CSM - Some easy steps to make a map look better

[fo0k]

These are a few very simple methods to help improve the visual experience of a map.
We will increase view distance, fog range and the quality of the terrain at distance.

Difficulty Rating: 1
Tools Required: WinRFA (Download Here)

Install the mod tools linked above and run the Battlefield MDT



In the following examples we will make the changes to the map Battle_of_Britain
always backup the map you want to modify


1. Extending the View Distance and Fog Range of a map

Open WinRFA and then go file/open and open the Battle_of_Britain map.

(By default the maps can be found in)
Vista/7 - C:\Program Files (x86)\EA Games\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\levels
XP - C:\Program Files\EA Games\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\levels

Scroll down and click on bf1942/Levels/Battle_of_Britain/Init.con
You should see this:



Now in the lower text area, find the following code

Code: Select all

Game.setViewDistance 550

Change this value to 1050

Now also find:

Code: Select all

renderer.fogend 500

Change this value to 1000 (your fog end distance should always fall shorter than the view to allow objects to fade softly)

Now click save changes


Increasing the Terrain Detail

With winRFA still open in the top window, Scroll and click on bf1942/Levels/Battle_of_Britain/Init/Terrain.con

You should see this:



Now in the lower text area, find the following line

Code: Select all

GeometryTemplate.lodDistance 425

Change this value to 2500

click Save Changes

You can now close winRFA and load up your map to test.



The changes that you should notice:

These tweaks will extend the view distance on your map but also ensure that the terrain in the distance retains its shape and detail. You will sometimes notice the hills and mountains in the background 'pop' up and down as the game tries to minimize the level of detail on the screen. Originally BF1942 was configured to run on much lower systems than you find today. Modifying the LodDistance forces the game to retain the detail of the landscape at distance. Simply extending the view distance and fog alone is not sufficient. Forcing higher quality makes for a much better visual experience. If you are familiar with the map you are working on try freecam after making these changes and you will notice it. the values I have used above are a safe starting point. You can try increasing the views distance more and ensuring the fog always mirrors these changes. If you start to notice any problems with the terrain breaking up or not appearing smooth just increase the LodDistance until it looks perfect!

[Senshi]

I personally prefer to extend the Game.setViewDistance a bit more than the renderer.fogend value. This causes objects that are far away to be visible "in the mist" and they don't directly pop out of the fog. E.g. if you use renderer.fogend 1000, then use Game.SetViewDistance 1100 to have an even smoother transition in some cases (e.g. a house on a mountain will first be discernible as a fog-coloured mass from the skybox, then, when you cross fogend value range it slowly will get more and more visible with its "true" colours and features. Else the building would just pop up directly and fade in...

[fo0k]

Good point. I'll add that. thanks!

[Cudman69]

Very good tutorial, I used this coupled with some incredibly helpful advice from Pilot51 of the mod wwiireality (google it) to create my own high visibility BG42 maps (Angaur, Wake, El Alamein etc).

I also needed to change the Level of Detail on large ships as they by default appear like grey bananas from above. By adding in statements like the below example for the Fletcher destroyer for each object on the map I now have full detailed ships on my maps.

Example; on the map angaur (with viewdistance 1300) I added these lines to the init.com just below the run Objects/objects.con line
rem *** Fletcher_DestroyerLodSelector ***
LodSelectorTemplate.create DistCompareSelector2 Fletcher_DestroyerLodSelector
LodSelectorTemplate.addLodDistance 1300

Cheers,
Cudman6

[Iced Earth]

I've heard of these changes but never did them myself to my maps...could someone post a before and after pic of a custom map?

[Cudman69]

I've heard of these changes but never did them myself to my maps...could someone post a before and after pic of a custom map?

I created a thread over at the BG42 forum as I have been patching some of their maps for my own single-player fun, there are some screenshots on the first post http://www.battlegroup42.de/modules.php ... 7.msg34974 of the BG42 map Angaur before and after.

[Senshi]

Be careful with the AddLodDistance-stuff. It affects perfomance very much if you increase it all out for many objects.

Another goody:
ObjectTemplate.cullRadiusScale 50

This makes sure to get rid of "popup" buildings/statics/soldiers/vehicles if added to them. This does not change LOD levels, but inhibits the sudden disappearance of these models. Helpful for Vanilla, especially trees, fences and the like that like to pop up out of nowhere.