Simviation Forums

yes, I have been wondering.

Ive have seen some wonderfull screenshots from people, especially from the screenshot contest.

how can you make the screenshotsa so smooth?

is it the computer?

screenshots are so smooth because they're still shots...

If you're refering to the quality of the shot, many people use addons like the payware active camera or the freeware F1 view to get much better angles.  They alos set their graphics to max, just for that one shot.

Its in your graphics adapter (g/a), if its capable. Its called 'anti-aliasing' (a/a) and smooths out the edges.

Depending on your system, it can be a frame-rate killer, but for those 'smooth' pics, a must.

If your g/a is capable, a/a can be activated from the FS Display settings, hardware tab, or from your g/a config tool (R. click on desktop, select Properties, settings tab, advanced button) if it has one. (your g/a config tool is recommended as setting from FS can reduce frame rates and does not take best advantage of your g/a).

Dave

Remember for screenshot use.... the screenshot is the goal ..... not smooth flicker and stutter free flying.  So for that specific use, you can tolerate stutter and low framerates for the sake of the quality shot.

First plan out your "photo shoot" doing some real flying in the situation you plan to shoot your shot.  Plan out background and angles and such.  Play with time of day for lighting, season, and background traffic and such.   Figure out what makes the best "photo".

THEN....... once you have the plan....... go into settings in the sim and maximize absolutely everything you can (except AA).  Go into your graphics card manager and max out Anti Aliasing and Ansiotropic Filtering.  

Then go back and TAKE the "mother of all screenshots".

Hope this suggestion helps someone out for the upcoming May SimV screenshot contest.  Since these are ground shots........ the framerate and stutter issue is NOT a factor for ANYONE anyway!!

best,

..................john

Absolutely...max EVERYTHING out for your screenshot.  Set the shot up very deliberately.  Don't leave anything to chance.  Lighting, weather, angles....set it all up to your liking.  Take the shot.  Then go back and re-set your settings to a flyable level for your normal flying.

Take the shot in the highest resolution you can. Than resize it to 800x640 using a good resizer ( I recommend photoshop). This makes the shot even smoother!

And download the latest drivers for your graficscard! sometimes it well worth it!

Other issues to condsider are anti-aliasing, mip mapping, and global texture sizes.  All of the above will contribute to this:


800x600x16
Anti-aliasing=off
Global Texture Size=Very Small
Mip-Mapping=0
Filtering= Bilinear
Render to Texture=off
Transform and Lighting=off
Hardware rendered lights=6

And will turn it into THIS:

1280x1024x32
Anti-aliasing=on
Global Texture Size=Massive
Mip-Mapping=4
Filtering= Trilinear
Render to Texture=on
Transform and Lighting=on
Hardware rendered lights=6

Great visual example of what we are suggesting Kev.  Thanks.

best,

.............john

There is some debate as to wether the Anti-aliasing should be controlled by the graphics card or the game.

When I'm flying, I let my card control my AA....if I'm taking screenshots, I have 'em both on just to get as much as I possibly can.

why dont you guys post some samples

Great idea.  How about some with a Mig?

why dont you guys post some samples

Look in the freeware/payware screenshots forum!!

my screensize is 1280x1024x32

Everything is maxed always (water over land)

I have

BTW, my system specs are:

P4 2.4 Gig
1024 Mb Ram
180 Gig HD
256 Mb FX5200
and a partridge in a pear tree...

I juse fraps but the quality of the photos are very well poor

I want it to loock cool.
Anti Aliasing is not the problem