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[Slayer505]

What is the most good looking graphics mod for DBW 1,7? I have seen many youtube videos where the graphics look very very good but my game has the cartoonish landscape look to them.

[VF111Sundowner]

There are many mods that improve over the stock Graphics

Some of my favorites are

Gun cam Tracer Mods, (Makes your tracers squiggly like in gun cam footage and brightens them up a bit)
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,26166.0.html

Gurners FX Mod, (Greatly improves the visual effects of bullets hits, explosions and smoke but it does drag the FPS performance a bit)
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,20929.0.html

The Engines and Spinner MOD (rounds out all the cowlings and spinners makes the aircraft look 100% better)
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,25142.0.html

These are some of the ones I use in DBW,

Also the new 4.12 update seems to have improved some of the graphics and effects as well

[Slayer505]

Thanks for the reply! I do use the gun cam tracers mod, and I did use gurners fx mod however the explosions effects for me where really overdone and caused a ton of lag so now I currently use the plutonium mod, i'll try out the engines and spinners mod, I'm mainly looking for map texture mods...I've seen so many youtube vids where the maps look insanely good but I don't know how...I'm not sure whither the 4.12 update is compatible with dbw either...

[Forager]

Slayer505, DBW was built on IL2 version 4.10 and is not compatible with 4.12.

However, many of the mods present in DBW will work when they are added to 4.12 which has the mod activator available here: https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,35348.0/topicseen.html

What version of the game are you working with?

[SAS~Tom2]

Hi there..

You can do a couple of rather important things to improve the graphics..
E.g...:
-Add a water mod...                   will link it later here in this post.
-Add the light in the IL-2 mod...      "      "        "      "        "
-Add the hi res mod for hi res textures and skins..   "        "      "
-most important: Have the right settings in your config.ini file
-then come effects mods etc..will not mention them here, too many of them.

The important mods and config.ini fixes have rather nothing to do with the game version. IMO..
Anyway, I mostly use DBW or 4.09m, so here are my main edits.

First of, prepare to read a lot until you get it all. Many threads here and e.g. at All Aircraft Simulations deal with hardware IL-2 optimizations.
 

Most basic:
In your conf.ini (the text file in your main install= IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 folder) file, open it with right click:

In the section Render Open GL aka "[Render_OpenGL]" -make sure you have Hardwareshaders=1 selected!

That gives you Open GL in IL-2. Dirext X is rather crappy looking for IL-2 and no more up to date.

This is e.g. how my conf. ini looks:

..BTW I would only use texture compression (See coment in the coded text) when a map e.g. or a mod will not load ingame and your system is mid range or low end.

These are only the Open GL settings here, relevant for graphics.

Code: [Select]

....
[u][Render_OpenGL][/u]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=3
TexCompress=0                 "2" for texture compression
TexFlags.UseDither=1
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=0
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=1
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=0      "1" for texture compression

TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0          [color=blue][b]All "NV" values 1 for NVidia cards![/b][/color]
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0                                           "                   "              "
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0                                        "                  "               "               

HardwareShaders=1                        !!!!! Must be 1 for best looking game

Shadows=2
Specular=3
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=0             Can also be 1 or 2
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3

Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2

LandGeom=3            "3" is For better landscape visibility and depth  (2 for less)
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1

VideoSetupId=17        (for custom settings)
Water=2                    2=best value for AMD/Ati cards----"4" for NVidia!!
Effects=1
ForceShaders1x=0

PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-3.0

[Mods]...PS Mike or any SAS 'guy', feel free to comment here. ;)


Whatever change you make in the config.ini file needs to be made lasting (I always confuse that part) by making the file "read only" after making your changes. You can reset that setting anytime to alter this text file again.
This is mentioned by me since for some users the changes made will not automatically stick inside IL-2...right clicking on the file and making it read only with properties makes sure it will keep the changes ingame.
May not be necessary, but now you know what to do in case of issues.

OK, that is the conf.ini...my settings are not 100% perfect for the Render OpenGL part, but they work nice..and the important parts are correct..I hope.

Also some fellows have extra settings e.g. for clouds. For me, these above work.


Now, keep in mind if you change stuff in the il-2setup.exe, changes there will also affect the conf.ini settings and be displayed there.


Some links to other hardware/Software IL-2 tips:

Another thread..
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,9756.0.html


Not sure if these links will work, some inter forum stuff I won't comment on, but AFAIK all good here.
http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=29314&start=0

http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=29185

That here helped me a big deal in 2010
http://allaircraftsimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22314&start=0




You don't have to read them all, but I recommend it, at least the 1st and last thread.

(..may be relevant
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,13576.0.html )



Now, there are a couple of mods which make IL-2 even better looking, but keep in mind the impact on the system.


E.g....the lights in the IL-2 mod by carsmaster...
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,14789.0.html

it comes in a default and a light version "Easy"...I use that one.
It also will enable you to use the Hi res mod I will link later here.

This light mod changes the way light and reflections in IL-2 are modded and a lot of other visual stuff..

Read more in the thread.

That mod comes with one part to go in your #DBW folder and dII files to go directly inside your main IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 folder..



Another mod needed to enable hi resolution textures in maps, skins or 3D models/trees/cockpits etc...
The High Resolution Mod-

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,33239.0.html

In case of issues, check reply #117.

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,33239.108.html




So, now you have some config.ini tips...here and in the config.ini thread I linked.
The lights in the IL-2 mod
The High Resolution Mod

For the record, also try to check the forum's map area -MapWorx...what really makes this game's environment shine is the new maps added IMHO.


And...the water mod by carsmaster:

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,15180.0.html

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,15180.312.html


First link is the post 1 with link, 2nd same link again afaik...only in case you have understanding issues with that mod, check last 2 pages..
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,15180.348.html

I think this mod goes into your #DBW folder as per author, I used the other method and directly extract the tex in my MapMods\maps\_Tex\water folder..both ways go but let's not complicate things..

[Slayer505]

Hey guys thanks for the feedback! I have edited my conf file and added a few mods and they look great!