There is a learning curve, but not a long one. Lots of good info on www.zwiftinsider.com if you're motivated to dig into more about the Zwift world, options, etc.

I'm not much of a gamer, but I suspect if you're using modern game graphics as your benchmark, you might end up on the disappointed side. For me, it's enough of a simulation to keep me interested much more than staring at the inside of my garage door or the timer on my phone.

Hmmm. According to Zwift Insider (from last year) -

That's pretty bunk.

The article also indicates that AMD GPUs don't do as well as NIDIA because of driver issues, but it shouldn't be anywhere near this hamstrung.

I mean, frankly, I don't expect graphics on par with a AAA game, but I'd hope for better than the polygons that I'm seeing.

Even Ultra graphics aren't all that amazing. You get better frame rate and resolution, but still 2015 standard.

I guess we have different standards. I'm okay with it. A screenshot from my ride Monday...
https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net...-2048x1152.jpg

EDIT: Hmmm...That's weird. 3.2w/kg for me should be just under 270w. I haven't noticed a difference or delay between current watts and w/kg before.

Hot!

And a well stocked lbs.

This is how people end up with specializes Zwift rigs - they start out with "I just want the distraction" and then they are dissatisfied with the basic graphics....

Me, I'm still waiting on The Younger Boy replacing HIS rig so I can get his old one.

She comes over. The wife on Tuesday; me on Wednesday. I understand your dilemma.

I gotta say, though, that black bikes photograph poorly. It's like watches with black dials - totally amazing in person, but pictures never do them justice.

Years ago, I went to an AMAZING massage therapist. Too expensive to keep going to her, though, in the absence of any particular malady.

And, coincidentally, the humidity has finally gone away. All day riding season is upon us. :bday:

Good thing it's a free trial. I agree, that would be tough to live with.

Hmmm. I fired up Zwift on the "Just Watch" setting and I'm getting shadows, better textures and whatnot. Peeking at my CPU and GPU utilization shows no strain - single CPU threads peak below 50% and GPU is peaking even lower. Weird. Oh well, at least I'm up to Sims-level graphics. :lol:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4ed945d30d.jpg

Huh. Try it again as a rider.

It's not unless you get caught.

Gonna make me plug in my trainer and fire up the Companion App and whatnot? Hurrumph.

Detail looks about the same, but no shadows. Is it because it's night?

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b4be7b445.jpg

Just peeked in on Watopia - even though it's night there, too, I'm getting shadows. Odd.

BTW, I believe this is the "Ultra" setting. Notice, among the spectators, that one woman's coffee cup is casting a shadow on the leg of the woman next to her, while that woman's phone is casting a shadow on the leg of the man next to her. That's The Good Stuff, I'm afraid.

Moon?

That's funny - it's the same spectators. I guess that makes sense - why bother changing what are essentially bits of scenery you're supposed to be riding past at 20 mph.

EDIT: I notice they move, though, so they're not like buildings.

The first computer game I played was Zork, and the first video game I played was Pong, so to me all these graphics are AMAZING!!!!!

**** if I know. Bike isn't set up, so I didn't move about.

Just looked at Richmond again. It's golden hour, now, evidently. At first, I didn't think that I was getting shadows, but then I noticed that I was getting really looooooong, soft shadows from a low sun.

Gee, thanks. :rolleyes:

My biggest issue with my current setup is just how long it takes to launch, or update, or load any of the worlds. I can live with the low resolution and crappy frame rate, but as I detailed the other day, any new update basically means I have to wait 20 minutes between launching and being able to ride.