Exciting news from P3D 4.4 update [re photoreal ground textures]

[slipstream]

photoreal textures up to 16 X more detailed. Not sure if that means existing textures or not?

[Nomad One]

I'll have to look into this for sure.

[slipstream]

 

 

Take to the skies like never before with Prepar3D v4.4! Groundbreaking features and improvements make this the largest and most comprehensive Prepar3D point release yet. Prepar3D v4.4 not only adds extensive new features to the platform, but also includes numerous user and developer requests including multiple fixes identified by the community and further expansion of Prepar3D’s open development architecture. 

 

A focal point of this release is the core rendering engine has been updated to fully support Physically Based Rendering (PBR) laying the groundwork for next-level realism and unparalleled graphical fidelity in a full earth simulator. New content created using new PBR capabilities will allow all different types of materials, including metals, plastics, concrete, and glass, to be rendered and lit based on their unique physical properties.

Photoreal scenery has never looked better in Prepar3D v4 with new high-resolution texture support offering up to 16 times the detail in previous versions.

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi there,

 

the difference is in the displayed resolution of photoreal textures, particularly in the mid to far distance. Previously, those were displayed at lower resolution compared to the landclass textures -- regardless of the resolution they were compiled at by the developer -- and L-M have now matched the display resolution of these two types of textures.

 

For the full effect you have to manually add the "TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=10" to the [TERRAIN] section of the P3D.cfg file but that will increase loading times by a lot and also requires a beefy graphics card. Ticking the "Use High-Resolution Terrain Textures" checkbox in the > Options > World > Terrain submenu will increase the displayed resolution by a factor of 4, which I find a great improvement already. 

 

In short, yes, all existing photoreal scenery will benefit from this improvement in P3D v4.4.

 

Cheers, Holger

 

 

 

 

[slipstream]

Good info Holgar. Thank you. I will apply those tweaks. I have a 1080 so hopefully won’t be any problem. 

[Stewart Hobson]

1 hour ago, slipstream said:

Good info Holgar. Thank you. I will apply those tweaks. I have a 1080 so hopefully won’t be any problem. 

You'll need at least a 1080ti with its 11(?) GB of video RAM to get any use out of setting the "TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=10".  That's my understanding, at least.  I have a 1080 FTW and I've settled for "9" instead of "10".

[slipstream]

Thanks. I’ll probably be better off leaving it as standard with this latest update. 

[FireRx]

thanks Holger 

I'll try that setting on my RTX 2080

[MikeFlight]

14 hours ago, Stewart Hobson said:

You'll need at least a 1080ti with its 11(?) GB of video RAM to get any use out of setting the "TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=10".

 

I have a 1080TI, but have the TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP = 10 removed, since the loading times of about 5 minutes were too long. The value 9 corresponds to the activated High Resolution Textures in the P3D, as Holger has already stated above.
Personally, I don't see any difference.

[Chunk]

Can someone please post screenshots of the Grand Tetons at KJAC with P3D 4.4?  I can never get them to be as sharp as some folks here, with sliders all the way to the right, and I wonder if 4.4 fixes this.

 

Tanks in advance,

 

Ron

[Matthew Kane]

1 hour ago, Chunk said:

Can someone please post screenshots of the Grand Tetons at KJAC with P3D 4.4?  I can never get them to be as sharp as some folks here, with sliders all the way to the right, and I wonder if 4.4 fixes this.

 

Tanks in advance,

 

Ron

 

This is a fresh install of 4.4 with no tweaking and sliders to the right, I have noticed  distance drawing is improved:

[Chunk]

Thank you Matthew. It looks a little better, but I’ve never been able to see it as crisply as some of the screenshots I’ve seen. 

 

Anyway, thanks for doing that.

[FireRx]

here's another Chuck

[Chunk]

That one looks really good Matthew. Im

going to have to grab 4.4 soon!

[slipstream]

It’s a game changer that’s for sure. 

[Stewart Hobson]

9 hours ago, Chunk said:

That one looks really good Matthew. Im

going to have to grab 4.4 soon!

Chunk,  When  you've finally got it installed (I installed only the Client module), check out Rob Ainscough's remarks and observations over at Avsim:  https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/545920-p3d-v44-and-settings-and-video-samples-from-beta/

 

Most interesting if you want to see some of the more substantial improvements, always subject to one's rig's capabilities, of course.

 

Stew

[bvdboomen]

On 12/5/2018 at 8:27 PM, Chunk said:

It looks a little better, but I’ve never been able to see it as crisply as some of the screenshots I’ve seen.

Your observation is good.

You have probably seen LOWI and TE Netherlands which both have outstanding photographic quality?

Telluride and Eagle County look like to be equipped with slightly lower Photo resolution by it self as far as I can see since I bought the two airports yesterday.

That's probably noticeable in these screenshots and I can confirm that but the drawing distance still is good and doesn't pop-up when coming closer, meaning maximum quality is already established.

 

I don't know if I'm right but that's my observation at this moment. I'm happy anyway with both airports and P3D v4.4. 

 

Cheers,

Ben.

[Chunk]

Thanks Gents!