Map feedback . .

[philstyle]

Played for 90 minutes or so.

 

Very much in Alpha it would seem to me.

Some real problems spotting contacts and the sky and lighting is very bright.

Maybe some shaders are missing? Tracers looked like strange black lazer beams from long range.

 

Am going to need quite some GFX tweaking just to make sure it's not problems on my end, but at first glance I'd say there are quite some issues that will need looking at before this product is really ready for market.

 

It's odd that the pre-alpha vidoes I saw online and the feedback from the closed alpha group made me expect a lot more . . so maybe the problem is the way I have 2.1 set up on my rig...

[BIGNEWY]

Take some time to tweak your settings there are a lot of differences with the new lighting

 

Some of the issue you mention are reported already,

 

this is early access and tweaks will be made, but I am not having any issues with spotting it is much improved for me.

 

If you are setting missions up in the editor change the time of day as the default is in full sun light

Edited May 26, 2017 by BIGNEWY

[Vander]

Would like to see some tips on how to get decent framerates down low. On Nevada I can blaze through the Strip without a hickup, but when I get down low to strafe a train (specially near a village) the frame rate drops significantly. I tried lowering shadows, tree view range, lower AA (down to 2x) yet it remains choppy when I try to look around me.

 

Map does looks great. I love how the roads/tracks look very realistic from above. Train spotting & hunting is great (although train seems indestructible?).

Edited May 26, 2017 by Vander

[philstyle]

Take some time to tweak your settings there are a lot of differences with the new lighting

 

Yep, tomorrow will be an exhaustive tweaks day I think. I'll try to record as much of the process as possible for others to see what I'm doing.

 

Any tips for:

1. reducing the overall brightness/ washed out character,

2 improving aircraft visibility at ranges over 1km....??

[Gizzy]

VERY much Alpha...

 

Pretty rough install with loads of repairs before it sorted itself and recognised the Normandy Map by asking for a serial number.

 

FPS down 60% compared to the Caucasus pushing 4K through a STRIX 980TI OC by a i7OC...

 

Using Medium settings with HDR and DS off its not too bad high up but for rotary wings not so good visually due to the shadow rendering above say 200'. NOE its good though....of course the trees being solid is good.

 

The lighting effect by whatever method they use is fantastic - very very good and for rotaries the distance judgement coming into land is very good compared to the Caucasus....

 

Great potential.....

[BIGNEWY]

these are the settings I use ingame. For multiplayer I turn terrain shadows off.

 

I get great frames, but my rig isn't to bad, you will have to play around to find a good balance

[NineLine]

these are the settings I use ingame. For multiplayer I turn terrain shadows off.

 

I get great frames, but my rig isn't to bad, you will have to play around to find a good balance

 

Yup. Flat shadows make a big difference as well.

[Jumbik]

My assumption is that the major part in the fps drops is the new fog feature. But that is just my gues.

[Gizzy]

these are the settings I use ingame. For multiplayer I turn terrain shadows off.

 

I get great frames, but my rig isn't to bad, you will have to play around to find a good balance

 

Just as a comparison with your settings I get 27 FPS sitting in a a Huey in a field.... The shadow rendering and visuals is cleared up and very good...

W10, i7-6700 OC 4.5, STRIX 980Ti OC, 16RAM, SSD etc...

 

The frame rate can only get better... :)

 

Nevada on release was the same....

 

VR performance could be a a little tight though I reckon...

[Vander]

One thing that helps for frame rates: ALt-tab! Apparently, the game does not start in full-screen mode, even though you select it?

 

In 'deferred shade' mode it looks sooo much better!

[dburne]

VR performance could be a a little tight though I reckon...

 

Yes it is...

I am going to need to do some serious tweaking tomorrow to see if I can get some good smooth gameplay.

[OnlyforDCS]

Played for a bit. Like it pretty good. Though it appears some tweaks are going to be necessary to keep decent framerates and for spotting. Im playing with antialiasing off, might try x2 to see if it makes a difference.

[Reflected]

First impressions:

 

Pro:

- The new lighting looks amazing

- Aircraft visibility improved a lot

 

Con:

- 60% of the 1.5 FPS

- miscrostutters

- it really, REALLY messed up most skins I made

- When the global cockpit illumination is on everything in the cockpit looks way too glossy. I think it's quite overdone.

- loading times are longer than 1.5

[Kayos]

First impressions:

 

Pro:

- The new lighting looks amazing

- Aircraft visibility improved a lot

 

Con:

- 60% of the 1.5 FPS

- miscrostutters

- it really, REALLY messed up most skins I made

- When the global cockpit illumination is on everything in the cockpit looks way too glossy. I think it's quite overdone.

- loading times are longer than 1.5

 

I think all skins will have to be remade with PBR

[NineLine]

I think all skins will have to be remade with PBR

 

Most anyways, to take advantage of the changes. Probably just adjusted in most cases. Lets hope everyone kept their layered source files ;)

[Ala13_ManOWar]

First impressions:

 

Pro:

- The new lighting looks amazing

- Aircraft visibility improved a lot

 

Con:

- 60% of the 1.5 FPS

- miscrostutters

- it really, REALLY messed up most skins I made

- When the global cockpit illumination is on everything in the cockpit looks way too glossy. I think it's quite overdone.

- loading times are longer than 1.5

Agree quite a lot. Not as much as 60% but definitely lower FPS. I tweaked only slightly graphical settings, I guess I should make more tests in order to get a nice and stable FPS, though stuttering is the most annoying "new" thing never seen before in DCS, at least for me. I suppose the WIP tag is for real definitely. Anyway, out of stuttering FPS seem pretty stable and even when lower than I would like it works pretty well and smoothly, better in Nevada than Normandy but still good. Anyhow I have still to see more times of the day as all of the quick missions I tried were at dawn featuring mist, which is a nice effect but I want to see more different weather and hours so I can compare performances and FPS :lol: . Loading times though take for ever now, but my Alpha install is over a mechanical hard drive unlike my stable 1.5 in SSD. I guess a bigger SSD to hold all the DCS installs makes sense now.

 

 

The map looking is gorgeous anyway, either Normandy and Nevada which now looks amazing with new lighting and HD textures everywhere.

 

 

S!

[mauser89]

I am finding that shadows are a major fps drop.

[NineLine]

I am finding that shadows are a major fps drop.

 

Try flat terrain shadows first.

[mauser89]

Try flat terrain shadows first.

 

Terrain shadows is flat. The other shadow setting was killing my fps til I set that to flat as well.

[Call911]

Played for 90 minutes or so.

 

Very much in Alpha it would seem to me.

Some real problems spotting contacts and the sky and lighting is very bright.

Maybe some shaders are missing? Tracers looked like strange black lazer beams from long range.

 

Am going to need quite some GFX tweaking just to make sure it's not problems on my end, but at first glance I'd say there are quite some issues that will need looking at before this product is really ready for market.

 

It's odd that the pre-alpha vidoes I saw online and the feedback from the closed alpha group made me expect a lot more . . so maybe the problem is the way I have 2.1 set up on my rig...

 

Was just gonna post too about lighting being overly bright.

[IJG2_Bouma]

After few hours of "flying"... Its a huge deception ! It reminds me April 2011 and IL2 - Cliffs of Dover.

 

1. FPS very low... i tried all settings possible !

2. The looking is honesty horrible

3. The game crashed 2 times due to Mission editor.

 

I hope this will be corrected in the future but as it is this thing is unplayable.

[Niksan_73]

I did try the Normandy! Wow it's amazing! I sow the birds over the sea town, it's unbelivable! Thank you ED for this beauty!

[jocko417]

First impressions:

 

Pro:

- The new lighting looks amazing

- Aircraft visibility improved a lot

 

Con:

- 60% of the 1.5 FPS

- miscrostutters

- it really, REALLY messed up most skins I made

- When the global cockpit illumination is on everything in the cockpit looks way too glossy. I think it's quite overdone.

- loading times are longer than 1.5

 

Arrrrrggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!

[=DECOY=]

After few hours of "flying"... Its a huge deception ! It reminds me April 2011 and IL2 - Cliffs of Dover.

 

1. FPS very low... i tried all settings possible !

2. The looking is honesty horrible

3. The game crashed 2 times due to Mission editor.

 

I hope this will be corrected in the future but as it is this thing is unplayable.

 

 

Maybe you should provide details on your pc... to see if we can help you out?

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Initial impressions for me:

- The detail of the Normandy map is stunning :)

- FPS dropped from a solid 90 in 1.5 to 14 (!?) in 2.1 (Normandy) and 25-30 in Nevada

- The brightness should be tuned down by a factor 4 at least.

- DCS crashes every time I exit a mission.

 

i7 6700k @ 4.5 ; 32 GB DDR4 2400 ; Strix 1080Ti OC ; playing in VR

Edited May 27, 2017 by Elysian Angel