General Discussion (dev branch)

[NeuroFunker 11]

seems like performance on lighting has been improved in latest build, but it kinda looks to dull right now. But man, i can finally shoot thus lamps off! :)

[MavericK96 0]

Would be nice if we had the option for hardware PhysX, which it looks like we might just get. :)

[chrisb 196]

I agree with previous post, lighting has improved, wondering around town shooting them out is a bit of fun.

Performance at all the usual places I use has maintained, so thats really nice. Performance in flying has increased for me, so that’s great too.

Cheers BIS..:)

[SweetMatix 10]

Yay, my frame rate at night are now same with daylight! , no fps change while in vehicle too! Great work BIS! :D

Now I wonder if the lens flare will be gone forever, or just temporary?

[suiside 95]

with all the light tweaks and updates i wonder when the lighthouse will be lit at marina bay ?

as a first time poster and long time lurker, it has been great to read and be able to follow the alpha and the whole arma series

each new update is a treat of sorts, thanks

[jw custom 56]

I'm getting quite a lot vegitation (LOD?) flickering in this build.

[Insanatrix 0]

I'm getting quite a lot vegitation (LOD?) flickering in this build.

Hmmm, I was actually gonna say I get less flickering and distant vegetation (Tree's especially) actually kind of looks a little bit smoother.

[jw custom 56]

Hmmm, I was actually gonna say I get less flickering and distant vegetation (Tree's especially) actually kind of looks a little bit smoother.

Forgot to mention that i'm seeing this when flying, on ground it seems fine.

Also rocks are popping in and out and flickers.

[purepassion 22]

Forgot to mention that i'm seeing this when flying, on ground it seems fine.

Also rocks are popping in and out and flickers.

I had problems with very specific trees and bushes as well. I think NodUnit noticed the problem as well. For me, it wasn't really just LOD instability or flickering but rather a inconsistency in the different LODs and their color. It seems to be better with ATOC enabled though. Maybe I can upload the pictures I've taken and create a more detailed report

[jw custom 56]

I had problems with very specific trees and bushes as well. I think NodUnit noticed the problem as well. For me, it wasn't really just LOD instability or flickering but rather a inconsistency in the different LODs and their color. It seems to be better with ATOC enabled though. Maybe I can upload the pictures I've taken and create a more detailed report

I didn't have this "flickering" in previous build, though some builds back i had a little "flickering" but not as bad as now!

[purepassion 22]

Is your GPU memory alright? (I had problems with OC's), is your harddrive working properly? Is it really flickering or more of a unsmooth transition? Is everything flickering or just vegetation?

[jw custom 56]

Yes my graphic card is running smoothly (GTX 580), I'm using an SSD samsung 250gb which is working fine.

I just took another look and it really looks like the "flickering" or perhaps as you say "unsmooth transition" is caused by LOD switching back and forth.

So i've only noticed the "flickering" with vegitation and rocks.

[SaOk 112]

And bought GTX670 right away. :D Even if the GPU Physics dosent arrive at the end, very nice performance game have now. So I dont go too much offtopic, as feedback the flares dosent seem to emit much light for enviroment currently. Else looking very good and game is working smooth/stable at least in SP.

[Insanatrix 0]

Yes my graphic card is running smoothly (GTX 580), I'm using an SSD samsung 250gb which is working fine.

I just took another look and it really looks like the "flickering" or perhaps as you say "unsmooth transition" is caused by LOD switching back and forth.

So i've only noticed the "flickering" with vegitation and rocks.

Just to clarify, is this where it looks like an object or texture flashes white for a second almost like a shimmer, or is this when a model goes back and forth between different LOD's a couple of times?

[jw custom 56]

when a model goes back and forth between different LOD's a couple of times?

This one.

[DaRkL3AD3R 1]

This one.

Seconding this.

The flickering LOD transitions are a bit much.

Now this is somewhat technical, but I noticed that there is some substantial loss of detail in shadows when you increase the shadow rendering distance. I know why this is, and I believe BI could definitely improve in this area by tightening up their cascaded shadow maps. Also we could definitely appreciate controlling the shadow map resolution as some of us with higher end graphics cards could definitely use an increase without hurting things too much. I believe currently on Very High, shadow maps are rendered at 1024x1024 resolution. Most games I can get away with forcing 2048x2048 without a massive hit on fps. It's when I jump to 4096x4096 that the performance hit isn't worth the visual difference.

But either way, we could definitely use some more focus on close range shadows as with the 1024 resolution map and 200m shadow distance, close range shadows are very low resolution. This should be tweakable and improved before release.

[Insanatrix 0]

This one.

Do you run object detail on high or standard? I read that having it on high alleviates that problem and since turning it on high I haven't noticed it happening as much.

[xgp0006 10]

Noticed it on server in mp at agia marina in some foliage, thought it was lightning but during my walk through town using nvg i can see some minor flicker. Im sure its nothing and its only temporary!

[Wolfstriked 11]

Maybe I didn't notice it before but the dreaded look up and it darkens and look down and it brightens is now haunting my game.

[jw custom 56]

Do you run object detail on high or standard? I read that having it on high alleviates that problem and since turning it on high I haven't noticed it happening as much.

I have "Objects Quality" set on Ultra.

The thing is i have not changed any settings and with previous build there wasn't any "LOD flicker".

[metalcraze 290]

The LOD flicker happens when you keep moving in the same direction too - with objects switching back and forth between LODs. They should switch LOD once and stay there.

[Simas 12]

The LOD vegetation flickering issue has been here for ages. Not sure why the discussion started just now?

To reproduce: run forward near runway on the grass - and watch it. The foliage will pop in out of nowhere (and I mean near you, not far in the distance). But IMHO the biggest issue is with bushes.

[NeuroFunker 11]

well, i have buildings flickering at night now.

[Simas 12]

And bought GTX670 right away. :D

NVIDIA is revealing the GTX 780/770/760 in a couple of days.. All I can say is - bad timing :P

[jw custom 56]

The LOD vegetation flickering issue has been here for ages. Not sure why the discussion started just now?

To reproduce: run forward near runway on the grass - and watch it. The foliage will pop in out of nowhere (and I mean near you, not far in the distance). But IMHO the biggest issue is with bushes.

The kind of "LOD flicker" i have right now has not been here for ages on my system.

Like i said, in previous build i didn't have this issue.

Surely there has always been noticable LOD switching but not as severe as what i'm experiencing now!

And no, i'm not talking about bushes, grass popping up(which i've barely noticed in newer dev builds) i'm talking about LOD switching back and forth so the objects appear flickering.