updates

[Mydnyte]

Really enjoying this game so far. Looking forward to future updates.

[reelfish074]

I just ordered the game! i'm going to hope the lake trout are biting (and that the game get's here quick)

[reelfish074]

just reviving the thread

[paleodust]

How are the splashes coming, Paul?

[paul]

They're on the list for the next update, which I'll start on soon. Right now I'm finishing up an update to Ice Fishing Derby, and the next VRS update is my next task.

Tight lines,

Paul

[reelfish074]

just wondering.... whats the next update going to have? (im praying for rivers, lol)

[paleodust]

You mentioned more realistic vegetation and improved textures in the ice fishing game. Will we get to see some of the same in VRS in the next update? I'm a sucker for "eye candy" and would love to ultimately see this become photorealistic. However, I know you're a small operation so I don't expect the world. That being said, I would like to see it take on a less cartoonish look.

[reelfish074]

speaking of suckers, that would be a great fish to add! suckers are suckers for nightcrawlers

[paul]

Yes, improved vegetation on land is part of the plan for VRS. Most of the 3D games that have lush vegetation are able to pull it off by limiting the view to a fairly confined area. If your computer can handle drawing a few hundred plants every frame, that can look like a realistic amount of vegetation when you're only seeing a few thousand square feet. Since VRS is often showing you more than a square mile at once it can't draw as densely concentrated vegetation, but only drawing the smaller plants that are pretty close to you can help. The downside there is that it can be distracting to see plants pop (or even fade) into existence as you move through the world. I'm working on improving that, and the next update will use a more effecient method for drawing land vegetation quickly. That should allow me to give the land a lot more detail, which should improve the realism.

Paul

[paleodust]

This game doesn't seem to take very much graphical computing power. Of course, that's all relative, depending on your machine. It seems that I should be able to add a whole lot more before feeling any lag. And hard-core gamers have much more heafty computers and GPU's than I do.

Have you considered playing with level of detail (LOD)?

[paul]

I've learned from VRS that the difference in performance between even current computers and graphics cards is much greater than I would have though. Many computers with decent CPU speed but integrated graphics are really, really slow, compared to even an average computer a few years old with an average dedicated graphics card. I understand the integrated graphics systems have come a long way, but it seems they're still not in the same league as anything with a dedicated GPU.

Yes, there's some adjustable LOD now, with the percentage of trees and weeds being drawn, etc. What it doesn't do is dynamic LOD, such as changing from a 4 polygon tree that's 200 yards away to a 200 polygon tree when you get closer to it, and even to a 1 polygon billboard when it's very far away. Right now the game does almost no billboarding, so that's a technique that can give us some more vegetation and features with minimal impact on performance. A billboard is drawn as though it's facing the camera, but it's just a flat surface that you see face-on. Many games draw clumps of grass, distant trees, etc., with billboards. That won't work so well for aquatic vegetation since you are often looking down at them and don't want them to appear to tip over.

My standard so far has been to put in as much detail as my primary computer can handle reasonably well, and it's a decent machine but certainly no high-end gaming computer. When I add billboard vegetation to the land I'll allow for a ton of it, so those with the really fast machines can crank up the quality well beyond what my computer can handle.

Paul

[gonefishin]

I've played the latest 3D games at high-res and full detail settings. GTA IV, Batman, you name it... I get a decent 60 fps or so. With VRSF I only get around 30. It still plays nicely but it isn't the most efficient at keeping the gameplay smooth. That's not to say it won't get better. I love the latest update (9-16-09). So much better than before. I hope to see even more graphic realism added. Those cartoony waves, although they give the perception of moving waves, need a facelift. I agree with the need for more user control of graphic details.

Now if only I have more time to play...

[paleodust]

Agreed. I ended up disabling the waves because, in my opinion, it looks more realistic without them. I actually like the default water effects quite a bit. Now, we just need floating objects and fish to interact with the surface realistically. And add some convincing caustics.

[gonefishin]

My main nag with the game right now is when you catch a fish. There's not much of an indication when you do - nothing to get your adrenaline going. Sometimes there's major lag when a fish is hooked - almost like the game locks up. It would be great to have hooked fish jump and put up an actual fight - complete with visuals and sound effects. Right now though it's a boring experience.

[paleodust]

I haven't experienced any lag when hooking a fish. Not sure what you're referring to there.

Hmm.. Sound effects like splashing fish are certainly a nice touch and should definitely be there. Having music playing in the background certainly has potential (as long as it can be easily disabled for realism). They do a good job with excitement music on a lot of the fishing shows. However, it could get old and/or cheesy if it's not done well and can be annoying in some games. In other words, if it seems too "canned," it can backfire and you'll get sick of it real quick. On the other hand, it can also add a lot to the excitement if it's carried out well...