I hope people realize that Ambient Occlusion is bad

[temnix]

I'm referring to the graphics option, on by default, that blurs the outlines of objects and floods the background with diffuse lighting. Unfortunately, it is on by default, an even more unfortunately, it is common in modern games. People don't think twice about it, probably they don't even think once about it, because it's just there. Something they, and by "they" I mean you, need to realize, though, is that Ambient Occlusion/HDR/Bloom is garbage. It fills the world with fake fulness, obscuring lack of detail. Everything swims in a sea of glow, especially when the effect is so extreme as on the screenshots in the character creator illustrating the different Archetypes: Blasters shooting, Brutes slashing and so on. I shudder at that. Is that how people's game actually looks to them? Then they are buying brown candy. Those watery outlines don't represent anything in the actual world of the game. That isn't anything a real artist had to use skill and effort to draw. It's filler to trick you not so much into believing that the game's graphics are better than they are but into not looking closely at the game world. Bloom creates an atmosphere, literally, of droning acceptance of whatever fuzzy entities are wriggling there on the screen.

 

I'm not against real imporvement in graphics. By all means, use antialiasing. There are no separate points or jagged edges in reality, the engine just squares the circle for you. Reflections and shadows, too, are fine. But Bloom is just a lie. This Ambient Occulusion does not add anything to the world, just as "image improvement" of films and pictures by pseudo-A. I. is not an amazing tunneling into the original look behind the wear and defects but an extrapolation. The algorithm sees A and C, it inserts a B. That is all those wonderfully restored classics give you - blarney. When a point of an image has been effaced, it is gone, and no one will know what it was. The same way, when an artist working on villain costumes has not bothered to draw them more convincing pants twenty years ago, obscuring the issue with a halo is the bullshiter's way out. There is therefore no question about how much Bloom to use, what options and variations, let alone for each personal taste. How much brown candy do you elect to suck on? Any particular brand or flavor? The people who will reply "But I like my world looking like a softly lit enchanted paradise!" give enchantment a bad name. To paradise, too, probably. Enchantment is only one thing: quality. Real, hand-drawn details of characters, buildings, tile sets, real music from an inspired human being, intelligent, deep and believeable texts from writers. And if any of that is not there, don't lie to yourself that it is.

 

But I'm addressing myself to those who are not yet committed to that and might go on to become writers, poets, film directors, composers, fashion designers: wean yourselves off the habit of taking easy ways out. When you go on to write prose, you will have to work from a personal interest and life experience. When you compose poetry, it will have to be better than to toss together a few broken lines for free association. When you set about making a film, banal camera angles, predictable zooms, jump scares and a sort-of-convincing random script won't cut it. When you create clothes, don't expect to get away with showering sequins over the collection.

 

How do you go about shaving off some of that cortex butter as far as this game is concerned? You do that by seeing it for what it is, the good and the bad. Go into the options and disable Ambient Occlusion altogether. Then see the world for the first time, as the poem went. Give yourself a full day... no, two entire days to travel about it and look hard at things. Come up to walls and stare hard at their edges. Stick your face in the leaves of shrubbery plants. Stand for a minute on the street and observe the pedesterians walking to and fro (talking of Michelangelo), to the cars driving slowly through the tunnels. Use Hover and float up: the monorail appears out of a black hole in one wall, grinds past and slinks into another. The sun above shines quite for itself, not your delirium. With the glow off, you will have a better chance of noticing, and much better of appreciating, the little things. A panhandler on the pavement waving his mug is just clever scenery when the world is smoothed over and it's all about you-you-you. When it is crisp and still, he becomes a neighbor, for better or worse, and you can place your appreciation of the area designer who thought to sit him on a street island on the same spot, into his cup. Then there is that tiny Cog kneeling on the window sill of an apartment building, diligently sawing off an air conditioning unit. The topology in the Hollows is also quite interesting, when you look at the hills, thickets, gullies - all of them individual, each drawn by a talented member of Cryptic's crew so many years ago, and none of them dissolved in visual fizz for quicker consumption by you, none of them prettified to please you, none of them "romantic," that is, implying relief at somebody else's expense.

 

If you say you like this game, then see this game. And if you end up not liking some parts of it, that will be an even worthier discovery. To a hero, that is.

 

 

[JasperStone]

[Jack Power]

Is this AI generated? All of the OPs posts seem to be about the same length. And wasn't he leaving? I remember him giving away all his stuff...

 

//Jack

[Ghost]

28 minutes ago, Jack Power said:

Is this AI generated? All of the OPs posts seem to be about the same length. And wasn't he leaving? I remember him giving away all his stuff...

 

//Jack

Think he left so he could dedicate more time to his nonsensical essays.

 

Hate it for bios, but am beginning to think we need a max number of characters for forum posts.

[Haijinx]

Can I have your Graphics card?

[Glacier Peak]

Another head scratcher.

[Lines]

There is no anticipating what the next one of these threads is going to be about, and I love them.

[InvaderStych]

[Snarky]

He may be right.  But I remember all my art classes and projects in pencil, charcoal, and oil where smearing was the solution.   

[Biff Pow]

I think it's cool that Azealia Banks is playing City of Heroes.

[Luminara]

2 hours ago, temnix said:

I'm referring to the graphics option, on by default, that blurs the outlines of objects and floods the background with diffuse lighting.

 

That's not ambient occlusion.  It's depth of field (blur) and bloom (lighting).  Ambient occlusion adjusts the lighting in shaded areas, like corners and alcoves, to make shadows look more natural.

[Ukase]

Jerry Seinfeld has stated during an interview that he hates going on vacation. He knows it's not going to be fun for him, but he goes for his family. He essentially stated his real joy comes from complaining. That's why he goes on vacation, so he'll have something to complain about. 

So..I think the OP is like Seinfeld. Certainly not as funny as Seinfeld, but only content if he can find something to complain about. 

[Oubliette_Red]

Since they posted here, I fully expect them to post in Suggestions next.

 

Oh, wait...

 

[Techwright]

51 minutes ago, Snarky said:

He may be right.  But I remember all my art classes and projects in pencil, charcoal, and oil where smearing was the solution.   

 

As a former art minor, the truth of this made me laugh.

[cronus]

2 hours ago, Jack Power said:

Is this AI generated? All of the OPs posts seem to be about the same length. And wasn't he leaving? I remember him giving away all his stuff...

 

//Jack

When I first read posts from the OP, I formed the belief that he was a 13 year old trying to be cool and edgy. I do believe his posts now reflect him asking an AI to make him sound more mature. 

[sbloyd]

Please, please, we call it blending.

[Snarky]

9 minutes ago, cronus said:

When I first read posts from the OP, I formed the belief that he was a 13 year old trying to be cool and edgy. I do believe his posts now reflect him asking an AI to make him sound more mature. 

i can get an AI to do that for me?

[PeregrineFalcon]

4 minutes ago, Snarky said:

i can get an AI to do that for me?

If you want all of your posts to read like the OP's, sure.

[Go0gleplex]

Is it even relevant to anything? I mean...if it ain't baroque why worry?

[lemming]

3 hours ago, temnix said:

When you compose poetry, it will have to be better than to toss together a few broken lines for free association.

queue up Alanis...

[Hyperstrike]

8 minutes ago, lemming said:

queue up Alanis...

It's like RAAAAIIIIIIIIIIINNNN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hyperstrike]

In short, the OP displays absolute lack of understanding about what comprises AO.

And before you ask about "AI", please chop your feet off and then run a marathon...
(That's about how sick of the buzzwordism I am, I will be REALLY upset at someone dumb enough to actually take a saw to their own feet).

It has nothing to do with AI.

AO is about light shading on a mapped, irregular surface.
You have to build the cues into the scene/surfaces.  It's not subject to automation.

[Andreah]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

i can get an AI to do that for me?

Hmm. Why, yes, you can! 

 

"Write a rebuttal to this post, and refer to specific examples of the advanced graphics settings of City of Heroes which work well with Ambient Occlusion. Purposefully misspell several words in the rebuttal:"
 

I appreciate the depth of yuor argument against the use of Ambient Occlusion/HDR/Bloom. However, I respectfully disagre with your viewpoint. I believe these graphics options, often defualted in games like CoH, significantly enhance the gaming experiance for many players, if used effectively.

For starters, you refer to the use of these graphic options as "filing the world with fake fulness," obscuring lack of detail. I'd argue that in City of Heroes, these settings don't obscure, but instead enhance and amplify the game's aesthetic. The ambient occlusion, for instance, can make the urban environments of Paragon City feel more immersive, with buildings casting realistic shadows that add depth and volume.

Your assertion that Bloom is a lie suggestng that it doesn't add anything to the world. But in the context of City of Heroes, Bloom can make energy blasts, magical abilities, and other powers really pop on the screen, enhancing the overall visual impact and making combat feel more dynamic and impactful.

You encourage future creators to avoid taking easy ways out. I agree with the sentiment, but I argue that the use of these graphics options isn't necessarily an easy way out. In City of Heroes, these effects aren't just slapped on. They're use thoughtfully to enhance certain aspects of the game, such as the vibrant, comic-book style graphics and the atmospheric city environments.

Lastly, you suggest that the best way to appreciate a game like City of Heroes is to disable these effects and look closely at the details. While I agree that there's value in appreciating the artistry and skill that goes into creating a game, I believe that the use of these graphics options can actually help players to appreciate the game's visual style and atmosphere. For example, ambient occlusion can make the city environments feel more realistic and immersive, helping players to feel like they're really part of this superhero world.

In conclusion, while it's valid to criticize the overuse or misuse of these graphics options, dismissing them entirely overlooks the valuable contributions they can make to a game's aesthetic and atmosphere. In the context of City of Heroes, these features can enhance the game's visual impact and immerse players more fully in its vibrant, comic-book world. It's not about avoiding these tools, but about using them thoughtfully and effectively to enhance the gaming experiance.

[Luminara]

2 hours ago, Ghost said:

beginning to think we need a max number of characters for forum posts.

 

Limit what someone can say in one post, they'll make more posts, or post .jpgs of what they want to say with as many words as they feel they need to say it.  Limit how many posts someone can make, they'll make more accounts.  Limit how many accounts someone can have by IP or e-mail address, they'll find ways to get different IPs or make new e-mail addresses.  When someone is determined to speak, they'll find a way to be heard.  And the more restrictions imposed, the more people will fight, even if they wouldn't otherwise, even if they don't feel that it affects them at all.

 

Such a limitation would also encourage more direct, less polite responses which would lead to more strife, less open discussion and a loss of the friendly, relaxed attitude which has always been at the heart of the Co* forums.  Rather than encouraging the poster to write a detailed reply, a limitation of this nature would promote shorter, more aggressive tones.  A reply such as, "Over my dead fucking body, you fascist piece of shit", for example, rather than the paragraph above, would fit within a theoretical character limit and express the same sentiment, but it wouldn't be friendly, or informative.  It would not result in discussion or spark thoughtful discourse, it would only incite conflict.

 

As I've said many times in the past, this isn't a road we want to travel.  It's one way, and the destination is a desolate, ruined place where nothing grows and no-one wants to be.

[Snarky]

37 minutes ago, Andreah said:

Hmm. Why, yes, you can! 

 

"Write a rebuttal to this post, and refer to specific examples of the advanced graphics settings of City of Heroes which work well with Ambient Occlusion. Purposefully misspell several words in the rebuttal:"
 

I appreciate the depth of yuor argument against the use of Ambient Occlusion/HDR/Bloom. However, I respectfully disagre with your viewpoint. I believe these graphics options, often defualted in games like CoH, significantly enhance the gaming experiance for many players, if used effectively.

For starters, you refer to the use of these graphic options as "filing the world with fake fulness," obscuring lack of detail. I'd argue that in City of Heroes, these settings don't obscure, but instead enhance and amplify the game's aesthetic. The ambient occlusion, for instance, can make the urban environments of Paragon City feel more immersive, with buildings casting realistic shadows that add depth and volume.

Your assertion that Bloom is a lie suggestng that it doesn't add anything to the world. But in the context of City of Heroes, Bloom can make energy blasts, magical abilities, and other powers really pop on the screen, enhancing the overall visual impact and making combat feel more dynamic and impactful.

You encourage future creators to avoid taking easy ways out. I agree with the sentiment, but I argue that the use of these graphics options isn't necessarily an easy way out. In City of Heroes, these effects aren't just slapped on. They're use thoughtfully to enhance certain aspects of the game, such as the vibrant, comic-book style graphics and the atmospheric city environments.

Lastly, you suggest that the best way to appreciate a game like City of Heroes is to disable these effects and look closely at the details. While I agree that there's value in appreciating the artistry and skill that goes into creating a game, I believe that the use of these graphics options can actually help players to appreciate the game's visual style and atmosphere. For example, ambient occlusion can make the city environments feel more realistic and immersive, helping players to feel like they're really part of this superhero world.

In conclusion, while it's valid to criticize the overuse or misuse of these graphics options, dismissing them entirely overlooks the valuable contributions they can make to a game's aesthetic and atmosphere. In the context of City of Heroes, these features can enhance the game's visual impact and immerse players more fully in its vibrant, comic-book world. It's not about avoiding these tools, but about using them thoughtfully and effectively to enhance the gaming experiance.

Okay... a little long.  But I can Edit the thing to sound a bit more like me...

 

"I appreciate the depth of yuor argument against this thing.  But you are WRONG. Artists smudge allatime."

 

There.  Fixed.