LOD switching issue since 1.62

[highhead 20]

There are videolinks in this thread and in the dev heaven ticket.

In the dev heaven ticket there are even repro missions.

[Seitan 8]

So here is how my game looks now.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2dv7q5d.jpg (403 kB)

And in this pic you can see my settings.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2hsc7ic.jpg (401 kB)

And without saying. When i move the lod switching is terrible.

:mad:

2600K

GFX 580

8GB

[PELHAM 10]

@Seitan - try the ATOC settings as well. It looks bad with them disabled.

It will not solve the problem but it makes it less obvious.

[[aps]gnat 28]

.... still on 1.61 waiting to see a good post-1.62 beta, so I can buy the new DLC and move on ......

So guys, this is effecting your Cash-Flow ......

[doveman 7]

@Seitan - try the ATOC settings as well. It looks bad with them disabled.

It will not solve the problem but it makes it less obvious.

It helps a bit with trees (although they still switch about three times before settling down it's less severe) but doesn't do anything about buildings which is the more annoying problem to me.

[kremator 1065]

Gnat;2205295'].... still on 1.61 waiting to see a good post-1.62 beta' date=' so I can buy the new DLC and move on ......

So guys, this is effecting your Cash-Flow ......[/quote']

Well said Gnat! I'm not touching the DLC until they can get this LOD issue sorted out. Doesn't bode well for Arma3 if they can't sort these graphics. Perhaps RV isn't up to the task?

[.kju 3244]

Kremator you are one to better think twice before writing such nonsense.

If you were to check the CIT, you can easily see who actually takes the time to report issues properly..

Ontop of that I made video recordings of 1.60 vs 1.62 of the Arma benchmark missions and there was no noticable difference - for my system/settings.

And guess what I actually spent some two+ hours to look into this one properly too:

Repro

---

1 SP

2 Scenarios

3 E08 benchmark

4 start

5 focus on units with low LOD at close distance

My observations with the latest beta 95389:

---

1) In the T72 scene shooting at the chopper in the later part the

one/both T72 start at very low LOD when the camera gets switching to

this scene and after a moment (~0.5 - 1s) they change quickly to

high/higest LOD.

2) Same can be observed in the next infantry units scene for the

infantry unit at close distance on the right side crossing the street.

With 87636 (first beta after 1.60) both are immediately/from the start

high/highest LOD.

Further observations:

---

# Video memory did not make a difference for me

# For me the LODs are more stable in general with 1.62/latest beta,

while in 87636 at times there is LODs switching back and forth

especially for trees in the mid scene with Abrams tanks driving left

upwards the hill

# The T72 tank scene has heavy sun/HDR flicker (not new)

# In the last scene the grass and bushes/trees are fighting for focus

causing very visible texture flicker (not new)

With my system I always get near 60 average (v-sync on) - maybe the

issue is more prevelant with low(er) FPS with more frequent LOD switching.

With that said I am still not sure if thats the (only) issue people

complain about (new) in 1.62 in terms of LOD switching.

Tank(s) at low LOD:

http://www.picfront.org/d/8KHB

Infantry at low LOD:

http://www.picfront.org/d/8KHB

vs high

http://www.picfront.org/d/8KHz

(which is at times alive running to the left even closer to the camera)

The first two are brightened with paint.net as during the camera shift

it fades from black to normal.

When I run the benchmark for the first time, I have a very high

probability to see the issue - however with AI the events are at times

different not showing the issue at all.

Also limiting with the fps cheat to 10 or 20 did not show any noticable

difference in terms of LODs for me.

Yeah but ramble on ... :rolleyes:

[kremator 1065]

Sorry to offend you mate, however this is quite a serious topic that does affect my gameplay.

You have indeed carried out some great investigations and thanks for that. However even yourself you have seen 0.5 to 1 second pauses before moving into high LOD. This is unacceptable to me I'm afraid, and it seems to others as well. In such a game as Arma2, where we are scanning surroundings for the slightest enemy movement, a flickering LOD or a pause in LOD switch can spoil the fun/engagement/believeability.

I do have a fast machine, I do have a fast GFX card and I do have an SSD with only Arma2 on it. I know all the little tricks and tips (as I have been around for a long time). We do need a solution, and I am perfectly allowed to voice my displeasure, and vote with my cash. Once the LOD issues are sorted, I will be buying ACR, but not before. I'm sorry if that offends anyone. I was one of the first to see OFP in London many moons ago, and I have been a fervent supporter of all things BIS but I'm getting a little jaded with certain issues that have dogged the engine from time immemorial.

[doveman 7]

You have indeed carried out some great investigations and thanks for that. However even yourself you have seen 0.5 to 1 second pauses before moving into high LOD. This is unacceptable to me I'm afraid, and it seems to others as well. In such a game as Arma2, where we are scanning surroundings for the slightest enemy movement, a flickering LOD or a pause in LOD switch can spoil the fun/engagement/believeability.

Indeed it does. I have a good machine but no SSD but as it seems to be just as much of a problem for people with those, I've got no reason to think getting one would solve the problem.

[MavericK96 0]

For me it is primarily static objects (buildings, trees) that have major problems. Haven't noticed a major issue with infantry/vehicles.

[neokika 62]

Great work Kju,

This issues are the biggest visual problem in RV engine, LOD's changing when they should not, such as, when your view is not moving or even worse, when you move the view and the higher LOD's show when the objects are on the sides of the screen, instead of when they are at middle of it.

[kremator 1065]

Simple fix .... everything <=300m from you is always in the highest LOD. Or here's an idea ... actually store things in memory *gasp*

[cjph 0]

Hi

I tried setting up a RAMDisk containing all the ACR and all the plant/tree addons I could find, but this did not change anything and I still get the LOD transition. It appears to me as if all LODs are being scrolled though each time there is movement or zooming with a scope etc..

cj

[Daio 10]

cant play since acr because that lod switches 200 hundret meter in front of me

or trees looking like anno 1996 with 2 crossed textures

[KeyCat 131]

Just tried 95948 and the LOD issue is really bad for me (compared to 1.60), it's very evident on Taki buildings/vegetation when zoming in/out with right MB on my setup (using GTX260).

/KC

[grillob3 11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWKFteVd-TU&feature=youtu.be

This is with beta 95883. Everything VH, memory Default and pp very low. Atoc grass only.

My pc:

i7 3930k @4.8 prime95 24hrs linx 8hrs so is stable.

16 ram @ 2133

sli gtx 680

win7 64.

Plays every game with no problems.

Another one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JJM3MjpUsk

Edited August 16, 2012 by Grillob3

[purepassion 22]

In this situation, it might also be related to occlusion culling.

[maddogx 13]

In this situation, it might also be related to occlusion culling.

Yup, I've been seeing this problem since the beginning. Buggy occlusion culling inside buildings causes this.

[R0adki11 3949]

In this situation, it might also be related to occlusion culling.

any idea how to fix it?

[Punisher5555 0]

Hi

I tried setting up a RAMDisk containing all the ACR and all the plant/tree addons I could find, but this did not change anything and I still get the LOD transition. It appears to me as if all LODs are being scrolled though each time there is movement or zooming with a scope etc..

cj

I do not have ACR or the lite ACR. But I have a 25 GB RAMDISK with all .pbo's (arma2/OA/BAF/PMC/mods) loaded. 680 GTX 4GB VRAM (pci gen 3 enabled). i7 3770k "ivy bridge". Nothing overclocked. Full Steam version.

ArmA settings: 10k viewdistance, everything at max except postprocessing disabled (I hate blooming white cows). 1920x1080. smaa full.

Nothing LOD switches. EVER.

*Switch this engine to 64bit and use the RAM.*

[Seitan 8]

I do not have ACR or the lite ACR.

Biggest problem here is the ACR. It's unplayable. How can they release it in such state. ACR plants and trees just dont work. Those look like shit. Lod switching on and on, no matter how close or far the object is.

edit. typo's

Also ArmAII in SSD.

2600K @ 4.6

GTX 580 1536 MB

8GB RAM

Win7 64bit

Edited August 16, 2012 by Seitan

[kabong 1]

I concur, Seitan. ACR looks/plays particularly crappy for me due to LOD issues, and I'm running the game from an SSD.

[MavericK96 0]

I haven't gotten ACR or ACR Lite yet and the problem still exists. It's not ACR-specific, though it sounds like it's even worse there.

[Rough Knight 9]

There has only been one comment from a developer [Dwarden - first page], and his comment didn't suggest he see's a problem. I worry that this is the case and therefore the LOD switching is not a priority. Or perhaps the fix is not just simple, it probably implicates a number if things which could create other issues. I think the LOD switching is horrible however, and I hope it is addressed asap.

It also could come down to resourcing though. Perhaps they must finish the browser related work seen given priority in the last series of betas before trying to address this, no point trying to fight two fronts at once I suppose.

[kremator 1065]

It also could come down to resourcing though. Perhaps they must finish the DAYZ related work

Fixed it for you.