Reconsider or revert the removal of Speedtrees support in Update 3.24.6.0

Update 3.24.6.0 removed the option to use detailed Speedtree models in place of the older tree models.
The result of this is that trees from older curated maps (such as Hawaii) and the vanilla game look extremely out of place when put next to assets from the newer curated maps, which limits what can be done with the map editor and degrades older maps made with the speedtree models in mind.

The reasons given for the removal of Speedtrees support was that the more detailed tree models don’t match the vanilla artstyle, that the difference in shape compared to the old tree models resulted in unfair PVP interactions, that the performance was (significantly) worse, and that only the oldest maps made use of it.

Without knowing anything about the technical debt the Speedtree support resulted in, I’d like to share some ideas on how Speedtree support could be kept in the game while still adressing the points that caused its removal:

  • Fitting in with the vanilla artstyle - Obviously the developer has the final say, but the feature was optional. Players who appreciated a more coherent artstyle could simply choose not to enable it. Using Speedtree models could be made opt-in, so players get the intended experience when first starting the game. Maybe a map config option could be added to force the use of the old models?
  • PVP Fairness - Using the thinner Speedtree models meant that players could more easily see who or what was hidden behind a given tree, which gave them an advantage over players who did not use the Speedtree models or could not for performance reasons. I think a reasonable solution to this problem would be to add a server option to allow or disallow the use of Speedtree models. Thus, on PVP-focused servers Speedtree models could be disallowed so noone has an unfair advantage.
  • Performance - Once again, using the Speedtree models was optional, and if the above idea was implemented, would not put players at an advantage or disadvantage compared to other players.
  • The feature was mostly disused - As mentioned in the start of this writeup, older trees were still useful and relevant for mapmaking thanks to their Speedtree models, which allowed them to fit in with most newer assets. With Speedtree support retroactively removed, this is no longer the case. As a mapmaker, I think that’s a shame.

If these ideas are impossible to implement or have already been considered, I would love to hear a more technical explanation of why it was deemed necessary to remove this feature.

1 Like

I also dont like update with trees. I support your idea

I think the trees need a redesign as a whole, they have wonky hitboxes that allow you to climb them at certain angles (which in my opinion is cool but its prolly a bug), the pines have odd tops and they greatly affect performance as you have stated.