PROPER projects - game tweaks of all sorts

[limbless 10]

I don't know if anyone has pointed this out already, but the interiors of some buildings, especially those with stairs, can look weird. I tried to take a screenshot, but it came out as a blank square. :bored:

Specifically, looking up at what should be the underside of the second story's floor shows a transparent surface, that allows one to see through the wall.

I was using the "Low" version at the time of observing this. If you want more information on what I mean, try it yourself - enter some of the house-like buildings in Cherno.

Otherwise, lovin' the FPS boost. :D

[randir14 10]

I don't know if anyone has pointed this out already, but the interiors of some buildings, especially those with stairs, can look weird. I tried to take a screenshot, but it came out as a blank square. :bored:

Specifically, looking up at what should be the underside of the second story's floor shows a transparent surface, that allows one to see through the wall.

I was using the "Low" version at the time of observing this. If you want more information on what I mean, try it yourself - enter some of the house-like buildings in Cherno.

Otherwise, lovin' the FPS boost. :D

Yeah I noticed this too.

[GLeek 10]

i personnaly prefer playing without proper building . though , the FPS boost of proper vegetation LOW is incredible. thanks guys for resolved something BI seem not to be able to . maybe they have parts @nvidia and @ATI ...

anyway , here is 2 full quality screenshot comparing nearly same picture. (i was not exactly at same spot . 1 meter difference actually )

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5071/arma2defaut.png

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3039/arma2properplantlow.png

[.kju 3239]

@ year1970

Some expert in this area could answer it better I guess. In general not possible I think.

What is possible is to trick the engine, like SgtAce did:

Either you replace the first res LOD with the second. So the first two are the same.

This way the engine should use the same res LOD for two different distances/areas.

This approach removes some res LOD phases though.

The other approach I could think of is instead of replacing, is just merging into between

two the copy. This would need to alter the res LOD values I think.

Not sure if that works though. I am not aware of any real evidence how the engine works based on the res LOD values.

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If you spot bad res LOD, please post a sample mission as explained here.

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At the link you also find a little FAQ on the tools and first-res-LOD-only questions.

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Thanks GLeek for the screens!

[jts_2009 96]

hey, when come Water Tweak Visuals? ))

[.kju 3239]

Like no water? Or ice only? :P

[MEDICUS 0]

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If you spot bad res LOD, please post a sample mission as explained here.

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Missions submitted.

MfG,

Medicus

[.kju 3239]

Cheers

[.kju 3239]

Anyone tried the Terrain or Buildings only Utes or Chernarus?

[WindsorGamer 10]

Thaks Kju.

I can finally run my desired setup with these mods... (ie. High shadows FINALLY!!)

I just hope that the servers I frequent allow them!

[andersson 285]

Anyone tried the Terrain or Buildings only Utes or Chernarus?

When I tried to DL them yesterday I couldnt for some reason.

I must say that your work is good kju! I have a laptop that I bring with me when I work and without your addons arma2 would be too slow. Now I can edit, build missions and test scripts. Not playable but usable :)

Is it possible for you to make some kind of "as low as possible" addon? I dont care if the wheels are blocks and the man looks like lego. Makes it easier for slow laptops like mine to test scenarios (to be used on my gaming rig when I get back home).

Thank you!

[t_d 47]

I released the tools now btw for those who want to try different settings:

Release thread

DevHeaven site for my tools

[xy20032004 0]

excellent job,man! I love those tools, finally I can tweak the pbos myself.

Thanks a lot!

Are these tools for AA2 only? Can they be used on AA1 P3D models?

---------- Post added at 12:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 AM ----------

T_D, can you make a GUI interface for your tools? When I want to edit lots of p3d files I have to do it one by one, how do you deal with so many files? Thanks in advance.

[Alex72 1]

Kju

Will there be some special updates or something new with the release of T_D's tools? Or maybe you have been using that before it was released?

[t_d 47]

excellent job,man! I love those tools, finally I can tweak the pbos myself.

Thanks a lot!

Are these tools for AA2 only? Can they be used on AA1 P3D models?

---------- Post added at 12:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 AM ----------

T_D, can you make a GUI interface for your tools? When I want to edit lots of p3d files I have to do it one by one, how do you deal with so many files? Thanks in advance.

A1 p3ds should work too (ODOL of course). I am probably not gonna make a GUI but maybe I add the possibility to process whole folders. For now you would need a batch file to process a bunch of p3ds.

[.kju 3239]

Added the process to the PROPER wiki page as well as my batch files.

There will be an update, if (more) people report LOD/texture issues. ;)

[NoRailgunner 0]

Arent the buildings in Buildings_Low(orVeryLow)_R_Proper the same like in seperate files BuildingsOnlyChernarus/Utes_World_C_Proper?

Is it possible to look and find issues with objects/buildings/vegetation textures ingame via objectbrowser like this one from Kronzky?

[.kju 3239]

Yes they are. After all objects are not integrated into a world file.

The object browser might work. That said you need to make it show the different Res LODs

and mipmaps by distance (and FPS).

[Cionara 10]

Has someone used that tool to remove mipmaps and has a nice conclusion ?

Because I would love to use that Build-Tweak if the first mipmaps would be there so it would no longer be bugged in some buildings.

[.kju 3239]

Cionara you mix both. The resolution LODs of the p3d are responsible for missing

walls etc. The mipmaps are more about the look - at least for buildings.

Extreme and very high vegetation test versions

===================================

Here is are two new versions for vegetation to test.

Please download ONLY, if you want to test - these are NOT recommended for

normal play. Please do NOT make a news item about these.

Only highest Res LOD. No texture changes:

Vegetation_VeryHigh_Visuals_R_PROPER.7z (370 MB).

Only highest Res LOD, only highest mipmap/texture:

Vegetation_ExtremeHigh_Visuals_R_PROPER.7z (270 MB).

Notes

====

This is how it looks by default: ResLodAndMipMapsUnmodified

Very high: HighestResLodOnly_NoMipMapChanges

Extreme has the issue of mipmaps/textures not pre/loaded correctly. You

need to get close first for the texture to be shown correctly:

HighestResLodAndMipMapOnly_Issues

Once loaded, it does look quite nice:

HighestResLodAndMipMapOnly_AfterTexturesLoaded

HighestResLodAndMipMapOnly_InMotion

Conclusion

========

• ExtremeHigh looks quite good once loaded.
  
• It migth be better to use the 2nd Res LOD and/or 2nd mipmap, as in the
  current version the trees flicker a bit due to the thin / very detailed drawing
  and therefore high alpha part.
  
• It seems that not mipmaps are removed, instead it is about subtextures.
  The mipmaps are said to be generated on the fly. So if the subtexture is no
  longer found, no mipmap can be generated, hence the one colored textures
  look (fallback / default value).
  
• For this reason T_D might try a different approach. Might get too complex though.
  
• The very high version (first Res LOD only, no texture changes) looks worse on my setup.
  

In addition you may wanna try these two preloading addons:

• PreloadVegetationModels_Visuals_C_PROPER.7z
  Seems to have no effect or does not work.
  

• PreloadVegetationTextures_Visuals_C_PROPER.7z
  Might work yet freezes the game on world loading here.
  Seems like it is unable to preload that many textures or is the problem
  of not being able to preload some referenced in the model (see rpt).
  

So for the later you could try to remove some references to try to get it

to work.

Edited September 13, 2009 by kju

[kremator 1064]

Thanks for all this work kju ! Testing now.

EDIT: After doing some testing on the VERYHIGH visuals I am about to try the EXTREMELYHIGH visual.

I have found that there seems to be NO FPS hit at all on veryhigh and the game looks better. I can still see a little switching so I hope that extremelyhigh will sort this. Some trees have no substance to them at all, however. When you walk right up to them they look paper thin.

Edited September 13, 2009 by Kremator
For more information

[lee_h._oswald 0]

I have some problems with the extremhigh, but veryhigh runs GREAT so far!

I'm going to test a little more but I can say one thing right now:

You are a HERO kju!

MfG Lee :D

Edit:

As expected, it cost a little FPS but runs smoother overall. Just like good old OFP.

It's so fantastic to NOT see the tree lods switching in front of your eyes all the time.

Thank you so much for fixing this annoying problem! :cheers:

Edited September 13, 2009 by Lee_H._Oswald

[MEDICUS 0]

Don't know if this was reported, but i just realised, that i don't have any ladders with "Buildings_Low_Visuals_R_PROPER" at all.

And with "Vegetation_Low_Visuals_R_PROPER", the trees and bushes don't have a collision anymore. They stop bullets, i shot at them, but i can run and drive trough them.

MfG, Medicus

[Cionara 10]

That was the old version without colliding. Redownload the newer one.

[MEDICUS 0]

Oh ok. Thx ,Cionara! :)