It's likely we can't have real time lighting effects and shadows etc due to the high CPU cost on iOS devices (namely iPad2 and below) but sine the camera is almost fixed or only moves a bit vertically, I think shadows could be directly drawn without giving much false sense and but increases the sense of depth to current flat looking graphics. Those chrome ramp slopes also could have reflected image as texture rather than no shining dull gray texture. Table arts are so colorful and busy, without shadow of objects it's often hard to track quick ball movements. I think drawing shadows could be partial solution to this problem without costing CPU time.
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iOS shadows and some reflection could be drawn
- Thread starter haj
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night
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- May 18, 2012
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This is exactly my point as well: make the shadows part of the table art texture map, without shadows the tables are loosing depth and beome flat. What I notice is that the table art starts to decline. Compare older tables like TOTAN and TOM and FunHouse with the last Table Packs.. Creature of the Black Lagoon has one of the most ugliest plastic ramps. Compare this with the ramps of TOTAN. All the new tables look hasty-made, flat, lifeless. There is no soul in the table art rather than a cold 3D-look. I wrote this before, these tables are 80% image map textures. All extra work FarSight adds is the texturing of objects, and this job is done bad.
Going back to the shadow part, the newer tables are inconsistence with the older, as there are definetly shadows in the older tables. I doubt there are graphic artists responcible for the table graphics, I think a technical team is doing this job. A good artist will make the best out of every table and makes them shine. Look at the new iOS Pin-o-bot or the Pro-Pinball demo, that's table art my friends. TPA graphics are declining and all that is good loking about the tables are the original table arts scans. Hire good artists to make good looking tables, this is mediocre quality at best.
Fuseball
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- May 26, 2012
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I think the high water mark of the table texturing in TPA so far is Taxi. The ramps and rails have soft shadows that give the game that three-dimensional look without being overpowering. Also the lighting around slingshots etc. is natural and bright. I think the flattest table is NGG, which has that black smudge of a shadow under the metal ramp. Shadows should be subtle - a slight darkening rather than a black mark.
- Thread starter
- #4
Gogar, though it doesn't have busy complex 3D objects, its table art makes me feel as if there were actually lights implemented. I think texture compression is inconsistent among tables as well. Also, there may be a polygon count limit on each table, but still there are too much differences.. say, Circus Voltaire's ramps are so blocky compare to like Medieval Madness' or Monster Bash's ramps are beautifully curved.
night
New member
- May 18, 2012
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Polygon count is something different than texture mapping, polygons apply to the objects. You are very right about the inconsistencies, but what I do notice is that the tables seem to decline in graphics quality. I just don't understand if FairSight has payed 50.000 dollar for a license they release a table looking like a quick rushed middle-of-the-road thing. It should be an absolute eye-candy. All that is good looking is the table art from the original TZ table, and this has nothing to to with FarSight. It looks like a quick rushed piece of work with no love or soul.
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