View distance and the horizon

I was thinking about how amazing the view distance is in the alpha currently and how cool it is to have giant landmarks like the volcano but something about it felt not good and I think I figure out what. I think the fact that the full view distance is always visible detracts from how cool it really is, it should be a treat that takes your breath away, not omnipresent such that it fades into the background. I think that other than the weather, the environment and flora can really prevent making the view distance bland from over-exposure.

I just assume the weather will alter view distance, so in the rain or snow we would not be able to see as far. But beyond that, the environments I think could be another layer. I recognize we only really have 1 biome so far but in general I think minus intentionally open areas and higher altitudes (e.g. up a hill), the biomes should obscure the horizon somewhat. So in jungles we should have heavy canopy cover, the desert and arctic biomes should have sand/dust and snow that makes it harder to see the horizon. In general, make the view distance not always so striking such that it gets forgotten after hours of gameplay. If we have to go up a hill to see the tower in the nearby node, once we are up that hill we will have a cool view that is not detracted from because we've been looking at it poking above the horizon ever since we entered a 10km radius.

Again, I think open areas in the world, higher altitudes and starting areas, weather permitting, should provide this striking view but it should not be omnipresent.

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Azherae

I feel like I've seen a lot of comments that might be streamer-related, and unfortunately I was testing or working and didn't have enough time to confirm my hunch.

Streamers would be likelier to hang around the places where this is true, more often, because they'd want to hang out in towns or known dungeons, and Winstead Node almost always levels first.

The vistas you talk about, aren't my experience, because my group has been testing the potential 'bug' with the Moonhollow node leveling (this is NOT necessarily a bug directly, just a player density and one bugged quest problem, I think)

So my question is if you've seen the 'tropical brush' biome that makes up most of Moonhollow, on streams? I barely see any 'vistas'. There's the high hill before Drythorne, and Drythorne itself has one when going down to the Ferryman, but after that, once you go inland, it's all hills and trees and river navigation until you get to cliffs or fringes.

Did you see many streams with this biome? I'm really interested to know if the 'environment' threads I've been seeing are a result of underexposure, or if the feelings people have, include the 'Tropical Brush' biome (for lack of a better descriptor)

Ridiel

It is also important to realize that the Alpha 1 map is just 17% of the world map. So if something is visible from great part of the Alpha 1 map it will still be rare enough from the point of view of the entire world. Someone who started in different starting divine gate will come and see the volcano for the first time and be amazed and someone who started near the volcano will be amazed by some other part of the environment when traveling to other part of the world.

Dygz

@neuroguy
I disagree. The view distance in Ashes is the best I've ever experienced in an MMORPG.
Makes the game more immersive and easier to rely on landmarks rather than being heavily focused on the mini-map.
Weather and day/night cycle are welcome.

neuroguy

@Azherae not really sure about moonhollow or any other place in particular but I watched streams/videos of the tropical biome quite a bit. I absolutely do appreciate the places it is not quite as stark, and maybe because I'm watching videos and not playing, I can pay more attention to the horizon and get used to the beauty a bit quicker than a player would but I mean, hard to know that without playing myself haha.

@Ridiel I'm not saying people will get tired of looking at the same volcano, I'm saying having access to this quite unique view in an MMO all the type makes it seem too 'normal' because you get used to it always being there and therefore takes away from how special it really is.

@Dygz yeah maybe as I said above, it might be just because I'm not playing myself. I absolutely agree with the landmark thing, and hey if you gotta just walk up a hill to see your landmark instead of just ~anywhere, it shouldn't be that big a deal no?

In general though, I see in a lot of videos that the view distance for flora (and of course for mobs/players) is much less than the environment. This is ok but currently it seems to pop in? No idea if this is just because it's alpha or if it is very stressful on PCs to handle more view distance in the game or what but just an observation that also doesn't do it any favors. If the large trees in the distance that could be obscuring at least parts of the mountains don't render in until you're close by, you get the unadulterated view of the horizon too often I guess. Just an example video here.

Nerror

I loooooooooove the view distance in Ashes. I actually took a couple of screenshots to showcase it. I ran up in the mountains to the northwest, and you can see clear across the entire Alpha 1 map. Going by mount, that's not just a hop, skip and jump away to get to that volcano for example. You can see other landmarks, like the cove, and if anything, this fantastic view distance makes me want to explore the world even more, compared to just looking at areas on the map.

First one with the map open, to see where I am standing:

And second without the map open.

neuroguy

This is absolutely gorgeous, I just think if we could see this ~all the time, it would lose its luster (that's my whole point).

Dygz

neuroguy wrote: »

Yeah maybe as I said above, it might be just because I'm not playing myself. I absolutely agree with the landmark thing, and hey if you gotta just walk up a hill to see your landmark instead of just ~anywhere, it shouldn't be that big a deal no?

In general though, I see in a lot of videos that the view distance for flora (and of course for mobs/players) is much less than the environment. This is ok but currently it seems to pop in? No idea if this is just because it's alpha or if it is very stressful on PCs to handle more view distance in the game or what but just an observation that also doesn't do it any favors. If the large trees in the distance that could be obscuring at least parts of the mountains don't render in until you're close by, you get the unadulterated view of the horizon too often I guess. Just an example video here.

Yep.
The first time I fell in love with the view distance was when I was running back to the Portal Ruins from Winstead and realized I could see the entrance to The Cave quite a ways off. Previously, I had been relying on the mini-map and didn't really have a decent idea of which hill/mountain it might reside in (I typically tried to get to the Cave from the Portal Ruins which is the back of the hills, coming from Winstead you can see the entrance.)

We should expect to be able to see the giant landmarks better at a distance than we can the fauna. But, we also don't need to see the fauna from super far away. What is fun is seeing other players running or riding along the roads from quite far away - they almost look like insects.
Fauna not appearing until you're right on top of them is typically only a problem when riding a mount - especially sprinting on a mount. But, it's Alpha... so I expect there to be a fix for that before launch.

I think actually playing will provide you with a clearer perspective (for better or worse), so you can feel what it's actually like.

Nerror

neuroguy wrote: »

This is absolutely gorgeous, I just think if we could see this ~all the time, it would lose its luster (that's my whole point).

Sure I get the point. It's like living with a fantastic view at home. Pretty quickly the luster fades, and it's just a normal, everyday thing.

But in my experience in the game so far, you have to actively seek out those vistas to get that experience. When you run around questing or whatever, you are more focused on not getting eaten by those three ensnaring and venomous spiders that attacked you, because you just had to make that shortcut instead of following the road.

So at least for me, I don't focus on the horizon as much when just playing the game, I focus on the immediate surroundings. But I love being able to see far away to get my bearings, instead of having to rely on the map.

Dygz

Yeah. It depends on where you are and what your current goals are.
If I'm leaving Captain Culham to go to Winstead or the Cave, I'm looking out into the distance to get my bearings for my favorite off-road paths. I know where the Dunewings and Spiders and Gibbering Maws and Trolls will be and have an easy time avoiding them.

If I'm headed from Mistmire to Drythorne, there are ruins and dungeons and hills and cliffs in my view, so a clear path is more difficult. Especially when there are bands of red mobs camping near or on the roads - as well as off-road.
In Alpha One, I'm playing a Dwarf, so there are times when I can't see 5 feet in front of me because I'm running through foliage larger than head height.

Landmarks will be changing as villages, towns and cities appear - also creating new dungeons and new bands of mobs. In addition to weather.
I don't think we will be getting bored of the vistas.

TheDarkSorcerer

Nerror wrote: »

I loooooooooove the view distance in Ashes. I actually took a couple of screenshots to showcase it. I ran up in the mountains to the northwest, and you can see clear across the entire Alpha 1 map. Going by mount, that's not just a hop, skip and jump away to get to that volcano for example. You can see other landmarks, like the cove, and if anything, this fantastic view distance makes me want to explore the world even more, compared to just looking at areas on the map.

First one with the map open, to see where I am standing:

And second without the map open.

WOW. This lowkey looks like something out of Lord of the rings with the Eye of Sauron tower in the distance lol. Love it!

CondeZero

Nerror wrote: »

I loooooooooove the view distance in Ashes. I actually took a couple of screenshots to showcase it. I ran up in the mountains to the northwest, and you can see clear across the entire Alpha 1 map. Going by mount, that's not just a hop, skip and jump away to get to that volcano for example. You can see other landmarks, like the cove, and if anything, this fantastic view distance makes me want to explore the world even more, compared to just looking at areas on the map.

First one with the map open, to see where I am standing:

And second without the map open.

Mate, that screenshots are just amazing. I really want to start the adventure!

Mzdan

It looks amazing, but how would you - who already played - compared it to different games optimization-wise? In some games huge view distance is a FPS killer and in some games, not so much.

Can't wait to see it myself ofc

Nerror

Mzdan wrote: »

It looks amazing, but how would you - who already played - compared it to different games optimization-wise? In some games huge view distance is a FPS killer and in some games, not so much.

Can't wait to see it myself ofc

The FPS seems to be just fine with the view distance. I think it's the MMORPG with the best view distance I have ever played.

They are doing something with level of detail that is right at least. I hope we can increase the render distance of the foliage as well. Maybe they can pull off some LOD magic.

If you look straight ahead to the furthest clump of trees on that hill, there are more trees there. IIRC that entire hill is covered in tress, but they are obviously not rendered. If there was a way to see foliage much further away via some LOD magic, it would improve the vistas even more I think.

Dygz

View distance is fine for optimization.
Some water locales can be an issue.
Population density of bears...I mean NPCs... and players can be an issue.

Tyranthraxus

Would also have to disagree with the OP; It's better to be able to see farther.

Though yes - a custom setting would no doubt save some peoples' graphics cards from spontaneously combusting!

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