Discovery Gaming Community

There are different ways to do system backgrounds (starscapes), each have their own approach and each may have different results. I'm not going into details about which one is better or anything of that sort, instead here is a poll where you select which do you like the best.

Vanilla-style
Subdued brightness, plain whites are not possible, soft color variations. Basically fits along with other vanilla backgrounds. Allows for quick creation and heavy re-use of textures, fastest to make. Most of the work is done in 3ds max.



Non-vanilla
Brighter, whites are possible, rougher color variations. Slower to make, colors baked into texture, limited re-use of textures, limited tiling options. Mostly photoshop work.



Modulated
High contrast, full blacks and whites possible, vertex color disabled, only transparency available. Probably best for screenshots but somewhat pushes background to the front and perhaps a bit distracting. Takes more time, requires multiple layers, no re-use of texture, no tiling, slowest to make. Most work in photoshop/filterforge, still plenty in 3ds max.



Vanilla modulated
A mix of first one and the last. Still mostly done like old one and bright whites not possible.

I'm gonna say non-vanilla. Although Modulated looks good it's kinda too dark

Vanilla for me, the colour scheme suits it more

Oh a little bonus option: a mix of vanilla and modulation (still has limits of vanilla type meaning bright whites are not possible as with other two types):



p.s. Duh, can't edit poll... Well then just make a reply.Actually I can. Yay! Still, post a reply about which one you like and why.

I've read your first post and thought; "Hm, vanilla looks the best, but I like the dark and "closer" amtmosphere of the modulated. A mix of them both would be perfect."

Then I've seen the last post.

I really like the oppressive, dangerous and spooky look. That's how I imagine space. Looks still very vanilla, just darker and more realistic.

Non-vanilla looks too blurry and simulated. A bit like Crossfire does their starspheres. Shrill and colorful. People may consider them good-looking on screenshots, but they're awful to view in the game itself. Hurts the eyes. I rather play in darkness, with supposedly dark authentic space atmosphere.

I prefer vanilla moduled. Looks nicely dark and shady.

I love modulated!

Despite being a bit too dark, modulated one looks better then others.
Edit: Non-vanilla ones are nice too. Maybe even better than modulated, i'm not sure.

Modulated wins for me.

Narcotic mentioned spooky and how space is "meant" to look. I think that summarises my viewpoint on it.

Any possibility for both and a checkbox to choose the one during the mod install?