Simviation Forums

What exactly does it do? I see people here all the times say not to have it maxed (8), and to put it at 4.

I've tried both settings, and neither seems any different, be it performance or graphic wise (Except 4 looking a bit... flatter I guess).

Why is it so urged to set it at 4 instead of maxed? From what I can tell it's supposed to do something with distance.

It's just been bugging me  ;D

I have also wondered about this, id like to add.....

If you set it above 4 does it effect frame rates?

Hi there....not a total expert on this but it concerns displaying a texture at different resolutions depending on how far you are from the texture to give the illusion of distance.........here is one simple explanation I find says it quite well...and I quote....

 "A MIP map is a computer graphics technique used to achieve an illusion of depth in a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional (3D) image. Used in conjunction with texture mapping, MIP mapping features multiple images of a single texture map at different resolutions to represent surface textures at varying distances from the viewer's perspective: the largest scaled image is placed in the foreground and progressively smaller ones recede toward the background area. Each scale difference is defined as a MIP map level. MIP mapping helps avoid unwanted jagged edges (called jaggies) in an image that can result from using bit map images at different resolutions."

 Hope this helps some...commoner

...and if you really want to know more and have a brain like Mr Einstein then check this out.....

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/vlsi/mipmap.pdf  

If you set it above four the ground may start flickering. I have it on four as do most people who use ATi videocards.

Oh i see! My ground has been flickering for a long time and i just put up with it. Ill lower the settings.

I found with a previous card that it made the image on the screen very grainy when set high. It can also cause wierd lines on skyscrapers. Now I have a better card it's set on 8 and all is okay.