Digital Foundry Article Technical Discussion Archive [2011]

[Laa-Yosh]

With deferred rendering?

Also, is that dithering I see on direct feed X360 screenshots or what, it's supposed to be film grain or something?

 

[MJP]

The engine supports MSAA. There is a tool alt. make custom config to disable edge AA and enable MSAA in Crysis 2.

Certainly not in the DX9 version...

 

[(((interference)))]

So is there GI in multiplayer?

The configs have e_GI=0 for both SP and MP which can't be right

 

[jlippo]

Most likely something as texture units read from RAM not EDRAM.

This, combined with a low amount of texture cache on GPU.

 

[stofcri]

Hey gentlemen, are we in consoles tech forum or PC tech forum??I'm totally lost ...

 

[Neb]

Certainly not in the DX9 version...

Might be externally forced after disabling edge AA. Some are playing it that way with MSAA.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=26761937&postcount=7106

 

[MJP]

Might be externally forced after disabling edge AA. Some are playing it that way with MSAA.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=26761937&postcount=7106

You can't force MSAA for a deferred renderer, it has to be implemented in the shaders. You can *kinda* do it for a light prepass-type renderer by just turning on MSAA for the second geometry pass, but end up with bad artifacts on the edges since the lighting is still done per-pixel instead of per-sample. I can't really tell what's going on in that dude's screenshot, since the heavy DOF is completely obscuring all of the edges.

 

[Hotcooler]

I have not found FXAA to be honest in there. Plus 4xAA (through r_PostMSAA=2) is flickering like hell for me on GTX580. There is also edge AA in there (r_UseEdgeAA = 3) but IMO there is only improvement until 2, since 3 tries to AA trees and all the other stuff making it all look quite blurry. Any way, one thing that can be FXAA is this - r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV = 1 , but I personally could no find much difference to r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 combo, though it had some strange performance hit in some places. And since I was aming to have 1200p@60 Vsync that was no good.

But if anyone want to see some comparison shots of it all and it's combinations, I can do that.

Also AFAIK Extreme is r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3, there's no FXAA for sure.

 

[Neb]

Also AFAIK Extreme is r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3, there's no FXAA for sure.

Not fully correct as this cvar also gets activated in "Extreme" mode. This should be FXAA.

"r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV = 1"

"Sys_Spec_PostProcessing.cfg" (retail games config file).

[default]
; default of this CVarGroup
= 3

r_DepthOfField=2
r_MotionBlur=2
r_sunshafts=1
r_UseEdgeAA=1
r_Flares=1
r_Coronas=1
r_colorgrading=2
r_GlowAnamorphicFlares = 1
r_RainMaxViewDist_Deferred=100
r_MotionBlurMaxViewDist = 100
r_PostMSAA = 1
r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV = 1
r_PostProcessHUD3DCache = 0
r_MotionBlurShutterSpeed = 0.0055
r_HDRBloomMul = 0.7

[1]
r_UseEdgeAA=0
r_RainMaxViewDist_Deferred=40
r_MotionBlurMaxViewDist = 16
r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV = 0
r_PostProcessHUD3DCache = 2

[2]
r_RainMaxViewDist_Deferred=100
r_MotionBlurMaxViewDist = 64
r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV = 0
r_PostProcessHUD3DCache = 2

 

[Hotcooler]

OK. Some test SShots. Not the best situation, but dont have time to play the game now to get to another save point.

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0


r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1


r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0


r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0


r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1


Basically out of all this modes I still personally prefer r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=2. And there is no FXAA I'm 200% sure about it. (Edit: It's definately doing something, but it seems that edgeAA is not doing anything...) FXAA IMO should be a driver level hack in Nvidia's driver, like 3D.

 

[Hotcooler]

Dont mind the last post.

Here's much more comprehensive one.

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/d27a2e.png

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/3903a1.png

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=1 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/62c75c.png

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/5761dd.png

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/be5fc9.png

r_PostMSAA=0 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/77c91d.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/054be8.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/eccf27.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=1 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/b9bb4d.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=1 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/f9dedb.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/90b510.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/b88bae.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/43e7d4.png

r_PostMSAA=1 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/c28472.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/786718.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=0 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/73975e.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=1 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/887d2c.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=1 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/6dd871.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/41685f.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=2 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/5a087f.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/f21ea7.png

r_PostMSAA=2 + r_UseEdgeAA=3 + r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1
http://openpandora.info/hosting/upload/files/2011-03/eeb6d7.png



Very interesting results for me actually... Also I seem to have missed that edgeAA=1 in retail, will test.
Edit: Added r_UseEdgeAA=1 to the mix.

My personal guess, that r_UseEdgeAA=1 is EdgeAA for ATI, and r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=1 is the Nvidia compatible one. Since I'm running 580GTX and r_UseEdgeAA seem to do nothing at all. Also I doubt that r_PostMSAA=2 is MSAA 4x - more likely just some different method of doing the same as r_PostMSAA=1, and it seems to be worse on my card.

P.S. If anyone interested, I'm running on "Very high" with this config added to it :

Spoiler

con_restricted=0
g_skipIntro=1
cl_fov=75
pl_movement.power_sprint_targetFov=75
i_mouse_accel=0
i_mouse_smooth=0
r_motionblur=2
cl_zoomToggle=1
r_TexMaxAnisotropy=16
cl_crouchtoggle=1
g_enableInitialLoginScreen=0
r_UseSoftParticles=1
r_DepthOfFieldBokehQuality=1
r_Fur=1
r_pointslightshafts=1
r_WaterReflectionsQuality=3
r_HDRTexFormat=1
e_CoarseShadowMask=1
e_GIGlossyReflections=1
e_GISecondaryOcclusion=1
e_ParticlesCoarseShadowMask=1
e_ParticlesLightsViewDistRatio=512
e_ShadowsCastViewDistRatioLights=2
e_ViewDistRatioPortals=100
e_LodCompMaxSize=20
e_DynamicLightsMaxCount=1024
e_TerrainDetailMaterialsViewDistXY=4096
e_TerrainDetailMaterialsViewDistZ=256
e_RecursionViewDistRatio=2
ca_FacialAnimationFramerate=30
ca_FacialAnimationRadius=60
ca_cloth_air_resistance=1
es_DebrisLifetimeScale=8
g_muzzleFlashCullDistance=50000
g_rejectEffectCullDistance=800
g_corpseUnseenTime=300
g_corpseManager_maxNum=20
g_corpseMinDistance=200
g_corpseMinTime=300
g_breakage_particles_limit=250
r_DynTexMaxSize=155
r_DetailDistance=40
r_VegetationSpritesTexRes=128
r_TexAtlasSize=4096
r_UseParticlesHalfRes=0
r_UseMergedPosts=3
r_RainMaxViewDist_Deferred=200
e_LodRatio=40
e_LodCompMaxSize=20
e_TerrainLodRatio=0.2
e_RecursionViewDistRatio=2
e_TerrainDeformations=1
e_GIIterations=32
e_GICache=0
e_GsmCastFromTerrain=1
e_ShadowsSlopeBias=1
r_ColorGradingChartsCache=0
r_DynTexSourceSharedRTHeight=512
r_DynTexSourceSharedRTWidth=512
r_DynTexAtlasDynTexSrcSize=32
ai_DynamicHidespotsEnabled=1
e_ViewDistRatioLights=100
r_GeomInstancing=1
r_DepthOfFieldStencilPrepass=1
r_ReflectionsQuality=3
r_WaterCausticsDeferred=2
e_VegetationBending=2

gpu_Particle_Physics=1
g_battleDust_enable=1
i_lighteffects=1
e_LodMin=0
e_Lods=0
e_MaxViewDistSpecLerp=2
e_ObjQuality=4
e_OcclusionCullingViewDistRatio=2
e_ProcVegetation=1
e_VegetationSpritesDistanceCustomRatioMin=2
e_VegetationSpritesDistanceRatio=3
e_ViewDistMin=20
e_ViewDistRatio=200
e_ViewDistRatioCustom=200
e_ViewDistRatioDetail=200
e_ViewDistRatioLights=100
e_ViewDistRatioVegetation=200
e_streamCgf=0
r_RainMaxViewDist_Deferred=200

e_ParticlesQuality=4
e_ParticlesEmitterPoolSize=8192
e_ParticlesMaxScreenFill=256
e_ParticlesMinDrawPixels=1
e_ParticlesObjectCollisions=2
e_ParticlesPoolSize=16384
e_PhysFoliage=2
g_joint_breaking=1

e_GsmCache = 0
e_GsmLodsNum = 5
e_GsmRange = 3
e_Shadows = 1
e_ShadowsCastViewDistRatio = 1.6
e_ShadowsMaxTexRes = 2048
e_ShadowsOnAlphaBlend = 1
r_ShadowBlur = 3
r_ShadowJittering = 3

r_PostMSAAEdgeFilterNV=0

 

[N_B]

The custom config tool calls r_postMSAA=1 (the setting it modifies) 2x Quincunx. Is that accurate?

 

[Arwin]

Finally something to destract from
the boring Crysis talk . This is a must read ...

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/digitalfoundry-motorstorm-apocalypse-tech-interview

 

[Npl]

Finally something to destract from
the boring Crysis talk . This is a must read ...

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/digitalfoundry-motorstorm-apocalypse-tech-interview

I`d like to, but need to register =(

 

[Arwin]

I noticed just now - didn't realise that this was Eurogamers sister site. Hopefully Eurogamer itself will host it soon as well.

 

[Yemeth]

I`d like to, but need to register =(

http://www.bugmenot.com/view/gamesindustry.biz

 

[N_B]

I noticed just now - didn't realise that this was Eurogamers sister site. Hopefully Eurogamer itself will host it soon as well.

Some of it..

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-motorstorm-apocalypse

No numbers for the dynamic resolution?

 

[Gitaroo]

didnt read the article yet but I thought MS3 is always full 720p for 3d.

 

[KKRT]

Some of it..

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-motorstorm-apocalypse

No numbers for the dynamic resolution?

Wow, the best article in months. Great job Grandmaster.

Some questions, where's MLAA processing in this chart? Viewport Rendering?
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/3/4/5/5/3/5/tech3.BMP.jpg

and

We also massively beefed up our particle system this time round, improving the sorting and adding ribbons for missile trails. We've always used lower-resolution buffers for our particle rendering, but this time round we added geometry aware up-sampling to virtually eliminate the haloing of particles around solid objects that you would sometimes see.

This one is big. I think its for the first time used in-game. Is there any chance for inside of the milliseconds GPU/CPU cost?
They should just phone to Polyphony and gave them this tech.
And i'm curious how similar it is to this technique http://http.developer.nvidia.com/GPUGems3/gpugems3_ch23.html

 

[Arwin]

Yes, I cannot recommend this article enough. I'm finding it hard to see all these Crysis 2 threads sometimes knowing that this game came out at the same time, though of course I realise it's not a multi-platform title nor a licensable game engine with an extensive content creation pipeline ...