Draw Distance

[ToW-Angel]

Currently, the draw distance is approximately 150m.

After this point, even with graphics maxed out with the best video cards, the draw distance is only 150m?

What happens is this; people can hide in these draw distance paths where people cannot be seen.

Is it a glitch? Absolutely as they are exploiting the game due to the draw distance. Even with a standard rifle (Scar), all you see is a muzzle flash because of the draw distance. You don't actually see the player/AI shooting at you.

If I catch anyone using this exploit on my server, I will warn them because it is an unfair advantage. The reason for the warning? Because I may accidently be doing it myself. But, if you are caught repeatedly using this draw distance exploit, and after repeated warnings, you will be banned. Pretty simple isn't it?

What can be done to fix this draw distance exploit? GRiN implementing a better draw distance. Instead of 150m, 600m would be sufficient. And, I believe that the video cards can handle the difference in the draw distance change.

With the Scar, I can hit a target up to and about 350m on single shot. That's not a bad distance at all. The sniper rifle is virtually useless because of the short draw distance. 150m, and you can't even see who is firing at you because you just can't see it even if you are looking directly at it.

Some of you are going "Another thread about draw distance", oh well... my choice to post it and open a dialogue with GRiN about fixing this issue.

*NOTE: I may get my hand slapped for this, but I feel it is important that we all discuss this in a mature matter and that GRiN takes this under advisement.

[Cangaroo.TNT]

This is something I have never understood, perhaps because I am a simple man.

If I am 170m from you, you are 170 from me. If I can't see you, you can't see me. How can I use that to my advantage if I can't see you? Isn't this the same principle as playing in a map with fog?

[Sheldon_AS]

I've noticed it, still a valid problem, deserves addressing.

[ToW-Angel]

It's not only a cosmetic thing, it makes the sniper rifle virtually useless. I can guarantee you that the sniper rifle can see a much greater distance, and personally I can see over 300m and tell if someone is carrying a rifle or something and possibly pointing it at me without the use of a scope. 300m is not very far, and even shorter is 150m (~450ft). Can you tell if someone has something pointed at you at 150m?

The draw distance is too short, a very long complaint in these forums.

[Cangaroo.TNT]

The draw distance is too short, a very long complaint in these forums.

I understand that and agree. I'm just asking if it gives the opponent an advantage. I do not think it does.

[th33f.]

it's actually 500 feet, isn't it? more like 170m? anyway, GRAW can't afford incresing this value. if it was increased, 32 player games would not be possible, as all you'd get would be a disco club. everyone is a robot. at 600m distance you're including everyone to be tracked by your client at all times. it's not a client GPU limitation, it's the server that creates the bottleneck. decresing it... would prove useful for some CQB maps, but would certainly affect gameplay on others, so leave it be?

[ToW-Angel]

The draw distance is locally controlled, not server controlled. The server only maintains the information of player location/action.

[elLOCOmutha]

It needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

[Brainman2k]

' date='Aug 3 2006, 11:33 PM' post='405787']

This is something I have never understood, perhaps because I am a simple man.

If I am 170m from you, you are 170 from me. If I can't see you, you can't see me. How can I use that to my advantage if I can't see you? Isn't this the same principle as playing in a map with fog?

then i must be a simple man, too.

[ToW-Angel]

The problem with the draw distance is that you can see the muzzle flash, but not the individual who is shooting. THAT is a draw distance problem.

You see a guy who is half covered in a graphic, not object, but the draw distance graphic shows him covered up to his neck. THAT is a draw distance problem.

You see tracers, you put the sniper scope after back trailing the tracer and it looks like it's coming out of a wall. THAT is a draw distance problem.

Buildings at a distance that are suppose to have stairs looks like one side of a triangle (no steps, just a triangle). THAT is a draw distance problem.

You look at a building, you see what some of the other saw in the draw distance. THAT is a problem.

Now, I've given you some excellent examples of what I am talking about.

Fog my butt... If it were fog, everything around would also be foggy and it isn't.

You can call it fog, and I will continue to call it draw distance problem.

[Papa6]

' date='Aug 3 2006, 09:38 PM' post='405792']

The draw distance is too short, a very long complaint in these forums.

I understand that and agree. I'm just asking if it gives the opponent an advantage. I do not think it does.

I have posted screens of what angel is saying. just look under topics I've started and you'll see the screens. there's a building and a LOW detail texture in front of it and players can hide between IT and the building and I'd NEVER see them. that's not right

Look here at my thread

Edited August 4, 2006 by Papa6

[RAbbi_74]

I was taking a look around out the window of a Blackhawk pulling out from the rooftop in "Contact!" (yeah, had to start the campaign all over from scratch) and saw the draw distance following behind us as we sped away to go find a missing US President. It seemed to be a bit farther off that time. Of course, once it hit the limit of the detailed draw area of the map it didn't matter anymore. But for a couple seconds, the detail draw distance seemed more like 300 meters or so. Rough guesstimate based on years of guesstimating distances based on what real objects would look like in size based on their relation to my M16's front sight post. I KNOW the distance of the high/low detail draw was significantly greater than 150 meters from that perspective...

[Cangaroo.TNT]

Rough guesstimate based on years of guesstimating distances based on what real objects would look like in size ....

Yeah, I would SWEAR that 2" is really 8".

[ToW-Angel]

I guess I've noticed it more as I usually play as a sniper.

If you get the chance, set yourself up a server and use the sniper scope, at 150m the LOD goes from great to horrible. Then just as soon as you as reach 150m or less the whole things has great clarity and the drawing objects look as they should.

At 151m, everything goes back to the lowest LOD. Even if you call it fog, fog doesn't react that way nor does smog, smoke, rain or otherwise. We all know what fog looks like.

Call it fog all you want, it still is a draw distance problem.

Edited August 4, 2006 by ToW-Angel

[viiiper]

I guess I've noticed it more as I usually play as a sniper.

If you get the chance, set yourself up a server and use the sniper scope, at 150m the LOD goes from great to horrible. Then just as soon as you as reach 150m or less the whole things has great clarity and the drawing objects look as they should.

At 151m, everything goes back to the lowest LOD. Even if you call it fog, fog doesn't react that way nor does smog, smoke, rain or otherwise. We all know what fog looks like.

Call it fog all you want, it still is a draw distance problem.

I think Grin mentioned that they made 150m the cut off point, but Diesel engine can go

much further. The problem is the loading on the average system, even my Sli 7900GTX is happy of the cut off. To be fair, if everyone could change theirs then this would be unfair, so I can understand them locking it to xxx meters.

viii

[ToW-Angel]

I guess I've noticed it more as I usually play as a sniper.

If you get the chance, set yourself up a server and use the sniper scope, at 150m the LOD goes from great to horrible. Then just as soon as you as reach 150m or less the whole things has great clarity and the drawing objects look as they should.

At 151m, everything goes back to the lowest LOD. Even if you call it fog, fog doesn't react that way nor does smog, smoke, rain or otherwise. We all know what fog looks like.

Call it fog all you want, it still is a draw distance problem.

I think Grin mentioned that they made 150m the cut off point, but Diesel engine can go

much further. The problem is the loading on the average system, even my Sli 7900GTX is happy of the cut off. To be fair, if everyone could change theirs then this would be unfair, so I can understand them locking it to xxx meters.

viii

If they could at least double it, So that it not only looks better, you can actually see the player instead of only the muzzle flash, that would make things a lot better.

[viiiper]

Problem is 'Tow' if it was 300m for example, the snipers would have a field day, there already 80% moaning about snipers on the standard 150m battlefield.

I too would like 200 + but I too think it could cause new problems, like low tactical play due to a possible sniper increase & camp fest. 150 is a bit low and a dramatic change from high to low [actually more draft] detail.

Viii

[ToW-Angel]

Actually... I sort of went looking and found this in the 'render_settings.xml'.

_________________________________________________________

<variable name="texture_managed_backdrop" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_buildings" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_buildings_low" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_characters" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_default" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_effects" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_ground" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_lightmaps" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_no_lod" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_plants" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_player_vehicles" value="true"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_props" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_props_bump" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_props_high" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_silhouettes" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_sky" value="false"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_vehicles" value="true"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_weapons" value="true"/>

<variable name="texture_managed_weapons_third" value="false"/>

__________________________________________________________

I wonder if changing these any would make a difference?

I think that could be taken care of by kit/class restrictions... AA (America's Army) has it so that you can only have so many of so many classes, and that depends on the amount of people that particular server could host.

Wonder if it is a possibility to implement something similar?

Edited August 4, 2006 by ToW-Angel

[Jace12]

i thought draw distance is in materials.xml

Get your bundle reader, look in settings folder inside quick.bundle, export materials. It is towards the top of the file. Listed as 150000 I think. you can take it up to 200000 no probs. I think I start to see slower FPS after that

Edited August 4, 2006 by Jace12

[viiiper]

These are the texture management definitions and not the draw distance, which is coded into the main program. The texture management can be set to load all textures into memory or not.

There was a section that gives info on setting these xml values.

viii

READ ON:

http://www.tweakguides.com/GRAW_7.html

[Papa6]

To be honest though most average US Army markmanship is up to 300m(speaking about standard M16 qualification). So to say the draw distance in GRAW is EVEN real is pure BS. If i can't even engage targets at a standard 300m for an M16...that just sucks. Plus!, on top of THAT, having an ugly texture in front of a geometry which inadvertantly allows an enemy soldier to hide behind it while I snipe sucks.

Unless Grin fixes this issue, this would have to be the last hitch that would make me leave GRAW. I have to admit the fixes that have been fixed are awesome(patch 1.21) but if I can't play as a sniper and can't play without this last major issue ...auf wiedersehen!

-Papa6

other than that, I like the game... just fix the DAMN draw distance!!

Edited August 4, 2006 by Papa6

[Stormin]

To be honest though most average US Army markmanship is up to 300m(speaking about standard M16 qualification). So to say the draw distance in GRAW is EVEN real is pure BS. If i can't even engage targets at a standard 300m for an M16...that just sucks. Plus!, on top of THAT, having an ugly texture in front of a geometry which inadvertantly allows an enemy soldier to hide behind it while I snipe sucks.

Unless Grin fixes this issue, this would have to be the last hitch that would make me leave GRAW. I have to admit the fixes that have been fixed are awesome(patch 1.21) but if I can't play as a sniper and can't play without this last major issue ...auf wiedersehen!

-Papa6

other than that, I like the game... just fix the DAMN draw distance!!

For the non speaking German community -

auf wiedersehen - means- Goodby - See You - So Long - Farewell -

[ROCO*AFZ*]

To be honest though most average US Army markmanship is up to 300m(speaking about standard M16 qualification). So to say the draw distance in GRAW is EVEN real is pure BS. If i can't even engage targets at a standard 300m for an M16...that just sucks. Plus!, on top of THAT, having an ugly texture in front of a geometry which inadvertantly allows an enemy soldier to hide behind it while I snipe sucks.

Unless Grin fixes this issue, this would have to be the last hitch that would make me leave GRAW. I have to admit the fixes that have been fixed are awesome(patch 1.21) but if I can't play as a sniper and can't play without this last major issue ...auf wiedersehen!

-Papa6

other than that, I like the game... just fix the DAMN draw distance!!

you have to understand. This won't be changed until every card can handle it. Currently it would probably swamp your card. Some realism has to be cut to make the game playable.

[NOX]

To be honest though most average US Army markmanship is up to 300m(speaking about standard M16 qualification). So to say the draw distance in GRAW is EVEN real is pure BS. If i can't even engage targets at a standard 300m for an M16...that just sucks. Plus!, on top of THAT, having an ugly texture in front of a geometry which inadvertantly allows an enemy soldier to hide behind it while I snipe sucks.

Unless Grin fixes this issue, this would have to be the last hitch that would make me leave GRAW. I have to admit the fixes that have been fixed are awesome(patch 1.21) but if I can't play as a sniper and can't play without this last major issue ...auf wiedersehen!

-Papa6

other than that, I like the game... just fix the DAMN draw distance!!

I don't get the point about sniping or snipers or sniper rifles-are you saying in the real world those $7300.00 scopes on those really big an heavy weapons, can help you see better than a 3x scopre on an M-4, or are you saying that the naked eye if you are 20/20 can see more than 150m? What about 20/15 Yeager vision?

I thought in the real world you just run at a snipers and shoot GL from the hip!

Just riding around in my little yellow bus, and a little confused.

NOX

[Papa6]

Yep. Scopes give you an improved zoom well over the human eye.

But RocoAFZ, What kind of crap is this when i can see better with an assaultrifle @ 300m then a sniperrifle at the same range?

Pure bull crap if you ask me. I was told by BO, because I'm a fan of sniping, but well before GRAW released he told me that snipers would have fun too. Now, I ask, just the ###### how? If the viewrange of the assaultrifle surpasses a sniperrifle, this tells me that some serious bullcrap is or has been done with GRAW.

Just when I thought GRAW had me happy, I find something to flush my whole bag of emotions down the UBISOFT toilet.

The difference between UBISOFT and a ho' is quite easy to clarify, A ho' completely satisfies whereas UBISOFT leaves you hanging...

Too disappointing...The gameplay modes and the two maps were a serious improvement, but Geez, I'm going to buy COD2 and get this bullcrap GRAW taste out of my mouth...