Fluid dynamics in a natural environment are rather more complicated than that.
As for using shadows instead, while we would have all preferred that, my understand is that they tried that and it didn't work for gameplay reasons. A lot of our criticisms come from not knowing what went on behind the scenes, and how many different thiings and ways they tried to create particular effects and gameplay elements within the constraints they had to work within. It's not like they half-assed it, or would have done perfectly if only they had super-anal fanboys to help. Because, newsflash: they already have those on staff.
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