Review [Issue 52] Edge of Perception: Beauty in the Sky

[Night-Sisters 2,139]

Beauty in Tanki: Night's View

 

Title credits go to Greyat. Ty nug. 

 

 
 Alright, hold up. Before you start moaning and groaning about how le Night-Sisters just had to jump on the infernal bandwagon and subject you to yet another one of those pernicious beauty reviews, allow me a moment to explain myself.
This review is different. It's not about the most beauteous turret/hull combination, nor is it a listing of my favorite paints. (Just for the record though, blue is best. :ph34r:) No, today I wish to discuss a particularly gorgeous element of Tanki that most of us simply take for granted.  
 
Namely, the skybox.
 

***

 
The skybox...there is one encapsulating each and every map, and they can be quite stunning, if you bother to pay attention. So, dear reader, as you peruse the following, I encourage you to do just that; slow down and observe. Take your time, and catch the details.
 
Are you ready?
 
Go.
 
 
#5. Rio
 

 
Though I can't say that I'm a huge fan of the map itself, I've got absolutely nothing against Rio's skybox. White beach, calm seas, stony mountains... it's a perfect vacation spot and those mountains are every trailrunners dream. There also appears to be a house, or villa of some sort perched amongst the trees, which is a neat lil' detail. There isn't a huge variety of color, but overall, it's a fantastic view and one well worth leaving 'show skybox' checked for. 
 
 
#4. Aleksandrovsk/Barda
 

 
It's the sky that really does it for me in this one; the moon and stars sprinkled out on a dusky, ever-deepening blue, the faintest glow of oncoming dawn gracing the horizon... the gently rolling, grassy bluffs could well go on forever, stretching out across the wide, wide earth. It's a scene that speaks of tremendous peace, tranquility, and yes, beauty. If this picture were to be expressed in music, I personally think that it might sound a lot like this... but hey, those are just my thoughts on the matter. 
 
 
#3. Cologne 
 

 
They say the devil is in the details... but to me, this is definitely where the beauty lies. Cologne has the most realistic skybox TO has to offer, and seems slightly photographic in quality. Surrounded by a vibrantly lush forest, the city itself is interesting, layered, and...deserted. It has a very intense feel, and raises more questions than answers. Why is the river dry? Why has this sprawling metropolis fallen, and to whom? It is absolutely a favorite, one of the very best parts about Cologne. 
 
 
#2. Madness
 

 
This is what I imagine the Aurora Borealis would look like in space. The shimmering blue, the stars... in short, it's absolutely gorgeous. To me, at least, the Madness skybox is a reminder of the beauty and mystery that the final frontier holds. Space captures our imagination, intrigues our sense of exploration... a mere picture cannot do it justice, yet perhaps it is telling that this skybox is one of my - and many people's - favorites. 
 
 
#1. Highland/Desert
 

 
And finally, we come to number one. The skybox that I believe to be the most beautiful, out of all.
I can easily say that I chose this map for one reason... the colors.
The heavens...are on fire. The desert and the sunlight intermingle on the horizon until one cannot be separated from the other. Blushing pinks, purples, blue, and gold weave through the rolling clouds, creating a scene not soon forgotten. It is beauty expressed in one of the unlikeliest of places, a war game.  
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Well folks, that does it from my end. Hopefully you enjoyed taking a deeper look at the skyboxes I consider to be particularly beautiful. They certainly add a remarkable layer of depth to the game and TO simply wouldn't be the same without them.
 
 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2017 by Flexoo

[arnav0506 2,777]

Thats one of non-trolls articles, Worth a read.

[KillerGnat 3,135]

Wow, I had no idea what this was like. I never use skybox....

[DragonOfStorms 2,706]

This is why I leave Skybox on while turning the other graphics off.

 

Great article, keep it up!

[ethanisme 1,115]

Yeah highland is where everyone goes with there tanki crushes (o.O) to look at the sunset and such.

 

Lol but those were pretty awesome

[VaudeVille 1,428]

Yeah... I never play without the skybox.

TO is more than just polygon CP and earning crystals

[r_Adnan_30 164]

Nice Article

[PhoenixTheInsane 11]

Tanki Map Creator whose name I don't know: -opens google.com-

                                                                  -types 'cool hd evening desert fire flame cloud beautiful sky'-

                                                                  -puts in skybox-

 

69 years later...

 

Night-Brothers: BEST SKYBOX EVER!!!!111!!1!oneoneone1!!11

Edited April 3, 2016 by PhoenixTheInsane

[bossman161 276]

Almost cried when I saw the last one...probably the most prettiest things I have ever seen.

[BuriedSky 1,319]

Nice article night-sisters, I like the clicks though...

 

PS - at the first moment when I didn't read the title properly, I read it Buried in the Sky…then rubbed my eyes and read it again to find it as 'Beauty'...:P :lol:

[ToiletPaper-16 23]

Amazing use of pictures, I must commend that.

[rayaanMALHOTRA 378]

I love spotting sunsets .

 

When i was young (in tanki ) ... highland happened to be one of the most played map ,one day while i was playing , a railgun shot zoomed across the map into the sky , i followed the trail of the rail and the sky was so beautiful.

 

I still remember that day , just watching the skies of highland :wub: . these few things are the reason i am still in love with tanki . (Since last  3 years :) )

[NewbieCake 3,067]

I was never aware of how beautiful the skybox is in Highland, thanks for opening my eyes. And the Madness one is great, too!

[Lhamster 4,081]

The one thing missing from here is the New Year Map's skybox, which was pretty stunning too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by Lhamster

[r_IceDragon2o50 3]

The one thing missing from here is the New Year Map's skybox, which was pretty stunning too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madness and Cologne in one, I remember playing on that map before, I like it! Trying out my color coding skillz! :lol:

[donut70 97]

Ok...WOW...I have almost always played with the skybox off, so that it doesn't distract me from fighting, (or from seeing that flanking sniper on the side wall). That will likely not change, but thank you for showing me this beauty.

(P.S. I ALWAYS have fog off too because I want a crisp sniping view for my smoky to deflect shafts and rails with.)

[Kestrel47 2]

True beauty in tanki online. Words cannot describe desert/highlands skybox.

If only they were played more...

[fordmustang12345 3,910]

Tbh I hardly even notice the skybox most of the time(except in maps like SkyScrapers or Monte Carlo) cause I am to focused on the battle

[r_Vexation2 28]

The one thing missing from here is the New Year Map's skybox, which was pretty stunning too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You had to steal the show eh hamster  :unsure: