Ocean Surface files?

[Tahrl]

It seems that everytime the patcher downloads files there are quite a few files named Ocean_Surface_...included in the download. I've always assumed that these files relate to how we see water depicted in-game. Do these files really change that much from patch to patch that they need to be constantly refreshed?

[Seranthor]

its not actually downloading them, its scanning them to ensure they are present, and the sheer numbers of the files give the illusion that its doing something with them.

As an example in my HZ directory there are a total of 40,487 files, and something like 4,000 are water files.

[Hal`cyon Sskyler]

I'm not positive, but I think these have to do with controlling the appearance of waves lapping against the land.

[Laneth]

There are waves?? i have never seen waves.

[Hal`cyon Sskyler]

Not geometry, just a few layers for a shoreline texture that move around a bit. The command to enable or disable that effect escapes me though.

[Zarcharien]

I've never noticed any waves before either ... until recently. Maybe I've never just payed enough attention before, or maybe these files have something to with it. Either way, I'm glad to now be seeing some water movement.

[Chaldor Itieles]

If you stand on the hill west to floating island and look down to the lake....there are waves all over the surface ! (Noticed them the first time 2 weeks ago, because I'm really not often there).

[Kulamata]

As a bit of trivia, there have been different wave patterns, ranging from static to "rays" to quite realistic wave motion. As I remember, the original pattern was quite realistic, but waschanged to static in order to improve client performance at the seaside. Last I looked, I liked the current pattern.