Distant rocks/walls pixilated in crysis – normal?

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 14:58

I’ve just completed a very difficult build (2 faulty components replaced so far) and everything seems to be ok. (see sig for spec and drivers)

I’m using crysis to test the machines gaming stability – and I had never played it before prior to this build so I have nothing to compare it to.

My problem/query is – is it normal for some distant rocks and walls to appear pixilated in the distance? It only appears to be greyish objects, like those mentioned, that do this and as you get closer they appear as normal.

They appear in the shape of black/grey dots and will suddenly turn into the true texture/colour as you get closer. I’ve never noticed this phenomenon as severe as this in other games so I’m just checking if it’s normal.

I’m probably being over cautious as I’m a little paranoid about this build as I’m on my second gfx card and memory. So any reassurance would be appreciated.

Additional info: I'm using high settings, 8 x aa and screen res 1280 x 1024.

Thanks

Plec

britboy4321 · 24 Apr 2009 at 15:04

I notice this but for me by 'in the distance' I mean probably >200 metres away from where I'm standing.

I am running 1*4870X2 card. But at my resolution I don't need any AA.

Darg · 24 Apr 2009 at 15:06

Screenshots are the only way we can help.

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 15:40

britboy4321 said:
I notice this but for me by 'in the distance' I mean probably >200 metres away from where I'm standing.

I am running 1*4870X2 card. But at my resolution I don't need any AA.

Yeah, that's about the distance i'm describing - relative in the game.

Ok, Darg, ill try and upload some later.

I was hoping my description would lead to an influx of posts just saying that it's normal. It's only rocks really and it's only a minor concern but i just want to rule out a gfx hardware problem.

Thanks for the replies

Plec

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 17:06

Some screen shots for you all to mull over. They're not the best examples - some areas in the game can be worse but it gives you a visual idea if what i'm trying to describe.

If you look above the reticule you'll see some rocks with the pixilated effect i'm try to describe:

Again if you look to the right of the reticule through the window you'll see some pixilation and to the far left in the building. Look at the next image below this one to see how the problem clears when i zoom in with the sight.

Image with sight zoomed - and the image appears normal.

So, is this normal?

Like i mentioned before i've not noticed this phenomenom in other games, as obvious, before. Is this just a crysis quirk or should i be
looking at the problem in a bit more detail?

It's a lot worse in different areas - but the game is still very playable. I just want to rule out a hardware problem or drivers.

Sorry about the image sizes - i forgot to resize.

Plec

Chris1712 · 24 Apr 2009 at 17:12

Yes its normal and is called mipmapping, and has been used for many many years.

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 17:35

Thanks, for the reply Chris1712.

Yes, i know of mipmapping (only from magazine articles i might add) but my concern is (or was) is that the problem is only particular to certain objects and the ones that have the pixilation problem are usually closer than other scenery/objects/rocks that appear visually clear in the distance. This seems odd - is it just poor programming or a driver issue?

I've not noticed this problem anywhere near as bad in other games before but then i've only just been able to start playing/testing top end games - so it could be that i've just been out of the loop for to long?

Thanks again for the reply - you've made me relax a little. I may actually start to grow a little faith in this nightmare of a rig.

Plec

mattyj1085 · 24 Apr 2009 at 18:09

i dont have any of that pixilated crap on the rocks :confused:

Chris1712 · 24 Apr 2009 at 18:10

I think its just more noticeable on crysis because of the scale and density of the environments.

Darg · 24 Apr 2009 at 18:35

Chris1712 said:
Yes its normal and is called mipmapping, and has been used for many many years.

Not mipmapping exactly.

It's distance culling, on most setups (mine included) there is a nice fade between transparent and opaque. For some reason on your setup it must be falling back on a less stressful method that has some pixels fully opaque and others fully transparent without a fade in between.

Most likely something in your driver settings. Try setting everything in your gfx card control panel to default and see if you still get it.

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 18:39

Edit: Thanks Darg - i'll give that a try. But just to clarify - you feel it's not hardware related?

mattyj1085, just out of interest what gfx card do you have and what seetings do you use in game? And if it's an ATI card what drivers are you using?

Chris1712, you're prbably right - just very strange how, now, it's selective to certain machines and that the pixilation problem isn't uniform.

Does anybody know how it can be eliminated as mattyj1085 seems unaffected by this problem?

Plec

mattyj1085 · 24 Apr 2009 at 19:30

Plec said:
mattyj1085, just out of interest what gfx card do you have and what seetings do you use in game? And if it's an ATI card what drivers are you using?

Nvidia 8800GT
Driver date 16/05/2008
Driver version 6.14.11.7519

Settings I use very high Cvars for XP, no AA in 1400x900

I did notice in the settings of Nvidia i have somthing that says 'Force Mipmaps' Setting - None. This is default though

Heres a couple of nice rocks pictures!

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 19:47

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, mattyj1085, appreciated.

I can only access the high settings in the Crysis gfx menu - i'm guessing because i'm only a dx9c user.

mattyj1085 said:
Settings I use very high Cvars for XP, no AA in 1400x900

I'm not sure what you mean when you say you're using 'very high Cvars for xp' - could you elaborate on what that means as that could be what i'm missing? (thanks.)

mattyj1085 said:
I did notice in the settings of Nvidia i have somthing that says 'Force Mipmaps' Setting - None. This is default though

I've just reset all my ATI 3d settings to default but it didn't make any difference. I'm hoping your Cvars explanation may shed some light on my problem.

I've just played the game some more and although it's not a huge problem it is irritating. And now i've noticed it it's all i can see - if you know hwat i mean?

Thanks again.

Plec

mattyj1085 · 24 Apr 2009 at 20:06

Im a DX9 user on XP but you can force settings for DX10. You can use configurations to run in very high and even 'ultra' high modes. I went back to normal crysis settings in high and it looks terrible after playing in very high or ultra high

The very high Cvars are here

http://www.fileplanet.com/181939/180000/fileinfo/Crysis---DX9-'Very-High'-Modification-Cvars

Just rename the old Cvar folder (within crysis/game/config) and add the new ones.

This is just one of the thousands of configs available, also have a look here. http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1241493

Personally I just use the very high and nothing else. You can also add an autoexec and system.cfg file that modify the game more (shader shadows, eye adaptations etc etc). An 'ultra' mode looks good but turns my 8800gt and X2 3800+ system into a snail.

Search on google for Cvar crysis, and crysis mods and crysis configs, theres loads.

edit - just noticed you are using 8xAA. Turn it off and use one of the ultra configs with edge AA instead. Even 4xAA kills the game for me, even the menu isnt runnable. (goes about 1-3fps)

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 20:11

Thanks again mattyj1085, that may prove to be the answer to this annoying glitch.

I'll look at your links and start googling you suggestions - cheers.

Plec

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 21:02

I'm just checking that i've done this correctly...

I've renamed my original Cvar folder and pasted in the one from fileplanet. However, in the advance graphics options i can still only select high as a value - very high is still greyed out.

Should i have been able to select very high? or is it just that the high config has now been altered and has aditional higher settings - but still reads high in the select menu? (Hope this makes sense to you.)

Plec

mattyj1085 · 24 Apr 2009 at 21:41

Just set the lot to high and high is then actually very high

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 22:19

Thanks again.

I've tried a couple of configs but unfortunately it's not got rid of the pixilation problem but it does look better - thanks for the talk through.

I've tried numerous searches to see if other people are having similar phenomona but you get so many hits on system crashes etc that it's impossible to see if anyone else has similar issues.

I just want to be 100% sure that this isn't a physical gfx problem (although it would be a strange presentation) - and if it isn't i shoiuld be able to resolve the issue with either drivers or a fix of some sort.

It only effects rocks, walls and corrugated iron sheets mostly and occasionally other objects. Everything else: renders, mipmaps and distance culling etc perfectly ok.

Like i said it's minor irritant as the game plays fine but these odd pixilated rocks etc keep on appearing in my eye line and it really does spoil the whole look and feel of the game.

Has anyone else experienced the above and managed to resolve the issue?

Thanks for the help so far guys.

Plec

mattyj1085 · 24 Apr 2009 at 22:46

I think i used to get black flickery lines on stuff on farcry. White dots and black dots/lines are usually to do with overheating due to overclocking. In farcry it was my drivers though.

Check the temp of your card and cpu

Plec · 24 Apr 2009 at 23:00

Thanks again Matty - really appreciate your efforts.

Everything is running very cool - my cpu doesn't go above 26 degrees (beast of a h/s) and my GPU doesn't go above 60 degrees playing crysis - the noise the gfx fan makes almost justifies my low temps :/.

The dots aren't randomly placed like an artifact effect due to heat issues - they're on definitive objects and the same ones in the same areas - it's not random at all. I'm fast coming to the conclusion this is an ATI issue and probably driver based.

Guess this game prefers nvidia - going to test farcry 2 now.

Edit: Just tested Farcry2 and so far seems to run absolutely fine - much smoother nad no pixilation issues - it's looking more and more like a poor programming or a driver issue.

Any other ATI users out there having similar pixilation?

Plec