spiffy_scimitar
01-12-2003, 09:05
Ever since Shogun, there's been (an admittably very small) graphical bug that's irked me quite a bit. But back then, the graphics in general were rather shoddy so on the whole it wasn't that bad. Then Medieval came around, the graphics got better, but still it remained unresolved. And now I've seen screenshots of RTW, and although everything looks really nice, it'S STILL there...
What I'm talking about concerns the individual soldier animation being completely in sync with he rest of his unit. When they march or run, every single soldier in that unit will step at the same time, hold their weapon at the same angle, and basically look like a bunch of clone soldiers from Star Wars Ep2. And once again, in RTW, I see 60 guys going up a ladder with their shields in the same position, horses legs mirrored perfectly, lances the same direction and so on.
How hard would it be to put a randomize on the frame sequences on the individual soldiers animations? Slide every third soldier 1 frame, every other third soldier back -1?
In my opinion this small detail would make the armies move in a much more organic and less syncronized fashion and makes things more beleivable. I can understand soldiers to be orderly in a parade, but not on the battlefield.
My other graphical quibbles, shadows on buildings and trees and more angles of animation on sprites no longer apply, happily, as the medium now is full 3d.
And for those who would bother me woth "gameplay over graphics", don't bother, CA has excelled in this department in all their titles and I don't think they'll drop the ball this time either...
What I'm talking about concerns the individual soldier animation being completely in sync with he rest of his unit. When they march or run, every single soldier in that unit will step at the same time, hold their weapon at the same angle, and basically look like a bunch of clone soldiers from Star Wars Ep2. And once again, in RTW, I see 60 guys going up a ladder with their shields in the same position, horses legs mirrored perfectly, lances the same direction and so on.
How hard would it be to put a randomize on the frame sequences on the individual soldiers animations? Slide every third soldier 1 frame, every other third soldier back -1?
In my opinion this small detail would make the armies move in a much more organic and less syncronized fashion and makes things more beleivable. I can understand soldiers to be orderly in a parade, but not on the battlefield.
My other graphical quibbles, shadows on buildings and trees and more angles of animation on sprites no longer apply, happily, as the medium now is full 3d.
And for those who would bother me woth "gameplay over graphics", don't bother, CA has excelled in this department in all their titles and I don't think they'll drop the ball this time either...