LOD switching issue since 1.62

[.kju 3244]

As some people report issues, you are advised to check this CIT ticket,

try the demo missions and provide feedback there:

> Bug #16004: LOD transitions are unstable

https://dev-heaven.net/issues/16004

To provide additional simple demo missions does help.

Another idea could be to record the benchmark missions.

To compare it with 1.60, you can use 1.60 beta patches to downgrade the engine:

http://www.arma2.com/beta-patch.php

[MavericK96 0]

Voted up, it's pretty darn bad now. It seemed better in some of the earlier post-1.60 betas but in the last half-dozen beta builds or so it's gotten worse.

[Dwarden 1125]

can You please provide us with video of the issue ?

[Guest]

A video was posted here:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137694-ARMA-2-Operation-Arrowhead-Combined-Operations-Reinforcements-update-1-62&p=2194331&viewfull=1#post2194331

[CHB68 10]

Thanks a lot for your attention.

[ProfTournesol 956]

It may not solve that issue but it remains very necessary to defrag after patching.

[CHB68 10]

Fully agree ProfTournesol. Next to this I always recommend to install ArmA exclusively on a separat partition. I solved this "problem" with a 256GB SSD a year ago. No need for partitions or defrag and it boosts the heavy file load of ArmA.

[kremator 1065]

If you are running an SSD you DON'T defrag those ! Should be running FAST, but the issue is still there!

[xeno 234]

LOD switching is really bad now...

Probably related: I've made a video a week ago with one of the betas prior 1.62 (check the tower, one would expect the highest LOD is visible when you look at it and not when you turn away :p):

Xeno

[tonygrunt 10]

Not sure if related, but when a new asset appears (spawned, intros/outros, scene change) that wasn't loaded in memory, I am getting the lowest LOD and texture for less than 1 sec. Like it doesn't preload before showing on screen.

I don't remember ever having that problem before.

[purepassion 22]

I can confirm it. It was actually the first thing I noticed when playing. Heavy LOD switching of the Chernaurus vegetation and more objects

[CHB68 10]

Not sure if related, but when a new asset appears (spawned, intros/outros, scene change) that wasn't loaded in memory, I am getting the lowest LOD and texture for less than 1 sec. Like it doesn't preload before showing on screen.

I don't remember ever having that problem before.

Can't confirm this Tony. For me mainly vehicles show heavy LOD switching.

@PurePassion: As for the vegetation have you already tried another ATOC setting?

Edited July 25, 2012 by CHB68

[St. Jimmy 272]

Does gate disappearing belong in the same category? Sometimes openable gates disappear from the view if you watch in specific angle or something but you can see their shadows. I've couple times ran and wondering why I'm not moving :P I remember this being in from 1.61 or earlier.

[purepassion 22]

@PurePassion: As for the vegetation have you already tried another ATOC setting?

Just AtoC=0 for now but i will test other settings atm

hmm how could this command line cause the "graphical engine" error??

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead\arma2OA.exe" -malloc=tbb4malloc_b i -skipintro -mod=@JSRS;@Blastcore;@CBA;@misc;@HiFi_W;@RUG;@R3F;@Tracers;@weapons;@Islands;@HALO;@AI

Deleted any dsound.dll and jayarmalib...

Edited July 25, 2012 by PurePassion

[CHB68 10]

We played on Chernarus tonite and noted lags in dense vegetation or woods and dust (i.e. after an arti strike). No huge lags, but they haven't been there before 1.62 :(

[doveman 7]

I started a thread regarding this problem here. See posts #1 and #17 for some videos of it (second and third videos in post #1 and only the last three in post #17, the others in that post concern shadow issues).

I'm using beta 94700 but from the sounds of it, it's just as bad in 1.62.

[maturin 12]

Does this make HUD elements such as the ST HUD flicker and vanish? Deciding whether to vote.

[kklownboy 43]

Just AtoC=0 for now but i will test other settings atm

hmm how could this command line cause the "graphical engine" error??

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead\arma2OA.exe" -malloc=tbb4malloc_b i -skipintro -mod=@JSRS;@Blastcore;@CBA;@misc;@HiFi_W;@RUG;@R3F;@Tracers;@weapons;@Islands;@HALO;@AI

Deleted any dsound.dll and jayarmalib...

I thought you had to use a beta to choose a malloc? But what is the "i" after, -malloc=tbb4malloc_b?

OT yeah there is some slow LODs,. ATI user...

Edited July 26, 2012 by kklownboy

[OMAC 254]

Does gate disappearing belong in the same category? Sometimes openable gates disappear from the view if you watch in specific angle or something but you can see their shadows. I've couple times ran and wondering why I'm not moving :P I remember this being in from 1.61 or earlier.

https://dev-heaven.net/issues/24501

VKH9OPFhVzk

[bullet purveyor 85]

Here is a short clip showing LOD switching while I decrease and increase FOV.

Maybe there could be an video option to turn LOD switching off when changing FOV, only make it change when your character is physically moving.

YhWhWGY_qH4

[purepassion 22]

I thought you had to use a beta to choose a malloc? But what is the "i" after, -malloc=tbb4malloc_b?

oops the "i" was accidently moved there ^^ the correct name is "tbb4malloc_bi". Tough when even removing the parameter completely, the problem remains. The strange thing is, it works when I use the SixLauncher so there has to be a problem in the command line which has never been there before.

For the record, I am also a ATI user.

[igneous01 19]

wierd, the lod switching you guys are reporting is what I was experiencing in 1.6 and before. Now the lod switching has been dramatically improved for me in this patch. Trees are no longer switching super fast in chernarus (which was the case before).

?

[runforrest 10]

i also DONT see worse switching on vegetation, but vehicles obviously have lower Details

[=wfl= sgt bilko 10]

Not sure if related, but when a new asset appears (spawned, intros/outros, scene change) that wasn't loaded in memory, I am getting the lowest LOD and texture for less than 1 sec. Like it doesn't preload before showing on screen.

I don't remember ever having that problem before.

I noticed this too while running the E8 Perfomance test. When the scenery shifts from the two US tanks to the two Russian tanks, it takes a second before the detailed texture shows up on the tanks.

Haven't noticed this before. But then again I have not run any beta patches since 1.60.94700

Edited July 26, 2012 by =WFL= Sgt Bilko
Spelling fool

[purepassion 22]

I started the game through a launcher and strangely did not notice such heavy lod switching of A2 vegetation anymore as I did during the first days after the release :confused:

Tough the usually normal command line is still borked.