Matrix Games Forums

Just to be clear. I started with glasses when I was 15, so not in the old fart club quite yet. I obviously was quite decent compensating for the increasing near nearsightedness until it got too bad (about -1.5). But once I started using glasses, I could see far less without them at a distance quite fast (like in days/weeks).

Now I am pushing 40, and I am not really looking forward to the point when my "uniform" glasses no longer provides the required service both at close and far distance.

As for the fine print in DW, I have no issues. I can play on a normal small and cheap laptop (13") with the default crap resolution. And I usually play on my desktop with a 24" monitor at 1920x1200. But the desktop screen is close, the way traditional desktops are. If I were to try playing on the television at 3m distance, I would look for the magnifier really fast (the media computer runs on a 150% desktop zoom or something).

ORIGINAL: Bingeling

1.75 near sighted? That is about what I got, and I don't see much at a distance without my glasses. I was a bit less when I began with glasses, and the ability to see without them (at a distance) dropped a lot very fast. I guess the eyes strain to compensate as much as they can.

Sorry, I mixed that up. It's been 2.75 near sighted since a very long time and now the doctor told me yesterday 1.75 far sighted. But your are right, without glasses for near sighted people that are used to them it's really hard/impossible to see without them.

As these varifocal glasses are quite expensive, one has to get used to them and I got my last pair of glasses not that long ago, I will try out the two pair of glasses approach.

Anyway, I still think that at higher resolutions the text is hard to read, comparing it to the text presented by the doctor it felt close to the second smallest on the entire test board (the one we tested with).

I totally agree with Angry Alien.

It's a shame that such a great game like Distant Worlds hurts players' eyes.
This should be fixed as soon as possible ! I can't believe it hasn't been fixed before. [X(]

Let's hope the upcoming expansion will resolve this important issue.
I am not sure but it seems developers used BITMAP fonts. I tend to think they should change all that and simply use a True Type Font..

You guys will have to wait for Distantworlds2 when it has a new 3d engine.

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

You guys will have to wait for Distantworlds2 when it has a new 3d engine.

Gods no! Save us from this.
No 3d for gods sake!

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

You guys will have to wait for Distantworlds2 when it has a new 3d engine.

Gods no! Save us from this.
No 3d for gods sake!

The way that GalCiv II did its 3D engine would be rather neat. The way boundaries formed through influence were very easy on the eye and the planets with moons, asteroids etc on zoom were very immersive, DW is still stuck in the late 90's regards UI and general layout, if you made that all shiny and easier to use and accrue data from it would be the perfect 4x for me, lets face it the DW UI blows goats [:D]

Darkspire

I agree on UI. Its not only blow goats but sheep too.
Still no for 3d. It will only cause more problems.
Still hope for remake of Ship Design screen ala MoO I or II.

No vote on 3d from me too. Top down works fine, its less complicated. And it never fails that every game that goes 3d eye candy ends up sacrificing game play to get the pretty graphics.

ORIGINAL: Shark7
No vote on 3d from me too. Top down works fine, its less complicated. And it never fails that every game that goes 3d eye candy ends up sacrificing game play to get the pretty graphics.

I'm very for a 3D engine in a possible Distant Worlds 2. Only problem it will cost more resources to develop (models & graphics, new engine etc). By the way, why wouldn't top down in a 3D engine work?

The engine needs huge performance improvements anyway. I _should_ get locked 60fps from a game like this, but often get 2-5 fps in big battles mid to late game. I can run Crysis or basically any other game at 60 fps. Bad performance is the thing I'm mostly disappointed with in DW.

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

You guys will have to wait for Distantworlds2 when it has a new 3d engine.

Are we sure of that ? Are we sure that Distant Worlds 2 will have a 3D engine ? If it's true then I am really excited, it's good news. Frankly, the current graphics and UI are ugly.

It's a fact : in a store, just suggest 2D games to any player and another ones in 3D.. He will tend to prefer 3D ones. I know that 3D games are not necessary better but you must admit they attract more players. 3D games get sold better nowadays.

I stop this chat about 3D games here because this forum is about the Font issue.

Btw, it has already been discussed many times on this forum and it seems that fans of Distant Worlds prefer developpers to focus on adding more elements to the game mechanics rather than 3D (I disagree with that but anyway). I would really like to know the total number of sales of Distant Worlds...

Some 3D graphics like Stardrive has would be cool (more realistic explosions, ships, smooth zoom).

link :
w ww.kickstarter.com/projects/1319847883/stardrive-a-4x-action-strategy-game-for-the-pc

ORIGINAL: Blia
Btw, it has already been discussed many times on this forum and it seems that fans of Distant Worlds prefer developpers to focus on adding more elements to the game mechanics rather than 3D (I disagree with that but anyway). I would really like to know the total number of sales of Distant Worlds...

It needs a new graphics engine (or wherever the bottleneck is) in a possible next game. I'm fine with either 2D or 3D, but the current engine is not performing well. Awesome game, but oh my what low frame rates there are mid to late game. Shadows should have performance improvements according to posts, I really hope so.

The development costs and time for a 2D game are a lot less than a 3D game, so that is probably a big factor too.

If a 3D game makes possible a scalable UI with highly readable fonts and icons it is a big plus for a 3D engine.

I don't think there as been any hint of their plans beyond the Shadows expansion.

What seems logical, though, is that if the work to change the platform of the game is to be done, it will be a "DW 2" kind of thing, and not an expansion.

ORIGINAL: Bingeling
I don't think there as been any hint of their plans beyond the Shadows expansion.

Nope, it's just pure speculation.

Wonder if Shadows will be the last expansion. I believe 3 expansions are somewhat rare anyway. Can't wait to get my hands on it though. Hope it will fix some of the problems with the current engine, like the hard to read text.

ORIGINAL: Shark7

No vote on 3d from me too. Top down works fine, its less complicated. And it never fails that every game that goes 3d eye candy ends up sacrificing game play to get the pretty graphics.

+1

I hope that after last expansion(or even before) Eric release some modding tools or at last make a possibility to mod mechanics/economy/components/resources/technology.

I quit playing it in part because of the small fonts too. Might have to explore some multiple pairs of glasses.