Some simple notes on rendering distance with Fog and Skyboxes. Did you know Skyboxes increase the rendering distance? thus dropping FPS in complex areas? It might sometimes be more optimal to not use a skybox, or tune the fog distance to help with skybox coverage.
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No Skybox
The default render distance (of tiles etc.) is the Fog Clip Distance. Usually people leave this at around 45M which is the default range dynamic placeables pop into life.
- Render distance of tiles and static placeables: Fog Clip Distance (example below would be 45M or 4.5 tiles)
- Render distance of non-static placeables and doors: 45M
- Render distance of creatures: 35M (as per ranges.2da)
Example removing the skybox from an area in the OC a lot less is shown and FPS is a higher 90-96FPS.
No Skybox but with Skybox 135M range
These settings mimic the skybox (+90M, so 135M total) but with no sky has less "covered by fog", while the same geometry shows up. However of course there is popin on creatures etc. and the same FPS as the Skybox 45 + 90 example.
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Note that the "edge of map" tiles only go 5 deep (50M) so you can see the "edge of the world" if clip distance is increased. |
With Skybox
Once a Skybox is turned on the tile and static placeable distance is increased to allow a Silhouette to appear properly. This increases the fog clip distance value by 90M.
The fog still eclipses a lot of this by default - it'd have to be extended, but again since dynamic placeables (and creatures) render at a lower distance you'd need to experiment to make it look good.
- Render distance of tiles and static placeables: Fog Clip Distance + 90 (example below would be 135M or 13.5 tiles)
- Render distance of non-static placeables and doors: 45M
- Render distance of creatures: 35M (as per ranges.2da)
In the below example the Chapter 1 main City Core area gives me 60FPS and the distance has more buildings.
With Skybox at 135M
A more extreme example, this would pretty much on this map render the entire level. 135M + 90 = 225M (22.5 tiles) render distance. This has even more geometry - but at this size of level barely affects the FPS it seems. On a larger level it would affect it quite substantially.
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Note that the "edge of map" tiles only go 5 deep (50M) so you can see the "edge of the world" if clip distance is increased. |
