To be honest, the huge success of the graphically overhauled HD-version of our popular sci-fi saga Galaxy on Fire 2 surprised us quite a bit, because we had never thought that even such a vast number of fans, who already own the regular version of the game, would still buy the HD-version as well to save the galaxy from the devious Voids on their iPad 2 or iPhone 4S once again. Apart from minor refinements such as the thrust control, which allows you to change the speed of your ship with little more than a swipe of the index finger, we’ve not added any new content or features on purpose, because in regards to the story and gameplay we did not want to favour any user group at all. At least in our opinion, a gamer, who plays GOF2 on his trusty iPhone 3GS, should experience the same thrill and excitement as a fan, who sets course for the final frontier on his brand-new iPhone 4S.[full]
A Nemesis-Fighter by the Deep Science-Faction approaching the Kaamo Club
Nevertheless, the hardware capacities of the current generation Apple devices do indeed differ quite a bit from those of their predecessors and hence we’ve worked very hard to max out the powerful dual-core A5 chip of the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S and offer our fans a visual treat which is pretty much in a league of its own on mobile platforms! And the many raving reviews by the world’s leading gaming magazines on the one hand and the countless satisfied customer comments on the other have shown us that we’ve apparently done a pretty good job with GOF2 HD and hence it’s only been a matter of time until we’d optimize Galaxy on Fire 2 – Valkyrie, the first add-on for our action-packed space epic centering around the daredevil space war hero Keith T. Maxwell, for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S as well. Right now it looks like Valkyrie HD will be out in mid-February and we’ve decided to ease your waiting by publishing two developer diaries prior to the release and give you a little insight into the creation of the add-on’s spectacular new graphics assets!
Galaxy on Fire 2 HD - Valkyrie: S'Kanarr (HD vs. SD)
In the following we’d like to show you some of the new 3D models in detail and give you a little info on how they’ve been created and in what points they differ the most from the assets of the SD-version. For illustration purposes, our graphics department has not only provided us with a number of cool “HD vs. SD” images but also given us some interesting information on how the new space crafts, stations and other 3D assets have been brought to life!
Galaxy on Fire 2 HD - Valkyrie: S'Kanarr (HD vs. SD)
All in all, the creation of a space ship such as the S’Kanarr took about a week. First, the wire frame for the new fighter had to be created in 3DS Max 2012 and second, the detailed new texture sets had to be added. Compared to the SD-version of Galaxy on Fire 2 – Valkyrie, the assets of the HD-version feature four-times as many polygons and a four-time higher texture resolution. This results not only in slight changes in the ship’s body but also in a multitude of cool new details, such as extra lights on the bottom side or more sophisticated weapons systems in front of the cockpit.
Galaxy on Fire 2 HD - Valkyrie: Hangar (HD vs. SD)
Besides the ships, stations and heavenly bodies, the backgrounds of the stations’ interiors, such as the hangar, have been re-designed from scratch as well. The additional light sources and new structure elements on the ground and on the walls really aid the three-dimensional feel of the hangar and the vast number of added details makes it look more lively and colourful than ever before. As you can see, the graphics and overall look of the game have been improved a lot and we’re already looking forward to fill you in on the new special effects next week. Of course, we’re also gonna show you some spectacular “HD vs. SD” graphics again, because when it comes to the dazzling laser beams and thundering explosions of Valkyrie HD, an image definitely says more than a thousand words!
