So, can planes be spotted any easier?

[Uriah]

So with the new graphics can planes be spotted any easier?  I have not noticed a difference.

[Finkeren]

I noticed an improvement specifically in spotting against a forest background, which I ascribe to the graphics looking more crisp.

 

It seems that while almost everyone experienced significant performance increase with the move to DX11, the impact on the graphics themselves seems to vary.

 

At least it looks like noone is experiencing worse quality graphics (aside from the obvious bugs and glitches like the confetti particle effects)

[Ropalcz]

They were almost invisible on forest background - for example low flying dark painted planes. Now they are better visible with some searching effort

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

This is with new SSO,  HDR or just new render ?

[216th_Jordan]

I guess it is because of the improved lighting.

[JG13_opcode]

I noticed an improvement specifically in spotting against a forest background, which I ascribe to the graphics looking more crisp.

 

It seems that while almost everyone experienced significant performance increase with the move to DX11, the impact on the graphics themselves seems to vary.

 

At least it looks like noone is experiencing worse quality graphics (aside from the obvious bugs and glitches like the confetti particle effects)

What graphics settings are you running?

[Jsun-El]

I have a question. Which settings in the nvidia control panel will help with spotting?

[HippyDruid]

Personally, I do think spotting is a little bit better.

But for me, I think that has more to do with having a constant frame rate and zero screen tearing now, more so than anything else.

 

Moving objects pop out much more when things run smoothly. I assume drawing distances and the like may just get some more love now that DX11 has arrived.

[Finkeren]

What graphics settings are you running?

Ultra, everything maxed out with the exception of AA.

 

No SSO, HDR mono.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Finkeren

[9./JG27golani79]

I actually had the impression yesterday that planes were harder to spot against the ground above woods.

 

Otherwise I didn't make out mich of a difference in spotting.

[Max_Damage]

no

[JG13_opcode]

Ultra, everything maxed out with the exception of AA.

 

No SSO, HDR mono.

Thanks

[=38=Tatarenko]

I really don't want to be more visible - at present the game actually makes IL-2 missions feasible by (sometimes) allowing me to sneak in to a target. If that changes then it's back to fighters for everyone.

[Finkeren]

I really don't want to be more visible - at present the game actually makes IL-2 missions feasible by (sometimes) allowing me to sneak in to a target. If that changes then it's back to fighters for everyone.

I think spotting is pretty realistic (as close as you can get on a 4K monitor anyway) I had only 2 issues:

 

1: The way planes would become close to invisible against a forest background even at very close ranges. This seems, if not solved, at least much better after 2.006.

 

2: I think 10km draw distance for spotting is just too short. I did some calculations a couple years back which indicated that a compromise of some 15-18km would be more realistic (at the extremed en of the range only large bombers would be visible). Hope DX11 will make this possible.

[Baer]

Ultra, everything maxed out with the exception of AA.

 

No SSO, HDR mono.

What do you have your AA set at both in-game and on your control panel?  Regards... 

[Finkeren]

What do you have your AA set at both in-game and on your control panel? Regards...

2x which looks fine for me at this resolution.

[Guest deleted@50488]

Spotting in IL.2 looks a lot more realistic than, for instance, in DCS for me... using my RL experience as a pilot.

[Finkeren]

We'll probably have to wait wait for next-gen VR in 8K resolution with draw distances out to 100km to get it absolutely right. 

 

But right now an improvement would be to increase draw distance by 50%. That would keep us covered for 4K graphics and be pretty close to the real thing.

[216th_Jordan]

If they would up the draw distance to 14km it would multiply the average number of objects by 2 (actually a little bit more). Given the many performance optimizations we see I think the possibility for this increase to happen is growing quite a lot. I think 14 km would also be a good compromise, all in all that gives you a circle of 28 km diameter with an area of ~ 616 km². 

 

With our current 9.5km radius we can see an area of 284 km².

 

Direct comparison:

 

Radius [km]          Diameter [km]           Area [km²]

 

     9.5                        19                         284

 

     14                         28                         616

Edited January 17, 2017 by 216th_Jordan

[Dakpilot]

Personally I am enjoying the improved performance with DX11

 

as you say increasing the radius by a little, more than doubles the amount of rendering...back to where we were....

 

maybe as more optimisations are unlocked with more familiarity with the new graphic api there can be more overhead

 

but the current performance needs to stay as it is and not go backwards (IMHO)

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

As Fink stated, there is definitely a spotting improvement over forests.

 

I managed a sneaky bridge strike in a 110 on WOL by flying at 100m above the snow with a winter paint job - this seemed to work well just as I would expect.

[=TBAS=Sshadow14]

they are only 10km's away what help do you need.

You are not looking for Dots (literally SINGLE pixels) Like in WT you are looking for a low detail model to me clearly visible in many cases (MP) upto 9km or so i can even see if its single engine or not.

[Finkeren]

they are only 10km's away what help do you need.

 

You are not looking for Dots (literally SINGLE pixels) Like in WT you are looking for a low detail model to me clearly visible in many cases (MP) upto 9km or so i can even see if its single engine or not.

The problem is, that the draw distance only goes out to 10km, so the planes pop into view, when in reality you'd often be able to spot an aircraft at longer distances if the conditions were good.

 

A draw distance of 14-16km would be much better.

[JG13_opcode]

It's a real problem, be sure.

 

The fact that they haven't addressed it yet makes me afraid that it's a symptom of an underlying problem in the engine. If it was as simple as typing "render_distance = 18 km" and recompiling their code, you'd think they'd have done it by now.

[=TBAS=Sshadow14]

its not far from real life spotting ranges so..

i mean dont think there is a pilot in the world who could spot a plane @ 15km real life (without lights)

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

its not far from real life spotting ranges so..

 

i mean dont think there is a pilot in the world who could spot a plane @ 15km real life (without lights)

Not true - i can see Boeing futher away

[Finkeren]

its not far from real life spotting ranges so..

 

i mean dont think there is a pilot in the world who could spot a plane @ 15km real life (without lights)

Spotting a plane at 15km would also be nearly impossible in the sim, but only nearly.

 

We have to keep in mind, that during WW2 pilots were generally not looking for a single plane in the skies but whole formations of planes which are much easier to spot.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

It's a real problem, be sure.

 

The fact that they haven't addressed it yet makes me afraid that it's a symptom of an underlying problem in the engine. If it was as simple as typing "render_distance = 18 km" and recompiling their code, you'd think they'd have done it by now.

For sure - they said : double the distance and you quadruple computation and resource load. Sadly this is present technology limitation. Edited January 18, 2017 by 307_Tomcat

[Baer]

In your opinions does a higher screen resolution allow you to spot planes at a further distance?

[Finkeren]

In your opinions does a higher screen resolution allow you to spot planes at a further distance?

Yes.

 

It doesn't make much difference when zoomed in, but in zoomed-out view, the planes become visible at longer ranges with 4K resolution, meaning you can get a wider view and scan more of the sky faster with higher resolution.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

Yes.

 

It doesn't make much difference when zoomed in, but in zoomed-out view, the planes become visible at longer ranges with 4K resolution, meaning you can get a wider view and scan more of the sky faster with higher resolution.

Not really , wider view is function of aspect ratio not screen resolution. To contrary bigger pixel size on fullhd would be better to spot few pixel dots. So lower ppi and larger screen would work better. If you buy 21:9 34 inch fullhd monitor this give you advantage in spotting but looks ugly in desktop apps... Edited January 18, 2017 by 307_Tomcat

[216th_Jordan]

Not really , wider view is function of aspect ratio not screen resolution. To contrary bigger pixel size on fullhd would be better to spot few pixel dots. So lower ppi and larger screen would work better. If you buy 21:9 34 inch fullhd monitor this give you advantage in spotting but looks ugly in desktop apps...

This is not necessarily true. With AA your spot will fade in slowly and without AA you pixel will flicker at a certain distance but it might not even show at a distance where it would with a 4k monitor.

[Baer]

Yes.

 

It doesn't make much difference when zoomed in, but in zoomed-out view, the planes become visible at longer ranges with 4K resolution, meaning you can get a wider view and scan more of the sky faster with higher resolution.

Thanks for the info. My old eyes need all the help they can get.

[Finkeren]

This is not necessarily true. With AA your spot will fade in slowly and without AA you pixel will flicker at a certain distance but it might not even show at a distance where it would with a 4k monitor.

This.

 

When I was running 1080, a fighter-sized plane was completely invisible in zoomed-out view until closing to around 6km, and I don't mean "hard to spot", I mean invisible, even if I used icons and knew exactly where to look, there was nothing there, if the plane was much more than 6km out. Now I can see them all the way out to 10km in zoomed-out view.

[Dakpilot]

In your opinions does a higher screen resolution allow you to spot planes at a further distance?

 

It will not change the distance of 10km limit which is hard coded regardless of resolution

 

at same screen size higher resolution will show more detail, but will also show smaller size pixels

 

so the answer is yes and no

 

the higher resolution screen is also probably more modern and give a clearer picture and more than likely a larger size with lower DPI

 

you can to a certain extent experiment yourself using DSR factors with screen size and monitor quality not changing

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Lusekofte]

I think these advantage come at a price, for myself the game improvements means I am in no hurry buying a new rig, I can accept the fact that I get spotted before I can spot. If visual range is increased , it means I will have to upgrade. And many with me. 

And question then is how many is left?

I do not want to be a brake in development, but would it not be better to announce a change in this some month in advance so most people can upgrade until it happened. Or have a option in settings , like we have on grass. You can choose your range of rendering. This way people get motivated to upgrade, at least those who can afford it

Edited January 18, 2017 by 216th_LuseKofte

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

This is not necessarily true. With AA your spot will fade in slowly and without AA you pixel will flicker at a certain distance but it might not even show at a distance where it would with a 4k monitor.

Who was talking about AA? this is another story. Btw you are wrong, contact size on same size monitor would be be showing as same size just with more pixels or less pixels. There is 10k render limit.

Edited January 18, 2017 by 307_Tomcat

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

This.

 

When I was running 1080, a fighter-sized plane was completely invisible in zoomed-out view until closing to around 6km, and I don't mean "hard to spot", I mean invisible, even if I used icons and knew exactly where to look, there was nothing there, if the plane was much more than 6km out. Now I can see them all the way out to 10km in zoomed-out view.

You are messing up all. If you are able to spot better - it's because you have bigger screen and better newer panel - who can reproduce colors, contrast more accurataly.

 

But you have some truth- there are some exeptions for example curved line build with more pixels can be accuretly presented than same size line build with few pixels (but which is more visible to human - i guess one which movement is bigger) Same if you apply AA some distinct - outer lines are half lost do to process of eliminating jagged lines and blend in - so be less likely spotted.

Edited January 18, 2017 by 307_Tomcat

[Finkeren]

You are messing up all. If you are able to spot better - it's because you have bigger screen and better newer panel - who can reproduce colors, contrast more accurataly.

 

But you have some truth- there are some exeptions for example tilted line build with more pixels can be accuretly presented than same size build with few pixels (but which is more visible to human - i guess one which movement is bigger) Same if you apply AA some distinct - outer line are half lost do to process of eliminating jagged lines.

 

No no. this is on the same screen.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

No no. this is on the same screen.

 

You have same fullhd and 4k screen?