Howto:Improve framerates: Difference between revisions

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m (Remind of widely accepted guidlines)
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* Avoid mixing textured and untextured geometry in the same model. Build the coloring into the texture map instead.
* Avoid mixing textured and untextured geometry in the same model. Build the coloring into the texture map instead.
* Within your modeling tool, try work with large meshes instead of groups of small meshes - but please don't mistake this as a request for grouping multiple, distinct buildings into a single AC3D file. I know that this can result in a very unpleasant workflow; we are working on optimizations in Flightgear that will combine mesh parts automatically.
* Within your modeling tool, try work with large meshes instead of groups of small meshes - but please don't mistake this as a request for grouping multiple, distinct buildings into a single AC3D file. I know that this can result in a very unpleasant workflow; we are working on optimizations in Flightgear that will combine mesh parts automatically.
* Textures containing alpha cause various problems. In order to be rendered correctly, translucent geometry must be sorted by distance on the CPU. Furthermore, geometry is sorted on a course level (basically by mesh), so you may see various artifacts. If you have some transparent parts of a model,
* Textures containing alpha cause various problems. In order to be rendered correctly, translucent geometry must be sorted by distance on the CPU. Furthermore, geometry is sorted on a course level (basically by mesh), so you may see various artifacts. If you have some transparent parts of a model, you should violate the first rule above and assign those parts to their own texture.
you should violate the first rule above and assign those parts to their own texture.
* Don't assign an RGBA texture to a model that is completely opaque!
* Don't assign an RGBA texture to a model that is completely opaque!


=AI traffic=
=AI traffic=
[[Interactive Traffic|AI-traffic]] is computer controlled traffic, which includes traffic over the [[Howto: Multiplayer|MP network]]. By turning off this function you're not able to see other aircraft.  
[[Interactive Traffic|AI-traffic]] is computer controlled traffic, which includes traffic over the [[Howto: Multiplayer|MP network]]. By turning off this function you're not able to see other aircraft.  
Most stuttering, or lag, in FlightGear is caused by AI traffic. Especially heavy models need quite some time to load, eg the [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14]] or the [[Rockwell B-1B Lancer|B-1B]]. Every time a new aircraft enters your local area, your computer has to load the model for that particular aircraft. The time required to read the data from the drive creates a stutter, or lag, which can range from a minor annoyance to a crash. The busier the place you fly, the more lag you'll get; eg flying around KSFO will generate more lag than a flight near EGLL, since there is more traffic near KSFO.
Most stuttering, or lag, in FlightGear is caused by AI traffic. Especially heavy models need quite some time to load, eg the [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14]] or the [[Rockwell B-1B Lancer|B-1B]]. Every time a new aircraft enters your local area, your computer has to load the model for that particular aircraft. The time required to read the data from the drive creates a stutter, or lag, which can range from a minor annoyance to a crash. The busier the place you fly, the more lag you'll get; eg flying around KSFO will generate more lag than a flight near EGLL, since there is more traffic near KSFO.


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