Ultra Mode

Overview

Ultra Mode is an optional graphics upgrade that was introduced with the release of Issue 17: Dark Mirror. It was initially slated to be released with Going Rogue, but the developers stated early on that if they finished it early, they would release it early.

The minimum requirements for a computer to run the game did not change. Ultra Mode is an optional feature. If a player's computer is not strong enough to utilize Ultra Mode, that doesn't mean the player cannot play the game; it simply means that the player cannot play with Ultra Mode features turned on.

Details

Taken from the HeroCon information thread on the Official Forums

Reflections
- Real time, environmental reflections on all shiny surfaces including glass, metal, water.
- This includes shiny elements on a character costume, such as a goggles and armor.
- Reflections warp to the shape of the reflective surface. Glass windows will have imperfections which give realistic image distortions.
Shadows
- Real time dynamic shadows that change with the time of day.
- Real time realistic shadows of everything in the environment, including all toons and critter that show a true projection of their shapes.
- Ambient Occlusion: Shadows are not one shade value -- they dynamically get lighter and fuzzier near light sources and they get darker in deeper corners and holes. Objects in the shadows get darker and harder to see.
Water
- Angle-sensitive reflection and transparency: When viewed from on oblique angle, water surfaces are reflective; when viewed from above, the reflectivity diminishes and one can see into the water (at least at shallow depths).
- Shadows: Distorted shadows are cast onto the surface of the water and onto the floor of a water basin (at least at shallow depths).

And some other info:

Minimum specs will remain relatively the same
Preatoria was built with Ultra Mode in mind, but it is not required to play in Praetoria, and Ultra Mode improves the rest of the world.