

http://nightmaremode.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FFXIV-Armor-1024x576.jpg

 

FFXI- 2002

http://i.imgur.com/T8sel.jpg

 

SWTOR- 2011

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/7371/swtor2012011110050596.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0lF3U.jpg

 

Outstanding

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http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/3/32230/1833800-balmorra__9_.jpg

 

False advertising!

 

I want my money back.

 

I don't want my money back. I've had fun with the story and the game. Enough to cover for what I paid for it. However - sub is now cancelled. I might come back if something magically happens with the client and textures the next few months.

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Originally Posted by PellonSW

This was how they look during BETA up to the final weekends of testing.

 

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/3...lmorra__9_.jpg

 

It was stated in the beta forums which are now gone that they were removing high-res textures in order to cut down the amount of data the players needed to download for the final weekends of test. After a number of player voiced their concerns over the suddenly lower textures in the game they stated that the final game will look much better and not to worry.

 

this is great proof of it all

 

Wow that certainly impressive bioware please enable high res textures now

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To those who were wondering if it was actually true that high rez textures existed in beta, here's some footage which clearly shows high rez textures.

 

AND it was taken in march 2011, at PAX East.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar64ly0B-mU&feature=related

 

In fact, just google PAX East Swtor and you'll see hundreds of videos and screenshots where it's blatantly obvious (even recorded with camera phones) that the characters are in high rez.

 

Also, rolled.

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Originally Posted by PellonSW

This was how they look during BETA up to the final weekends of testing.

 

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/3...lmorra__9_.jpg

 

It was stated in the beta forums which are now gone that they were removing high-res textures in order to cut down the amount of data the players needed to download for the final weekends of test. After a number of player voiced their concerns over the suddenly lower textures in the game they stated that the final game will look much better and not to worry.

 

this is great proof of it all

 

Lol ouch! Oh well it's still a fun game that I enjoy playing. And that says a lot coming from me and I'm a graphics whore lol

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i know there's been alot of screaming, but yeah.

 

not happy bioware. I don't understand how evern my own character just looks like a complete and utter mess. I have previewed alot of armors in game and holy cow what is this mess. Its like I'm on ultra low.

 

I was in beta, and it ran fine with high textures. I don't know what to say... like i mean Mass Effect 2 had some embarrasing textures but this is a whole new low, and for no reason.

 

Game was not ready.

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Bump and repost:

 

Positive feedback suggestions:

 

1. Allow US to CHOOSE if we want to enable high resolution textures.

2. Employ a team who knows what they are doing when it comes to designing clothing. Have them work closely with the graphics artists who can translate their vision into something that will look good with current game settings.

 

The only reason I can understand for a developer to lock down something which PC users take for granted i.e. CHOICE in what level of graphics the game runs at would be because their main target audience has a universal specification. The only people who have that are console owners. WE are PC's.

 

So unless you've been developing with an eye for the console market in the future why would you remove that choice from your paying customers?

 

The bottom line here is that games such as Lotro have much better far more detailed graphics on your characters armour. Given their age you have to ask yourself why is that?

 

Effectively you are concerned that our top specified PC's simply cannot handle the higher levels of detail when the majority of us already know they can from beta. But again beta or not that's not the point. You have removed the choice we have.

 

It's all well and good giving a technical explanation as to why high resolution textures currently aren't available in open play but the simple sad fact of the matter is that it is a technical limitation on the engine with what the developers would deem as a reasonable payoff technology wise with regard to a user's PC that they decided isn't feasible! It's not your choice to make. We bought this game under the impression that the graphical capability is as advertised.

 

Given the sheer amount of effort that has gone into the landscaping and art in this game not to mention the huge amount of money on the overall budget to end up with a game that has textures worse than games which are years older is absolutely shocking and totally unacceptable for me.

 

What makes it worse is that the actual armour in game seems to have been designed by people who think dressing up as a tramp or just plain horrible drab clothing is a good idea. Given the visual splendour and diversity that we see in the films the clothing that you can have in this game is horrendous. ALL the armour needs a complete overhaul if you ask me as even with high res textures they will still look drab and samey.

 

What an extremely disappointing outcome especially for the artists who have done amazing work on the landscaping and scenery (pathetic grass draw distance aside but again that's not their fault).

 

I was all set to subscribe for 6 months. However with the complete farce that has been the outcome of an important issue I'll at best be switching it to a 1 month subscription to see what happens in the immediate short term. If things are not improved drastically and rapidly then I'll be taking my custom elsewhere.

 

Once again thankyou to Stephen Reid for his hard work in getting the information and keeping us posted.

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Wow, well this is unfortunate. Armor looks like absolute crap outside of cutscenes. WoW has better armor textures and that game is seven years old. Sad. I love this game, but there really is no excuse. I guess this is what Bioware gets for cutting corners and not writing in a custom engine as part of their massive budget. Edited by Merex
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