Quote Originally Posted by Zeph View Post
Didn't see this post earlier, but I AM complaining. For a title that can output at 1900x1200, the detail is terrible; both first person ans slightly third. Even though the bump map system is supposed to make things look 3D, it cant make up for such flat geometry. Bump mapping should be done for texture details, not replacing geometry.

edit: Although I started this argument based on things like the needler, fp arms, and walls close up, I found a great example of how the geometry needs desparate overhaul to make the game look like it warranted a port to PC.

Alright, let me try to address this, because some of you guys are saying things that don't make sense.

First of all, bump mapping is bothed used for shader enhancement and geometry substitution. See, in a game, especially one as graphically enhanced as Halo 2, the developers need to make sacrifices to keep the game running as a decent framerate. Completely redoing those trees to replace the bum pmapping with actual geometry would be an extremely expensive (meaning performance-wise, not money). We would be turning a simple tree that is maybe a few hundred polys into this massive mesh of a several thousand polys. Something like this that has such an insignificant visual impact would not be worth the massive performance hit. All of the trees in that scene probably total around 1,000 polys. Now imagine EACH TREE being several thousand polys. No thanks, I'll take the bump mapping, which looks nearly just as good unless you sit there and study it.

Please don't be so quick to judge and say the detail is 'terrible', because it definately is not. See, this is a direct Xbox to PC port, and the detail in this game by FAR exceeds was is expected for an Xbox title. Halo 2 is more like a game that originated on the PC, and ended up on the Xbox, due to the amount of careful visual detail.

The game definately does not need a graphical overhaul, although it is getting one. Like I said earlier, a lot of this stuff is very early and the shaders are intensely under the knife at the moment. So far, there have been some graphical improvements to some weapons. I don't know exactly which ones are finished yet, because it's not my area, but for one I can take a look at the Battle Rifle in FP and get a little tingly feeling...

I think you're being a little too critical. Please don't be so quick to judge.

- Nitrous