Cockpit textures as a separate setting

[Nipil]

Currently we have 2 texture settings: for general textures and for ground textures. I believe that a third setting is needed — one for cockpit textures.

Medium quality textures look mostly OK for external models, but not so good when cockpits are considered. Moreover, Medium quality textures have worse readability for instruments and their labels, which hinders QOL significantly (at least, this has been my experience with Hornet, F-16 and FC2024 aircraft). I might be wrong, but it seems safe to suggest that leaving High textures for cockpit and Medium for the out-of-cockpit textures would bring substantially better performance than all-Medium textures while retaining cockpits nice and perfectly readable.

In my opinion, ability to set separate settings for cockpit and out-of-cockpit textures could provide player with much needed ability to strike a balance between performance and looks and playability. This will be especially beneficial for mid-range GPUs. Especially since we all know how NVIDIA doesn't like to put more than minimum minimori of VRAM on all but the most expensive cards.

[draconus]

2 hours ago, Nipil said:

Especially since we all know how NVIDIA doesn't like to put more than minimum minimori of VRAM on all but the most expensive cards.

Yes, they do, so does AMD, because most games don't need much more than that and the added cost of more memory does not reflect performance, hence such cards sell badly. Also they do GPU chips while other manufacturers decide on the VRAM brand and size, and they do offer bigger VRAM options.

Most GPUs can handle big textures but it's the VRAM and RAM size that limits us in DCS.

I think the textures need a general overhaul to even out their class level. In one older module the high texture can be worse than low on the new module. Same with the maps and all the objects. It's a mess.

Such wish comes up from time to time. Having said that I still support the wish.

[ShroomSister]

Adding my support. My GPU only has 8GB, not enough to comfortably play on High settings in multiplayer, but Medium settings make everything hard to read in cockpit.

[twistking]

NOOOOOOOO!

sorry, but this is the wrong solution to a real problem. textures are not properly mastered in DCS. this is true for max setting, but even more so for the reduced texture seizes. the correct solution would be that all texture sizes would be manually revised and remastered to get a coherent look on all settings. everybody wants their cockpit to look decent and the instruments to be legible. medium and even low settings should very well be able to provide that.
i would go so far as to say that everything but the highest texture settings are unusable in DCS. some cockpits look like a joke on medium settings with texture quality all over the place. this needs attention!
the high texture settings also need to be revised, but it seems that ED has at least acknowledged that by now...

[MAXsenna]

@Nipil You can have a look at this. Could be of some help, it did for me the previous patch. With the last one, (not counting F10 map issues and campaigns), it seems to go backwards again. I encourage you to to read the whole thread! 

Cheers!