LOD problem solved, a.k.a. disappearing contacts!

[HR_Naglfar]

Hi all

Searching in the conf.ini file (inside of \My Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover) I found several lines refered to LOD. After some research it seems that changing MeshShowLod=0 to 1 solves the problem. The line is near the end of the [core] section.

Before:

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff249/Naglfar_90/meshshowlod0.jpg


And after:

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff249/Naglfar_90/meshshowlod1.jpg

[pupo162]

if htis workds would bd a big + on my list.

well done!

[jimbop]

Good work, will test.

[ElAurens]

Worth a try.

[_RAAF_Smouch]

Will also test it.

Nothing more frustrating that haring off after what you think is a flight of bombers etc just to see them disappear...

[Osprey]

If this works then it needs to be a sticky or added to a solutions sticky :)

[ATAG_Snapper]

This is major! Certainly worth a try. Thanks for sharing!

[ATAG_Bliss]

Definitely gonna have to try this out.

Thanks!

[Bussard_1]

HR_Nagflar,
Thanks for that, off to experiment.
What affect do you think the rest of that section might have;

"MeshStatics=3
MeshStaticsDetail=1
SimpleMesh.QTNoCompose=0
MeshFirstLod=0
MeshShowLod=1"

I'll not touch the others, but in particular, perhaps, MeshFirstLod=0 might work in unison with MeshShowLod=1 .

Again thanks.

[Sokol1]

A briefly test with "German Attack Bridge" mission confirm this - the DOT no longer disappears momentarily at ~3 KM.

Sokol1

[jimbop]

Yep, initial test confirms. Good job!

Sticky thread and default this value in next patch please.

[ATAG_Keller]

I've never had ghosts in SP, have you tested this in MP yet?

Yeah, will Steam see this as an exploit?

[Al Capwn]

This indeed does help, awesome find! Although, I must say I get a rather large performance hit.

Running the 'Black Death' track, I saw as much as a 33% frame rate drop and lots of stuttering. A good example being when the airfield is being bombed, looking up at the HE111's; I normally get 30-34fps however, with this enabled I get 19-23.

But I can't help but use it, thanks for the find!

[Ailantd]

This indeed does help, awesome find! Although, I must say I get a rather large performance hit.

Running the 'Black Death' track, I saw as much as a 33% frame rate drop and lots of stuttering. A good example being when the airfield is being bombed, looking up at the HE111's; I normally get 30-34fps however, with this enabled I get 19-23.

But I can't help but use it, thanks for the find!

I suspect this make the high poly model viewed at far distances, working fine but overloading the gpu. It´s not the fine solution, only a temporal workaround for high end systems or for play with only a few aircraft. I would like to know how this impact fps with large bomber formations... It may be unplayable.

[HR_Naglfar]

HR_Nagflar,
Thanks for that, off to experiment.
What affect do you think the rest of that section might have;

"MeshStatics=3
MeshStaticsDetail=1
SimpleMesh.QTNoCompose=0
MeshFirstLod=0
MeshShowLod=1"

I'll not touch the others, but in particular, perhaps, MeshFirstLod=0 might work in unison with MeshShowLod=1 .

Again thanks.

In fact, I tried MeshFirstLod=1 with MesShowLod=1 at first. But MeshFirstLod only actives a kind of low detail cockpit under the normal cockpit.

I didn't touch any other line, but I have MeshStatics=0 and MeshStaticsDetail=0 btw. I suppose it depends of the graphics options.


This indeed does help, awesome find! Although, I must say I get a rather large performance hit.


I supposed that must be some performance hit, I didn't test it so much though.

It's sad because I play in a very old PC with a medium of 15fps or so :lol: But at least is a temporal solution while they improve the LOD transitions.

[IvanK]

First test and I think it is an improvement. No vanishing act at around 1-2km.

[Sven]

Going to try this out :)

[jg27_mc]

Going to try this out :)

Tested online and I had huge performance hit (around 30%) and stutters back. It is back at default value (0).

Regards.

[Catseye]

Tested online and I had huge performance hit (around 30%) and stutters back. It is back at default value (0).

Regards.

Interesting!
Some are showing performance hits and others like me are having no probs running everything on full.

ASUS i7 @3.8, GTX570, 6G RAM, monitor reduced to 1280 x 720.

S!

[Al Capwn]

Interesting!
Some are showing performance hits and others like me are having no probs running everything on full.

ASUS i7 @3.8, GTX570, 6G RAM, monitor reduced to 1280 x 720.

S!

Just for clarification; My setup currently:

i5-2500k @ 4.8
6970 @ 925/1375
8GB RAM
1920x1080 and highest settings

I'm guessing that your lowered settings are helping to hide the extra stuttering and performance loss.

[Insuber]

Just tested on ATAG, I don't know if it is related but I've got 10 times more ghost contacts, disappearing at 1.5-2 km.


Cheers,
Ins

[hc_wolf]

Yeah this does work. But I notice now a lot of stutter when I first spwan on airfield when playing online. This will all be fixed in a couple of weeks when they release a new Graphics system for CLOD anyway so I will turn it back off for now.

I have flawless FPS flying with full graphics on. Running full 1920x1080 all graphics turned on, AASO off and Vsinc on. AAx2.

When I turn it on my fps drops to avg 88, min 56 and max 135.
When Off my FPS are avg 97, min74 and max 174.

Roof top flying under 100 feet over cities with it on FPS avg 65, min 48, max 95
Roof top flying under 100 feet over cities with it off FPS avg 75, min 54, max 128


Not Gloating here but for those wanting to upgrade, nowyou know what you can get out of a rig like mine all on a glorious 42" LCD monitor.

[jg27_mc]

Yeah this does work. But I notice now a lot of stutter when I first spwan on airfield when playing online. This will all be fixed in a couple of weeks when they release a new Graphics system for CLOD anyway so I will turn it back off for now.

I have flawless FPS flying with full graphics on. Running full 1920x1080 all graphics turned on, AASO off and Vsinc on. AAx2.

When I turn it on my fps drops to avg 88, min 56 and max 135.
When Off my FPS are avg 97, min74 and max 174.

Roof top flying under 100 feet over cities with it on FPS avg 65, min 48, max 95
Roof top flying under 100 feet over cities with it off FPS avg 75, min 54, max 128


Not Gloating here but for those wanting to upgrade, nowyou know what you can get out of a rig like mine all on a glorious 42" LCD monitor.

Dude how to you manage to have 60++ FPS with Vsync On? Are you sure you have it effectively On? Cause the Vsync is supposed to lock your FPS @ 60 stable.

Regards.

PS: BTW, huge rig you got there. Congrats.

[hc_wolf]

I agree it should cap at 60fps with the Vsync on. But it does not. I have Vsync on in Nvidia control pannel and on in Game and have checked the conf.ini and it is on in there also.

I was flying with out it for ages and was talking on line and one of the guys said to put it on to try and resolve another issue i had. It resolved that issue and FPS and image were not effected and then image issue i had was resolved.


So YIPEEE!!! I am guessing vsync is broken in game. But I have used both ingame FPS counter fps START SHOW and external FPS and both readings are the same.

TV LCD is a Panasonic 42" with refresh of 60FPS with latest invidia drivers and pre-render set at 8. Go figure I am not complaining.

[hc_wolf]

Did you set it for Global settings in the Nvidia CP? I find that if I tab out of the game, then come back, I have to go to Options>Video, uncheck and recheck the box. With my GPU/Monitor combo, I get tearing bad without Vsync, especially while moving my head with TrackIR. If I set it global under Nvidia CP, then it works, but if I tab out, it breaks again, and I have to go to the CP to fix it. So I leave it application controlled and work it in-game, its an easier fix, but still a Pain in the @#$.

Nope, Just went to Nvidia CP everything is Application controlled except Pre-render is at 8 oh and Monitors is set to single monitor not the default nvidia and the Vsync is set to ON. Never had to go back and reset it or anything and no issues with alt-tab.

Vsync is on in game and no more tearing. Smooth as asilk. Can whip head around with crip clear vision and almost no motion blur.

[CaptainDoggles]

Yeah, will Steam see this as an exploit?

No, it will not.

[IvanK]

Back to MeshShowLod=0 for me.

You do get earlier pickups ... or a bigger initial dot. Also I find Aircraft ID can be made earlier. I did get a lot more stutter from time to time which I presume is being caused by additional graphical detail being loaded.

I set it back to zero and re tested ... much smoother play for me.

[GOZR]

IMO dots of aircraft for example should be completely independent from graphics settings. To be fair to all .

[ElAurens]

IMO dots of aircraft for example should be completely independent from graphics settings. To be fair to all .

Agree totally.

I was on ATAG comms last night and was shocked at how low some folks are running their resolutions just to "see" contacts better.

[l3uLLDoZeR]

I was on ATAG comms last night and was shocked at how low some folks are running their resolutions just to "see" contacts better.

If it makes you feel any better I'm still at 1920 x 1080. If I die a few extra times oh well...
What is the point of buying a nice monitor if I'm going to play at a resolution my old CRT would easily handle?

[ElAurens]

Agree 100%.

I'm running my native 1920 X 1080 as well.

[41Sqn_Stormcrow]

I am unfortunately running on a lower res (native - my screen is pretty old) but to console you: my screen is also quite small :)

[jg27_mc]

If it makes you feel any better I'm still at 1920 x 1080. If I die a few extra times oh well...
What is the point of buying a nice monitor if I'm going to play at a resolution my old CRT would easily handle?

I am definitely in your ship...
Regards.

[d67epipadjlg]

This is major! Certainly worth a try. Thanks for sharing!
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[GOZR]

I think that MeshShowLod is basically loading the lod 3D model for example if you write MeshShowLod=2 or 3 and will load the 3D model asked.. so it may do the dot bigger at some point..

All Mesh setting are the same test :)

[Majo]

The activation of this feature it takes about 20 to 30% more GPU usage.

If you use tools like MSI Afterburner or ASUS GPU Tweak you can graphically confirm this by verifying the values of % GPU usage while playing the "Balck Death" track.

So depending in your actual GPU usage this feature will affect in a more perceptible way.

Salutes.