We also found that there was an over-aggressive snow removal algo from the existing color data, that was making desert colors quite bland.
Damm! Here is!
I always guessed why picture from Blue Marble was diferent (Lack of details inside outerra). And also comparing with satelite image using ctrl-Alt-G ingame. North Africa was specially bald (as you show now here, i made same pics comparisson then, i should upload results by then, but i didnt..).
This was a part of my arguing when i begun talking about improve margin for terrain textures.
Appart deserts, i saw also other areas around the world (this will not only boost Desert areas, also many many places, even my place is a bit bald).
So now we have the answer.. Great discovering. I always though messing up a bit with main terrain textures can improve visuals.
Do you think it will be able in the next up?