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17 Oct 2026 · Graphics wave

Cheaper Low preset, trails, battle marks, sharper menus, 38 answers

VisualsGraphics

Low and Medium were costing too much at 4K because of the upscaled UI layer, so it's off there now. Muzzle flashes, tracers and missile smoke (1998 had none), scorch, craters and wreck smoke that fade after six minutes, and rebuilt menu art. Then 38 review questions answered in one go: a lighter host-station shadow, more glow at higher levels, towers that are still too clean and flat, and modern rebuilt icons in place of the AI-upscaled ones.

Builds: settings r3 (built)

One scene, four presets. Original is pixel-identical to 1998. High is today's New Look. — Presets at 4K: Original, Low, Medium, High. One scene, four presets. Original is pixel-identical to 1998. High is today's New Look.

1998 had no muzzle flash and no tracers. Now: faction-coloured flashes, realistic tracers, missile smoke for about 4 s. — Trails and tracers in a busy fight. 1998 had no muzzle flash and no tracers. Now: faction-coloured flashes, realistic tracers, missile smoke for about 4 s.

Smoke trails that follow the missile's real path. — Guided missile smoke. Smoke trails that follow the missile's real path.

Salvo in slow motion — Salvo in slow motion. A rocket salvo slowed down, trails on full.

Trails combat clip — Trails combat clip. Off vs level 3.

The same field at 40 s, 75 s and 150 s: scorch, craters, wreck smoke. Marks fade after about six minutes. — Battle marks building up. The same field at 40 s, 75 s and 150 s: scorch, craters, wreck smoke. Marks fade after about six minutes.

Scorch is getting lighter and dustier next; the craters and wreck smoke already look right. — Scorch and craters close up. Scorch is getting lighter and dustier next; the craters and wreck smoke already look right.

Battle marks time-lapse — Battle marks time-lapse. A battle sped up, marks off vs high.