Clutter Distance

[1para{god-father} 105]

Having an issue with Clutter Distance,

 

Below is what I have setup in my config and it runs great in performance, but you can see when you use a scope or zoom in without any scope there is clearly no Grass in the distance and it is just to flat smooth - is just looks strange.

 

Any suggestion ? 

 

what does everyone else have there's set to ?  

clutterGrid = 1.2;
clutterDist = 120;
noDetailDist = 65;
fullDetailDist = 10;

[bushlurker 45]

It's always a good idea to check out the BI terrains themselves when looking at parameters like these which are basically a compromise between visual quality and performance - see what sort of figures BI settled on for their various terrains.

You also might find that with a smaller, lighter-weight terrain, you can lean the numbers more towards visual quality, whereas if you're up there with Altis on the area/object count stakes, then leaning slightly more towards performance might be a useful compromise...

All four of these parameters basically control clutter (and ground texture) density, visual quality and range... Here's what each does in a little more detail...

 

clutterGrid = x.xx;

 

The clutterGrid size essentially determines clutter Density. You already specify the relative density of the different clutter models in your mix via the cfgSurfaces "Surface Character" section - this parameter controls the overall density. Lower numbers will provide higher density clutter (a nice thick "carpet" ), but possibly at the cost of some performance.

 

clutterDist = xxx;  (in meters)

 

Imagine this parameter as a large circle, centred on the player. The value specified is the radius of that circle. Outside this circle, clutter won't appear at all, so this is basically your overall Range Control. Remember that all the parameters affect each other, so a Big range combined with a High density is a double-drag on performance...

 

fullDetailDist = xx;  (in meters)

 

In game, directly under your feet - unless you have extremely high clutter density - you'll be able to see the actual underlying ground texture which is in use on this particular surface. It should/will be in nice hi-res quality and you may even notice a little parallax happening too - in other words, you're seeing the Ground Texture at "Full Detail"

This parameter is another "circular range around the player" - this time it controls the distance out to which those ground textures will be displayed at their full, maximum quality.

One important point to note with this particular parameter is that it MUST always be greater than your underlying heightmap cell size!

 

noDetailDist = xxx; (in meters)

 

As you've probably guessed, this parameter handles the other end of the range specified by the fullDetailDist above - in this case, it controls the point at which the detailed ground textures themselves fade out completely, and are replaced by the satellite imagery.

 

To smooth this transition slightly is the purpose of the "Middle MCO texture" which you specify elsewhere in your main config. That's basically an "additional detail overlay" texture.

It - should - start to kick in at round about this range so the general intention and aim is to achieve a reasonably smooth transition from...

 

    Underfoot/Close Range   -----------------------> Mid Range   ----------------> Quite Far away   -------> Very Far Away

Close-up texture (plus clutter) > Sat imagery+middle mco (plus clutter) > Sat imagery + middle mco > Sat imagery only

 

If you get the balance between this lot reasonably good (always bearing performance in mind, of course), and your overall colours and tones of groundtextures/clutter/sat imagery all match reasonably well, you can achieve a pretty smooth visual blend between the different ranges...

 

 

B

[RoF 240]

fullDetailDist = xx;  (in meters)

 

One important point to note with this particular parameter is that it MUST always be greater than your underlying heightmap cell size!

 

 

So if your cell size is 10, do you just set it to 11? Or is it best to do 16?

[1para{god-father} 105]

Thanks Bush great explanation !

 

Have been tweaking , I think it is my Sat image then as it need some works hence looking very flat at long distance.

 

Advice welcome !

 

normal view

 

 

Zoomed

 

 

 

As you can see when zommed you get the no clutter flat area in the distance that looks flat - when it is open terrain is looks very flat indeed,  suggestions welcome  :) 

[colddna 5]

i love those trees which ones are those? and your map is looking good too

[badluckburt 78]

Thanks Bush great explanation !

 

Have been tweaking , I think it is my Sat image then as it need some works hence looking very flat at long distance.

 

Advice welcome !

 

normal view

 

 

 

Zoomed

 

 

-snip

 

As you can see when zommed you get the no clutter flat area in the distance that looks flat - when it is open terrain is looks very flat indeed,  suggestions welcome   :)

 

Very nice! What texture are you using as MCO atm? You may be able to squeeze some more detail in like BadBenson did with his. In any case, good luck, I hope you can find a technique that works :)

[1para{god-father} 105]

I am using the standard A3 -  midDetailTexture = "A3\Map_Data\middle_mco.paa";

 

If you have or know a better one please let me know  :)

[badluckburt 78]

I think BadBenson did a very good job with his: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=19524

 

That's also the only one I know of. You can look at the texture in the PBO, it looks very different from BIS' MCO. I have no idea how he made it so you would have to ask him but it's a starting point maybe. Good luck!

[1para{god-father} 105]

I would like to THANK YOU SOOOO MUCHHHHHHH , as I updated that on my terrain and looks SOOO much better indeed now at distance !

[badluckburt 78]

Thanks but all credit goes to Bad Benson, all I did was point you to his mod :)

[1para{god-father} 105]

Thanks but all credit goes to Bad Benson, all I did was point you to his mod :)

true but without your post would not have found it :)