[DX11] Help regarding Nvidia Profile Inspector (NPI)

[BenganJ]

@JHTrucker

Well, at least I wouldn't be surprised if the configurable function of near_plane and
far_plane will disappear suddenly as SCS has changed things in that department lately.
It will in some form still be there, but as a combination between settings in Map Editor
on objects and game engine inherent limits.

[roextended2020]

@JHTrucker Thank you for your file, it has increased my FPS. It is helpful for flicker problems.

Flickering shadows... textures.
I'm not a modder and don't download mods, but i do mod a few files to enhance my default game.
For years i've had a camera mod and just kept updating it when a new scs truck is added to the game.
It may not help now, i haven't removed it to check, so feel free to try if you want.

def\camera\units\interior_daf_xf.sii
near_plane: 0.5 (default is 0.2, newer trucks are 0.1)

From what i remember, anything below 0.5 makes no difference and anything greater will cut into nearby objects, steering wheel? I've had my visual steering wheel turned off since the day scs added the option.

You need to do that for all non-occulus files and any mod trucks i assume.

The good - reduce shadow flickering.
The bad - when looking out of driver window the view will clip through side of the cab a bit.
I'm looking forward/left/right 99.99999% of the time so the "bad" isn't even an issue to me.

Attached are for ETS2 and ATS. Use as you wish.
I only use the w900 in ATS so that's all that's in my ATS mod.
I may have tweaked the camera left right motion also in those files (because of my ultra wide single screen setup), in which case replace with default files and just change each to "near_plane: 0.5".
I use r_sun_shadow_texture_size to "8192".

If that doesn't help, then i don't know anything else to try.
EDIT:
Hopefully the big scs graphics update will give better lighting / shadows etc and will fix most of the flickering issues, but no MSAA, it's SMAA all the way for scs.

[BenganJ]

@JHTrucker

I'm pretty sure that the value behind both near_plane and far_plane is in meters.
The Map Editor FAR object display priority parameter was corresponding to around
1500 meters. Could it be that when you set near_plane to 0.5 that the near limit
gets outside the windscreen and you then don't have the glass material in between,
making the flickering effect less?

[JHTrucker]

@BenganJ - No 0.2-0.5 is tiny, try it. If it was meters i'd have no dash to look at.

[BenganJ]

Yep, you're right as usual! :D

[JHTrucker]

@BenganJ
It's tiny but makes a big difference, is my chat up line... wonder why it doesn't work?

The distance from your eye to the start of the rendered area. If you put on a 3d headset on and cut out the screen you'd see the world as normal but couldn't see the things right next to you that are blocked by the headset box... if that sounds right?

I think there is a difference between what you are saying about map editor objects and this camera viewing plane.
You should by now never doubt my "random guessing" ability!!!

[BenganJ]

Yes mate, I never doubt you, I just had a hard time trying to understand that
a setting of the near plane could have ANY effect on shadow flickering in the
terrain! Still doubtful! Sure, I'm talking about totally different settings here,
far_plane setting is a graphic GENERAL parameter, but the Map Editor display
priority is a per OBJECT setting, for REAL models and prefabs that is. Terrain
objects are procedurally created, I think!

[JHTrucker]

@BenganJ and anyone else who wants to test this... but please give feedback.

When driving around i always like how things look better when using the in game zoom feature.
So i thought i would try to do something using non other than my favourite file... multimon_config.sii, to try to force high LOD's.
What i've done is created two Single.AA "close zoom" test files at 25% and 50%. The view is zoomed and zoom feature still works as normal. You need to forget everything you know about FOV.
In game driving cab view will be right up to the windscreen at first, just use F4 to increase FOV from 50 to 80+ or in my case 60 to 90 until you see your dash as normal.
The wiggly roads of Corsica are just as tight to drive around so don't think corners will just be straight with that high FOV.
Now it may be that the zoom in and increased FOV are just cancelling each other out and nothing is different, hence more eyes required to test.
I believe that high LOD's are kept in view longer, looking better, as i had a few chugs/stutters in Corsica which i don't ever get normally so this may indicate higher LOD models eating up my 2gig vram.

So, just drop a test file in, use 50% first (the more demanding one), and drive as normal for the next few days or so to see if you notice if it looks better or not. If you get stutters change to 25% file.
Thanks.

EDIT: File deleted as it didn't do anything - as i stated above:
"it may be that the zoom in and increased FOV are just cancelling each other out and nothing is different"

[BenganJ]

@JHTrucker

I'll give it a go right away, sounds interesting enough and I'm used to drive at FOV = 50
in the truck, so shouldn't even have to adjust to this. Be back later, mate!

EDIT: Well, no problem getting used to that, but I think I have to drive quite a lot more
to be able to see if there's really any difference. You said,

I believe that high LOD's are kept in view longer, looking better .....

am I totally wrong thinking that low LOD level is kept further away, being replaced
with high LOD coming nearer and then kept until they vanishes at the side? Any favorite
object to check for LOD change? The result I want is for the LOD change to be done
further away, but that might be what you mean, they stay longer?

[JHTrucker]

@BenganJ - As long as you increase your FOV 50 to ~80 it should look and drive the same, view wise.
But think of it like tree LOD's or traffic LOD's, except this is a whole view LOD increase, i think.
And therefore more demanding.

EDIT:The wiggly roads of Corsica seems to be my test area, my trees are medium as high is too much for me and when in Corsica i see tree LOD changing but not when i did a quick test with the 50% file.