Tactical graphics less crisp after update to Beta 3...

from GalCiv3 Forums

Has anyone noticed that the tactical graphics are less crisp and duller after updating to Beta 3?

On my computer there seems to be some dithering going on - making the map icons and outlines 'smudgy'. My setting are correct with anti-aliasing at 4x. But I don't think it is an anti-aliasing issue because sometimes I play with anti-aliasing off and it still looked crisp in Beta 2 but now if I turn anti-aliasing off it looks a little blocky. Also the mini map in the corner is now blocky. I liked the bright crisp nature of the Beta 2 tactical icons/line... Has anyone else seen this?

Luckily I have a screen shot from Beta 2 and I will include these pics. I kept them their original resolution so you all can hopefully see what I am talking about... But it is a bit more obvious when in the actual game.

Beta 2:

Beta 3:

25,174 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

There is a difference as you said, but on my computer everything is nice and crisp.  I felt it had been improved, something must have changed and you are getting a negative result.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Thanks for the reply. I wonder if it could be my video card though I rarely encounter problems with it. The best way to describe what is happening is the bitmaps/icons are plotting out blocky and jaggedy - kinda like when you have a clean bitmap image and when you reduce it down in size it gets that blurred look around the edges.

Some examples of what is happening is; the circles/rings of an uninhabited world kind of bleed together when zooming in and out and my territory/zone of control lines are shimmering when I rotate the camera.

It appears only to be things on the main map. The rest of the UI seems okay but I will keep playing and see as well as tinker around with some settings.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Looks like your anti-aliasing is off/low. Have you deleted your prefs.ini file?

It's located here: C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\My Games\GalCiv3

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I deleted the prefs.ini file and it did improve things dramatically. The dithering still remains though but now it looks smoother.

Before the update to Beta 3, the map icons were (or seemed) crisply solid with no softness applied to them which to me looked like that tactical map was a computer display. Which was fitting for the game. Kind of how the displays in Star Trek TNG were bright colors with crisp solid edges.

Now there seems to be a filter applied over them which does not look bad per say but it dosn't look as 'computery' to me - it will just take some getting used to.

Here is a better example I am talking about. Notice the relic icon and how it is all softened. I am playing at a 1680x1050 resolution. This screenshot is at the same scale as I see it in the game. Also notice the terran icons are all 'smudgy'.

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

what is your anti-alias set to?

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

It is set to 4x.

But I have to reiterate that prior to the beta 3 update, the map icons and map lines were crisp regardless of antialiasing being on or off - as I would often play both ways. As a matter of fact I would often play with antialiasing off not only because it sped up game performance but because everything was so crisp and solid at the higher resolution. I could see pixel edges but they were tiny clean defined pixel edges (if that makes sense) now there seems to be some filter passing over the graphical edges to soften things. But it very well could be my computer I have no way to tell.

Since my last post I did try bumping it up tp 8x and it improved the look. But I am sure i will get slower performance. I will have to update my graphics card and add some ram to mt computer when I can afford to do so.