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Guest R_Driscoll

Scenery problems

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Guest R_Driscoll

A growing problem over recent months is that in heavy scenery areas, terrain textures seem to blur (i.e. not load at fine detail levels). I used filemon to try and see what FU3 was doing, and there are streams of error messages asking for Level of Detail 2 (LOD 2) models, for all models that ever used LOD 1.So I created LOD 2 models by simply copying LOD 0's and renaming them(eg. copy san0.bin to san1.bin and san2.bin). This didn't solve the problem, and I continued to get streams of error messages on filemon where FU3 would look for models in the wrong directories, over and over again - I think this may be slowing down the sim and causing stuttering in city areas.Anyone else had this problem? Any ideas as to what is happening?Possibles:1) LG's models were about 15Mb, mine take over 70Mb. Is there a limit?2) Some flag in the models defines the LOD level. I'd like to set the flag of all models to simply the zero level model.3) The terrain datafiles are damaged. Unlikely - I did a complete reload recently.4) What else?Robert.

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Guest fu3

Rob,There be some limit to the model cache size but I don't know what or where. What directories is it looking in? I wasn't aware that it would look anywhere but gen.Is it model LOD files it is looking for, or terrain? If it is looking in terrain folders, it's terrain LODs (L2xxxx.bin/L2xxxx.cpd etc) that it can't find.I'm getting stuttering in UKS but the textures are clear. I still have blurry terrain in Switzerland but I'll get to that later. Hang on, it may be the same problem... What about a missing 'blank' tile (L2blank.bin etc.)??I'm having a terrain flattening spree right now and fingers crossed, its sailing smoothly at the mo' ;)Regards,Jon Point

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Hi Robert,do you mean something like that ? This is from a landing at LCY.The NOT FOUND are by far not for all models there :-)It must be a flag at this special models ?!?FU3 takes a lot of unnecessary file fetches. Was a slow down for old systems but with XP it's cached and runs very fast from the file cache. Nice to see you active again :-) 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree32.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELStree12.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELStree12.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSalc022.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELSalc022.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSalc022.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgenalc022.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELStree12.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELStree12.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSMODELStree12.bin PATH NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKStree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSregionsUK-Southgentree12.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read 15:34:48 flight3.exe:2380 IRP_MJ_CREATE F:FU3GUKSalc022.bin NOT FOUND Options: Open Access: Read :-waveAndre

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Guest R_Driscoll

Thanks Jon and agtim! Found a solution i think, at least problem has been "reduced", maybe solved! Quick answers to questions:- problem only started this year (I'm running Win ME at home).- LOD (Level of Detail) refers to models, not maps. But models are drawn correctly, and its the maps that blur.(Looking Glass allowed for models to be drawn at different LOD's basedon detail, calling them model0.bin, model1.bin, model2.bin etc. Not allmodels have all levels of detail - most only have LOD 0. Models with more than one LOD do not display properly in busy scenery environmentsanyway).- agtim, your sample output is correct - and I still get that sort of output. But before in addition I was getting unsatisfied requests for LOD 1 and 2 models.- blurring problem only exists near London, with packages LONDMID, LONDEAST, BIGGINHILL, HEATHROW all visible.- problem not obvious at FRETHERNE (largest single package).I tried the following:For NO EFFECT:- Reduced number of models in GEN- Reduced number of planes in PLNPILE- Reduced package size by deleting models- Copied LOD 0 models to LOD 1 and LOD 2 to satisfy FU3 searching- tried a few configurations in FLT3.CFG, eg. haze, cloud shadow,player shadow.For GOOD EFFECT:- delete complete package - terrain maps display correctly.(not a great solution!)MY SOLUTION (not sure if its solved anything but it works!)- reduce model_detail_scale back to 1 (I had it at 1000, tried reducing to 100 (no change), then back to 1 - big improvement!) Scenery is back to being detailed, requests for less detailed models disappeared, seems ok.So I think model_detail_scale was the problem, but only in dense scenery areas.To celebrate, I modified Salisbury cathedral (removed spire, added towers, new facade) and called it Westminster Abbey. Close enough at 60 kph in an ST6. Currently still developing around Knightsbridge, and working on Kensington Palace (which is not great from the air but its there). In other words I'm back to building models.Cheers all,robd323(which is what Jon decided to call me based on my strange and inexplicable love for Mazda 323's. I mean if you had a choice between a gold Lamborghini and a dark blue Mazda 323, which would you choose? The Mazda of course. The other is not practical - can't leave it out on the street, not good for groceries, family trips, repairs cost too much, etc etc).

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Hi again Rob! If you're back into building models we have quite a few nearly finished ones from last year. I have thought about uploading them with minor imperfections but it might be prudent to wait for that Aussie touch and share them when they're 100 percent right. Since generic buildings are all that I do I'm looking forward to more of your custom masterpieces. Both palette versions would be nice since a lot of the buildings (the custom ones included) may complement all of the FU3 regions. Hans Petter

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Guest R_Driscoll

Thanks Hans! Well it might be best to finish off that set of UK models we were developing. I think we were halfway through making night models when life got a bit busy here. And converting to Seattle textures is easy enough, but the nightlighting is difficult. Well OK, lets do it.Robert.

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I believe I already did most of the nightlit versions. I even got a bit creative by adding various shades of nightlighting where I decided a lamp would be appropriate. That is, the parts of the buildings below and behind the light source doesn't go as dark as the rest of the walls.There are various ways to create a nightlit version. One fairly quick one is to create a negative image. If the day version has windows that are darker than the building itself this strategy works fine.Another one is to start with the day version and paint anything you want to be nightlit bright white. Then you darken the image somewhat and give the light parts another touch of bright white. This time you may decide to let some of the lightened areas go slightly darker than absolute white. The main idea is to avoid darkening the image too much before you've made the lighter areas stand out, even when darkened. If you darken it "in one go" it'll be hard to tell the parts that are supposed to be nightlit from the fully darkened background. If you decide that parts of a building are to stay lighter you may keep a 50% darkened image and use it as a source of parts that will be copied and pasted unto the 100% darkened version. You may for instance want a 50% darkened entrance area since there's a lamp above the door. Well, grab the entrance area from the 50 % darkened image and paste it unto the fully darkened one. Actually, you may even keep several intermediary versions and avoid darkening the final one to its full extent before you have got the proportion of shades right. When it all looks good, convert the final image to grayscale and create the night mip.The buildings that stopped the project were those with some minor texture mapping imperfections. I got parts of a window showing up where we wanted none since the surface in question would draw its texture from a wider area than it ought to. You're the pro when it comes to texture mapping -- all I do is to play with textures, shades and hues :-)

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