Well, if the concern is limited to weaker computers,
then it will be much easier to resolve this situation.
We should do the following:
1. Solve the problem of color saturation. Mainly the colors you select when choosing your civilization.
To solve this problem: Do it like Age of Empires 2!
Add a Color Saturation or Bloom option! And in this option, the player chooses whether they want the game with a vibrant color or if they want a more opaque/darker color.
2. Now let’s solve this problem of realism in armor and weapons, wood, stones, and realistic water effects once and for all!
To solve this problem: Add a new option to Enable or Disable a “Shader” Effect!
Description of what a “Shader” is, for those who don’t know:
“A script that runs on the video card (GPU) to define the final appearance of an object, controlling color, lighting, reflections, and effects.”
With Shader finally, we’ll have armor and weapons that look like metal!
Obviously, if the player has a very outdated computer, they can simply disable this option!
It’s important to remember that shaders also vary greatly in intensity… they can be darker, lighter, more colorful, or more opaque. There are many ways to create a shader!
I’ll give two examples of older games that, when using Shaders, manage to reach a new level of graphical realism, even when used on mid-range computers.
Starting with,
The classic Doom from 1993 and Doom 2: Hell on Earth (1994), using and testing two shaders!
Image of the first shader for the game Doom/Doom 2. - Comparing the original game and the game with the shader:
This first shader is darker and geared towards a more horror-themed atmosphere, favoring the use of flashlights and ambient lights.
.
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Video/photo of another shader (Doom/Doom2), explaining its operation and image quality:
Now,
Minecraft Java! - Using and testing various types of Shaders!
3. This point is a curiosity, regarding other RTS games on the market.
Since we have many players with mid-range and even lower-end PCs… I’m curious to know how the new game, called Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 4, will perform?
This new game also uses the “Essence Engine,” but is a more modern and realistic version, with many explosion and smoke effects and lots of special interaction and animations with physical combat.
Will this game have fewer players than Age of Empires IV, since it is a much more technologically demanding game?
In my opinion, suggestions 1. and 2. would solve the graphics problem.
In short,
The Suggestion 1. - allows the player to configure the desired brightness and saturation in the Options menu, either completely removing saturation or setting it to maximum!
The Suggestion 2. - allows the player to configure whether or not to activate the shader effect in the Options menu! If they have a minimally acceptable computer, they can enjoy beautiful visual effects.
That’s basically it. It would be perfect!
