Another little touch is that clouds move independently of the planet's surface so as you see planets rotate, you can see the weather on the planets cycle around (though a screenshot won't really show much new on that since it's in the animation).

Awesome, Brad. It's the little details like that than can really make a game shine. I would never have though of that myself (clouds moving independently of the planet's rotation), but it's a terrific idea!

Now, I'm sure there's a good business reason to go back and re-do the graphics for an expansion pack so feel free to, um, let us know what it is so that we can be sure to tout it!

How about that you wanted to keep the game fresh for new and veteran players, and that you guys aren't the type to simply rest on your laurels?   

Way to go!!!

This alone was woth the delay!! Many thanks for doing this as i know people with lower spec machines will gladly accept the changes to the textures etc.

Looking forward to the betas already!

Drengin

I find the ships in GC2 look very cartoony.

Any word if the Ground combat graphics will be updated? I really like the ship graphic changes can't wait to see them in action.

1. Updating the visuals/graphics to reflect soldiering bonus and levels. When I research a new tech that creates better soldiering capabilities, it would be great if the appearances of the troops would change. Especially if you get a unique tech such as Tir Quan training it would be nice to have some visual (bling reflective of your alignment, maybe a cool banner carried by the troops) that shows that soldiers are getting tougher or if the enemy has it you can see that in the fights.
2. Is it possible to updating the visuals/graphics so that each race has a more distinctive race look for their soldiers?
3. At the beginning when you are in the set up, would it be possible to select your troops appearance, along the lines of when you choose your race colours for your ships. Maybe with several choices for troops…
4. The ability to mod your soldiers would be cool
5. Adding of special units graphics to the attack i.e. tanks, battle mechs, space marines, fighters as they become available. To liven up the battles
6.When invading planets with different environmental norms, a specific type of soldier or combat mechs appear for that specific invasion i.e. invading a high gravity world would show the troops as specially adapted to deal in that situation not your standard troops
7.That minor races be given a distinctive look to their troops (providing more satisfaction when crushing them)

Honestly, while they look better in general, some of these textures look overwrought.

The ships are supposed to be stylized as opposed to "Realistic".  I think you should try pulling up the current ones and compare the two. 

I should also remind - the colors of units are determined by players. I chose stark white and blue but someone else might choose silver, gray, brown or other colors.  You choose deep brown and the resource starbase looks similar to Deep Space 9 (not intentionally but it's something I noticed).

Those pictures look great! I cannot wait to see what the real thing will look like, animation and all. And, if those pictures are with anti-aliasing OFF, I would love to see it with anti-aliasing ON.


In response to Lord Null, I would also like to see better graphics for the soliders. At least one model for the different races. The Acreans, being 12 feet tall, should have very tall and muscular solidiers. The Thalans should have insects running around. The Yor should have Terminators making up their armies. How hard would this type of change be? It may be that this is not possible within the timeframe of the expantion pack. If that is the case, at least let us know!

Stardock said there would be difference looking ground units for each race in GC2, back in the beta.Never happend.

find the ships in GC2 look very cartoony.

So does World of warcraft, its a style thing.

Bah, Valve's Team Fortress 2 is going to be cartoony as well. The genre was getting a little bland anyways.

I think the new textures look awesome, a lot more uniform detail . One texture per ship - UV mapping, I assume? As far as "cartoony" I'm not so sure. Perhaps too perfect, too clean?

Just a tad off topic - does GC2 support bump mapping or multitexturing?

Word on land combat? If some area of GC2 needs graphic update, land combats are it

I believe land combat is being updated in DA, but I'm not sure about Dread Lords.

I asked this in anohther post, but are the graphics updates of DA going to be backwards compatible with the current version of GC2? How about Kryo-modded GC2? I worked on particular ships for, say, ten to twenty hours to get them just right. I would like to be able to continue to use those designs in DA, without having to start from scratch. Will that be possible?