removing fog from the maps. - Page 3

DirtyBird · 2012-10-07, 10:52 PM

Probably hard to implement but weather effects such as rolling fog could assist in assaulting bases, just like night fall.
Not a fog that is there all the time across the continent but a fog that is slow moving across the continent.
You could also add blizzard effects that make flying useless (aka sand storms?)
As Esamir doesnt have a normal day/night cycle I think they could use weather effects to compensate for this.

Hamma · 2012-10-07, 11:02 PM

I'm disappointed there is no night on Esamir - I think it would be awesome there.

Notser · 2012-10-08, 02:04 AM

Fog looks bad and hinders performance for some users. It is entirely too thick for the current weather on the continent. Can't engage enemies past the limit of the fog with the combination medium range weapons and players disappearing at 150 meters anyway.

Perfect world everyone would play with the exact same options and hardware, this isn't a perfect world. Beta has a million other issues that add to the imbalance, I would hope we care more about the epic stalemates that biolabs have become or the terrible cert costs for weapon attachments.

Flaropri · 2012-10-08, 03:19 AM

A few thoughts:

1. Is altering a games settings outside the in-game options to increase performance/capability cheating? I can understand the arguments for why it would be considered such, but I'm not sure I fully agree. For example, some games don't have the proper menus to alter important settings without going directly to an ini file (disabling hardware in The Longest Journey to avoid glitchy graphics or setting specific AA settings in other games etc.)

This is a bit different though, since it isn't hitting a "required" setting and it has a drastic difference in play in a PvP game. I don't think that deleting people saying how to do it helps the matter though, since that limits who knows how to do it, and makes it even more uneven. It might be going against what is "intended" but if everyone has the option than at least it's "fair." Ultimately, other than fidelity and a few other optimization options, weather should not be something you can flat out turn on or off via the client any more than the day/night cycle. "Fog" is a time honored tradition for limiting view distances for optimization purposes, and within the view-distance options that should be adjusted, but not actual intended fog and other "weather."

2. I'm also disappointed that Esamir doesn't seem to have a full night cycle. I really, really hope that "seasons" are implemented, so that during "summer" or whatever Esamir plays as described, but during "winter" it would be mostly night instead. Planetary tilt, it's an awesome thing. That would possibly be more of a long-term thing though.

3. The fog looks bad, and it should feel bad. I'm also for it as a localized weather effect, rather than being utterly pervasive. Among other things, changing conditions can make combat more dynamic. Snipers that had a clear view of battlements/roads suddenly new have to deal with limited visibility and get to a terminal or rely more on pistols and knife work or perhaps special scopes. People geared up for close-quarters combat in the fog-bank get to their objective and the fog suddenly starts to dissipate so they have to adapt by rushing into a building or pulling back to their forward spawn, etc.

I think that having fog does add fun(?) new elements, but I think it's important to keep it dynamic and changing. Some areas of a given map obviously would have more fog and more often than others (some might even be effectively perpetual) but I think having all fog all the time on a continent is too limiting even given the existence of multiple continents.

Sturmhardt · 2012-10-08, 04:11 AM

Yeah, great job @ removing a guide to edit files that are there to be edited. If they didn't want anyone to edit these files it would not be that easy. I guess you can call that censorship. Great work Hamma, now a circle of people can benefit from this, while everyone else does not have these options.

Anybody who wants to know how to disable the fog and the blur in the distance can PM me here or in the official forums under the same name.

Maarvy · 2012-10-08, 04:22 AM

It wouldnt be so bad if the fog was some kind of nice looking weather effect . How it stands it simply white/grey/brown/greens out your screen and make the game look like a pos .

cellinaire · 2012-10-08, 04:45 AM

Simple : No. Constant. Fog.

Dagron · 2012-10-08, 06:21 AM

A dark winter season would be fun, as long as it isn't pitch black all the time. Personally i'd like it if it was just a couple of in game "hours" of deep darkness and twilight (bleh) the rest of the "day".

Mmm, how long are Auraxis' current normal daylight cycles anyway? (@ Indar for instance).

Miir · 2012-10-08, 01:36 PM

Personally I do not like the fog but I still won't remove it unless it's an official option. Guess I'll just keep playing on Indar until they ban all the people for hacking the fog off.

It sucks to get shot by someone that you can't see.

Gonefshn · 2012-10-08, 01:54 PM

I haven't played on Esamir really since it's been added because the fog just ruins it. Disappointed.

VaderShake · 2012-10-08, 01:55 PM

I will just say that until they have the weather capability they are shooting for using fog is simply a way to show a diffrent environment/atmosphere and affect the way you have to play. If Esamir does not have fog it's just a white and grey desert no different environment than Indar. They said weather effects are coming in a year or 2, maybe they will change the fog dynamic then. Fog is a useful tool to affect the play dynamic and keep things varied.

Look at what BF3 did, no fog you can see the entire map from everywhere and shoot at flaoting triangles from across the map and call it skill, you can see all vehicle movements at all time = no surprises, you cannot effectiely flank without someone seeing you. I know PS2 is on a much, much larger scale but having enviroment/atmospheric variation is good and keeps things more fresh than everything looking the same.

Oh and going into the client and shutting it off = cheating, also it means your a pretty pathetic individual and you are extremely selfish. What you bragging to your imaginary friends "look im so smart I shut off fog in a video game so I can have an advantage, I'm so smart, cool, and awesome".....really...I pity you, go on shut of the fog it's still does not change the fact that your a complete tool.

Mox · 2012-10-08, 03:13 PM

The fog is just ugly. I dont know why they put it in. I hope it is some kind of a placeholder for something better. E.g. Some hovering fog clouds.

julfo · 2012-10-08, 03:14 PM

I personally can't stand the fog, but as others have said, modifying game files which are obviously not meant to be changed (as they are restored on each client load) is out of order.

Funny, though, how people feel the need to produce the old "hurr BF3 had no fog and it wuz shit durr lel dghfsghxrfth" argument. It really is quite childish, and something that I'm sure many people are now tired of.

Gonefshn · 2012-10-08, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by VaderShake

Look at what BF3 did, no fog you can see the entire map from everywhere and shoot at flaoting triangles from across the map and call it skill, you can see all vehicle movements at all time = no surprises, you cannot effectiely flank without someone seeing you. I know PS2 is on a much, much larger scale but having enviroment/atmospheric variation is good and keeps things more fresh than everything looking the same.

I would argue the opposite in 2 ways.

1. Having no fog and shooting at "triangles" across the map adds more dynamic gameplay. You have more to think about than what is in your immediate area surrounding you. You have to worry about the entire battlefield and you can look around and evaluate what is going on around you. Also super thick fog isolates you and makes you feel like your part of something immediate and small, not a huge war. It's more like an arena if I only have to deal with people in my general area.

2. Your reference to triangles makes no sense, things like flora and fog are the reason people shoot at triangles. In PS2 spotting through the fog will reveal those "doritos" and you'll be shooting through the fog at markers for things you can't see. Without fog you would actually be shooting at things you see. Fog would increase the issue of spotting as a targeting system.

I do agree it's good for variety but Esamir would not be a white indar without fog, the different territory sizes, terrain features and base design makes it completely different. I'd like some localized fog or maybe fog for a very short time in the day/night cycle similar to how night removes visibility during only a portion of your play experience.

VaderShake · 2012-10-08, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by julfo

Funny, though, how people feel the need to produce the old "hurr BF3 had no fog and it wuz shit durr lel dghfsghxrfth" argument. It really is quite childish, and something that I'm sure many people are now tired of.

How is comparing a similar situation with another game that had the same issue with fog childish?? It's a practical example to use to make a point about the pros/cons of fog in an FPS style game and the impact visibility has on gameplay. But yea I guesss it's a bad opps.."childsih" comparison considering how many large FPS MMO's with maps the size of PS2 exist out there fog free on every map.