Huge drop of FPS

[ArmaVidz 0]

Drop of FPS in vegetation is caused by overdaw, it means that grafic card is not able to draw so many pixels that scene needs. When GC draw scene, it automatically cut hiden pixels, BUT only if this pixels are not alphatransparent. Vegetation is builded from polygons with some opacity textures, so this cuting (early Z test on HW) not work here. There is no simple solution, better performance will be with low shading detail settings (simplified pixel shader), but overdraw is still there. Also using of worst LODs will not help so match, because less polygons means worst tree shape aproximation and final surface (what is most important for overdraw reduction) will be similar. We are still woring on some research in this area.

Perhaps the Dev's can tell us which hardware will run this game to it's maximum potential.

I hear all this "well it's complicated" and this affects that but I haven't seen a member of the Dev's openly say "This is the system we run ARMA on, it's guaranteed to run the game at 50+ FPS."

That's what we need to see. Once and for all.  

[bravo 6 0]

Drop of FPS in vegetation is caused by overdaw, it means that grafic card is not able to draw so many pixels that scene needs. When GC draw scene, it automatically cut hiden pixels, BUT only if this pixels are not alphatransparent. Vegetation is builded from polygons with some opacity textures, so this cuting (early Z test on HW) not work here. There is no simple solution, better performance will be with low shading detail settings (simplified pixel shader), but overdraw is still there. Also using of worst LODs will not help so match, because less polygons means worst tree shape aproximation and final surface (what is most important for overdraw reduction) will be similar. We are still woring on some research in this area.

@ohara, are there any news or any improvements about this subject? (Players still complain abouth the same problem)

[xendance 3]

You used alpha-textures in the trees? Why on earth considering the amount of trees? I only have Unreal Engine 2/2.5 experience, and all vegetation on it use masked textures, not alpha textures. And masked textures don't cause that much overdraw and the engine doesn't have to calculate which pixel to draw.

[ohara 0]

Yes, we found solution how to reduce overdraw about 25%, but this solution need diferent representation of tree surfaces and vertexes (diferent model and binarisation of this model and diferent way, how to switch vegetation lods). So it's not usable for curent vegetation data and will be used in next projects. Alphatextures mean also masked textures (that is 1bit transparency or opacity if you want and we use them)

[bravo 6 0]

Yes, we found solution how to reduce overdraw about 25%, but this solution need diferent representation of tree surfaces and vertexes (diferent model and binarisation of this model and diferent way, how to switch vegetation lods). So it's not usable for curent vegetation data and will be used in next projects. Alphatextures mean also masked textures (that is 1bit transparency or opacity if you want and we use them)

First, i would like to appreciate your answer and your attention on this post.

Secound, i not sure if i fully understood what you said. Apologize my ignorance or my possible miss understanding.

I got the impression that the improvement done/made, since your first post on this thread, will not be part or affect ArmA?

Next projects? Not ArmA?!

Can you please clarefy the statement?

Thank you for your attention

[-=seany=- 5]

my guess he means "Game2". I have to say, I'm quite disappointed this cant be fixed in Arma. Just have to wait till I upgrade I guess

[Dwarden 1125]

i hope it mean it can't be used for actual trees / vegetation models etc

but it not 'removes' the chance use new models binarized differently for future (e.g. after tools are released or new islands in QG etc)

correct me Suma if i'm wrong

but i'm sure everyone is drooling over these 25% You just mentioned lol