flickering and mipmaps

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awf
Posts: 12

flickering and mipmaps

Post by awf » Sun Feb 19, 2006 12:04 pm

First of all one stunning scenery great work one of the best I've seen in combination with EDDF :)

However had a lot of flickering with the scenery and that has to do something with my hardware and how texture are made in FS :evil:

Running on 6800GT Asus 256MB ddr3 and nvidia drivers 81.95

- By default it's technical good to have mipmaps because all the new hardware from NVIDIA (not only NVIDIA - :wink: ) likes to render stuff with mipmaps...
Without mipmaps the hardware has to work harder :shock:

- But in FS9 we have the problem when the hardware can't keep up with all the stuff we get those wonderful blurries :-(
So we all remove the mipmap stuff I do it on my texture work to
:?

- But I found out that in my case for AI textures and scenery textures to add mipmaps solves the problem and increase performance :shock:

- So that leaves me to give at least my solution to solve the flickering (almost gone :D )
It may work for you to if you have the same texture problem too...
Just add mipmaps at the following textures...
- Hangars*
- Misc*
- Rwy_marks.bmp + modification ;-)
- Terminal*
Remark don't add them to the lm maps :wink:

Great work love the artistic approach and realistic appearance in FS :D

Hope this is helpful to some of your fellow simmers :)
madcop
Posts: 20

Post by madcop » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:08 am

Hello André.

I have exactly the same problem as you have and already posted threats here.
Martin helped me but the problem still there , VIENNA, SEATTLE , and others marvellous airports from FLY TAMPA are still flickering. I also noticed that flickering appears on the buildings and fingers and on some yellow tarmac lines when view from the cockpit.
I do not have these problems with Rhodes Island from Vauchez and in the products of France VFR.
However I already had to add mipmaps to EDDF ( wonderfull also ) and this effectively solved the flickering problem.

So could you please tell me how to add these mipmaps.Maybe you already have a batch file you could share ?
I am also looking for a solution for Paris Charles De Gaule that is awfully flickering.
I'm running Pentium IV 3.2-1Gb RAM-Nvidia 6600GT -Asus P4800 MB and Audigy 2Z sound cart.
Thanks a lot
:x Cop
awf
Posts: 12

Post by awf » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:55 am

madcop wrote:Hello André.

So could you please tell me how to add these mipmaps.Maybe you already have a batch file you could share ?

I am also looking for a solution for Paris Charles De Gaule that is awfully flickering.
:x Cop
Hi Madcop,

I could help ya out but I don't know if it's okay with Martin to share the updated textures?

The flickering is at least a lot less :-)

Yep CDG is done wrong ;-) and can't solved with mipmaps just wrong gmax stuff ;-)

André
madcop
Posts: 20

Post by madcop » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:16 pm

Hi André

I think you'right, we'd better not take the risk to hurt Martin,he really doesn't deserve such a treatment, but if your tip is O.K it should be a shame not to share it with other FLY TAMPA users who suffer with the same flickering illness as us !

Perhaps you could send me your explanation on my E Mail at
daniel.verleyen@skynet.be

Even with this flickering LOWW is certainly the best FT Airport as far as I know .I just had a flight with real weather a few minutes ago and it's wonderfull ( 24 with the smoking chimneys in the far ....mhhhhhhhh ! )

Long Live FLY TAMPA.
:x Cop
M.D.Miron
Posts: 277

Post by M.D.Miron » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:40 pm

I can only second Madcop by stating long live Flytampa, Martin & George assemble slowly but surely a big family of conoisseurs who know how to appreciate premium products.

I have to join Madcop and report a severe flickering when overflying LOWW. I can live with that, but if a remedy is found, I'll be glad to be aware of it. All FT enthousiants aim to perfection, isn't it? :wink:

All the best to you all,

Miron
crisu
Posts: 2

Post by crisu » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:24 pm

I have the same problem with the flickering textures. Im running on an ATI Radeon X800XL, so the problem is not only on nvidia cards. The flickering appears on all buildings and very intensive on the winter trees. I also tryed to add mipmaps on the textures as described by André, but it has no effect to the presentation of the textures. I recocnized the problem on ISD scenery's too. I am also using the recommended display setting as described in the manual. Are there other possibilities to get rid of the flickering problem?

Even with the flickering problem FlyTama's LOWW is much more better than Austiran Airport or PFS, which i used before.

Martin, many thanks for great work!!!

Christian
martin[flytampa]
Site Admin
Posts: 5288

Post by martin[flytampa] » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:39 pm

I'm looking if its possible to write a small batch file for imaginetool to do this automatically without having to re-download all the textures. Hang on.
martin[flytampa]
Site Admin
Posts: 5288

Post by martin[flytampa] » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:00 pm

Extract this Zip into the Fly-Vienna/texture folder and run mip_vienna.bat or see readme.txt

Note: This is not required for everybody, depends on your gfx card, AA anf AF settings, FS display settings and last but not least on your personal perception of flickering. If you don't like the results re-install the original Fly-Vienna over the same location to restore the original files.
Attachments
mip_vienna10.zip
(77.6 KiB) Downloaded 702 times
M.D.Miron
Posts: 277

Post by M.D.Miron » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:06 pm

Let me be the first to thank Martin for his immediate intervention. His concern about his customers is recommendable and without precedent :D

I will run and check the patch once back from my dentist :x .

Best,

Miron
crisu
Posts: 2

Post by crisu » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:21 pm

I just applied the patch to the textures and it all looks great now. The only thing which is still flicking are the winter trees, but they are undisturbing.

Many thanks to martin for his prompt and excellent customer support!

Christian
awf
Posts: 12

Post by awf » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:28 pm

martin[flytampa] wrote:I'm looking if its possible to write a small batch file for imaginetool to do this automatically without having to re-download all the textures. Hang on.
Martin just write a nice one a long time ago usefull too with ai"

ECHO off
cls
ECHO Convert texture to different formats for all aircraft in this DXT1 folder
ECHO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO It will convert ALL standard *_t bmp texture files found inside this folder.
ECHO Feel free to edit this batch file for use with other purpose.
ECHO.
ECHO Note - DXT3 and DXT1 is a compression format - some quality is traded for a
ECHO more efficient texture file.
ECHO Most textures convert very well, but some can become a bit blotchy or grainy.
ECHO Colours and shades can often be slightly altered in DXT3.
ECHO Once converted, top quality can't be regained by converting back to 32-bit.
ECHO Mip maps are lower resolution copies of the original texture. Some grapics
ECHO cards don't work well with them and some don't work well without them!
ECHO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO !!!!important make a backup copy of you aircraft folders!!!!
ECHO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO Conversion to DXT1 format choose first option 2 this will
ECHO preserve colors and no degration between DXT3 or DXT1.
ECHO.
ECHO 1. Quit without converting anything
ECHO 2. Convert *_t BMP textures to 565 (No Mip Maps)
ECHO 3. Convert *_t BMP textures to DXT1
ECHO 4. Convert *_t BMP textures to DXT1 (No Mip Maps)
ECHO 5. Convert *_t BMP textures to DXT3
ECHO 6. Convert *_t BMP textures to DXT3 (No Mip Maps)
ECHO 7. Convert all textures to DXT3
ECHO 8. Convert all textures to DXT3 (No Mip Maps)
ECHO.
set choice=
set /p choice=Enter option 1 to 10 :
if not '%choice%'=='' set choice=%choice:~0,1%
if '%choice%'=='2' goto 565NM
if '%choice%'=='3' goto DXT1M
if '%choice%'=='4' goto DXT1NM
if '%choice%'=='5' goto DXT3M
if '%choice%'=='6' goto DXT3NM
if '%choice%'=='7' goto DXT3ALLM
if '%choice%'=='8' goto DXT3ALLNM
goto end
:565NM
imagetool.exe -r -batch -nomip -565 *_t.bmp
goto end
:DXT1M
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT1 -detail -e bmp *_t.bmp
goto end
:DXT1NM
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT1 -detail -nomip -e bmp _t.bmp
goto end
:DXT3M
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT3 -detail -e bmp *_t.bmp
goto end
:DXT3NM
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT3 -detail -nomip -e bmp *_t.bmp
goto end
:DXT3ALLM
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT3 -detail -e bmp *.bmp
goto end
:DXT3ALLNM
imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT3 -detail -nomip -e bmp *.bmp
goto end
rem Run 'IMAGETOOL -?' to get a full list of the parameter options available
goto end
:end

where *.bmp is could be specified which textures exactly ;-)
martin[flytampa]
Site Admin
Posts: 5288

Post by martin[flytampa] » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:40 pm

awf wrote:Martin just write a nice one a long time ago usefull too with ai"
Already done, see download a few posts above.
madcop
Posts: 20

Post by madcop » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:39 pm

Hi all FT fans

Just installed and tested the provided patch for the textures.
It is a vast improvement, thanks a lot to Martin.

ONE THING I HAVE TO POINT AT is

Flickering still appears when looking from a far distance .Especially when looking at buildings with an angle . When you look at them with a 90° angle all is PERFECT, but as soon as you move things change, especially all the glazed buildings.Just have a test. Drive :D your plane on the apron and parallel to the building.Notice the flickering.Now look to the left and notice that all flickering disappear when your view is at a 90° angle with the building.

But these are small details compared to what I had to live with before the patch.These little remarks just to help .I want Martin and George to get on top of all.If those little problems do not appear on other product , for sure FT can also do it .

Thanks to both of you for your quick and positive reaction

:x cop
madcop
Posts: 20

Post by madcop » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:21 pm

madcop wrote:Hi all FT fans

Just installed and tested the provided patch for the textures.
It is a vast improvement, thanks a lot to Martin.

ONE THING I HAVE TO POINT AT is

Flickering still appears when looking from a far distance .Especially when looking at buildings with an angle . When you look at them with a 90° angle all is PERFECT, but as soon as you move things change, especially all the glazed buildings.Just have a test. Drive :D your plane on the apron and parallel to the building.Notice the flickering.Now look to the left and notice that all flickering disappear when your view is at a 90° angle with the building.

But these are small details compared to what I had to live with before the patch.These little remarks just to help .I want Martin and George to get on top of all.If those little problems do not appear on other product , for sure FT can also do it .

Thanks to both of you for your quick and positive reaction

:x cop
Hello there

Let be fair

I just uninstall and reinstall Vienna and run the batch file.
Now everything is perfect.I do not know what I did the first time , maybe some textures didn't get their mipmaps... but this time I really got nice FPS NO MORE FLICKERING and guys I 'm really happy .
SO JUST FORGET WHAT I STATED IN MY LAST POST ...

LONG LIVE FLY TAMPA
:x cop
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