Tweaking CFS3 with newer computers

[mongoose]

I am sure some of you remember this but I got it in 2004!! Anyone had ideas on updating it for say i7 CPUs and new graphics cards??

http://allensrule.com/Com_Central_Forums_View_topic_CFS3_Install_Tweak_Tune_Guide.htm

 

[Human Drone]

I didn't read this but may when I have a minute. With the rig below, I have all my sliders maxed and haven't had any problems so far, 60 fps stutter-free. But then, maybe I haven't gotten into it as deep as I should have. I did one mission, though, that had a lot of aircraft up, and the machine seemed to have no problems...

Are you having problems? Just last night I had my first, flying the Avro Lanacster. It wasn't a stutter problem, but I was getting weird patches of graphics from the plane out into the fields. So I wonder if that plane is ok, it really didn't seem like a "computer needs tweaked" problem.

Best,

Tom

 

[Tailwind]

Hello

Honestly I wouldn't really bother. All this tweaking stuff was for back in the day when CPU memory and Video was not nearly as fast. I have an second gen I7 with a GTX 570.With full sliders it pushes CFS3, ETO and PTO-RS just fine.

I upgraded from a Duo core 3.2 Ghz with a GT9800. This system also ran very smooth

I generally find tweaks on new systems cause more issues than improvements

Cheers

TW

 

[ndicki]

All this tweaking stuff was for back in the day when CPU memory and Video was not nearly as fast.

TW

Erm... I say... Hello...

That sounds very much like my computer. I'd forgotten the max FPS tweak, so that was worth it if only from my point of view!

 

[Daiwilletti]

Erm... I say... Hello...

That sounds very much like my computer. I'd forgotten the max FPS tweak, so that was worth it if only from my point of view!

Too true! Matching frame rate to native video refresh rate is always a good idea! The thing about CFS3 is that if it is running smoothly, you haven't got a high enough LOD or density setting in your scenerybudgets file!!

Seriously, though, with a good computer like Tailwind's, it just begs for tweaking of scenery files to get an amazing look. Sure it will run bog standard settings, but look what they did in OFF - gave you scenery budget options in the manager that can bring any computer to its knees. However it looks fantastic.

When von Oben's scenery becomes available, we will all want to tweak our computers to take advantage of the high quality tiles. We won't be able to blame low res dds tiles if our scenery looks cr#ppy...

BTW with my tweaked meshbuilderbudgets file (and a revised version I plan to upload), the look is improved if there is an attempt made to synchronise the various budgets.xml files and the meshbuilderbudgets file. The ETO files in the Assets folder are a good place to start, but I find that flying in mountains you get disconcerting effects as the terrain clicks into focus with higher resolution and more sceneryobjects as you get closer to it...

Hence back to Mongoose's original point - from my point of view, having a better computer offers the opportunity to tweak all the budgets files to try and get great looking terrain.

 

[Human Drone]

<Sigh>... now I have to learn about budget files... Wonder what will happen if I get around to installing OFF?

 

[mongoose]

Too true! Matching frame rate to native video refresh rate is always a good idea! The thing about CFS3 is that if it is running smoothly, you haven't got a high enough LOD or density setting in your scenerybudgets file!!

Seriously, though, with a good computer like Tailwind's, it just begs for tweaking of scenery files to get an amazing look. Sure it will run bog standard settings, but look what they did in OFF - gave you scenery budget options in the manager that can bring any computer to its knees. However it looks fantastic.

When von Oben's scenery becomes available, we will all want to tweak our computers to take advantage of the high quality tiles. We won't be able to blame low res dds tiles if our scenery looks cr#ppy...

BTW with my tweaked meshbuilderbudgets file (and a revised version I plan to upload), the look is improved if there is an attempt made to synchronise the various budgets.xml files and the meshbuilderbudgets file. The ETO files in the Assets folder are a good place to start, but I find that flying in mountains you get disconcerting effects as the terrain clicks into focus with higher resolution and more sceneryobjects as you get closer to it...

Hence back to Mongoose's original point - from my point of view, having a better computer offers the opportunity to tweak all the budgets files to try and get great looking terrain.

Well you sound just the person to enlighten the rest of us.... after von Oben's stuff is out; soon I believe. We could do with a similar (updated) thread to that old one.

 

[rocketred]

ok dont ask me how , but i mixed and matched current and new addons for this and i gotta say all sliders maxed and resilution at 1920x1080 it looks like at points fsx, or a high end gamers scernery .....


cfs3.eto, cfs3-4 ,


now the issue is i cant seem to post pics .... wont take ,,,,,but if interested i can send you a few .......


mixed old new and somehow came out with , for me hot scenery

 

[Daiwilletti]

ok dont ask me how , but i mixed and matched current and new addons for this and i gotta say all sliders maxed and resilution at 1920x1080 it looks like at points fsx, or a high end gamers scernery .....


cfs3.eto, cfs3-4 ,


now the issue is i cant seem to post pics .... wont take ,,,,,but if interested i can send you a few .......


mixed old new and somehow came out with , for me hot scenery

@rocketred,

yes, please, try to upload a screenshot of what files are in your Assets folder - that will give us a clue as to the combination of stuff you are seeing .

@Mongoose,

LOL, I'm just a compulsive tweaker, but will certainly share if I come across anything good. The meshbuilderbudgets file was just a lucky guess. The same goes for tweaking the other budgets files. The solution no doubt is to read the Terrain SDK and find out what all those funny parameters mean - oh, for a layman's guide to this arcane world! But the next meshbuilderbudgets file I upload will come with my scenery budgets and the other xml file (can't remember what its called, not at my cfs3 comp) as a start.

When I tweak the scenery budgets xml I use something like Winmerge, take a recent update to the file (like the ETO high end visuals add-on 32-bit), and compare it to the original file to see which direction the mods are going. Then all I do if I think I have any spare framerate left is to increase a few numbers for level 5 (all my sliders are set to 5).

The thing which hits frame rate the most is to increase the scenery density setting. Tiny adjustments make the trees cluster thickly, but boy the frame rates drop...

cheers
D

 

[Tailwind]

I may have posted in haste. I was really referring to just basic game ops. I used to have a P4 rig with and related hardware. I tried some of the bug fixes and tweaks to improve frame rates and stutter fixes with out much success. I moved to the Duo core a couple of years ago and saw a lot of improvement.

Now with my new rig all of that is gone. Game runs great on full sliders. I never really considered or investigated improving it beyond this. I have installed an upgrade to sound in CFS3 which is great. But that is all.

I mostly fly on line so I don't do much beyond this as I want to keep internet lag at a minimum.

Cheers

TW

 

[ndicki]

I used to have a P4 rig with and related hardware.
TW

I still do...