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[WxTech]

From my own experiments, I know that a good strategy to avoid the jarring suddenness of buildings, for example, appearing and disappearing while still of sizable dimensions on screen is to have the lowest LOD given partial transparency. About 2/3 opacity, or a value of around 0.67 would be a good start; perhaps even 0.5. This is particularly valuable for those larger objects which, due to frequency of use and hence potential density of number in a small area, should not be given a rather large visibility distance. (Think the bigger city block objects used for Berlin.)

If a mesh has no more than 2 LODs, or if the 3rd LOD is simply a flat, horizontal rectangle, a 3rd LOD having the basic 3D volume should be added. This could be simply a copy of the former last volumetric LOD representation. The distance values for the LODs would best be adjusted accordingly.

Too bad this scheme wasn't adopted from the start! Now there are so many objects to tackle. Ideally all objects would benefit. But for a start, just the bigger ones could be given such a treatment. Even so, it would be a project better executed by a 'consortium' of helping hands, to make lighter the workload.

I might make a start on a number of stock objects, to show the result.

Another aspect of object re-jigging worthy to undertake all on it's own would be the elimination of the farthest LOD flicker for some, due to the flat rectangle employed being placed ON the ground, instead of at least a couple of meters ABOVE ground, and thereby obviating the resultant Z-plane 'fighting.'

[WxTech]

As part of a more widespread fixing of object oddities, I tried this partial transparency trick on the olive tree objects. These are pretty dark, and on a lighter desert landscape stick out like a sore thumb. When they pop into view you can't miss 'em!

The .mat file for the lowest LOD was given an opacity of 50%. Now it more subtly pops into view, almost as though due to a combination of 'haze' and smallness of apparent size. Much better!

[SAS~Malone]

Sounds great, Wx!
these are the sort of 'fixes' the sim is crying out for.
I just wish I had my gaming rig fixed so that I could climb in and help applying this to the quintillion objects we have!
Hopefully others can assist, so that you don't have to go through everything by yourself
Hoping for some collaborators to help with such a valuable project!

[Forager]

WxTech, as a user only, no ability to make anything, what you are doing is really much appreciated.

Thank You.

[PO_MAK_249RIP]

I find the only downside of IL2 is the delayed 'painting' of objects/buildings as you approach them, unlike FSX etc where they are just there!! If you could fix that you would be a genius!!

[WxTech]

This game engine's limitations preclude having buildings (and other objects) of any significant map coverage possess essentially limitless visibility. We have to suffer the rather confined visibility limits of about 2 to several kilometers.

Our only recourse is to reduce the 'harsh' obviousness of their appearing and disappearing. I find that the simple expedient of applying partial transparency for the farthest one or two LODs makes for a notable improvement aesthetically. The objects have a period of kind of fading into and out of visibility, which does not nearly so strongly call attention to their presence or absence in transition.

[vonofterdingen]

Any improvements in this area that can be achieved without severe fps cost would be very welcome.

[WxTech]

To illustrate the utility of making more distant LODs partially transparent, here's my latest work on that front with my bushy palm tree mod (I'll advise in that thread when an update is available). Of the 4 LODs, the two farthest have partial transparency, as specified in the image below. A 50% opacity for the farthest LOD makes for a noticeably reduced prominence when appearing or disappearing.




And a desert scene, showing the 3 farthest LODs

[SAS~Ghost129er]

This really helps to show and visualize it, thanks Tech!

[genXgamer]

G'day WxTech

When runway and taxiway plates are viewed from a distance they are more prominent than the surrounding landscape.
I assume what you've discussed in this post can be applied here, that is adjusting the translucency value in the .mat file.
Have you ever played around with this?
Do you have any recommendations for softening their appearance?

[WxTech]

As a quick example for airports...

In 3do\Airfield\Concrete\

we have these five mat files:

base.mat

Code: [Select]

[ClassInfo]
  ClassName TMaterial
[General]
  tfDoubleSide 0
  tfShouldSort 0
  tfDepthOffset 1
  tfDropShadow 0
  tfGameTimer 1
[LightParams]
  Ambient 1.0
  Diffuse 1.0
  Specular 0.0
  SpecularPow 0
  Shine 0.0
[Layer0]
  TextureName AirPrtCncr_512.tga
  PaletteName
  Frame 0.0
  VisibleDistanceNear 0.0
  VisibleDistanceFar 20000.0
  TextureCoordScale 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0
  ColorScale 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
  AlphaTestVal 0.5              // of [0.1, 0.5, 0.9]
  tfWrapX 1
  tfWrapY 1
  tfMinLinear 1
  tfMagLinear 1
  tfMipMap 1
  tfBlend 0
  tfBlendAdd 0
  tfTestA 0
  tfTestZ 1
  tfUpDateClear 0
  tfModulate 1
  tfNoTexture 0
  tfAnimatePalette 0
  tfAnimateSkippedFrames 0
  tfNoWriteZ 1
  tfTranspBorder 0
  tfTestZEqual 0

AirPrtCncr_512.mat

Code: [Select]

[ClassInfo]
  ClassName TMaterial
  BasedOn   base.mat
[Layer0]
  TextureName AirPrtCncr_512.tga
  tfMipMap 1

AirPrtCncr_256.mat

Code: [Select]

[ClassInfo]
  ClassName TMaterial
  BasedOn   base.mat
[Layer0]
  TextureName AirPrtCncr_256.tga
  tfMipMap 1

AirPrtCncr_128.mat

Code: [Select]

[ClassInfo]
  ClassName TMaterial
  BasedOn   base.mat
[Layer0]
  TextureName AirPrtCncr_128.tga
  tfMipMap 1

AirPrtCncr_32.mat

Code: [Select]

[ClassInfo]
  ClassName TMaterial
  BasedOn   base.mat
[Layer0]
  TextureName AirPrtCncr_32.tga
  ColorScale 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.7
  tfMipMap 1
  tfBlend 1

The four files, from _512 to _256 to _128 to _32 call successively smaller textures, for successively more distant LODs. The one to pay attention to here is the last one, AirPrtCncr_32.mat. It normally looks like the other three. I've added the "ColorScale" parameters, making the last value equal 70% opacity, and I've enabled the ability to make the texture have transparency by adding "tfBlend 1". This then results in the most distant LOD being partly see-through. If I wanted to go more aggressive, I might have set the ColorScale opacity lower, to, say, 0.6 or 0.5. But this would make for a more jarring transition for such a prominent texture as nearly white concrete. For less obtrusive runway/taxiway/parking apron textures, setting a lower opacity could be beneficial.

It may not be wise to try to set some transparency for the second most distant LOD (AirPrtCncr_128.mat) because this transition occurs pretty darned close and would stand out more strongly. But hey, one could try in some cases...

Here's the result of my little experiment. Four panels, from top to bottom, getting successively closer to the airfields. In the first two, both fields are seen at 70% opacity. In the third, the near half of the near field is now at full normal opacity, but the far half is at 70% opacity (as is the far airfield.) In the fourth panel, the near field is fully opaque, while the far field is still at 70% opacity.

The third panel is the most instructive here, because it shows the transition in opacity, making the difference most clear. But pay attention also to panel two; the lower left apron is on top of a different color land texture (orange-ish), which is clearly enough seen through the partly transparent concrete.

[WxTech]

This can be very useful for the numerous road plates utilizing several LODs for their representation. Particularly for maps having much forest cover but not using the 'layer cake' forest textures to any real extent (but even when the 'layer cake' forest is used widely). Making the roads less apparent at farther view distances helps to simulate the greater difficulty in seeing them through the projected higher density of trees at the shallower view angles for longer view distance.