Ankor's Shaders February 2025 Released!

One pretty noticable thing in the new frontend.xml files, unless you have a P-47D-25-RE in your install CFS3 will show an error instead of the UI every time you start it. I edited all mine to call for the stock P-47D-25 instead.
 
mongoose said:
OK, I'm obviously not all that bright as I find the readme quite challenging!

BUT I have just realized that all my comments below relate to the doc file, whereas the AnKor Shader User ReadMe Feb 2025.txt file is the one I need! :p :banghead: Still, I do find the doc file confusing, so I just changed my original comments


How to install (in the doc file!) is already quite far into the readme, page 8/19 for me, so just dealing with initial ?s from that section.


2. "Copy the Reticle files into your effects/fxtextures folder"
Well since I don't see any here, I assume referring to "A package of dynamic reticles and installation instructions are available at http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=13&linkid=19730" which is from the .com not .org so I found it here https://sim-outhouse.org/sohforums/threads/high_resolution_dynamic-reticle_collection-zip.94274/ . so, if one already had those from 2015, one does not have to reinstall?

3. "Edit or Replace AnKor's original TextureMagic.ini file in the shaders30 folder with the one provided (not needed if using 2019 version). Note, if you have added lines to the TextureMagic.ini as part of the installation of another add-on you will need to edit again with the new gunsight lines, and not replace the whole file."
Just to be sure, if I already use the 2019 version (with other changes), I don't have to use the one here, but keep everything else in the Main Files Shaders 30??

4. "Edit your effects.xml file to add the appropriate entries from the Gunsight List.txt file (be careful to only paste in the lines from the Effects.xml section or CFS3 will stop working!) You may want to place them at the top right after <Effects> so you can find them easier if something goes wrong."
Where is the Gunsight List.txt file, or is this again referring back to the 2015 add on?

5. "Edit the individual xdp file for each aircraft you want to have dynamic reticles. Examples are provided in the Gunsight List.txt file. These entries are placed in the effects section of the xdp at the bottom anywhere between <Effects> and </Effects>. This is how you choose which Reticle Effect will be applied to that particular aircraft so you can customize to your heart's content."

As #4, the same applies to #6
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Hi James, yes the developer document was included from the previous releases and I clearly missed how much it references other files. The short answer is, if you have already installed these things, you don't need to do it again.

DO install all of the files from the February 2025 package. If you leave some out, you will have strange results or crashes depending on what you didn't install. If you made edits to your texturemagic.ini, compare it with the one supplied in this release, and add any missing entries.
 
greycap.raf said:
One pretty noticable thing in the new frontend.xml files, unless you have a P-47D-25-RE in your install CFS3 will show an error instead of the UI every time you start it. I edited all mine to call for the stock P-47D-25 instead.
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Shoot! Thanks for catching that. I'll make a fix.
 
MajorMagee said:
My cockpits all seem to be hidden in deep shadow, even in the middle of the day. Any hints on fixing this?
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Can you post a screenshot, and are you using sweetfx or other post processing shaders? The new sun effect has a greater contrast between full sunlight and ambient (shadow) light levels. So yes, I would expect you to find the cockpits somewhat darker, but not blacked out. If you are increasing contrast with sweetfx you might get that result and may need to retune it a little.
 
I just figured out that my reshade settings were no longer compatible with the new shaders, only to find you had already responded with just that advice.
 
I have attached updated frontend.xml files which will be compatible with most installations. Thanks Rene for catching my mistake.

I have updated the Part 2 download with these changes, but I don't think they have been approved yet. Meanwhile, you can download the new files here. They go in your missions folder and replace the ones from the original download.
 

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Yes, that is to be expected unfortunately. Exponentially more clouds are generated with the greater render distances, and clouds have always been expensive in CFS3 from a performance perspective. Wide-angle cockpit views and high display resolutions tend to increase the FPS hit. Narrower views or lower render distance are the solution if you find FPS is getting unacceptably low. For reference, I am running a 2060 Super on a 3440x1440 display and get a smooth 40 FPS at low altitude with lots of clouds in the sky using 150 km render distance.
 
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My 2070 Super is at 50-60 on a 3440x1440 display, where I'm used to seeing 75-100 on this rig.

Also, I'm not getting any variation in the UI Weather. The mission folders 01-14 are installed, but the sky never changes. Is there some switch I need to turn on to make it randomize?
 
Yep. I can live with the 40 FPS myself, but I'm also investigating my options for a better card to handle it better. I suspect at this resolution, more VRAM will be helpful. I have 6GB. How much is on your 2070?

I find it likes to stay on the same UI weather variation many times in a row before switching to a different one. Not sure why. Give it time, and I think you will see different variations over time.
 
greycap.raf said:
One pretty noticable thing in the new frontend.xml files, unless you have a P-47D-25-RE in your install CFS3 will show an error instead of the UI every time you start it. I edited all mine to call for the stock P-47D-25 instead.
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Thanks, I needed that (y); I have been scratching my head yesterday for several hours looking for what I could have done wrong when installing this magnificent piece of work. I had split it up into several JGSME pieces to observe the effects of the various options on my FPS. Turns out that the lowest settings/render distances and resolutions are the best my PC can handle but even so, what an improvement in atmosphere, lighting etc!!! (y):D

Only now it becomes very clear how cartoonish our CFS3 sky has been all these years: This sky actually feels like the real thing. Flying at, say, 15,000ft and looking around is a completely new experience. Add the new cloud textures, the sun effect and it's nearing photographic quality (OK, don't look down at the landscape as not to spoil the illusion - but you should look at the sea!!) Marvellous piece of work, you guys!!

A question: Reading the instructions, I take it that weather and sea state files etc. should be chosen/combined by the user to provide a congruent state? Meaning, in RL there's rarely a calm sea with clouds that indicate stormy weather or vice versa. To have this in CFS3 would probably require some form of external manager that combines weather and sea state files (or even the tide/shoreline files according to the time of day/lunar phase)?
 
Glad you're enjoying it!

Yes, at the moment it is up to you to set sea state and haze density etc as desired. To speed things up, you can minimize your session to desktop, make your changes, bring CFS3 back up, and press the delete key to load your changes. This does not work for edits to d3d8.ini, but will work for everything else.

I do have a functioning prototype that handles things like wind (with live gusts and directional changes, and associated sound effects), sea state and turbulence. A lot of work needs to be done to bring it to a point where it can actually be released as a functioning mod, but it does exist and I have future plans for it.
 
gecko said:
Yep. I can live with the 40 FPS myself, but I'm also investigating my options for a better card to handle it better. I suspect at this resolution, more VRAM will be helpful. I have 6GB. How much is on your 2070?

I find it likes to stay on the same UI weather variation many times in a row before switching to a different one. Not sure why. Give it time, and I think you will see different variations over time.
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The 2070 Super has 8Gb of VRAM. Using the new Weather mod it runs pretty similar to IL-2 Great Battles/Tank Crew.
 
Question, because I'll only have time to install the WOTR scenery next weekend: what can I do to make the default ground textures and terrain look less blurry? Models and clouds look just brilliant, but the terrain is horrible.

Cheers,

Priller
 
I believe if you set all the terrain related settings to those seen in the recommended configurations images (not just the circled ones) you will get it as good as it can be. And of course turning up the terrain detail slider is the first thing to do to improve it.
 
Just checked some more. Actually, low level they look ok-ish, it's just from altitude they're not quite as good.

And yes, I followed your recommended settings to the letter and all sliders are completely to the right.

But I must say, the clouds, the aircraft, the effects. I never had CFS3 looking as good as it does now. Can't wait for the weekend to get me those WOTR scenery files into the sim!

Priller
 
Something isn't adding up now. I'm at 30.000 feet, over Hawkinge flying towards Calais, in a double overcast weather. In d3d8.ini I have set CloudRenderDistance=10 and CloudShadowDistance=75000, both values for the 150 km cloud render setting, and I'll be damned if the edge isn't something like 30 km away. The distance to the French coast is around 40 km, there should be no way to see it from above the cloud if the edge was even that far away. With an actual 150 km distance it would be over Lille, more than 100 km further inland.

Shot02-17-25-22-02-50.png
 
Which weather xml did you load? All of the ones from the new weather package should have a high enough cloud radius, but others might not. That seems like the only thing it could be, since your other settings are correct.
 
I've now tried 00000Spring - Dissipating Thunderstorms, 00000Spring - Double Overcast (pictured) and 00000Spring - Thin Overcast, and they all act the same - a patch below the aircraft and then clear all the way to the horizon. There's something hiding somewhere that causes it.
 
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