by justpassingthrough » Wed May 30, 2007 1:05 pm
Now that I go back over my old notes I was a bit wrong about it being a 1 or 4 ON/OFF switch. It does indeed have 4 values.
I set it to 1 or 4 but not because they are the only valid numbers, its because they are the only numbers that I have seen a defined visual difference on the hardware I have run.
ONLY 1, 2, 3 and 4 are valid but you may not notice much of any difference with 2 or 3 and no one will notice anything past 4. It should be set to 4 if you want around and past the furthest ring defined MIP level to increase. With some systems setting the value to 4 without buffer mesh installed and you will see missing mesh spots in the form of blue slivers and triangles. Buffer mesh is what fills in the holes.
If ANY number higher than 4 is used, it defaults. If it is set to ZERO it defaults.
Its a EXTENDED LEVEL not EXTENDED RADIUS
What it does it define the outside radius by raising its MIP LEVEL to 1,2,3 or 4. Just as raising the MIP Detail Level on the slider past 4 can produce shimmers and other problems if the system can not keep up, defining that to 4 can make the image look worse in the distance and that is usually magnified without buffer mesh installed but raising MIP Level can also make the detail in the distance stand out so your eyes see it sharper. The Mip Detail slider works to a certain distance and the TERRAIN EXTENDED LEVELS pushes MIP DETAIL out further than the slider works it and allows you to fine tune that detail.
If 3 works for you, thats fine. Its not just about the setting but about your monitor, the resolution/refresh rate you run and the video adapter as to what looks best.
Over the years on 3 different video cards, (speed and manufacture) and with and without buffer mesh, I never noticed a difference unless it was set to 1 or 4.