Ground target render distance

[AcidBath]

I am completely new to this sim, so please bear with me on this.

 

I fly with a group of guys who've been doing IL2 since 2006 and we are attempting to get into BoS.  Our 'dungeon master' has created a defend against panzer III attack mission where we attack using IL-2s.  Here is what I discovered (not using any icons):  Once I spot the ground targets, I will fly away to setup an attack vector.  So here I am, watching my ground targets as I fly away to eventually come around and POOF the tanks instantly vanish!  It's not that I go out to such a distance that the tanks shrank down to nothing, for I clearly saw that somewhat tiny tank, about 3-4 mm in size on my 1920x1080 monitor, literally and instantly disappear on the ground, making it impossible to set my attack vector accurately.  All I can hope for is that my memory serves me perfectly such that when I come around and set my target vector, that that target literally pops back into view exactly where I expected it to be, but this is seldom the case.  So what the heck is going on here?  Is there a setting to fix this?  Are we forced to use icons for ground targets, which I've read on this forum are not that accurate?  IMO this situation makes ground attack more of a matter of luck than of skill for me.  I've done this style of attack for years in IL-2 1946 with complete confidence watching those ground targets not vanish at all.  What am I missing here?

 

 

EDIT:   (this is also posted below, but some never read that far):

 

I tested a single player quick mission with tanks and flying an IL-2 and did not experience this disappearing effect.  The distance related visibility effects were as I would completely expect them to be. I run at 4x landscape distance but not on ultra.  I also tried this quick mission on ultra and there was no difference in the visibility distance.  This is strong evidence that when running multiplayer online there is some dynamic object culling distance limit that is being bumped into, for I even watched one these tanks disappear, reappear and then disappear all in a matter of a second or so .  As MrBurns points out (below), these are player controlled tanks objects, so activation distance is not an issue (and can a mission object deactivate too?).  So for now, at least I can get IL-2 tank busting accomplished in single player...time for some target practice.

Edited December 20, 2015 by AcidBath

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

We maybe wait a couple of years then devs will double visibility like happened on 1946 when they introduced perfect land scape option.

[TheElf]

yes, there is a setting to "fix" this, but it is fairly complex and difficult to explain via posts in the forum.  Whomever is making your missions needs to set the activation of the units to something closer to 6km.  As far as I know that is the only way to affect when ground objects are triggered and pop into existence.  These properties are controlled in the editor with complex action triggers.

 

As far as an individual's ground object rendering distance, there are no "settings" per se to control this.  One of the many decisions the Dev's have not left up to the player.

 

I recommend your dungeon master visit the mission editor section of the forum and get smart on these things from those who are smart on the topic.

[TP_Jacko]

I know with aircraft there is a 10Km clip range. For fighters its not such an issue but for a HE111 it is quite visible as it vanishes. Not sure how its modeled on the ground targets as they are much smaller.

Couple of questions,

What range do the objects disappear.

In your graphics settings what do you use i.e. ULTRA and is you distance landscape set to 4.

Cheers

[major_burns]

FYI: Its not the activation that is the problem, so a complex trigger won't do the trick.  The tank was user controlled and always in existence.

[coconut]

This could be network settings in the server and/or client. The number of objects a client keeps track of depends on how much data it is willing to receive from the server, and how much data the server is willing to send. If any of those is too low, I suppose objects may disappear earlier than desired. I've been doing and testing quite a bit of ground attack missions, and I've noticed that problem only once: when I had about 100 static planes on an airfield, not all of then would render all the time. I've never had that issue with regular convoys or player-controlled tanks.

[major_burns]

And how would one set the number of objects the client/server keeps track of?

[AcidBath]

I tested a single player quick mission with tanks and flying an IL-2 and did not experience this disappearing effect.  The distance related visibility effects were as I would completely expect them to be. I run at 4x landscape distance but not on ultra.  I also tried this quick mission on ultra and there was no difference in the visibility distance.  This is strong evidence that when running multiplayer online there is some dynamic object culling distance limit that is being bumped into, for I even watched one these tanks disappear, reappear and then disappear all in a matter of a second or so .  As MrBurns points out, these are player controlled tanks objects, so activation distance is not an issue (and can a mission object deactivate too?).  So for now, at least I can get IL-2 tank busting accomplished in single player...time for some target practice.

Edited December 20, 2015 by AcidBath

[Y-29.Silky]

This happens to me with aircraft too. A while ago a friend and I were messing around and decided to meet up for a dogfight giving each other our grids in WoL server. We were co altitude, I was at 242.9 and he was at 242.3 and we could not see each other, even though you could see for miles down. But of course, all of a sudden he appears out of no where when we get a little closer which was only about 1.5 length of those little boxes. It seems very short rendering.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

This and it is hard to spot ground tagrets. Something shuld be done about this.

[-TBC-AeroAce]

I was thinking maybe they could implement a pair of binoculars for bomber pilots only to help with ground target spotting. I would act like a super zoom with a very narrow fov. No idea if this would or could actually be implemented into the game but as a concept I believe its sound and realistic

 

Just thinking a little more about how this could technically be achieved; bino view could effectively be like switching to another view that is just closer to (instead of zoomed) what you are looking at in that particular direction (simular to F10/spectate view). Then add a blur effect and darck edges to make it seem like binos. That way the ground objects will be rendered but in a smart trick like way that makes it seem like you are using rendered.

 

Sorry if that seems convoluted but I kinda get in my head what I mean even if off topic and a bit crazy

Edited December 20, 2015 by [TBC]AeroACE

[coconut]

And how would one set the number of objects the client/server keeps track of?

 

You can't control that directly, just make sure that in your multiplayer settings, you set a reception value appropriate for your connection. The advised value is your measured bandwidth divided by 4, IIRC. If you still have problems despite having a good internet connection, check with the server administrator, or try another server.

[Czar66]

Server/Client matter or not, this also happens in single player, as you approach bombers during interception mission already spawned and wait for them to aggressively pop into picture.

 

A increase in render distance could bring nice results.

 

That is maybe the only thing I find in this sim that annoys me. I also would understand if it is a design choice, given good reasons, or tech/engine limitations.

[TP_Jacko]

Server/Client matter or not, this also happens in single player, as you approach bombers during interception mission already spawned and wait for them to aggressively pop into picture.

 

A increase in render distance could bring nice results.

 

That is maybe the only thing I find in this sim that annoys me. I also would understand if it is a design choice, given good reasons, or tech/engine limitations.

 Yes I have raised this as a bug. The bombers pop in to view at 10 km and are quite visible. Fighters are much smaller so its not such an issue for me at least. My request was to extend the draw distance for larger aircraft