I don' know, but I suspect that tile sets have something to do with the latest content, i.e. a lot of the new stuff has been taking place in warehouse maps.
Suddenly we get an upgrade. Lots of people run the content and see the new art. It's worth it. (I'm purposefully ignoring the fact that I can't run the new maps without silly amounts of lag)
Striga could, indeed, do with a graphics upgrade and certainly some different styles of Council map would be greatly appreciated. Story-wise I think the zone and its arcs are fine.
Concrete hangars, massive machines that might produce Mech Men, a possible redesign of the 'swimming pool' Council map for the Vampyri 'pod' mission would be lovely additions.
I'm hoping with Freedom there will be more players going through Striga, Croatoa etc and I do hope that eventually other zones get the story upgrade that these zones (and later, Faultine) have received.
Until then, I'm not sure there are 'enough' players running through these arcs as there once were (excluding Faultline here, obviously) for the Developers to say 'We need new tilesets to make sure that Striga keeps up with the rest of the game graphically'.
The vast amount of repetitious missions with the council in both Striga and the rest of COH really calls for something to create more interest. All council and 5th column tunnels look essentially the same even if randomly arranged.
I was adventuring in Striga Island and by golly it just got to the point where I was saying to myself... this place really needs some love.
1. We need an alternate Council / 5th Column base set. I mean sure the tunnels with the tech room bunker stuff is ok, but have you ever been in a WWII bunker? I have. It's not a bunch of dirt tunnels connecting the bunkers. It's mostly concrete halls connecting the bunkers. I'd like to suggest alternating between the dirt tunnel walls with military bunker type concrete corridors for variety. If the Council has this huge exterior military base is it logical that most of their facilities are still dirt tunnels connected by high tech centers?
2. Went underground into a Mausoleum and well shucks it was just, again dirt tunnels just like the hollows. I think it would be good to have a catacomb and mausoleum tile set... sort of like that area underneath Moth Cemetary where the badge is. If we're going to have missions under a cemetary filled with undead...shouldn't the environment match it? WOW had a great series of Mausoleum and Crypt tiles, seems like it should not be too much of a strain to do the same for COH.