Geforce4 440MX and FS9 Water Reflections

[Guest victorwest]

I understand that Geforce4 graphics cards are unable to show water reflections when using FS9 default installation. Has any resolution to this particular problem been found yet or is it something we'll have to live with? I do get waves on coastlines though.Victor

[John_Cillis 2,406]

The GeForce 4 MX cards are the only cards of the 4 series with the issue, and I believe they are based on the GeForce 2. The short answer is that there's no resolution to the issue due to the way the cards handle later implementations of DirectX... It's a shame, because they handle water reflections for FS2002, but FS2002 evolved around DirectX 7.My advice, if you have the funds, is to round up a GeForce 4200... It's better than what you have, and in many cases can be found for <$70 if you're willing to go with an OEM version. That's what I did, and I've been pleased with its performance given that I have a slower cpu...-John

[Guest JoeW]

It's the MX 400 cards that have this problem... Some GeForce 2 and GeForce 4 will show the water reflections.Joe W.

[Guest victorwest]

Thanks for the answers. I do get waves on the coasts.However the rest of the water just looks like it's been painted. I guess that's related to the lack of refections.Victor

[Guest outtatimeiii]

My Radeon 7200 doesn't show water reflections either. Since its a DirectX7 based card (hence the 7 in 7200) and FS9 uses DirectX8 bump-mapping features, its unable to do water reflections. I'm guessing your GF4 MX is like that too.I wonder if it is even possible to force the game to use DX7 bump-mapping. I think its hard-coded so I really doubt that will happen, but it would be nice to see them without spending money on a new card.

[Guest DanielBu]

It just doesn't work with the hardware - it's that simple.The card needs to support what is probably called cube mapping with NVidia cards, and EMBM (environmental bump mapping) with Matrox, who first offered it in it's G400 cards (great cards). ATI has another name I think...-Daniel

[Guest victorwest]

So we don't get reflections or waves (away from the coasts).Is there anything else that we're missing not having DX9 compliant cards?Victor

[Guest DanielBu]

First of all, FS9 only uses DX8.1-compatible effects, so any DX8.1 card will give you all the new effects.Apart from that, I believe the reflections are the only thing you are missing. You can always use Ed Truthan's water effects, which I and others have often recommended - in a way, they even look better (more realistic) than the bump reflections, because they are animated and also more detailed than the reflections. Also, you have several different sets to choose from.-Daniel

[Guest victorwest]

>First of all, FS9 only uses DX8.1-compatible effects, so any>DX8.1 card will give you all the new effects.>>Apart from that, I believe the reflections are the only thing>you are missing. You can always use Ed Truthan's water>effects, which I and others have often recommended - in a way,>they even look better (more realistic) than the bump>reflections, because they are animated and also more detailed>than the reflections. Also, you have several different sets to>choose from.>>-DanielI thought FS9 used DX 9 commands for water effects but that these particular items weren't supported by Geforce4 MX cards. I also thought the Geforce card was DX 8 compliant. The MS website mentions DX 9 in respect of FS 9.As regards Ed Truthan's water effects, I think I've dowloaded those but I can't see any animation. Perhaps I should try again. I can move my water effects slider all the way to the right and it stays there.Victor

[Guest Kurt]

>As regards Ed Truthan's water effects, I think I've dowloaded those but I can't see any animation. Perhaps I should try again.Try setting the water effects slider to None and set the terrain detail slider to Land and Water.Kurt M

[Guest victorwest]

>>As regards Ed Truthan's water effects, I think I've>dowloaded those but I can't see any animation. Perhaps I>should try again.>>Try setting the water effects slider to None and set the>terrain detail slider to Land and Water.>>>Kurt MOk thanks for that. I'll try this evening when I get home.

[Guest victorwest]

Ah! I've just realised there are two types of Geforce4 440mx cards. The normal one and an AGP8X one. I believe I have the second. I downloaded the zip file (can't remember the name) which adds Nvidia cards to the fs9.cfg file. I remember seeing the normal card but I can't remember if the AGP8X is added as well. If it isn't that that could be the fix.Victor

[Guest Eurosky]

"I can move my water effects slider all the way to the right and it stays there."arent those water effects possible than? (with slider all to the right)

[Guest victorwest]

Well I looked last night. I don't have an AGP8X card only a X4. Both cards are in the display.cfg file anyway so that wasn't an issue.I looked again at the Oceanfx 2 file I've installed. It seems that whatever texture I try to install from it to FS9, I always seem to get the same type of water showing. I'll double check that this evening. I don't get any animation though. However, I do get aircraft reflections. I didn't think I did but they show up when you zoom in and look quite good.As regards my setting sliders, I can move the water slider all the way to the right but if I do this the water/land slider stays in the middle.Victor