Visual Downgrade?

[HadΣs]

Now, I would first like to say that I really enjoy this game a lot. From its beginning time, through the beta, and up to now, I've always terrified myself playing this game every time. I understand console versions have been released for this game recently, but what I noticed is the visuals are completely... different. I managed to compare screenshots from the first day I played this game (I took many screenshots, because the visuals were so impressive, that I even made some my backgrounds), but as soon as I loaded up this game with after the new update (free DLC), I noticed the visual difference.

Now, I'm not trying to be a meanie here, but I really really like how the game first looked, compared to now. I have a screenshot to show the differences in the very beginning of the level, and to my honesty, the game looks just amazing as it used to.

I have nothing against consoles, and I own a PS3 myself, and use it frequently. However, I would like to know if this was the subject of downgrade due to the consoles. Again, I have nothing against anything I've said, but I just think the game looked better before the update.

Here is a few comparison:

http://i.imgur.com/PIBvpAw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/U3Jgc2j.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NRnWNiX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1f1XNdo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tecaWhw.jpg (You can easily tell the draw distance detail is nicer on the right)

(Left is after update, right is before update, on all images)

(Things to look out for is foliage detail, lightning detail, and terrain detail, which are very different. Mapping in certain areas can also look different, and everything looks more orange.)

Understand that I am not trying to compromise anything disrespectfully. The settings have been untouched, and remain in the highest possible. The original looking visuals of the game gave a very nice mood to it, a very depressing dark tone, but keeping the beauty high. This may just be a matter of opinion, but there is obviously a major difference going on here.

[Thestios]

The game looks like redneck territory now.

[SOuNDSNC]

I think especially in the first image, the left-most looks better...but it's all subjective.

We recognize that the new update is significantly different from the original product and not everyone would like that, so we wanted to keep the original version available on Steam as well.

If you would prefer to play with the legacy version you can right click on the game and select "properties". In the far right tab "Betas" you can choose to opt-in to the "legacy" branch.

[SOuNDSNC]

Originally posted by XenoVuyk:

The game looks like redneck territory now.

I don't follow.

[HadΣs]

Originally posted by SOuNDSNC:

Originally posted by XenoVuyk:

The game looks like redneck territory now.

I don't follow.

He probably just means the game looks much more deeper in orange color.

To the main point, I suppose it is all subjective, but I just really think the original is superior beyond what it is now with the lightning, textures, especially the foliage. Still, I'll keep that opt-in feature in mind if I ever wish to revert, and I appreciate the response.

[iSmile02]

I think the new visuals look great, apart from the new background tree textures. They just look like flat sheets of blurry green dots. Load up Chapter 3 and look around, for example.

Oh, also noticed the models and textures on characters look much much worse. Look at Charlie, for example. His face is just blurry and messy.

[alexUnder]

I also did notice that the game changed visually. But my thoughts were like "wow! This is so much better! All those foliage changes, textures upgraded" So I do agree with Flandre Scarlet and SOuNDSNC that's very subjective. Because my emotions were absolutely opposite, I thought game looked much better artstically.

[xection9]

Personally overall the new visual changes are better, BUT one most important fx is missing, there's no shadow cast now, well other than from the foliage with a very limited range (foliage shadows cast in close range), outdoor area aren't very noticible, but indoor area are very different and it looks better with some shadow cast, it may have caused some choppiness tho, again personal opinion.

I'm not sure if the shadow have caused some optimization issue in the past that everybody's talking about so they scrap some of it but hey the game still looks very good now.

It'll be even better to have the options to toggle the shadow cast and quality though, thx for the excellent update dev :)

[tloyc2017]

Originally posted by xection9:

Personally overall the new visual changes are better, BUT one most important fx is missing, there's no shadow cast now, well other than from the foliage with a very limited range (foliage shadows cast in close range), outdoor area aren't very noticible, but indoor area are very different and it looks better with some shadow cast, it may have caused some choppiness tho, again personal opinion.

I'm not sure if the shadow have caused some optimization issue in the past that everybody's talking about so they scrap some of it but hey the game still looks very good now.

It'll be even better to have the options to toggle the shadow cast and quality though, thx for the excellent update dev :)

There are shadows, they're just less noticable. Look carefully when walking around in daylight - your character's shadow is visible.

[Luky]

Originally posted by iSmile02:

I think the new visuals look great, apart from the new background tree textures. They just look like flat sheets of blurry green dots. Load up Chapter 3 and look around, for example.

Oh come on, what a nice 2D textures (sarcasm)

For those who dont know whats going on:
http://i.imgur.com/fKRE7io.jpg
Vs
http://images9.gry-online.pl/galeria/galeria_duze3/1269081268.jpg

This game used to be so beautiful. I actually like everything that come with 2.0 except THIS

[HadΣs]

Originally posted by Luky:

Originally posted by iSmile02:

I think the new visuals look great, apart from the new background tree textures. They just look like flat sheets of blurry green dots. Load up Chapter 3 and look around, for example.

Oh come on, what a nice 2D textures :csgohelmet: (sarcasm)

For those who dont know whats going on:
http://i.imgur.com/fKRE7io.jpg
Vs
http://images9.gry-online.pl/galeria/galeria_duze3/1269081268.jpg

This game used to be so beautiful. I actually like everything that come with 2.0 except THIS

That is another thing I forgot to showcase. As I said before, there is definitely a downgrade going on. But, as the issue was resolved, you can always revert back to the original version.

[alexUnder]

Originally posted by xection9:

...there's no shadow cast now, well other than from the foliage with a very limited range (foliage shadows cast in close range), outdoor area aren't very noticible, but indoor area are very different and it looks better with some shadow cast...

Yeah you're right! I was thinking what is wrong with interiors. There're no real time shadows. For example you can point your flashlight at a chair and there would be no shadow.

That's no good. The shadows resolutuion, global illumination shadows quality, number of dynamic light sources casting shadows could be tweakable at Graphics Options. Unity do allows such things, such options.

[SOuNDSNC]

Except the game has been moved to forward rendering in order to support a plethora of Intel HD cards. The downside to forward rendering is that it only supports shadows on a directional light.

There's very few spaces on the interiors that suffer from this and a lot of the spaces that had indoor shadows were impractically expensive or the shadows didn't even look that good (pixelated)

Global illumination doesn't exist in unity until V5 comes out.

The 2D planes we'll figure something out, maybe spruce that up in a patch.

[alexUnder]

Originally posted by SOuNDSNC:

...There's very few spaces on the interiors that suffer from this and a lot of the spaces that had indoor shadows were impractically expensive or the shadows didn't even look that good (pixelated)...

Sad. I remember those ugly pixelated shadows indoors. But I thought that was just about shadow-map resolution. Now it looks like you had no real choice. Sorry for insulting you, guys. Anyway game looks great! Mostly because of level design, not just technics. Best vistas are've ever seen ingame!

Originally posted by SOuNDSNC:

Global illumination doesn't exist in unity until V5 comes out.

Another one indie game the Forest is also utilizes Unity. And they did managed somehow to inject global illumination. At least there're optional sun shadows.

[AwesamLinux]

Originally posted by iSmile02:

I think the new visuals look great, apart from the new background tree textures. They just look like flat sheets of blurry green dots. Load up Chapter 3 and look around, for example.

Oh, also noticed the models and textures on characters look much much worse. Look at Charlie, for example. His face is just blurry and messy.

Agreed, the update content wise is great. But the changes in graphics are a bit of a mixed bag. Some things look better, but there are details particularly the tree textures that look significantly worse in the new update.

If this was done to improve performance it's a bit sad, because I thought there was nothing wrong with the performance of the game in the first place.These kind of drastic graphical changes would be better as an option in the game.

[Mooseamour]

Originally posted by iSmile02:

I think the new visuals look great, apart from the new background tree textures. They just look like flat sheets of blurry green dots. Load up Chapter 3 and look around, for example.

Oh, also noticed the models and textures on characters look much much worse. Look at Charlie, for example. His face is just blurry and messy.

exactly those flat trees have to and I mean have to go. They stick out like a sore thumb