LOD switching issue since 1.62

[.kju 3245]

F2K Sel please read the thread topic again :)

[f2k sel 164]

Sorry had too many windows open.

[Maystor 10]

For what it's worth, just tried doing this with latest beta and it seems to be about the same to me:

VQinSipH_e8

[OMAC 254]

^ ^ EXCELLENT! Thanks, Maystor. Quite informative. And a very substantial change in LOD switching indeed.

[doveman 7]

This and don't forget to set texture detail to very high as well ...

I've always had texture detail on VH and Video Memory on Default (as advised, apparently VH limits it whereas Default uses all available VRAM). Object detail I have on Normal but tried on VH and doesn't seem to make a difference. Others have commented that it used to make a big difference to LOD switching but no longer appears to.

[OMAC 254]

Here are two quick vids showing some LOD issues in Bystrica forest, beta 95417:

-x0y8IoOq58

_QAU46OeApA

Edit:

Ticket updated with missions showing approx. locations and azimuths of videos.

Edited August 3, 2012 by OMAC

[.kju 3245]

Maystor, OMAC, anyone - please always post the setPos command for the location, or better save it as simple mission.

[R0adki11 3949]

I've always had texture detail on VH and Video Memory on Default (as advised, apparently VH limits it whereas Default uses all available VRAM). Object detail I have on Normal but tried on VH and doesn't seem to make a difference. Others have commented that it used to make a big difference to LOD switching but no longer appears to.

I tried switch the Video Memory to Default it make the LOD switching bearable, but doesn't get rid of it. I have object detail on normal and can't see much of a difference either.

[cjph 0]

These recent videos match what I am seeing - it does not appear to be a single change in LOD but a number of changes back and forth as if it is making up its mind which level to display. In very wooded areas all this extra processing across all trees is slowing down the changes. Did I see somewhere that the malloc had been changed recently, perhaps the new one is affecting some people worse than others ? I used to use the default windows one (number 4 I think) which worked well for me so I will look at this when I am back at the machine, since if the default changed in 1.62 maybe rolling back to the previous one might help.

cj

[OMAC 254]

Are the LOD issues we are talking about all related to these changes, or are they exacerbated by other changes? Have they gotten worse since 93146, or is 93146 the culprit? Can someone do a LOD test of beta 93153 vs. 95417? My 1.60 is long gone, or else I would do the test.

[93146] Fixed: LOD blending

[93117] Fix: Crash: https://dev-heaven.net/issues/31784 - caused by fix: "LOD blending not working reliably (rev. 93017)

[93017] Fixed: LOD blending not working reliably

[PELHAM 10]

I'm having trouble remembering if this was any different in 1.60? Sometimes the more you look the worse it gets lol.

Just tested all the terrains and it seems to be more of a problem with certain trees in the new ACR terrains, vehicles (mainly windows) seem to be affected more in the other terrains with Arma 2 vehicles worse than OA. Noticiable also when sun is shining on a tin roof - as you reach transition distance the roof pops from dull grey to bright white.

It is difficult to quantify and seems to occur at the transition distance from the player for the various objects from high to low LOD, a few metres either way and it stops. Also seems to be affected by mainly by video settings eg, if ATOC is disabled you see a great deal of LOD changes - if you set it to "all trees and grass" it only occurs with certain foliage. Video memory on default and textures set to very high reduces the effects too.

Detail level for terrain and objects has an effect - low detail makes it worse - if you have everything on very high it moves the problem back several hundred metres and is less noticeable.

EG here on Bystrica (ATOC set to everything):

player setPosATL [5290.68,2443.99,0.00259399];

If you look at the trees at 25degs, then rotate right to 55degs the LODS pop back and forth for a second. I seem to notice it most on the silver birch trees that have had the foliage changed from red to green since Chernarus. If you don't move and reduce the video settings you will notice the problem gets worse untill LODS are popping back and forth on the trees just across the road.

player init:

this addAction ["getpos", "plrpos.sqf"]; this addAction ["setpos", "plrsetpos.sqf"];

//plrpos.sqf
_objPosition = getPosATL player;
hintSilent format ["posATL Player:(%1)",_objPosition];
copytoclipboard str([_objPosition]);

//plrsetpos.sqf
player setPosATL [5290.68,2443.99,0.00259399];

paste the position from plrpos.sqf in there.

Edited August 4, 2012 by PELHAM

[OMAC 254]

There is no question that some of the issues are related to specific new ACR veg types (e.g. bush in the second of my videos above). Here is another short vid of what looks like a texture problem with a tall pine tree in Bystrica (see updated ticket for mission):

o2MxIs7-_HQ

[MavericK96 0]

I think Maystor's video says it all. Now I think all that needs to be done is to narrow down the beta(s) where the change occurred. Unforunately that is a LOT of betas... :butbut:

[.kju 3245]

87636 is first beta after 1.60

read here how to use it with 1.62 installed

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137755-Way-to-force-older-beta-install&p=2194760#post2194760

[PELHAM 10]

I think Maystor's video says it all. Now I think all that needs to be done is to narrow down the beta(s) where the change occurred. Unforunately that is a LOT of betas... :butbut:

I would work backwards, I used nearly every beta and this wasn't noticed until the update was released.

[grillob3 11]

i have less load switch issues (not all that many, and all have been temporary) if i use veryhigh Vidmem settings with my 3GB card.

veryhigh is for 512mb cards! Have you tried default?

[Seitan 8]

Just downloaded ACR. Yes LOD switching in ACR is big issue. You can see it already in the menu. Vegetation acts really weird. First i thought wtf is ATOC back on. Then to options... no everything is as i had it before ACR. Using 95660 beta.

[kremator 1065]

Let's face it the main patch and all the subsequent betas have screwed up LOD switching (on zoom) or flickering (just by looking at a different angle!)

[kklownboy 43]

veryhigh is for 512mb cards! Have you tried default?

hmm do you have a Dev's post, or link for that? And yes i try all of the settings when I'm testing issues. My game runs great. The LODs switching is problematic. It can be bad one time then the next its not ...Certain maps are worse than others...certain models are worse than others.

[MavericK96 0]

3 new betas and yet no improvement and no dev response for 2 weeks on this. It'd be nice to just know if any progress was being made on this at all.

[.kju 3245]

No videos, no demo missions, no repro steps, no pc details provided. And you wonder why there is no dev looking into it?

[MavericK96 0]

What do you mean, no videos? There have been several posted in this very thread and the difference is clear as day.

As for repros/missions...just plunk down in the middle of Cherno and you can see it happen, it doesn't require anything special.

Many of us have our PC specs and detail settings in our sigs, so...

I even posted earlier asking the devs what exactly was needed of us (as so far the only response from Dwarden was "videos" before any were posted), and no reply.

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

There is no reason to require demo missions or repro steps. If you're in game, there's LOD issues, across various settings and GfxCard vendors, no matter the mission or activity in game. If the devs need our DXDiags and rpts, I'm sure they'll ask for them.

And here's just one of the videos posted from this thread showing the issue. http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137726-LOD-switching-issue-since-1-62&p=2195032&viewfull=1#post2195032

[kremator 1065]

No videos, no demo missions, no repro steps, no pc details provided. And you wonder why there is no dev looking into it?

Ahhh good to see the 'its allright for me' attitude. Come on mate, seriously, if people are saying that this LOD switching is not what it should be (or has been) then its not what it should be! You either need to be blind or blinkered to not see the LOD issues. Having trees pop into existence, or mysteriously change their LOD when you move slightly, or even worse flickering is NOT normal. As is said in these forums time and again, if you have nothing constructive to say, say nothing.

[MavericK96 0]

I could provide videos/screenshots/whatever if necessary as proof (though they've already been posted), but it happens for me in every map now, including Cherno and Takistan.