midrange terrain texture replacement

[fabio_chavez 103]

i think it isnt an optical improvement at all, it just turns the textures into boring flat random generic looking textures, but in the first place, they f*** up performance quite significantly!

uninstalled.

[Predator.v2 10]

Please check these screenshots again and tell me, you can't see the optical improvement.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?150645-midrange-terrain-texture-replacement&p=2354379&viewfull=1#post2354379

About performance, i have experienced about an 5% drop in fps when using this.

I can really live with that!

[rehtus777 10]

Excellent Mod, keep up the good work. My FPS doesn't seem to suffer at all. Also, I don't know if it has been mentioned yet (I haven't read all the replies) but the Taxi-Way at the Air Base has speckles all over it once you take off in a helicopter. When I'm on the ground, the concrete looks normal, but once I lift off the ground, the concrete starts to get that pepper look in it. Anyway........ thanks for the mod.

[Predator.v2 10]

@rehtus:

When you are close, the game places a close range texture above all terrain, which "hides" the large satellite image texture. Although this close range texture ends after a few meters and here the "mid range replacement texture" kicks in.

Problem with the Air Base Taxi-Way and some other regions, which aren't roads or objects, is the fact, that the texture mod doesn't recognize different "material surfaces" and just puts the addons mid range texture above everything. Thats why we gonna need a more sophisticated consideration on how to get rid of the blurry mid range textures in the end. (Ha, i like this one. :D)

Basically "NordKindchens" idea contains a logic map, with all informations about terrain character, to apply the right mid range texture on the right place.

[bad benson 1733]

i think it isnt an optical improvement at all, it just turns the textures into boring flat random generic looking textures, but in the first place, they f*** up performance quite significantly!

uninstalled.

while i appreciate any kind of feedback i feel like i have to make something clear. this addon replaces a 1024x1024 texture with another one of the same size. so you might want to get a new rig or something because this addon shouldn't have any impact on performance at all. the "boring flat" part made me laugh...

About performance, i have experienced about an 5% drop in fps when using this.

please don't drop any numbers as small as they might be if you aren't sure of the cause. as i said. just a replacement...

Also, I don't know if it has been mentioned yet (I haven't read all the replies) but the Taxi-Way at the Air Base has speckles all over it once you take off in a helicopter. When I'm on the ground, the concrete looks normal, but once I lift off the ground, the concrete starts to get that pepper look in it.

well that's due to how the engine works which has been mentioned and discussed time and time again. that's what all the versions are for. you can't have it all since this addon replaces only one texture that the engine tiles over the whole island. there are enough versions that have the strength of the default texture to choose from or just don't use the addon.

[reaper lok 82]

I love this addon, my game looks almost photo realistic at distance now instead of that blurry mess :) Nice work, most appreciated.

[Predator.v2 10]

please don't drop any numbers as small as they might be if you aren't sure of the cause. as i said. just a replacement...

I am quiet sure of the cause. At least situational. Yesteray i was interested about exactly this concern and made some tests. I created a editor mission, standing on a hill above Agia Marina and watching down the city/town. Setting was very high/ultra, view distance around 1000. I made several tests with default textures and "sharp 2". With default texs, i experienced around 45 fps and with midtex "sharp2" around 42-43. I repeated this procedure several times and could always see this small drop off of about 2-3 fps while looking over Agia Marina (just loaded into the mission, haven't moved or looked around, always stirring at the same spot).

So i don't know what's causing this, as i also thought you might have increased the resolution a bit. But i experienced a small thing (maybe it is just imagination and nothing), but my MSI Afterburner Monitor sometimes records a small spike at my video memory usage from a flat 9xx mb to a temporary, short 1050+ mb. I am also

using some graphics driver tweaks to increase my texture quality, maybe some of these settings are going haywire.

But since i trust your words about the same resolution of the textures (and the supposedly same performance) , i will make more intense fps tests and report back later this evening. Maybe i was really seeing things...

[josche 11]

Great Work, Thanks.

Significant Performance Drops Im not loock.

[bad benson 1733]

But since i trust your words about the same resolution of the textures (and the supposedly same performance) , i will make more intense fps tests and report back later this evening. Maybe i was really seeing things...

well ok feel free to. just so you know though. i won't try to fix this "problem". the file size of the original texture is 672Kb. the sharp versions are 682Kb. all versions are around the same size. the lite version is 666 Kb so file size seems to be related to contrast or something. i didn't change any values in the config except for the path to the actual texture. so yea if 10 -20 Kb make a difference then that's how it is i guess...

as long as they don't "f*** up performance quite significantly!" like that one funny fella claimed i frankly don't care.

[lightspeed_aust 681]

By the way, I notice that if you run landtex as well it overrides the midrange textures and you will see no improvement. Remove landtex and voila.

[Predator.v2 10]

The latest landtex has a midrange tex of its own. Maybe try removing it?

@Benson:

Never wanted to propose, you should "fix" anything. I just noticed it.

[bad benson 1733]

Never wanted to propose, you should "fix" anything. I just noticed it.

wasn't referring to you. it's all good:)

[fabio_chavez 103]

without addon:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/nomidtex.png/

with addon:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/midtex.png/

on performance:

for thisone i created an editor mission to compare like, empirical. earlyer today when i first tested the addon, i joined various multiplayer servers (wich may be causing variying performance as well), and i had the impression that the addon reduced the fps, noticably.

on the looks:

it is indeed a very subjective thing, on this particular sceenshot i even prefer the addon, at other places i personally liked it less, thank you for your effort many people seem to appreciate anyway.

My System Specs:

Intel Xeon X3220 2,4ghz OC @3,6ghz

4gb DDR2 1033mhz

AMD 6970 OC (power color PCS+)

SSD 256mb Corsair Neutron

Basic

-Resolution: 1920x1080x32

-Visibility: Overall: 1490 Vis: 1000 Shadow:70

Rendering:

-3D Resolution: 150%

-AA: Disabled

-PPAA: FXAA on standard

-ATOC: Disabled

Postprocesses:

-Quality: Disabled

-HDR: Standard

-Anisotropic Filtering: Very High

-PIP: Standard

-Dynamic Lights: Very High

Quality:

-Texture Detail: Ultra

-Object Quality: Low or Standard

-Terrain Quality: Ultra

-Cloud Quality: Ultra

-Shadow Quality: High

-Particles Quality: High

Edited March 25, 2013 by Fabio_Chavez

[bad benson 1733]

lol. what's your point dude? all i said is there shouldn't be a performance impact because i just replaced a texture and that i can't and won't fix it. and if there is one it's far from "significant". it's not my fault that your average FPS is slightly over the edge of playable (30) in the editor and that a drop of 3 - 4 FPS (that's what i measured) is noticable because you then fall under that edge.

my point was that i have no influence on it because i just replaced a texture with another one of the same resolution and that you made a gross overstatement about the significance of the performance impact.

i only replied to your post because of its tone.

in my eyes the fact that you even posted again shows that you are just an attention seeking idiot...i just remembered why i barely released anything for arma 2.

i'll leave this discussion with a quote by Gnat

Have fun ..... and remember, I do this shit for free, its not perfect, so dont whine.

feel free to go on. i just stopped caring:)

[fabio_chavez 103]

the fact that you just called me idiot for no reason, just made me regret replying in a conciliatory tone.

"t's not my fault that your average FPS is slightly over the edge of playable (30) in the editor"

- no it isnt, but its not my fault that you made an fps sucking addon with questionable purpose either.

"a drop of 3 - 4 FPS (that's what i measured)"

-the reality is it reduced framerate 2-3 times more, wich is, precisely and exactly "significant". Its not like the game itsself isnt demanding enough lol

"that you made a gross overstatement about the significance of the performance impact."

-i didnt, i described the performance impact "precisely and exactly"

"in my eyes the fact that you even posted again shows that you are just an attention seeking idiot..."

-sorry for trying to give validifyable feedback.

"i just remembered why i barely released anything for arma 2."

-because the quality of your contribution was disputable?

i think the product speaks for itself... uninstalled

[metalcraze 290]

The latest landtex has a midrange tex of its own. Maybe try removing it?

@Benson:

Never wanted to propose, you should "fix" anything. I just noticed it.

Landtex with its midrange texture looks a lot worse than default satmap with strong midrange texture from here.

A lot of details are missing.

[bad benson 1733]

i think the product speaks for itself... uninstalled

argh...no...not again...it hurt so bad the first time.

*eagerly waiting for response* :popcornsmilie:

[PECAKsGUITAR 1]

You should leave this discussion. If you dont like this mode, ok. Just dont use it and leave. Other users appreciate BBs work.

By the way, this mode really dont affect performance of the game.

the fact that you just called me idiot for no reason, just made me regret replying in a conciliatory tone.

"t's not my fault that your average FPS is slightly over the edge of playable (30) in the editor"

- no it isnt, but its not my fault that you made an fps sucking addon with questionable purpose either.

"a drop of 3 - 4 FPS (that's what i measured)"

-the reality is it reduced framerate 2-3 times more, wich is, precisely and exactly "significant". Its not like the game itsself isnt demanding enough lol

"that you made a gross overstatement about the significance of the performance impact."

-i didnt, i described the performance impact "precisely and exactly"

"in my eyes the fact that you even posted again shows that you are just an attention seeking idiot..."

-sorry for trying to give validifyable feedback.

"i just remembered why i barely released anything for arma 2."

-because the quality of your contribution was disputable?

i think the product speaks for itself... uninstalled

[lightspeed_aust 681]

@fabio chavez aka idiot

BB did not ask you to use the addon, he made it and offered it to the community. If you don't like it, don't use it.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Lightspeed_aust

[Kuskov 1]

i think it isnt an optical improvement at all, it just turns the textures into boring flat random generic looking textures

Really, you think this isn't a massive improvement? -

If I were using default textures that helicopter would stick out like the proverbial sore thumb.

[sqb-sma 66]

By the way, I notice that if you run landtex as well it overrides the midrange textures and you will see no improvement. Remove landtex and voila.

And if you put mid range first then landtex won't run either.

Okay, i think it is gonna be sharp2 for me from now on.

I just compared it to default a3 textures:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/1/orig.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/1/sharp21.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/2/orig%202.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/2/sharp22.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/3/orig%203.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/3/sharp23.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/4/orig%204.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/4/sharp24.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/5/orig.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/106806270/arma3%20midtex/midtex_final/orig_midtex_sharp2/5/sharp25.png

Pretty amazing..

I've been playing with this a bit more and...

Pretty amazing indeed. This is perfect, in my opinion. The detail, the camouflage, the clarity at a distance. Great work BB, I love it.

[bigpickle 0]

the fact that you just called me idiot for no reason, just made me regret replying in a conciliatory tone.

"t's not my fault that your average FPS is slightly over the edge of playable (30) in the editor"

- no it isnt, but its not my fault that you made an fps sucking addon with questionable purpose either.

"a drop of 3 - 4 FPS (that's what i measured)"

-the reality is it reduced framerate 2-3 times more, wich is, precisely and exactly "significant". Its not like the game itsself isnt demanding enough lol

"that you made a gross overstatement about the significance of the performance impact."

-i didnt, i described the performance impact "precisely and exactly"

"in my eyes the fact that you even posted again shows that you are just an attention seeking idiot..."

-sorry for trying to give validifyable feedback.

"i just remembered why i barely released anything for arma 2."

-because the quality of your contribution was disputable?

i think the product speaks for itself... uninstalled

Ungrateful. Go back to COD.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Bigpickle
Remove Bad Language

[Harzach 2517]

There's always at least one...

Unpleasantness aside, this is a perfect example of user input elevating the source material. And a high-value/low overhead example, as well. Great work on this!

[sqb-sma 66]

There's always at least one...

Unpleasantness aside, this is a perfect example of user input elevating the source material. And a high-value/low overhead example, as well. Great work on this!

Regarding performance, my curiosity was aroused by those trolls. I just did a bunch of benchmarks and got:

Without mod: Average framerate (no/very low CPU load) 78.2fps. Standard error of measurement ~+-2fps

With mod: Average framerate (No/very low CPU load) 77.7fps. Standard error of ~+-2fps.

There is a huge SEM overlap, any performance hit must be very, very marginal. From these results I would claim that there is no performance hit.

Each benchmark was performed 10 times.

[Kuskov 1]

From these results I would claim that there is no performance hit.

I'll take your word for it. I haven't done any benchmark testing but my computer is old and shitty and the texture replacement mod has shown no noticeable impact on performance so that's good enough evidence for me.