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Simplicity123
Simplicity123
Join Date 09/2006
+10

Aesthetically, are the lasers a bit much?

January 27, 2015 2:19:35 PM from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Looking at the video and the screenshots, it seems like the lasers are way too prominent in the Battleviewer.  The instant on straight line extending off infinitely winds up filling the screen with laser light and makes it hard to see the combat itself, I think.  Especially when the fleets are on approach and then it's just huge swaths of only laser.  Does anyone else feel this way?  

It seems like the lasers definitely shouldn't extend off infinitum.  They should have a max length.  They should animate along the length rather than on/off, and increase/decrease in brightness.  Look carefully at the following two videos as a comparison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHTPX-VDRHA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XbYqkfnC6U

Just my two cents.

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Simplicity123
Turkwise
Join Date 12/2007
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Reply #1 January 27, 2015 5:58:22 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

The on/off is a realistic (and welcome) depiction of laser physics.  Slow-moving lasers are, in my view, an antiquated relic of early TV/Hollywood sci-fi that just won't die.

But yes, they are a bit...overwhelming.  They're very large and tend to make a mess of the battle view.  If they had a more focused appearance (rather than the wide beams we have now) I think it would be much more aesthetically pleasing.

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Simplicity123
Illauna
Join Date 09/2006
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Reply #2 January 27, 2015 6:36:38 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

In the last Dev Stream they mentioned that the lasers read too well. So they might be already working on it. 

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Simplicity123
daeatul
Join Date 04/2011
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Reply #3 January 27, 2015 6:39:09 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

I agree. I also don't like that they go through a target I find that annoying as well.  It would be kind of neat if only the beams that truly missed went through a target.

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charon2112
Join Date 02/2009
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Reply #4 January 27, 2015 6:41:27 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

I don't mind the length but the effect is much to large/bright compared to the size of the ships.  I'd like to see this effect tuned way down.

 

The beams should also stop when they hit a ship, instead of going through it.  Like star trek phasers.

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Simplicity123
Larsenex
Join Date 04/2009
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Reply #5 January 27, 2015 7:27:27 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

I agree with Charon. Make the beams, thinner..and perhaps more colors and have them terminate upon target hits. I dunno if this physics is possible for the battle viewer but hey we can ask. 

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Simplicity123
charon2112
Join Date 02/2009
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Reply #6 January 27, 2015 7:34:52 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

...or it would be cool if they hit the target, stopped for a second, then went out the other side, like they were burning through the hull.

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Simplicity123
a0152570
Join Date 06/2014
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Reply #7 January 27, 2015 11:19:05 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Yup all to true.  Paul sis say the same thing in the last stream and that they would be tweaked.

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Simplicity123
Simplicity123
Join Date 09/2006
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Reply #8 January 28, 2015 12:46:52 AM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting Turkwise,
reply 1

The on/off is a realistic (and welcome) depiction of laser physics.  Slow-moving lasers are, in my view, an antiquated relic of early TV/Hollywood sci-fi that just won't die.

But yes, they are a bit...overwhelming.  They're very large and tend to make a mess of the battle view.  If they had a more focused appearance (rather than the wide beams we have now) I think it would be much more aesthetically pleasing.

If we were realistic about things, you wouldn't see the lasers at all.    

Hollywood made the choices they made because those choices made lasers look badass.  That's not a bad place to aim for in a battle viewer.  (Stardock would be so lucky to get to the Hollywood level).  It should #1 be fun, #2 look great.  Match scientific reality would probably be somewhere in the 5s or 6s. 

Even better if they could make them burn an arc across the enemy ship.  Probably too much to ask though.  

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Simplicity123
Simplicity123
Join Date 09/2006
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Reply #9 January 28, 2015 12:49:01 AM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Oh yeah and they'd never miss.  

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Illauna
Join Date 09/2006
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Reply #10 January 28, 2015 2:14:59 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Laser's can miss. They fire in a straight line but if you are not pointed correctly they will miss. Also, at longer distances light can be bent or reflected by cosmic dust and such. Also, in GalCiv there are shields that absorb lasers.

 

 

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Starus
Join Date 12/2012
+4
Reply #11 January 29, 2015 3:38:22 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Indeed. Not only the lasers look too large and bright, they are also too abundant in battle. It doesn't take long until the battle is filled with lasers firing all the time, non stop. I'll also propose a comparison:

This is from GalCiv II. The battles look much better.

And this is GalCiv III

Besides, the battle in GalCiv III are extremely fast and therefore hard to enjoy. They have to be slowed down by a lot. But thankfully this is development in progress.

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Simplicity123
charon2112
Join Date 02/2009
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Reply #12 January 29, 2015 4:00:23 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting Starus,
reply 11

Indeed. Not only the lasers look too large and bright, they are also too abundant in battle. It doesn't take long until the battle is filled with lasers firing all the time, non stop. I'll also propose a comparison:

This is from GalCiv II. The battles look much better.

And this is GalCiv III

Besides, the battle in GalCiv III are extremely fast and therefore hard to enjoy. They have to be slowed down by a lot. But thankfully this is development in progress.

 

GC2 battles looking better than GC3 is totally unacceptable.  The battle viewer needs a lot of work.

 

It's surprising how well the GC2 graphics held up.  The weapons effects are varied and really good.

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Simplicity123
Simplicity123
Join Date 09/2006
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Reply #13 January 29, 2015 4:28:13 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting Starus,
reply 11

Indeed. Not only the lasers look too large and bright, they are also too abundant in battle. It doesn't take long until the battle is filled with lasers firing all the time, non stop. I'll also propose a comparison:

This is from GalCiv II. The battles look much better.

And this is GalCiv III

Besides, the battle in GalCiv III are extremely fast and therefore hard to enjoy. They have to be slowed down by a lot. But thankfully this is development in progress.

Yeah, those lasers looks a heck of a lot better.  Faster.  Some pulse.  It looks like some may arc a bit.  Very nice.  

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Simplicity123
charon2112
Join Date 02/2009
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Reply #14 January 29, 2015 4:49:11 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting Simplicity123,
reply 13


Quoting Starus,
reply 11

Indeed. Not only the lasers look too large and bright, they are also too abundant in battle. It doesn't take long until the battle is filled with lasers firing all the time, non stop. I'll also propose a comparison:

This is from GalCiv II. The battles look much better.

And this is GalCiv III

Besides, the battle in GalCiv III are extremely fast and therefore hard to enjoy. They have to be slowed down by a lot. But thankfully this is development in progress.



Yeah, those lasers looks a heck of a lot better.  Faster.  Some pulse.  It looks like some may arc a bit.  Very nice.  

I agree.  I love the purple beam followed by the green pulsing blaster.

 

Please make GC3 look like this.  The missiles seem super huge in GC3 also, it kind of clutters the battle.  Think photon torpedo from Star Trek for space missiles.

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Starus
Join Date 12/2012
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Reply #15 January 29, 2015 6:02:37 PM
from Galactic Civilizations III ForumsGalactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting charon2112,
reply 14
Think photon torpedo from Star Trek for space missiles.

Or the missile effects of Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion. They are also pretty good. Besides, they have no unrealistic smoke.

But I have to agree that the photon torpedoes of Star Trek would look very good in GC3.

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