Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Comments
Increasing the quality of the lighting doesn't have to mean it becomes unbearably bright. I'm surprised you have this take since I think the lighting is already unbearably bright during spell effects, And I also think when you're facing an object without a light source, it's too dark. You're also not considering that there will probably be particle and lighting adjustment sliders in the actual game menus. When I say lighting I'm not talking about how bright it is. I'm talking about where it goes, where it doesn't go, and just overall how natural it looks. The lighting and ashes does not consistently look natural. That's what I want, consistency.
But I definitely think that this can be developed/optimized later on, because right now we need more base lvl stuff like core mechanics and their interactions (not like any of those were shown though
And that is exactly why I prefer the current duller look. That electroball would've blasted the entire space in white-blue light, if it was "realistic". And even if it was tuned up by just a bit, you'd barely be able to see anything as soon as there were multiple mages casting it in that room.
I didn't find the Cyclops fight all that visually busy exactly because the light from all the spells was way more muted than it would've realistically be. I'd even assume that Intrepid have a default dimming of effects during overcast/dark times of the day, in order to prevent burning out our eyes.
And like I said, I prefer it that way.
Discussion for me is mainly not about what looks good and bad but someone saying it needs to be finished lol.
No one is going to sit here and argue a game pre alpha isn't polished or looking perfect. I could care less about that part.
And how would that work, exactly?
If you were to do lighting in one take, you would have to wait until every model and texture is in the game, at the very least.
That would.mean we would have literally no lighting effects right now.
For indoors at least you could change how the lighting is handled, I think outside is fine for the most part until things like fog or night scenery comes in. The contrast in general is just very off, I think it could be adjusted in their current lighting system, and the way it interacts with the spell visuals could be changed independent of the lighting system. That's why I said it was an easy fix, and I'm not saying that this would be the final iteration of the lighting, despite what some morons in this thread would have you believe, obviously you'll have to change it again later, but it can be changed right now in slight ways that will make a big difference, especially when you're trying to garner an audience this early on through monthly live streams where people are making their decisions already on whether or not they're going to play this game.
You are try type to actually dox someone at the end of the day lmao, I'm not telling you anything more on info on me xD. You already were given enough proof not in me saying what I've worked on but in the fact you literarily don't understand anything and are whining online it doesn't look like a finished product.
Its funny when you are talking about shutting down criticism when you realize it is in development. What is even more funny is my point is on you and your lack of experience, and trying to open your eyes on you saying they need to have it done, my point isn't about you liking the look or not.
But a mix of your lack of experience (which is fine) but your complete ignorance not caring or even wanting to try to understand is the actual root of the issue.
These aren't the perfect notions I mean but its the only game that's actually release in UE5 that I can reference right now. I didn't want to use trailer footage of projects that might never come out. Thus, I've tried to select screenshots with direct and indirect lighting. The aspects fit together even though the game is not the best in the world. I would hope that ashes ends up with similar or better fidelity between all the light sources.
I'm unsure where their goals will be exactly, but we also need to remember they are aiming for giant battles, it is a mmorpg and not a single player game. So there are going to be challenges. That being said it could look better or worse.
Also you need to be mindful that games all have their ugly points, i could turn that game on and find the worse spot of lighting possible and say they need to work on it. Using a snowy area is easy mode for finding ugly sides of games as well.
Congratulations you have surpassed him.
Edit * check out the indirect lighting part.
So, you have implicitly agreed that it is an iterative process here.
Now that you have agreed with that basic truth, why would they take someone away from what they are doing now (probably working on lighting for a new biome or something like that) to work on iterating on a small subsection of lighting now?
The most efficient thing to do is to develop new biome, then do an iterative pass over all of them.
The trash can shadow is aligned to the nearest lamppost light. It looks weird because the light source is cut off. The shadows aren't static, they move dependant on light source position. A static image doesn't represent that but I couldn't really explain with time stamped videos.
Also, the last few iterations of something like lighting need to be done over the game as a whole. This makes it easier to maintain a consistent theme across the game.
Can you link the full videos so I can try to understand?
Its all from the same video:
As I said, its not the best iteration of the technology. I cherry picked scenes which reflected direct and indirect lighting. I wasn't focussed on shadows per say.
So basically your saying aesthetic lighting is a last step?
Here's what I imagine the light to do. Red circle is the rough center of the light source on the ground. Red lines show the path of the light. Green lines is the light creating a shadow. Yellow lines are the reflections into the camera (our pov). Seems as natural as it can be imo.
The game has aesthetic lighting.
I am saying fine tuning it is the last step in regards to lighting.
Keep in mind - what you are asking for literally is just some fine tuning.
I wish it was only as easy as fine tuning lmao.
I mean - it is.
Everything talked about in this thread is fine tuning.
Moreover, natural phenomena like sunshine, rain, and fog add their own unique hues to the lighting palette. In alpine regions, the interplay of white and blue tones creates a serene and refreshing atmosphere, reminiscent of snow-covered peaks and crystal-clear skies meeting shimmering waters. Meanwhile, near bodies of water, the blend of yellow and blue tones evokes a sense of tranquility and serenity.
Certain environments, such as tall forests, offer a captivating interplay of light and shadows. Rays of sunlight pierce through the dense canopy, casting enchanting god rays that dance upon the forest floor. The contrast between the illuminated patches and the dark understorey creates a captivating visual experience, bringing a touch of mystery and allure to the surroundings.
In other instances, specific color schemes can evoke powerful emotions and associations. For example, the red tones often associated with corrupted areas or volcanic regions create an atmosphere of danger and intensity. These hues symbolize the destructive forces of nature, adding an element of tension and excitement to the environment.
Despite the seemingly small nature of these changes, the impact they have on the overall ambiance is significant. By manipulating the lighting conditions, whether through natural or artificial means, a space can be completely transformed. It becomes possible to evoke a wide range of emotions, from tranquility and serenity to mystery and intensity, all through the strategic use of light.
One notable example of a medium that successfully utilizes the power of light is the game "New World." The developers have employed light as a fundamental tool to shape the atmosphere and immerse players in its virtual world. By carefully crafting the lighting conditions, they have created an engaging and visually stunning experience, where the changing hues and intensities of light breathe life into the game's environments. The attention to detail in rendering the diverse lighting scenarios is commendable and further demonstrates the immense value that playing with light can bring to any space or creative endeavor.