Hello all!Me again *Listens for collective sigh on forum* http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contri...y/corkysm20.gifI did search Avsim on this but couldnt find a good explanation!In FS9:Options---->Settings----->Display:In the Scenery tab there is a slider for Terrain Texture Size (TTS).In the Hardware tab there is a slider for Global max texture size (GMTS).----------------------------------------------------------------------1. Is TTS affected by the setting in GMTS?2. Is TTS a "local" setting..say for textures a certain distance around your plane?3. The mouse-tip for TTS says "Move the slider to adjust detail in ground textures when flying low". Does GMTS do the same? - its mouse-tip does not metion adjusting textures when "flying low".4. This sounds silly but if I dont ask I wont know!:What does GMTS do exactly? Does it adjust terrain texture that you dont even see (the "Global" part) resulting in FS9 doing more calculations, hogging more resources etc etc. I dont know if that question makes any sense!----------------------------------------------------------------------Thanks :)http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/113130.jpg

These are very good questions, Nevin, and people should sigh if nobody asks them.On the Hardware tab, you set the quality of textures used on objects: - Global max texture size allows you to limit the size of textures used. A Massive setting will use all texture sizes up to 1024 x 1024 pixels, the maximum size in Flight Simulator. The next lowest setting limits textures to 512 x 512 pixels, etc. - Mip mapping quality limits the number of mipmaps - these are reduced versions of textures that are packed in along with them and are displayed at a distance.Setting both of these to the maximum results in best quality texturing on objects, but at the cost of lower frame rates. (By the way, there are some designers who insist on NOT using DXT compression on their aircraft or scenery. Perhaps they do not realize that DXT-compressed textures with these settings at maximum display pretty much the same quality as uncompressed textures. The difference is not really visible.)On the Scenery tab, Terrain texture size sets the quality of the ground textures, that is, ground textures, not object textures, by limiting the mipmaps, I suppose.As usual with Flight Simulator, there is no optimum setting - it all depends on your hardware, resources, and the compromises that you are willing to make.Best regards.Luis

In addition, I recommend setting Mip Maps to 4 or 5 as this will reduce shimmers and maybe improve performance.

I saw the importance of these parameters with Ariane's 737NG: if you don't max them both, the VC is almost unusable.

LuisFelizTirado-------------------------------------------------------------------------On the Hardware tab, you set the quality of textures used on objects------------------------------------------------------------------------That one statement has clarified a lot!Thank you for that very informative reply :) I dont feel so silly now! So GMTS is a "texture-size selector/limiter" and TTS is a "ground-terrain quality" slider. Mipmaps are like "mini-me" versions of the textures.Got it!Like you said..no two computers are the same so its up to each one of us to choose - in the end let your eyes do their thing!___________JimmiG-Yea I will try that because the taxiway lines are really shimmering bad!___________ahinterl-Thats interesting. I have the PMDG 737 I will see if it affects that!:)

Very good questions. I was not clear on that myself and am quite sure many others are unclear on that as well.RH

------------------------------------------------------------------------Very good questions. I was not clear on that myself and am quite sure many others are unclear on that as well.------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you :)Im sure the great replies will help you as well...and anyone else who does a search on this issue!

So, in laymans terms what are we saying? Is there a reason to go for Massive in the Terrain slider and not get much in the way of frame rate hits?Kev

KFD, there is a very good reason for many of us to use the 'massive' setting....If you don't, then many objects at airports will not be shown! A good example of this is the UK2000 Airports series from Gary Summons. He suggests that you DO set the slider to 'massive', because if you don't, great chunks of the airport, aprons, and taxiways just won't be there! It's true, too! I had dropped the setting one day whilst experimenting, and had forgotten about Gary's recommendation, and couldn't for the life of me work out where all the taxiways, and aprons had gone at so many of my British airports!! Once I'd found my error and corrected it, then everything was back to normal!So, I guess that ANY 1024x1024 textures will be missing if you set the slider any lower. The only way around this would be to painfully, and laboriously resize ALL your 1024 textures to 512!!