A Frame-Time Analysis of P3D v3 -- Clouds

[AviatorMoser 353]

Yeah, clouds in P3D aren't volumetric, although they have some shader effect to make them feel more volumetric. That was the first thing I disabled in these tests. And they still spin spin spin when fly nearly directly over them because they are rotating 2D sprites. Cloud performance is pretty much the only reason I do VFR only in P3D.

[onebob 125]

Has P3D fixed their overcast layers in 3.x?  In 2.5 I've tried to create a 4000' deep overcast to do some IMC training but I never could get it solid enough to do the work no matter how much I tried.  When I flew into the layer there were very large gaps all over the place.  Tried it with P3D weather as well as Active Sky.  Anybody willing to do an experiment for me?

 

Gregg

ran a test in 3.23, nope couldn't do it, however did get some dense situation by creating a visibility layer at 1000 to 10000 ft. added some cloud at 1000- to 10000 ft   otherwise it did'nt look to good flying below the visibility layer.

 

bob

edit it might be best then to create a visibility layer 4000-10000 and cloud layer 3000- 10000. would give better visuals when on decent.

 

edit 2 yes that seems to work quite well, on take off went through cloud layer and then hit blanket coverage spot on 4000'

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

 

 

ran a test in 3.23, nope couldn't do it, however did get some dense situation by creating a visibility layer at 1000 to 10000 ft. added some cloud at 1000- to 10000 ft   otherwise it did'nt look to good flying below the visibility layer.
 
bob
edit it might be best then to create a visibility layer 4000-10000 and cloud layer 3000- 10000. would give better visuals when on decent.
 
edit 2 yes that seems to work quite well, on take off went through cloud layer and then hit blanket coverage spot on 4000'

 

Thank you!  At least there's something.  Seems like they could do that automatically...set the visability to 0 when you're in a cloud layer.

[vgbaron 3,496]

I wonder if it's not a case of exactly how you set the manual layers opposed to inability to display properly.

 

I fly IFR in P3D all the time and I have done CAT III landings where I broke out right over the numbers. Solid cloud cover all the way down. I usually use ASN to locate the bad weather and fly there rather than trying to set it manually.

 

When I enter a cloud, the vis is 0 until I leave it.

 

 

Vic

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

 

 

I wonder if it's not a case of exactly how you set the manual layers opposed to inability to display properly.

I fly IFR in P3D all the time and I have done CAT III landings where I broke out right over the numbers. Solid cloud cover all the way down. I usually use ASN to locate the bad weather and fly there rather than trying to set it manually.

When I enter a cloud, the vis is 0 until I leave it.


Vic

 

I could do it in FSX but not in P3D up to 2.5 at least.  I'll give it another try with ASN.

[tf51d 284]

 

 

Yeah, clouds in P3D aren't volumetric, although they have some shader effect to make them feel more volumetric.

 

That's interesting, I thought I read they were, and that the shader trick was what ASN did to make FSX Clouds appear volumetric.

[Afterburner 374]

I have created part two of my cloud performance optimization videos. In it, I have documented the huge FPS drop when flying through overcast sky conditions while using Active Sky Next, and how to improve the frames under these conditions.

 

[radial360 2]

Very Interesting... thanks !!

 

So to sum up... do we want to do this tweak about VOLUMIZE? And, is the volumetric fog a really required item? I mean, does it really make such a big difference?

[Afterburner 374]

I would say that if you can get decent FPS without the VOLUMIZE tweak, there is no need to apply it. However, if you want the maximum possible cloud performance, I would do the tweak in combination with deactivating the volumetric fog.

 

The volumetric fog is by no means required. As I have shown in my first video, it gives you a nice, solid and ubiquitous fog rendition when there are few clouds and the ground visibility is low. If flying in overcast conditions, turning the volumetric fog off will not make that much of a difference, because the lack of fog in the distance is obscured by the overcast clouds anyway.

[jason99vmi 157]

Thanks for the videos Afterburner. I think from the many posts about clouds and overcast conditions killing FPS I think some of us needed this type of tweaking.  My GPU is similar to yours (GTX 760) so I think those of us not in the 900's or Titans need some help. 

 

The Volumetric Fog is what did it for me.  As soon as I turned it off the FPS shot back up and was steady. 

 

What I did notice though was that it created a cloud layer and haze when I turned it off.  Turn back on and cloud layer disappeared and low lying fog around mountains and hillsides appeared.  Which I assume is what its supposed to do.  Anyway it looks like i'll need to do this when FPS is compromised.