NVIDIA 3D Settings For IL-2

[Aviar]

Maybe we can use this thread to discuss our Nvidia 3D settings for IL-2.

I'll start with an interesting one...'Antialiasing - Transparency'. In the Nvidia Control Panel the description for this Feature reads as follows: Allows you to minimize the visible aliasing on the edges of images with transparent textures.

Settings for this Feature consist of several Multisample and Supersample options. For this particular example, we will be using the 2x (supersample) option.

*Be aware that the scenes below already have 4x Antialiasing enabled. The 'Antialiasing - Transparency' Feature is a seperate setting.


As we all know, the 'jaggies' along the IL-2 riverbanks can be quite ugly. The first screenshot on the left shows an example of these 'jaggies' with 'Antialiasing - Transparency' turned OFF.

The second screenshot shows the effects of 'Antialiasing - Transparency' with the 2x (supersampling) option enabled.

In my opinion, the actual in-game improvement is better than indicated in the screenshot. Discussing the frame-rate hit, it seems to be fairly minimal. As you can see, it is 11 FPS for this particular example, which is about a 5% overall hit. There are additional 4x and 8x options for this setting, but they will obviously result in a greater frame-rate hit.

For instance, I get 175 FPS with the 4x option. This is a -32 frame rate hit compared to the OFF option. This is about a 15% overall hit to the test mission. However, this seems to remove just about all of the riverbank 'jaggies' and the terrain looks beautiful. (This is with the additional 4x Antialiasing enabled.)

**Be aware that your other 3D settings as well as your IL-2 Video settings may very well affect your final results. For this particular example I was using the 'anisotropic' option for the IL-2 'Texture mipmap filter' feature. Also, I was using the 'None' option for the 'Texture Compression' feature.


***Additional Info:

-Video drivers used for this test: NVIDIA ForceWare 320.18
-IL-2 version 4.11.1 (stock)


Aviar

[Mustang]

I run IL2 in Open GL.

I have a single LCD 23", and don't use AntiAliasing ...if I want see contacts at long distance.
My friends want to kill me for that ..

I try many combinations of AA ...If the contact is only a pair of pixels at kilometers in the distance.
The AA erase the enemy plane or " blur the pixels ". Is more dificult see the enemy plane.

Anisotropic filtering is very important too..
But I dont use Anisotropic filtering ..if I want see contacts at long distance,
No Anisotropic filtering = blur the terrain and you can see the contacts easily



If you fly with icons -
Put AFx16 and AAx4 or x8 - Transparency 2x or 4x supersampling, if you get 60+ FPS, you go fine!! 60+ FPS is enough,The terrain will look like a movie.



http://www.ransen.com/articles/Anti-alias/Default.htm

http://www.arcsynthesis.org/gltut/Te...nisotropy.html

Edited
I have one question - Transparency setting for AA works in OpenGL or only works in Direct X?

[T}{OR]

Interesting thing about the anti aliasing. I always keep it on x16. Will have to try without it and if target spotting is any easier.

Originally Posted by Aviar

-Video drivers used for this test: NVIDIA ForceWare 320.18
-IL-2 version 4.11.1 (stock)

Lose the 320.18 drivers, there are lots of reports of cards dying from them. Later this week Nvidia should release a new set of drivers fixing the problems in 320.18.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by T}{OR

Lose the 320.18 drivers, there are lots of reports of cards dying from them. Later this week Nvidia should release a new set of drivers fixing the problems in 320.18.

Thanks for the data !



Edited

Now I have 560 Ti 1G AMD 965 BE @ 3.8
Use AA X8 Transparency x4 AFx16
Vsync ON - Then I always get 60 FPS

Il2 at OpenGL = Top graphics exept ...

Effects= 1

[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=3
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=1
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=0
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=0
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=0
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=1
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=1

HardwareShaders=1

Shadows=2
Specular=3
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3

Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=3

TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1

VideoSetupId=17

you must use this

Water=4
Effects=1

ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-3.0

But must tell Again

I try many combinations of AA ...If the contact is only a pair of pixels at kilometers in the distance.
The AA erase the enemy plane or " blur the pixels ". Is more dificult see the enemy plane.

I Prefer not to AA