Project D3D11Client Development

[asmi]

Some more tunes, and I've added martian atmosphere (my impression of what it would look like anyways )

 

[Zachstar]

Damn that is pretty! I look forward to you showing us the effect on Titan.

That last one really brings out what I perceive as realistic. As in the atmosphere is above the surface and the sun is still visible in those layers.

What do you think Cras?

 

[Cras]

The atmosphere is looking good.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/032.png

the Earth does look like some pics by nasa, the earth shine looks real good. the ISS and DG seem a bit bright, which may be a side effect here I dont know.

Like here is a pic of the complex on the dark side, with ambient lighting at zero, and yet the whole scene is quite visible.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/035.png

but the orbital sunsets and sunrises are really quite a sight to behold now
you can get scenes like that iconic picture from STS-130

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/033.png
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/037.png
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/036.png


and the atmosphere when on the surface of Earth is much more natural now. Though I am seeing a green haze on the horizon
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/038.png

 

[asmi]

Damn that is pretty! I look forward to you showing us the effect on Titan.

That last one really brings out what I perceive as realistic. As in the atmosphere is above the surface and the sun is still visible in those layers.

What do you think Cras?

I just want to remind that the forum engine apparently resized uploaded image, and that degrades quality quite a bit.

Also please don't think that I didn't notice your offer to help me out with testing the client on DX10-class hardware. When we'll get there, I'll call you in

Also, as for Titan, here is a problem - there is very little scientific data about what it's actually like, and the model we use is physically-accurate, so we'll have to guess some of its' parameters... On the upside - no one knows what it actually looks like, so whatever I'll make it - that's what it will be

 

[Zachstar]

Well I doubt I could even remotely give you the quality of testing Cras can when you get to that point. Yet I think I can do comparisons and let you know if things look any different from Nvidia DX10 class hardware and FPS ratings on difference scenes.

In the meantime tho. I am just drooling over those screenshots and my mental image of looking out of the LEM to see 0.1 meter Terrain and Texture.

---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:58 PM ----------

BTW Amsi you mentioned the forum editing your images. May I suggest then using Imgur? On many other groups and forums it seems to have become the standard for sharing images.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imgur"]Imgur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

http://imgur.com/

 

[asmi]

Well I doubt I could even remotely give you the quality of testing Cras can when you get to that point. Yet I think I can do comparisons and let you know if things look any different from Nvidia DX10 class hardware and FPS ratings on difference scenes.

I think when we'll get there it will hopefully be a checklist-like thing - either things work, or they don't. But we'll see.

In the meantime tho. I am just drooling over those screenshots and my mental image of looking out of the LEM to see 0.1 meter Terrain and Texture.

Right now the best we've got is L13 heightmap, because of obvious hard drive space restrictions. But the engine itself supports up to L18-level data, so once we'll find away to feed it with L18 data (for example like surface base hi-res tiles) - we'll get that kind of resolution.

 

[Zachstar]

Yes it will also be quite interesting figuring out how to distribute that kind of resolution as well .

Maybe you answered this already but is there a way by chance to generate said heightmaps and textures by "guessing" how it looks from lower resolution sources? I don't require actual L18 data if I can land in an area that looks like it is.

BTW edited my post above about Imgur. You might find it handy if the forum keeps messing with your images.

 

[asmi]

I've made some (hopefully final) changes in HDR post-processing engine, and looks like now it works as it should. Cras - please check it out.

 

[Frogisis]

For what it's worth I'm still getting this whole business:

 

[asmi]

For what it's worth I'm still getting this whole business:

What version do you use?

 

[Frogisis]

53bca7e9105b

And I just updated my video drivers today.

 

[Cras]

I still got some stuff to take care of. Then I will grab the latest build and try it out and see if I am seeing what Frogisis reported.

 

[asmi]

I've made some more tunes for HDR, but primarily to fix this Map MFD issue. Please take latest and check if Map MFD issue still occurs...

 

[N_Molson]

Also, as for Titan, here is a problem - there is very little scientific data about what it's actually like, and the model we use is physically-accurate, so we'll have to guess some of its' parameters... On the upside - no one knows what it actually looks like, so whatever I'll make it - that's what it will be.

At some point, planets and atmospheres rendering is an art... When Science has too little objective data to offer, Art serves as a subjective backup. Hence the "artist concept" thing.

“Art for art’s sake is an empty phrase. Art for the sake of the true, art for the sake of the good and the beautiful, that is the faith I am searching for.”

George Sand (pseudonym of Baroness Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin; 1804-1876)

 

[Zachstar]

I agree with N_Molson. And better yet if someone later finds error with it they can show the data or images needed to make it more realistic.

Do the Mr Spock and give it your "guess" :lol:

 

[Frogisis]

It's still doing it, but like you said that's probably not what you were trying to fix.

Here's another issue I noticed - Extreme darkness in VCs:

I'm also getting the freaky purple bases and undersized smoke trail "puffs" other people have mentioned.

Those new sunsets/rises do look amazing, though.

 

[asmi]

I'm also getting the freaky purple bases and undersized smoke trail "puffs" other people have mentioned.

Are you getting them after you'll start client, then exit to the launchpad and then reload client without shutting down the launchpad? If so - it's a known bug that's been around since forever - I just neven managed to get my hands on it since there is an easy workaround - simply restart launchpad every time you're loading new scenario (or change Orbiter settings so it would respawn process every time).

If aforementioned is not the case - please provide detailed description of how to reproduce the issue - I'll take a look.

For VC - I didn't get there yet, so I will take a look tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Cras]

just got the latest build, 0.4.a.18, and all I see is a black screen. Orbiter Sound is working, and everything seems to be happening, only I cant see anything.

---------- Post added at 02:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 PM ----------

wait a second, when zoomed way out, like by many AUs, and then load it as the current situation, I was able to see again.

And being on the surface of the Earth again feels alien. The sky is just too dark for sea level.

and the green seems back.

got this cool shot of the sunset, but while the sun looks cool, everything else is black, which takes away from it all I think.

---------- Post added at 02:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:14 PM ----------

Here are some more.

The dark side horizon, looks really good now, that hard line is gone, and the surface of the planet just fades into the shadow.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/043.png

This, however is not so good, it is the stock ISS in LEO on the dayside, but the image is far too dark.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/044.png

Another beautiful orbital sunset,
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/045.png

and it may just be because the whole scene is dark now, but on the dark side, things do get dark, unlike that pic I posted earlier where it was very easy to see the ship with no ambient lighting.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68333863/TerrainTest/046.png

 

[N_Molson]

got this cool shot of the sunset, but while the sun looks cool, everything else is black, which takes away from it all I think.

Makes me think to a H-Bomb detonation flimed with a strong filter

 

[Cras]

Now that you say that, that is all I can think of when I look at that picture.

Or this is a picture couple billion years into the future and the Sun is now becoming a red giant.