Distant cloud flickering

[Operatsiya_Ivy]

Hello, I was wondering if there is a certain graphics setting that causes/prevents clouds flickering in the distance/on the horizon like in the video linked below:

 

https://streamable.com/f54lu

[Goffik]

I get the same thing, and it's even more obvious in VR. I've tried all sorts of settings as well as file edits, but so far have not managed to get rid of it. I mentioned it in a cloud mod thread but we didn't really get to the bottom of a cause or a fix for it, unfortunately.

[4thFG_Cap_D_Gentile]

Alpha stage clouds I guess

[Uufflakke]

Besides that I see another flickering issue in your video what I also have: the roads in the distance.

(In your video the flickering road is visible on the right side running through the green and brownish fields up to the village in the center of the screen.)

Sometimes they look more like dots or intermittent stripes.

I don't know if one thing is related to the other though.

 

[=EXPEND=Tripwire]

What level of clouds were you running Ivy?

 

That flickering is even more terrible in VR. I switched back down to High clouds from extreme (where it was occurring very badly for me) and that *seemed* to make a bit of a difference, but Ive only run a few maps since I switched.

Edited January 17, 2020 by =EXPEND=Tripwire
typo

[Raven109]

I'm getting the same with extreme clouds.

[Operatsiya_Ivy]

8 minutes ago, =EXPEND=Tripwire said:

What level of clouds were you running Ivy?

 

That flickering is even more terrible in VR. I switched back down to High clouds from extreme (where it was occurring very badly for me) and that *seemed* to make a bit of a difference, but Ive only run a few maps since I switched.

 

Yea i should have added that to the op i suppose.

 

I am running max graphics setting and extreme clouds. Not VR.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Operation_Ivy

[Barnacles]

I find, in VR, 'high' presets and 'high' clouds together with 100k visibility draw is the best comprise of performance and limiting the cloud flickering. Ps. By selecting 'balanced' presets, you'll effectively make the game give you clouds drawn below 'high', even if you select 'high' clouds.

[[APAF]VR_Spartan85]

 

i know there is this mod. Haven’t tried it thought

[Goffik]

11 minutes ago, spartan85 said:

 

i know there is this mod. Haven’t tried it thought

 

That mod is just a modified file, containing settings I've already tried changing myself. It can reduce cloud "banding" and improve quality somewhat, but it does nothing for the "flickering" we're getting.

[SCG_Faerber]

I have a 1080p monitor, on highest graphical settings possible and I too get flickering roads, rivers and sometiems clouds in the distance, I thought not many people had this problem but I see many of us do, if someone finds any fix, post here!

 

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

I have tried everything to get rid of the jagged/pixelated clouds and the rings in them, to no avail. Hopefully the deferred rendering Jason spoke about will cure this and other visibility issues. 

[rowdyb00t]

Try this https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=77652

 

and this, Version 8 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/53511-more-realistic-clouds-updated-12-25-19/

If you don’t mind mods. 

 

  Also, I have adjusted the multi sampling in the nvidia control panel to 4x ss. Also some other aliasing settings. I can’t remember exactly which ones I’m not at my pc. For me this eliminated the flickering. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by rowdyb00t

[itsbillyfrazier]

1 hour ago, rowdyb00t said:

 

and this, Version 8 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/53511-more-realistic-clouds-updated-12-25-19/

If you don’t mind mods. 

 

  Also, I have adjusted the multi sampling in the nvidia control panel to 4x ss. Also some other aliasing settings. I can’t remember exactly which ones I’m not at my pc. For me this eliminated the flickering. 

Hi Rowdyb00t,

 

Firstly thanks for the mod!

 

I tried the mod a couple of weeks ago (v8) as i wished to get rid of the flickering distant clouds in vanilla,  but I ended up uninstalling the  mod and returning to vanilla clouds. 

I think i preferred the vanilla look and i don't recall the mod fixing the flickering issue with distant clouds. I did try tweaking some setting in nvidea CP, but i found any tweaks i made there made it worse or was expensive on FPS. I am a bit of a novice with game optimisation/tweaking graphics but have some experience with racing sims.

 

I would be willing to try your mod again if you posted your nVidia settings or recommendations on how to get rid of the flickering.

Many thanks,

Billy

 

System specs:

CPU: i7 6700k @ 4.8GHz

GPU: GTX 980ti

RAM: 32GB

SSD: M.2 drive

[rowdyb00t]

@itsbillyfrazier

   I’m not sure what changed, in the previous game versions before the cloud update, I don’t remember any flickering . It seems to me this happened when the devs came out with the new clouds. In the Graphic presets for the game they changed the cloud samples to 64 from 128 ( though that should have effected it that much ). 
   When I get home, currently working out of town, I will post everything I have for settings. I do fly mostly VR. So my rig is sorta beefy, although what you have is more than enough for 2D. Assuming you use a monitor. 
 

my specs:
Ryzen 5 3600x

RTX 2080ti

16g 3200mhz

ssd

@LizLemon

   Do you think you can elaborate on this subject?

[itsbillyfrazier]

18 minutes ago, rowdyb00t said:

@itsbillyfrazier

   I’m not sure what changed, in the previous game versions before the cloud update, I don’t remember any flickering . It seems to me this happened when the devs came out with the new clouds. In the Graphic presets for the game they changed the cloud samples to 64 from 128 ( though that should have effected it that much ). 
   When I get home, currently working out of town, I will post everything I have for settings. I do fly mostly VR. So my rig is sorta beefy, although what you have is more than enough for 2D. Assuming you use a monitor. 
 

my specs:
Ryzen 5 3600x

RTX 2080ti

16g 3200mhz

ssd

Thanks @rowdyb00t that would be great!

 

I thought it might be just my aging computer specs but seeing that you have a RTX 2080ti (I sooo want one...maybe some day!) and are experiencing the same issue well than I guess its something the devs will need to look into.

 

Funny i was flying the Kuban map earlier and it wasn't so noticeable, but i was flying the Moscow map the other day and it was driving me crazy, flickering clouds smattering the horizon line.

 

Hopefully the devs get around to looking into it, as other than that issue, the clouds look great IMO.

Edited January 20, 2020 by itsbillyfrazier

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

Will give Supersampling a try. Thanks for tips! 

[LizLemon]

22 hours ago, rowdyb00t said:

@itsbillyfrazier

   I’m not sure what changed, in the previous game versions before the cloud update, I don’t remember any flickering . It seems to me this happened when the devs came out with the new clouds. In the Graphic presets for the game they changed the cloud samples to 64 from 128 ( though that should have effected it that much ). 
   When I get home, currently working out of town, I will post everything I have for settings. I do fly mostly VR. So my rig is sorta beefy, although what you have is more than enough for 2D. Assuming you use a monitor. 
 

my specs:
Ryzen 5 3600x

RTX 2080ti

16g 3200mhz

ssd

@LizLemon

   Do you think you can elaborate on this subject?

 

The cloud update changed things so that there is a different noise pass on more distant clouds. But the flickering is also caused by the clouds being rendered at a lower resolution than what you have the display set to. The way the game is upscaling the clouds from, say 540x960 up to 1080x1920 is simple. There are better ways to do that reconstruction then what the game is doing now.

 

Someone should buy the graphics programmer on this game Gpu Pro 7 (or tell him what libgen is......)

[cellinsky]

Looking at the video, I think its more of an issue with anisotropic filtering, AA Settings and resolution. I got rid of that, when switching to a monitor with finer pixel-density and using supersampling as well. Reducing draw-distance and aniso helped too. Its caused when the engine switches between bright and dark pixels back and forward. Best seen with roads and rivers that contrast well with the surrounding. The same happens to very narrow clouds in the far distance when not blending well with the haze.

[rowdyb00t]

@itsbillyfrazier

 

 

Here's my settings, this might be a bit taxing on your system. If so try 2x multisample on the nVidia cp

[C6_Geo]

Same problem for me with a 1080p monitor, i7 6700k 16go ram and rtx2070...

i Check sparse grid super sampling x4 in Nvidia profile inspector, it’s better but not finished.

[Bilbo_Baggins]

On 1/22/2020 at 1:36 AM, cellinsky said:

Looking at the video, I think its more of an issue with anisotropic filtering, AA Settings and resolution. I got rid of that, when switching to a monitor with finer pixel-density and using supersampling as well. Reducing draw-distance and aniso helped too. Its caused when the engine switches between bright and dark pixels back and forward. Best seen with roads and rivers that contrast well with the surrounding. The same happens to very narrow clouds in the far distance when not blending well with the haze.

 

Did the change to finer pixel monitor also god rid of the flickering roads too? The clouds I have come to tolerate but the distant flickering and jagged 'stepped' roads are a right eye-sore.