Orbx wave effects; an unofficial beta test

[Larry_R]

For those adventuresome souls who are interested in Orbx wave effects, you are invited to participate in what Ed suggested be called an unofficial beta test of one of the effects. (Some of the Orbx beta testers have previously checked this effect.)

If you do want to participate, it’s important that you carefully read and follow the instructions below to avoid wild goose chases. If you are not comfortable disabling files, this is not for you.

General info:  there are a number of different shoreline wave effects used in Orbx products; this is a test of only one of them, what I call the 'inland waters' wave effect.  It is used for the inland salt water areas in FTX PNW for example, areas like Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia.  The surf effects on beaches facing the ocean use different files and of course will be unchanged.  The same is true of lake wave effects where they are present.  Based on the results of this test, I will decide whether or not to proceed.

1.  Find an area where you would like to test the new effect and closely observe the existing effect. You can think of the existing effect as a short, somewhat jerky movie that runs over and over.  In P3D, you may notice that the effect does not appear immediately, but will first begin to appear in the distance as you fly along the shore. The same thing will occur with the new effect.
2.  For consistency among testers, set your Special Effects Detail slider to High
3. For P3D, also set your Special Effects Distance slider to High.
4.  Rename the fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx  file located in the \[sim]\Effects folder  to fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx.original 
5. In the sim verify that the effect is no longer present.  This is important so that you know for sure that you will be seeing the new effect.
6. Copy fx_LR_Orbx_oceanwaves.fx and the new fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx  in the zip file below to your \Effects folder.  Copy LR_Orbx_surf.bmp to the Effects\texture folder.  Without this texture, the effect will not work.
7. Test in the sim at the same location. Reply in this thread including the lat lon of the area you used for tests and the Orbx product(s) that are active in the area.
8. If you wish to restore the original effect, delete the new fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx and then remove the .original from the original filename .

Notes:

The effect will look slightly different depending on the sim you are using and the power of your hardware.  Sim specific effects are not contemplated.  The illustration below will let you confirm you are seeing the new effect.

 

[edit]  April 9

Thanks everyone for the feedback.  The zip file below now has updated files based on some of the suggestions.  I’ve made only incremental changes because it’s easy to completely mess up effects like this one by changing too much.  I’ve softened the wave front on the texture a little and slowed the wave down to 70% of the previous value. 

As Dale points out, the default effect causes waves to show up in the most unrealistic spots; for example along the entire shoreline of a small sheltered cove or islet.  It looks like a cartoon to my eye.

It’s not possible to control the location of where the waves show up other than by the type of shoreline vector used, so for the first test files as well as the current ones I have reduced the number of waves that you will see so that they appear in a little more random fashion.

However the most important factor in how many waves you see is how busy the sim is. Effects are among the first things to go when resources are short.

Effects_2.zip

 

[Sir Ash]

Thank you for this Larry. I've given it a test. I tested it in the area around W124° 55.57' N49° 44.35' (near CYQQ). The active scenery products I have in the area are Orbx PNW and Orbx Trees HD. I observed the original effect, successfully disabled it, and then successfully installed the new effect and noticed the difference.

 

What I like about it is that it's smaller/less denser than the original one and has more clarity. I've never enjoyed the original larger washed-out effect. It looks particularly great when coming into land on the water. It also looks great from a distance when flying higher. However if you stared at it from a more vertical position looking down (say you're flying low and slow along the coastline), the sharp texture makes it look a little more fake than the original one to me. That's just my opinion. As one who loves flying floatplanes around that part of the world, I'm keeping it installed for what I like about it.

 

 

[wolfko]

I haven't tested the new effects yet, but anyway thank you very much for your efforts Larry.

Since wave effects always have been an issue, which was discussed very emotionally, I'm really surprised that there are not more responses to your topic yet. Maybe this thread should be pinned.

[MotoDave]

What about ORBX mismatched water class?  

[Guest Colin M]

Looks interesting and I'll likely try this very soon, wonder how it would interact with my REX stuff though?

Nothing to lose by trying so long as the good instructions for back up in the original post are observed.

[Larry_R]

On ‎3‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 8:11 PM, Asheroo said:

the sharp texture makes it look a little more fake than the original one to me.

Thanks for testing Ashley. The texture is pretty much from an aerial photo of a wave but I could try blurring or dulling the leading edge of the wave. But I'll wait to see if there is much interest in this thread before I spend more time on waves.

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 5:36 AM, MotoDave said:

What about ORBX mismatched water class? 

I'm afraid I don't understand the question.  This is a test of an effect that uses the 'special effects' system and is not related to water class or hydro polys. Whether or not you see waves in a given area is based on the type of shoreline vector used.

 

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 5:57 AM, Colin M said:

Looks interesting and I'll likely try this very soon, wonder how it would interact with my REX stuff though

In this case, the wave effect is specific to Orbx and will not affect other effects. And this test simply replaces the existing Orbx effect with a new one. There should be no interaction with REX. 

 

In one case one of the Orbx wave controller uses a default effect. However we would not change any default effect. In this instance, changing the effect would be accomplished by changing other Orbx specific files. This gets more complicated, thus the simple test here to judge interest. In short, Orbx wave effects act on Orbx products only.

 

For reference, it works like this:  each vector segment of an Orbx shoreline vector can call an Orbx  wave controller (or not). The controller calls the effect to be used and specifies how it is to be used. 

[styckx]

Tried this out, working as intended. They look notably more real than the originals. The originals just looked like a sharp white line draw with some gradients following it.  This new one at least resembles an actual wave somewhat.   The only thing I would further change is the speed.  They just seem to be approaching the shore a bit too fast.   Other than that these test waves are staying put on my system as they are definitely a marked improvement. Good job

 

Edit: Sorry I didn't record the location I tested... But I was at Cape May, New Jersey (USA)

 

Edit 2:  38.941946, -74.883607

[Larry_R]

14 hours ago, styckx said:

The only thing I would further change is the speed.  They just seem to be approaching the shore a bit too fast

 

Thanks for taking a close look.  Based on suggestions from internal testing, I slowed the new ocean surf effect but not this one. I could probably slow this one down some too. It's not quite as easy as reducing the forward particle velocity because a number of things are interrelated; it just takes fiddling. 

[Herman Ross]

Just saw this and will check it out this weekend. We're about to move to the Kitsap peninsula, so naturally that's where I'll test, along with your Puget Sound ferries, especially at Kingston. Also with the stretch from Port Townshend to Port Angeles. I have Jefferson County and Diamond Point airports, so will see what this adds to the overall immersion of the area.

[FireRx]

Lat: N23.85'  Lon: w122 25.65   KHAF area.   looks really nice along the coastline, Larry.  agree a slower cadience would be wonderful.  

[Herman Ross]

I need to do some troubleshooting as the standard wave effects don't show on my 4.2 install, even with Water turned up all the way, along with the two Special Effects sliders full right as in the OP. Some time back, I used REX Texture Direct to change my water files and that may be the issue, so I'll have to take them back to default, along with my shaders to see if that's why the standard wave files don't show up.

 

Routing was around the Olympic and Kitsap peninsula shoreline from Diamond Point to Port Townshend to Port Ludlow to Foulweather Bluff to Point No Point to Kingston.

[Federico Sucari]

Hi @Larry_R, interesting I will test.

 

I have a question. Is there a way - officially or not - to configure the Triton Waves?

 

LM mentiones that they don't suggest modifying the cfg files but maybe someone can come up with something interesting.

 

Thanks

[FireRx]

hahaha, Hi, Federico,

Fancy seeing you here. 

[Larry_R]

15 hours ago, Herman Ross said:

I need to do some troubleshooting as the standard wave effects don't show on my 4.2 install

Hi Herman,

 

Looks like I was mistaken; based on a quick look, don't find any shorelines in Puget Sound proper with wave effects. I do see them in the American San Juan Islands however. Whether or not you see the waves at a given spot in an Orbx region depends on how Holger has assigned waves to each segment of a shoreline vector... so only Holger knows for sure.

 

3 hours ago, Federico Sucari said:

I have a question. Is there a way - officially or not - to configure the Triton Waves?

Hi Federico,

 

I have played around with the Triton.config file just for my own amusement. I was able to change a few things to suit my area of interest, but I've not done anything lately. In the current configuration, 3D waves don't work all that well with the seaplane bases at least when it's windy so I usually leave them turned off.  

[Federico Sucari]

3 hours ago, Larry_R said:

Hi Federico,

 

I have played around with the Triton.config file just for my own amusement. I was able to change a few things to suit my area of interest, but I've not done anything lately. In the current configuration, 3D waves don't work all that well with the seaplane bases at least when it's windy so I usually leave them turned off.  

Thanks @Larry_R. Yes, for AIs to behave in those seas you need to control the AI PBH using the SDK. You posted a video, and it is not hard to do if you eventually want to include it in a project ?

[Larry_R]

46 minutes ago, Federico Sucari said:

and it is not hard to do if you eventually want to include it in a project ?

Hi Federico,

With that teaser, we can now disappear behind locked doors.

 

(For those tuning in late, the above is not related to wave effect being tested here.)

[Herman Ross]

6 hours ago, Larry_R said:

Hi Herman,

 

Looks like I was mistaken; based on a quick look, don't find any shorelines in Puget Sound proper with wave effects. I do see them in the American San Juan Islands however. Whether or not you see the waves at a given spot in an Orbx region depends on how Holger has assigned waves to each segment of a shoreline vector... so only Holger knows for sure.

Well that saved me some time. Thanks, Larry. I'll try around the US San Juans to see what I can find. I think I also remember some waves on the way from West Vancouver north along the Sea to Sky Highway, so will look there also.

[Gypsy Pilot]

Hi Larry,

 

One of the things that have always bugged me is that all of the waves are the same.

 

I do most of my flying around the San Juan Islands and the PNW coast.  It is strange to see the same waves inside a cove, on both sides of a small peninsula,  and the lee side of the islands as you do on the windward side of the island.

 

Would it not be great if we had a Seastate addon where wind speed and direction would control the wave size and direction just like our Weather addons control cloud types and movement direction.

 

I would buy it, and if it is an Orbx release, I am sure JV would add surfers at all of the proper beaches.  People Flow Rules.

Yes, I do understand what this would take, but as my Grandmother used to say, "Don't waste your time wishing for a piece of the pie, when you should be wishing for the whole pie."

 

I want to thank you for all you have done to increase my enjoyment of simming, and doing it at no cost.

You are a major asset to our Orbx World.

 

Dale

[Larry_R]

On ‎4‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 11:37 AM, Gypsy Pilot said:

It is strange to see the same waves inside a cove, on both sides of a small peninsula,  and the lee side of the islands as you do on the windward side of the island.

 

Hi Dale,

 

I agree and I have done what I can to make this a little less obvious.   I've posted new test files with a few incremental changes. Check the bottom of the OP. 

My guess is that having shoreline wave effects respond to the wind would be so computationally expensive that it would not be practical. Equally nice would be to have the height of waves  in part be a function of fetch but that too would  likely be impractical at least for now.

[Sir Ash]

I've tested the new files. Looking really nice Larry! The changes you did have made it look a touch more realistic.

[Herman Ross]

I finally broke loose the time to give version 2 a try on a flight from Friday Harbor (KFHR) around the shoreline of San Juan Island to Roche Harbor (around 123 05' W 48 37' N). I think the nicest aspect of the new files is how well they catch the general wave pattern coloring with just enough differentiation and distance on the back side of the swell to greatly improve the boringly regular and too bright stock wave effect. Larry, I hope you're encouraged by the helpful comments made and not discouraged by the sparse response.

 

P3Dv4.2, Orbx PNW, no custom airports in the area tested.

[Larry_R]

Thanks for the latest checks Ashley and Herman,

 

I am reasonably happy with the effect posted here and based on everyone's comments I'm going to take another look at my versions of the Orbx ocean surf effects. These will be beta tested in house.  It's uncertain if or when the  new shoreline wave and surf effects might be released (along with an Orbx lib update)  but at least people can use this effect now if they so choose.

 

Cheers,

[Herman Ross]

Thanks so much for another great contribution to the community, Larry.

[tangjuice81]

Will try it! 

[Dog4Zero]

Version 2 works, but they need to be slowed down. Other wise they look good and I tried in a lot of different locations. This was on P3DV4.2

[Larry_R]

Thanks everyone for your input. I am going to lock this topic for now until such time as I have something new.

[Larry_R]

Note:  if you update your Orbx libs,  the beta test version of the file fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx will be replaced with the standard one and you will then see the original wave effect. To restore the beta, replace the fx_HS_FSX_oceanwavecontroller.fx file with the beta version in the zip file linked above.