Swirls! Do you like them or not? [poll]

So I just finished watching the latest tech-demo (22 march) and I where quite bummed out about the lack of swirls!

My opinion is of that not all bio-mes should have a lot of swirls but WATER and JUNGLE shuold have alot of them!

To my fellow backers:
Do you like them and what is you opinion of them?

To the most awesome developers in the world:
Have you decided to cut down on swirls or is it just pre-alpha that don't have "implemented" them yet?
If you have decided to cut down on them,then "WHY?".

English is not my native languish so please excuse me!

Best regards solpandan.

Look at first post of this: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=45107

Seems pretty clear they will be keeping the swirls so no need to worry if you like them, personally I'm not a fan but it's just graphical so it doesn't really matter to me.

No it's not.

Don't really care needs to not be in caps. Its inferring far too much caring.

If they keep the swirls just to ground textures, I'm okay with it. (It looks silly and kinda bad imo, but it's just graphical then.)

If they try to get the swirls into terrain geography, I'm totally against it since it will screw with unit movement and I can't imagine it being fun to fight in swirly areas.

As currently implemented in the biome engine (as demonstrated in the March livestream), they pretty much are just graphical. I only spotted swirls as texturing effects on the boundaries between certain biomes, not as physical structures. That may just be old age and failing eyesight though

If they do remain as physical structures (specifically, as swirling sandbanks on coastal regions) then you will be entirely correct.

I would, however, respectfully submit that having swirling sandbanks at coastal regions will be a) awesome, and b) introduce additional tactical considerations (mostly unit composition) at what would otherwise be quite a boring land/sea interface. Real coasts have all too many awkward areas like that (sometimes the sandbanks / rock formations are mostly submerged, but can still affect relatively light draught ships), so I am perfectly happy to have the same issues in PA; areas which are a problem both for large ships, and also land only units, and lend themselves to the use of amphibious or hover propulsion in preference.

I suspect the compromise between people who like the physical swirls (like me) and people who don't, would be to reduce the frequency of them; since we currently have no idea of the default frequency it is still pretty much conjecture at this point though.

regarding physical swirls that would have an effect on gameplay;

I don’t care that they’re not totally realistic, I don’t play RTS for the sensation of committing genocide, so a little bit of artistic detachment is good IMO, The issue for me is if things get stuck in them (Boats etc), IF the pathing can cope with it 99.5% of the time then have them, otherwise scrap them.

Stephen

I can't really think of any game breaking things that might be caused by swirls tbh, they look nice, but I don't really mind if they end up in the final version.

No swirls please.

Yes as long as it never have an effect on the game play aspects.

For Textures = Maybe...Don´t care
For Terrain = No...I don´t like it

Perhaps put a swirly adjuster bar on the planet generator if they are to be physical. But randomly generated planets? I don't know if I like the idea of swirls being more than textures.

Swirls would be a good environment for amphibious units. Also, if non-amphibious and naval unit pathfinding works well in that kind of environment, any group moving through it would be fairly vulnerable because they would have to travel in a narrow formation, but it would allow sneaky players to maneuver ships further inland. I can see them being an interesting aspect of the game, if done well.

I want to make harbors out of them and use them to help protect my shipyards from tsunamis!

For textures, i am all for it, and for jungle and water texture variation too, BUT:



That kind of swirls, (as taken from the kickstarter trailer) I don't like. The kind where it resticts building. I want more freedom to build my base, and that means a nice big flat space

Too bad Neutrino intends for them to be in the game then, eh?

"Let's not have any innovative level design, nor artistic style!"

"Let's all play square maps, on square, flat spaces with square buildings!"

"Let's have NO consequence for starting location, nor where I'll fight my battles!"

"Terrain features just get in the way of my tanks shooting the other guys tanks, and that's no fun!"

"I want flat maps so I don't have to put ANY thought into how I'd design my base!"...

---

Oh, wait,

no... let's not do that. That sounds f**king crap, and worse, like every other RTS ever made. Big flat spaces are boring and I'm glad there are such stylish and interesting features that break up the distinction between land and sea.

Not only do I think the Swirls are a cool visual stylistic choice, I EMBRACE the way it will change the gameplay.

Until your ships bug out and are stuck in there.

You give so little credit to the people working at Uber, especially Elijah.

Anyway, I'm not going to proselytise any further to you. Neutrino already has my back on this one and I can't wait to see them in Planetary Annihilation

Depicting my worst fears isnt the same as giving little credit to the people working at the game. I would call it a typical thing that would happen. But what do i know, its only 10 years since the other games were made....make that 10+.