Suggestion Graphical Improvement limitation

[Richard Greasevane]

I think with the new HD textures coming out, this is a good time to voice a small fear I've had with TLOPO. Don't get me wrong, the HD textures are an improvement and I'm thankful for it. I just really don't want the graphics to improve a ton. Making the existing graphics higher res and such is great, but actually like making the graphics more modern would totally ruin the feel of the game imo. I fell in love with POTCO for POTCO, bad 2007 graphics and all. It has a charm about it that would be lost if the graphics improved too much, it just wouldn't look like pirates anymore. For example, this video showcases the black pearl cinematic with some new graphics, same with the bounty hunter island trailer. It's fine for trailers, but I really REALLY wouldn't want the game itself to look like that. Sorry for the rambling, but yeah. Let me know your thoughts, lads.

 

[Jawn]

I'd like to respectfully disagree with you, and here's why.

There comes a time, fan-made revival or not, that you need to consider game presentation. POTCO, for its time, was good. However, we are now in 2018 with the same crummy textures Disney put in the game so many years ago. I know you've come to love the game for how it is, but you have to admit something needs to be done. Here's how I see it.

TLOPO is in desperate need of newer models and textures. Some textures, and I'll say it bluntly, look absolutely horrible this day in age. Polishing said textures to not be blurry or, for today's standards, low quality, would greatly improve TLOPO presentation wise. Not only the textures, but model remakes to cater to better textures/animation. You have to admit the new Isla Tormenta bosses are the same models/textures as current enemies in the game. It's stale, and updating the textures to be HD/adding new ones would breathe new life into the game. This seems far down the line, yes, but it's something the developers can work towards.

My stance on TLOPO has not changed, nor will it. I will always believe they need to 100% prioritize polishing, improving and tweaking the base game before considering adding new areas, etc. Who knows? Maybe they could update the textures, but have the "Low" setting bring back the blurry ones. This would allow you to see the game in its present form, and allow for updating other settings to better textures. It'd be a win-win, I guess.

Don't take this as me ragging on you for loving the game's graphical aspect in its current form, but moreso my opinion on graphical updates and polishing the base game.

 

[Eric Sailcutter]

I'm on the fence on this one. I agree with you that the feel of the original game graphics are attractive and should be preserved. I also feel that the goal of the recreation is an evolution of the game and a logical part of that would be to modernize the graphics. I love the new textures and think they moved in the right direction of improved graphics while keeping the basic look and feel of the game. Let's hope they maintain the path they are on.

 

[Richard Greasevane]

I'm on the fence on this one. I agree with you that the feel of the original game graphics are attractive and should be preserved. I also feel that the goal of the recreation is an evolution of the game and a logical part of that would be to modernize the graphics. I love the new textures and think they moved in the right direction of improved graphics while keeping the basic look and feel of the game. Let's hope they maintain the path they are on.

aye, hd textures are good and i suppose some modernization is neccessary but a total overhaul isnt something id like to see at all.

 

[Simon Daggerhawk]

I agree with Richard, some minor improvements such as textures are fine, but major alterations to models and designs take it too far for me.

 

[Eric Sailcutter]

One thing that immediately came to mind when I read this post was the massive sailing update of 2010. At that time I was very good at sailing and loved it more than any other part of the game, so, I was quite upset when the sailing mechanics were changed in a big way. I suddenly was like a noob and had to relearn sailing! That first day was really frustrating but after a while I began to appreciate the changes and learn the new mechanics. I'd say that after a couple weeks I was back to being great at sailing again and really loving all the new stuff that had come out. It turned out that that update was fantastic, far superior to the old game. It was a little rough at first but in the end it was much better than ok. My point being that it is scary facing a big change to something you love the way it is but if it really turns out to be better in every way then why would we want to go back? It is true that the developers are in complete control and that makes us worry that they may make a decision that we don't like but thus far I've seen that they do listen to the community and they do react well to public outcry, sometimes holding their ground and other times caving to community pressure. I expect that if they changed the graphics to the point that the community as a whole is unhappy with it they would move to right it. Don't get me wrong here I do hope the basic look of the game remains and I am scared that some changes are not for the best but thus far most change has been for the better and that which was not seems minor or a matter of opinion. I feel like Disney's test server concept was great and is the direction to move once the game is ready to move out of Beta. The test server would give the community a chance to see change develop and comment on it before it is adopted.

 

[Richard Greasevane]

One thing that immediately came to mind when I read this post was the massive sailing update of 2010. At that time I was very good at sailing and loved it more than any other part of the game, so, I was quite upset when the sailing mechanics were changed in a big way. I suddenly was like a noob and had to relearn sailing! That first day was really frustrating but after a while I began to appreciate the changes and learn the new mechanics. I'd say that after a couple weeks I was back to being great at sailing again and really loving all the new stuff that had come out. It turned out that that update was fantastic, far superior to the old game. It was a little rough at first but in the end it was much better than ok. My point being that it is scary facing a big change to something you love the way it is but if it really turns out to be better in every way then why would we want to go back? It is true that the developers are in complete control and that makes us worry that they may make a decision that we don't like but thus far I've seen that they do listen to the community and they do react well to public outcry, sometimes holding their ground and other times caving to community pressure. I expect that if they changed the graphics to the point that the community as a whole is unhappy with it they would move to right it. Don't get me wrong here I do hope the basic look of the game remains and I am scared that some changes are not for the best but thus far most change has been for the better and that which was not seems minor or a matter of opinion. I feel like Disney's test server concept was great and is the direction to move once the game is ready to move out of Beta. The test server would give the community a chance to see change develop and comment on it before it is adopted.

I agree. I really just want it to look and feel like potco. If the game is modernized and changed to such a degree where it really isnt the same, then we've essentially lost potco again. Sure we have this new game a lot like it, but the potco we all love and remember will be gone.

 

[Eric Sailcutter]

I agree. I really just want it to look and feel like potco. If the game is modernized and changed to such a degree where it really isnt the same, then we've essentially lost potco again. Sure we have this new game a lot like it, but the potco we all love and remember will be gone.

I agree with you also, big change involves big risk. I also know that if changes are unacceptable to the community the developers will listen to any criticism and make a good decision, at least that has been their pattern.