I want to take a moment to appreciate the graphics of HOI4

[coffeelingfine]

It's still a good looking game six years later. I really like in particular the the naval battle effects and aircraft doing dogfights and bombing runs

the map itself looks especially nice at night time

 

[Corpse Fool]

I have all the 3d units and stuff turned off, so I dont even get to see any of that.

 

[The Colonel]

I agree a lot of the little effects and stuff are fun (I also really appreciate the sound design, both music and fx). I will admit though that I find the base terrain map both not very good for telling what the terrain types are and just kinda muddy looking. I've recently started using a GUI modpack that adds some nice interface stuff and really makes the map way more legible.

Steam Workshop::Supreme Graphics Collection

steamcommunity.com

 

[Askorti]

I appreciate all of the eye candy, it's nice. But the most crucial element, the map itself, and in particular, the borders, is pretty much the very worst of any modern PDX game I have played.

 

[TakaiJuniro]

the models are sometimes too big to see the map.
especially for little provinces with complex terrain

 

[Anaraxes]

But the most crucial element, the map itself, and in particular, the borders, is pretty much the very worst of any modern PDX game I have played.

There are quite a number of graphics mods in the Steam Workshop. I recently saw a recommendation on the forum for the Supreme Graphics Collection, which contains a number of other mods for convenience. The mod comments list all the components, if you'd rather hunt down just the map mods. One component, WW's + Quam's Maps, changes the borders so they're outlined in brighter colors with two shades each. There are also several mods that change the terrain textures to make different terrain types more visible, ranging from realistic textures to various degrees of changing base colors to make the contrast stand out to one ("RPG Terrain") that makes the textures stylized terrain types that remind me of 80s/90s video games -- but they're certainly easy to tell apart.

 

[Sultan Suleiman]

The map, presentation, and effects are all beautiful, much prettier and more immersive than they have any right to be. I've been impressed since release and have never felt the game aged visually in any way.

People who complain about border, icon, and terrain clarity sound like octogenarians.