Default drawing distance

As... someone... mentioned on the forum, the default drawing distance of 256 is too high for almost all players.
A better value would be 128.

That would be me.

First I don't think the default bandwith setting (300k) is high enough to support the default draw distance (256m).

Second I don't think most residents can run at the default draw distance with good frame rates.

Third it would be a much better experience for the new person to come into the game at good frame rates, even if they can't see as far, and then later experiment with raising the view distance to the level appropriate to their system. Instead of logging in gagging at 3 fps frame rates as they try and download almost 4 over crowded sims of data ( 1 in each of 4 directions ) when they leave the starting area / themed areas. Cutting the draw distance to 128 reduces the network load of downloadable data (as my understanding of the system goes) by a factor of 4. Significant to say the least.

Also can the Gamma seeting be changed to a slider, and go the opposite way, so to the right and higher values makes it brighter? It just makes more sense that way.

Also can we get some values or indicators on the sound settings page? I have no idea on the range of those sliders or which direction does what.... all they have is a title to the side of a slider. Even just a + and - sign on each side would be nicer.

negatory. i'm set at 300k, and i only have 384k SDSL (with things like my irc client and such running in the background), and although it takes a little while for everything in a crowded sim to appear on my screen when logging in or teleporting more than a sim away, it usually finishes in a reasonable amount of time. my draw distance tends to fluctuate between 192m and 320m, depending on how fast i want to run around and do things (if i'm planning on flying across multiple sims, i'll turn it down so i don't lag out trying to load more than my pipe can handle, but when i'm sitting relatively still, guarding my bunker or whatever, i turn it up for a better view).


probably so, unless they're running a barton-core XP 3000+ with 1.5GB PC3200 DDR, a 10k RPM serial ATA drive, a GeForceFX 5800, and a T1


YES. i harken from first-person shooters, and since the days of quake (and doom, i think - can't remember if doom had gamma or just straight brightness), higher gamma values have meant a lighter screen. this "lower is brighter" nonsense is just that... nonsense.

Another suggestion (if not already exists) shortcuts to higher or lower the draw distance. that way you don't have to go into the menu's all the time. I change it quit often...

I would second this. Putting it on the + and - keys of the numpad would be nice.