[Official High Resolution Textures Post] Can we get a clarification on this?

[VorpalCheese]

I've already cancelled my 6-month subscription to TOR. It was a very difficult move, but I feel that's the only "statement" I can make that BW/EA will take seriously. I hope it won't be a permanent cancelling, however, as I really do otherwise enjoy TOR. I hope it succeeds, and in a very twisted way I am doing this because I want the game to succeed. If the only language BW/EA understands now is "money," then I need to let my money do the talking...or in this case, the removal of my money.

 

I'm going to keep an eye on TOR and see what 1.2 brings before potentially resubbing. This high-res texture debacle isn't the sole reason I did this, but you could say it's the catalyst (rather, BW's continued behavior and treatment of TOR and their customers in general in conjunction with their official response to this thread and the vague-sometime-in-the-future release date of 1.2 at some point in Q1 2012). I really hope BW can get their act together and fix TOR, though, because I really, really enjoy the game. So for now, I'll enjoy the last of my 30 days...then it's on to the "watch and wait" game.

Edited January 12, 2012 by VorpalCheese

[Fellthar]

So why are they still there ? If it said anywhere that you can custom match your gear based upon your chestpiece you'd have a 3000 forum thread going on about why this isn't in game ... Same can be said about the level quality of the game.

 

Just imagine for a second you bought battlefield 3 because the graphic were supposed to be the best in any fps ever and you ended up playing a modded version of battlefield bad company ... Oh the uproar we would have

 

Uproar yes, things should change, and Stephen has said they will in 1.2. Calling him a liar I do not support. I believe he is trying his best, as well as the entire TOR team.

 

The hi res textures are still there for the cut scenes, etc., and used to be used in gameplay. This will be changed in the future.

[Undahill]

Like our parents told us when we did something bad as a child.

 

 

"I'm disappointed in you Bioware."

[Kashaan]

...with high res textures were deliberately taken out because they "assumed" what was best for my computer...

 

 

They didn't assume. They have metrics. It's better that you're able to play than to crash every time you go to Fleet. If they hadn't removed the option, you'd be on the forums screaming that you crash every time you go to Fleet.

 

 

A simple bandaid they could do right now is simply add the ability to use High res textures for your character and party members. A slightly more involved fix would be to let people use high-res textures for a limited number of models near your character. I'm really surprised that someone at BW hasn't thought of this as a temporary fix while they do what they're doing for 1.2.

[Arkanovi]

My theory is your a troll.

 

And mine is that you're just mad at the realisation your laptop is just outdated and can't handle large volumes of characters

[Undahill]

Well said sir! Edited January 12, 2012 by Trineda
removed quote

[United_Strafes]

Users that do not understand the complexities of IT products often doubt that they are being told the whole truth when an answer is given to them that does not meet their expectations. This may be because I work at a high level of IT as the Network Admin for a firm of 1k, and the issues I deal with often deal with complex code and server farms, things that are foreign to most average users. I am not referring to helpdesk issues or similar things that users can often understand on a reasonable level.

 

No it's much more simple than that Bill Gates. Hi-Res textures were in the beta, hi-res textures are being used in any GAMEPLAY promo video, they're telling us that's not the case, I'm a bar manager and I don't need to be in 'IT' to recognize that as BS.

[Fellthar]

A lot of people are currently experiencing performance issue maybe they should disable medium graphic as well ... You know to make sure everyone has a great gaming experience....

 

I'm sure they are trying their best to work out a complex issue. They used atlassing to attempt to fix the performance issues of the hi res graphics. If they can fix other issues people are having, I'm sure they will try. They don't want the game to look bad, they want it to look as good as possible and also perform well.

 

If something cannot be made to perform well even on very high end machines, as they stated, they are within their right to pull it until they can fix it, which is what they are trying to do now with 1.2.

[BobTheTeepo]

This is so true and sad.

 

The guy doesn't even know what he is talking about yet gave us such a massive cop-out reply. -_- Poor guy though, they are really throwing him to the wolves.

 

Cinematic cannot be used as a noun. Also, a cutscene in game does qualify as a cinematic moment (Look up cinematic definition please). So you should stop playing semantics, thinking you're oh so clever, and address the issues -- not the wording.

 

Even IF he got it wrong, these scenes have been referred to as cinematics by everyone since Mass Effect, because they have the quality of a film. It may be informal, it may even be incorrect, but it is an accepted use of the word even if it is not technically correct. So again, play semantics and think you're clever, or be act like an adult.

[BeeblesTV]

Making the game run on lower end systems is fine, but you need to add higher settings for those who choose to use them.

 

Turning medium to 'high' is not a solution.

[Zezel]

And mine is that you're just mad at the realisation your laptop is just outdated and can't handle large volumes of characters

 

Your right that's why I spend 2K on a custom gaming rig, once again your assuming and know nothing about me so stop pretending like you do. And if your an American you paid for my gaming rig thank you in advance.

[Fellthar]

No it's much more simple than that Bill Gates. Hi-Res textures were in the beta, hi-res textures are being used in any GAMEPLAY promo video, they're telling us that's not the case, I'm a bar manager and I don't need to be in 'IT' to recognize that as BS.

 

He didn't tell us that is not the case. He said they were used in testing (assuming beta testing since they were there). He said that had to change, and I have no real reason to doubt him. No lie detected as far as I can tell.

[grezgorz]

I've already cancelled my 6-month subscription to TOR. It was a very difficult move, but I feel that's the only "statement" I can make that BW/EA will take seriously. I hope it won't be a permanent cancelling, however, as I really do otherwise enjoy TOR. I hope it succeeds, and in a very twisted way I am doing this because I want the game to succeed. If the only language BW/EA understands now is "money," then I need to let my money do the talking...or in this case, the removal of my money.

 

I'm going to keep an eye on TOR and see what 1.2 brings before potentially resubbing. This high-res texture debacle isn't the sole reason I did this, but you could say it's the catalyst (rather, BW's continued behavior and treatment of TOR and their customers in general in conjunction with their official response to this thread and the vague-sometime-in-the-future release date of 1.2 at some point in Q1 2012). I really hope BW can get their act together and fix TOR, though, because I really, really enjoy the game. So for now, I'll enjoy the last of my 30 days...then it's on to the "watch and wait" game.

 

I'm in the exact same frame of mind. I'm hoping they'll look at the number of people who cancelled their recurring sub today (I too cancelled my upcoming 6 month sub) and realize that this is a bigger issue than they thought and should be bumped up in priority.

[nonforma]

No it's much more simple than that Bill Gates. Hi-Res textures were in the beta, hi-res textures are being used in any GAMEPLAY promo video, they're telling us that's not the case, I'm a bar manager and I don't need to be in 'IT' to recognize that as BS.

 

Yep. Regardless of the user's level of knowledge, or the complexity of your system, there should never exist a feeling of 'conspiracy theory'. If it does, there is a failure somewhere, and it's IT's fault, either technical or the management of user expectations.

[TangledByrd]

You know, I just watched that Eternity Vault footage and apart from the fact that I don't have shadows turned on I fail to see how what I'm running looks particularly different from that footage, if at all.

 

I have performance issues on the fleet and to a lesser extent in warzones, but graphically I have never had and cause for concern. I see some of the screen shots some of you are posting and I feel like we are playing a different game. My textures simply don't look that bad. I don't know if peoples mipmap settings are all screwy but I can't help but think some of you must be doing something wrong.

 

I have all manner of issues with the game regarding performance, all of which I expect to be resolved at some point. But as far as graphical fidelity I don't have many bar the crazy voxel looking shadows.

 

I certainly don't feel as though I have been mis-sold on the games aesthetics. And I find the suggestions by some folk on here slightly bizarre.

 

Yes they use higher quality assets during cut-scenes and cinematic sequences, but this is an age old technique which has been used throughout the industry for as long as I have worked in it. Interestingly when console games like Metal Gear do it no one bats an eye lid but apparently this can not be tolerated for the PC gamer? You may be surprised how many games adopt this principle, probably games you love.

 

The video being referenced here looks just like the game I play, blocky shadows et al. I can think of a few ways they may approach the issues they have but in truth my work simply entails designing and making assets. The coding and back end work required to get everything working is far more complicated than the majority of people here would appreciate.

 

The crazy sods are still trying to find a way of doing it though and given some of the talent involved I'm sure they'll find a way to do it and probably already have all sorts of things in progress.

 

Give them time or don't; it's your choice. Don't, however, claim that you have been mis-sold a product, or that they have shown something you are unable to achieve at home.

 

It simply isn't true.

[wifeaggro]

Why would it take that much time to just add the textures back to the game menu? I mean it was in Beta. And all they did was take it out, why can't they stick it in?

 

They are stickin it all right .... they are stickin it in. just not where we want them too.

[deathomight]

That screenshot is from a cinematic in-game. As stated, cinematic scenes use high resolution textures because we have control over how many characters are rendered on-screen at once. This is how the game was always intended to look in cinematics. We did not 'remove' high resolution textures - they were always in the game for use in cinematics.

 

With that said, thank you for all of your responses. We understand everyone's desires around this issue, and although it's not going to be an overnight fix, as mentioned we're working on addressing this. Many of the suggestions you have made are similar to potential changes the development team is investigating.

 

I rounded up the development team once more and had another discussion, and wanted to update you with a better timeline and some more precise details on what we're doing right now.

 

The first major changes will be in our next major Game Update, which will have the version number of 1.2. Those changes will bring greater visual fidelity to your character and those around you, but will still allow for good performance in situations where a lot of characters are on-screen at once. In other words, for those screenshots of your character in their best gear, you should see a marked improvement.

 

Other potential changes are being discussed right now – as I said, many of which are similar to changes suggested by many of you. As usual, you’ll see these sorts of changes on our Public Test Server before they make it into the live game. Right now we cannot commit to a live date for the 1.2 Game Update, but it will be within Q1 2012.

Thank You.

[biggerthatthesun]

Yep. Not resubbing. Want to. Want the game to work. Just... can't.

[BeeblesTV]

He didn't tell us that is not the case. He said they were used in testing (assuming beta testing since they were there). He said that had to change, and I have no real reason to doubt him. No lie detected as far as I can tell.

 

The act of using those textures in gameplay demonstrations to sell the game, then removing them and not having them fixed before launch is false advertising. False advertising is the act of being deceptive about your product.

[Arkanovi]

I'm sure they are trying their best to work out a complex issue. They used atlassing to attempt to fix the performance issues of the hi res graphics. If they can fix other issues people are having, I'm sure they will try. They don't want the game to look bad, they want it to look as good as possible and also perform well.

 

If something cannot be made to perform well even on very high end machines, as they stated, they are within their right to pull it until they can fix it, which is what they are trying to do now with 1.2.

 

I really do hope 1.2 sorts this out, High resolution (cut-scene equivalent) for the nearest 10-15 people for example and I'll be right back to this game.

 

As it stands now however, whilst I find the game fun to play the graphics just hit me hard. A lot of enjoyment I get from MMOs is the stat and visual progression of my character, as well as being able to appreciate the world we play in. Sadly, in swtor, the textures of armour seem to get worse and worse as you progess through to higher level

[Fellthar]

Yep. Regardless of the user's level of knowledge, or the complexity of your system, there should never exist a feeling of 'conspiracy theory'. If it does, there is a failure somewhere, and it's IT's fault, either technical or the management of user expectations.

 

It IS usually the fault of IT, and the reason is because they don't know how to explain the issue in terms that the user can understand. I can testify that doing this is very very difficult.

[CriDaDimon]

I am upset i still can not add friends offline to find our other 50 guildies across servers that are here.

 

I am upset I can not invite peopel from guild into group or wisper them without text code

 

I am upset that my companion story lines do not work and they have been 10k/10k affection for a week now.

 

I am upset the missions plans I have bought over the last week seem to have just magically disapeared.

 

I am upset my girl companion in the game looks like she is a 2 year old putting make up all over herself. Or has just been wallowing in the mud soemwhere, or maybe im on permanent drunk blurry phase idk

 

 

 

But the killer is the fact i was falsely advertised to and now they are lying about it and trying to change basic definitions of words like cinematics

 

 

If they hadnt started lying, and they had just worked out a way to include the high res textures, I would stay, but to be treated like a fool, and lied to and have my hopes of even better graphics and character customization in the future dashed by the fact they cant even get the graphics they had promised working for the next few months. IDK, i might have to stop paying for this game, i really do not want to, i really want it to work and i really love starwars

 

I like the voices, but that alone isnt enough, i like the moral decisions questing and how that affects game play, and i like the crafting system lets you reverse engineer for better stats.

 

But the primary reason I play video games, is the video games quality, which is its graphics. or the storyline, which i cant have, or the social aspect like guild and friends which are messed up, or the playability but my buttons still make my guy stutter and dont even engage half the time, that sucs for a tank, but even that is messed up. i still cant find our guildies because i cant add them to see when and if they come on to invite them. and those in guild, its easier to talk to people speaking in general clicking their name or on friends then it is to invite or wisper my own guild.

 

Im having major buyers remorse here, but i do not want to give up, but this response that basically questions my inteligence, tries to redefine words and sweep crap under the rug acting like they did nothing wrong and all of this was intentional to not get sued, imsorry but thats whats going to cause the lawsuit.

 

This is like the saying, whosoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 

If u just come clean, we could work with that, but lying and trying to change definitions while still not fixing the other major aspects of the game, HOW CAN I JUSTIFY CONTINUING TO PLAY, TELL ME PLEASE BECAUSE IM TRYING REALLY HARD HERE TO DO SO.

 

edited because my shattered knuckles typos were pretty bad

Edited January 12, 2012 by CriDaDimon

[BeeblesTV]

Originally Posted by StephenReid

That screenshot is from a cinematic in-game. As stated, cinematic scenes use high resolution textures because we have control over how many characters are rendered on-screen at once. This is how the game was always intended to look in cinematics. We did not 'remove' high resolution textures - they were always in the game for use in cinematics.

 

With that said, thank you for all of your responses. We understand everyone's desires around this issue, and although it's not going to be an overnight fix, as mentioned we're working on addressing this. Many of the suggestions you have made are similar to potential changes the development team is investigating.

 

I rounded up the development team once more and had another discussion, and wanted to update you with a better timeline and some more precise details on what we're doing right now.

 

The first major changes will be in our next major Game Update, which will have the version number of 1.2. Those changes will bring greater visual fidelity to your character and those around you, but will still allow for good performance in situations where a lot of characters are on-screen at once. In other words, for those screenshots of your character in their best gear, you should see a marked improvement.

 

Other potential changes are being discussed right now – as I said, many of which are similar to changes suggested by many of you. As usual, you’ll see these sorts of changes on our Public Test Server before they make it into the live game. Right now we cannot commit to a live date for the 1.2 Game Update, but it will be within Q1 2012.

 

If this is indeed the case, Q1 is an acceptable time to wait.

[Arkanovi]

Your right that's why I spend 2K on a custom gaming rig, once again your assuming and know nothing about me so stop pretending like you do. And if your an American you paid for my gaming rig thank you in advance.

 

You said you have a Gateway 7805u?

 

And no, I'm not American

Edited January 12, 2012 by Arkanovi

[Drrogo]

Still avoiding the 2 proces issue.