bug on changing render distance ?

[WolfeUK 1]

ok so last night i was in my tank, Slammer-up and i went up a hill to spot enemys, it was clear all round me, so i put my video distance setting up to 3200 from 2400, although i couldnt see the enemy tank i knew it was there by the red 'orb', i was fully zoomed in and could see the orb moving but still couldnt see the tank,

so my question is how did that tank see me and begin firing on my position (blowing my tank up in 2 hits) yet i couldnt see his tank ?

im guessing its not like W.O.T. where different tanks have different spot ranges so is this a bug ?

Edited May 5, 2014 by WolfeUK

[timmo1982 10]

There is a difference between object distance view settings and terrain distance view settings. Did you increase both?

[WolfeUK 1]

i did the distance and the object i left to change as default, either way its kinda not the point

[Belbo 462]

i did the distance and the object i left to change as default, either way its kinda not the point

Then you should probably elaborate and provide a bit more and specified information. Your entry post is not really clear on a lot of things that play a role here. :) But one thing first: The red "orb" you're talking about is called an enemyTag (as toggleable via PROFILENAME.arma3Profile in your MyDocuments\arma 3\-folder. I'm not quite sure if the enemyTag should always show the exact position of an enemy unit or it's estimated position. So it could be possible that you watched out for the tank at a position it wasn't even at. If the "red 'orb'" you were talking about however was a target-marker (like a red square on your HUD), it definitely would show only an estimated position.

The different kinds of view distance timmo1982 talked about are indeed part of "the point" though: If your overall view distance is set to 3200m, but your object viewing distance is only set to 800 you will never be able to see anything beside the ground after 800m. That can be a reason for your problem, as I'm not quite sure if the enemyTag is shown even for units outside of the object view distance. The way you changed your view distance is relevant as well: Did you use the game menu or an AddOn/Script like TAW-ViewDistance?

Another solution: Do you know with certainty that the tank you thought you had in sights was actually the only tank around? Maybe it was another tank that got you and not the one you had (or hadn't) in sights.

I can however tell you that there's no bug on changing the render distance and if you should have one against all odds, you should definitely check your graphics drivers, directX-version, the integrity of your game cache, the dust on your cpu and whatnot else...

[k0rd 3]

To directly answer your question OP, there is no such bug known at this time.

[WolfeUK 1]

Then you should probably elaborate and provide a bit more and specified information. Your entry post is not really clear on a lot of things that play a role here. :) But one thing first: The red "orb" you're talking about is called an enemyTag (as toggleable via PROFILENAME.arma3Profile in your MyDocuments\arma 3\-folder. I'm not quite sure if the enemyTag should always show the exact position of an enemy unit or it's estimated position. So it could be possible that you watched out for the tank at a position it wasn't even at. If the "red 'orb'" you were talking about however was a target-marker (like a red square on your HUD), it definitely would show only an estimated position.

The different kinds of view distance timmo1982 talked about are indeed part of "the point" though: If your overall view distance is set to 3200m, but your object viewing distance is only set to 800 you will never be able to see anything beside the ground after 800m. That can be a reason for your problem, as I'm not quite sure if the enemyTag is shown even for units outside of the object view distance. The way you changed your view distance is relevant as well: Did you use the game menu or an AddOn/Script like TAW-ViewDistance?

Another solution: Do you know with certainty that the tank you thought you had in sights was actually the only tank around? Maybe it was another tank that got you and not the one you had (or hadn't) in sights.

I can however tell you that there's no bug on changing the render distance and if you should have one against all odds, you should definitely check your graphics drivers, directX-version, the integrity of your game cache, the dust on your cpu and whatnot else...

i do find it irrelevant as my point was if i can only see 800m away regardless of any other settings, yet theres a tank say 900m away, why would that tank see me but i cant see that tank ?

there where only 2 tanks and i was in one of them, it was the tank that i couldnt see that shot me, it didnt shoot untill i changed the viewing distance

btw theres nothing wrong with my video card, not sure why you would even bring it up ?

[nomisum 129]

in short, ai doesnt suffer from view distance penalties afaik. its client side, ai is server side.

Sent from mobile

[WolfeUK 1]

in short, ai doesnt suffer from view distance penalties afaik. its client side, ai is server side.

Sent from mobile

that makes no sense to me, i play on my pc not on a server

[nomisum 129]

fair enough, i mean its a graphics setting and its independent from ai calculations. its independent presumambly because mp compliance even in sp (speculation here)

Sent from mobile

[Greenfist 1863]

The enemy tag is where the enemy is guessed to be. So if you (=your in-game character) spotted it there, then lost visual contact to it and it moved away meanwhile, then the tag would still be there while the enemy is already somewhere else.

The view distance settings affect AI spotting and engaging distance. If you don't want far away enemies to detect you in SP game, change you VD to 500.

I don't know if it affects vehicles with radars. I suppose they'll spot you if you're in the radar range but won't attack.

[Belbo 462]

i do find it irrelevant as my point was if i can only see 800m away regardless of any other settings, yet theres a tank say 900m away, why would that tank see me but i cant see that tank ?

there where only 2 tanks and i was in one of them, it was the tank that i couldnt see that shot me, it didnt shoot untill i changed the viewing distance

btw theres nothing wrong with my video card, not sure why you would even bring it up ?

You're confusing some things here: Render distance and spawn distance. The spawn distance of units has nothing to do with your render distance. The tank will always be there, wether you see it or you don't. That's why this point is important. It's not a question of client vs. server. That's why there are scripts/addons that "cache" AI: They enable AI units only if they are in a certain distance to the player. But as long as you don't use such a script/addon you'll always have to keep all the AI units in your mind (and on your CPU for hosted games and SP), if your object distance is too low.

And may I add: Yes, sometimes people on internet-boards post useless answers, just to post something. But sometimes the answers actually do make sense, although you might not actually understand why. You should let others decide how pointless an answer is, if you're the one asking the question. :)

The view distance settings affect AI spotting and engaging distance. If you don't want far away enemies to detect you in SP game, change you VD to 500.

I don't know if it affects vehicles with radars. I suppose they'll spot you if you're in the radar range but won't attack.

I'm pretty sure radar range is not influenced by VD. I wonder though if spotting distance is rather influenced by object VD or by overall VD - and if this constraint is valid for all aiUnits (knowing the consistency of AI programming of BI games ;)) I could almost imagine that vehicles (even w/o radar) are excluded from this.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Pergor

[Greenfist 1863]

I wonder though if spotting distance is rather influenced by object VD or by overall VD - and if this constraint is valid for all aiUnits (knowing the consistency of AI programming of BI games ;)) I could almost imagine that vehicles (even w/o radar) are excluded from this.

The overall view distance seems to be the factor. The object VD has no effect, which is kinda unfair; if your view distance is 2000m and object VD 500 then AI at 1000m will spot and shoot you.

[WolfeUK 1]

The overall view distance seems to be the factor. The object VD has no effect, which is kinda unfair; if your view distance is 2000m and object VD 500 then AI at 1000m will spot and shoot you.

finally someone gets the point i was trying to make

[Harzach 2517]

This is why you should try to keep overall distance and object distance as close as possible. Unless you are flying, what's the point of seeing far if you can't actually see what is there?

I think that in A2, object render distance was hard-coded at .75 view distance. Being able to push object distance to full view distance is a wonderful thing.

[nomisum 129]

interesting, didnt knew vd has actually an effect on ai behaviour

Sent from mobile

[Belbo 462]

finally someone gets the point i was trying to make

But that's not a bug... ;) It's at best a feature that leads to unexpected AI behaviour.

[WolfeUK 1]

But that's not a bug... ;) It's at best a feature that leads to unexpected AI behaviour.

yea, i think its just something else that needs addressing, weather it be playing with render distance or BI changing how AI reacts

i will try the .75% view distance

thanks

[a1994114a 10]

I have that problem too. Everytime I drive a tank in king of the hill game mode, my tank blows up before I can see enemy tanks.  Death screen showed that the enemy killed me 4200 m away. I'm feeling really confused because the view limit is 4000m in that game. How could they destroy me from 4200m away? Unbelievable!?!

[St. Jimmy 272]

I have that problem too. Everytime I drive a tank in king of the hill game mode, my tank blows up before I can see enemy tanks.  Death screen showed that the enemy killed me 4200 m away. I'm feeling really confused because the view limit is 4000m in that game. How could they destroy me from 4200m away? Unbelievable!?!

Are you 100% sure the limit is 4000m? There can be a menu where you can increase the view distances. Or maybe air vehicles have more view distance available.

You need always increase the distance through the server side scripted menu and then you likely need to increase distances through your in-game graphic options.

Also it could be that the guy or vehicle shot you inside the 4000m but both of you have moved a little and the death screen shows greater distance because it likely measures when you were hit, not when the shot was fired. I guess you're shot with missiles or with some sort of guided rockets from that distance?