Anyone else annoyed by the water refraction effect?
 

Specifically, referring to the periscope. In Sh3, the water distorted the image into ripples that looked like they ran off the 'scope, and the view solidified from the blurry view through the water.

In Sh4, it's like they took the 3d view, applied some kind of "waving" filter to it, and then blended it over the normal 3d view...simply fading one into the other.

Do you follow what I'm getting at? In Sh3, it's like there was one 3d view that they had an algorithm for the effect that distorted the view and made it blurry, and could also reduce that effect to get back to a regular/unfiltered view, as a smooth transition. In Sh4, it's like...there are just two views (regular, and 'blurry') and they simply fade/dissolve from one to the other.

The net effect is that, with the Sh4 effect, you can CLEARLY still see the 'clean' view through the wavey filter, just faded out.

Rather annoying. If I had to guess, I'd say they did this two-views-merged thing because they had to do that effect any way for the stadimeter in this game.

I like the effect actually.

Compared to the Sh3 version? REALLY? Why?? Sh3 is far more realistic?

Unless, maybe, different video cards handle it a bit differently, which is something I was considering. I have an ATI card, so...

Ditto :)

Agree:up:
I think its very realistic, great immersion (punn intended:lol: ) in stormy seas at Pdepth with the waves lapping over my lens trying to get a visual on that sweet target is so FRUSTRATING I now know just how the skippers of the day must have felt, thanks devs great job:up: Now if they could just model seaweed and floatsom to stick to the lens at that critical moment........:p

Like this as well:up:

RDP

I like the effect, but there should be some kind of residual blobs left, even after it's cleared the majority of the water.

I thought the effect was pretty decent.

At first it was annoying. I found out I really like it also.

IMO the water effect in SH4 is one of the best I have seen for any game on any platform. Think the wakes need a little tuning up so that they are a little more real, as there are some inconsistencies. :arrgh!:

Okay, it's not the IDEA of the effect I'm complaining about, rather the EXECUTION.

Again, compare to the same effect in Sh3. Do you REALLY find it looks better in Sh4??

If so, there has GOT to be some kind of video card difference or something. Seeing the ghost of the ship, as clear and crisp as on the surface in the midday sun easily visible behind a wavey version of the same scene just destroys the immersion.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=114167

Have a look at this thread regarding wakes:roll:

RDP

I think the effect is fairly realistic.

Although I have never actually modeled thin-film refraction effects with sea water, and don't know anything about the curvature of the optics (or even their composition). Actual sea water has all kinds of plankton and other impurities that will change the refractive index, surface tension, viscosity...

I am not sure what you are referring to XanderF, on the whole I find all of the water effects in SH4 are greatly improved over SH3 and very lifelike. I especially like the whitecaps. Spend some time on the bridge in stormy weather, you will see foamy water, whitecaps, etc., very nice. I havent noticed anything special about the water on the periscope.

As Silence pointed out, the only remaining issue is the waves breaking over the bow which should break up into foam, but presently comes in as a solid sheet. I presume its a limitation of the engine, but considering all the other improvements, its a minor point.

C'mon, the details were in the first sentence of his post;

I don't think Xander was refering to any of the other water FX.