Which FSX setting controls 'sharpness'

[vgbaron]

By sharpness I mean - when flying in the LA Basin for example and going over the mountains - they look great but, as I get almost to them, they change and become sharper. Rock formations are more crisp, the trees are sharper, etc. I'm not saying that they were blurry before, they are not - it's as if FSX does one last paint just as I get to the area. I'm usually doing 250kts around 2000ft.

I mean you've got LOD, TBM, bufferpools etc,. Since everything else seems to be just fine I am reluctant to start tweaking settings randomly.

BTW, I have used Nick's setup and OOdefrag for quite a while.

System is q6600 at 3.65/2G ram/8800GTS 640/ o/c 702/1620/792 nhancer.XPpro

Thanx,

Vic

[NickN]

What you are describing is what we call the blurries or a form of them

It means your system is not able to really keep up with the terrain engine

That can be for several reasons.. hardware ability, settings too high or out of whack, etc


There is not such setting specifically for "sharpness'. its about what the system can keep up with or not..

You dont have bad hardware but you do have to realize there are limits with it. Assuming you have set up Windows correctly as I listed I could go through a series of questions with you however anything in the LA area is going to be hard hitting even on the best system

Even mine with weather and well tweaked can show signs of struggle around the LA area although I do not have any blur problems with it. I can tell though by how it runs. And I do run 100% slider except water.

If you want to post all the settings you use in FSX I can look at them and perhaps make suggestions.. I also need to know what addons you use

[Daube]

Well, normally, there IS one little setting that is specific to the "sharpness in the distance". This is the LOD_RADIUS. The game interface sets it to 4.5 if you put the slider to the max, but by editing the FSX.cfg, you can push it higher, like 8.0.
Of course, if your CPU power is not high enough, you won't notice any difference anyway, since your CPU will never have time to update those distant textures.

[vgbaron]

If you want to post all the settings you use in FSX I can look at them and perhaps make suggestions.. I also need to know what addons you use

Thanx, Nick - I'll try to get screenies of the settings when I get home tonight.


As far as add-ons:

GEXn
ASX
Xgraphics
UTX
FSG
TrackIR

Only variance from your XP setup is System Restore is enabled
nHancer as you suggest
Using 175.16 drivers

Vic

[NickN]

I use the 174.74 beta drivers and find them the most performant to date however that can be different for every system so I do not suggest a driver change unless you want to try it. If you do, you can find them here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_174.74.html

and you must reset Nhancer up after driver changes

OK, lets start with UTX.


My suggestions here are ALL BASED on a DEFAULT UTX INSTALL and that you have NOT enabled/disabled any features that were enabled/disabled by default



UTX is a wonderful addon however it incorporates items by default that may choke a slower system

[vgbaron]

Thanx Nick - I had already implemented some of your UTX settings previously. I'll doublecheck that they're complete.

I have ASX and TrackIR mapped to core(s) 2+3.

OK, if I've done it right - here are the settings:









Also - I've had frames capped at 20 with no noticeable effect. Unlimited *seems* smoother.

TBM has been between 30 - 100 with no apparent change - currently at 30.

FibreFrameTimeFraction set at .33

Oh I also use Trees V2.

Don't know if I mentioned it but I run 2 monitors - main screen is a 28" Hanns-G at 1920x1200x32 and a 22" Viewsonic at 1680x1050x32 but mainly use the 2nd monitgor for GPS, etc.

added the scenery lib setting just to show the layering I use for FSG,etc.


If you need anything else, let me know.

Certainly appreciate you're taking the time - what do you like to drink and where to send it?

Vic

[NickN]

OK, 2 monitors is going to drag you down at those resolutions..

So this -may- be limited in what it may produce.

You already have the traffic sliders for cars and boats practically nill and you have the scenery complexity and autogen low so I think what you have here, and assuming this system is not overclocked.. is simply a dual monitor situation dragging the system down and trying to fly an area like LA


But we can try a few things

First, yes, typically unlimited frame lock works in heavy load area but outside those areas in the bush you may find locked 30 is better

Next, fiber frame... get rid of it, delete the line. That went out with FSX RTM/SP1

I assume you are on SP2, correct?

[vgbaron]

Thanx Nick - I'll try tonight.

I thought I had mentioned that I'm running a Q6600 o/c to 3.65 - liquid cooling so temp is not an issue. Been stable for months. 8800GTS/640 is o/c to 702/1620/792

I'm not a framerate junkie so I'm only looking for smooth operation - capping at 30 is no problem


FWIW, currently flying in LA area I get around 20 - 30fps and at LAX it will go between 10 - 16 unless there are very heavy clouds, then it might drop uner 10 but not very often. Visually the action is smooth.

Running XP-SP3
multicore processor update installed under SP2

FSX is SP2/acceleration

[NickN]

You mentioend it... I move so fast through these fourms that many times I read a question and then come back to it as I have time and do not review it again...

No matter, ... and clocked is better in this case

I lock frames in the boonies but run unlocked in cities and around large airports. This allows the priority to shift a bit and smooth out the heavy hitting areas

We are looking for how the scenery responds in this, not so much frame value or smooth. I want to know if the system will indeed retain sharp textures and go backwards from there.

Fly this under the "Clear Skys" theme

Like I said, this is about what the terrain engine will do and we go from there

its possible it may be worse than what you are running now

[NickN]

what is FSGS in the scenery library? Is that FSGenesis USA Landclass?

[vgbaron]

what is FSGS in the scenery library? Is that FSGenesis USA Landclass?

yup!

[NickN]

Just checking...

OK, you look good to go and let me know if those ground textures stay sharp and what changes you may have observed

[NickN]

Quick follow up on this..

I dont want you to use you 3PD booted addons like ASX, etc... just the sim and the addon scenery installed with CLEAR SKYS weather

[vgbaron]

Quick follow up on this..

I dont want you to use you 3PD booted addons like ASX, etc... just the sim and the addon scenery installed with CLEAR SKYS weather

Rgr - just FSX, GEXn,fsgx,UTX and Clear skies!

[vgbaron]

Set as above - TBM - 70, FFTF deleted - complexity, autogen etc as specified. Clear skies.

OK, took my normal flight (Shockwave P-51) from KBUR rwy 8 and turned N over the mountains - stayed at 3000 and 190KAS.

Locked spot view slightly above and behind a/c.

Noticed slight stutters in left turns not seen before.

Framerates (unlimited) were higher - 30 to 45fps rather than 20-30

Same issue of mountains popping into focus but seemed like it would start at a further distance and appeared to be larger areas. Also large chunks of trees on the mts.

BTW, another tweak I forgot to mention - I have MAX_BLDGS_PER_CELL at 0 and trees at 800.

When scenery sharpened up it looked fantastic!

Oh, tried windowed and f/s - no apparent difference.

HTH,

Vic