Mip mapping questions

[hesynergy]

To Mip-Map, that is the question

Hi all,

Sorry for interjecting but....I don't see any reference to mip-maps, except in this area. Here is the question(s)
1. What effect does mip-mapping have on
a. Frame rate
b. scene quality
2. Three days ago...I lost my -5 displacement of the river I created. The terrain.cfg file shows...
[General]
DefaultTextureCount=238
AutogenCount=14
// texture order = wi,hw,sp,su,fa,nighttexture

//Stream Lines
[Texture.1024] // stream lines / unknown / perennial
Type=1
Size=4
ExcludeAutogen=1
MaskClassMap=3
Textures=RiverSU.bmp
offset=-5

[Texture.1025] // stream lines / unknown / non-perennial
Type=1
Size=4
ExcludeAutogen=1
MaskClassMap=3
Textures=RiverSU.bmp
offset=-5
--------------- the only thing that comes to mind is adding Lago scenery and flatten in an adjacent area(I've renamed the flatten to see if this gives my riverbed depressions of 5 meters.....but no difference)
-also used juste about every vid setting in scenery and hardware....the river stream is still flat.
NOTE: Everything you see is highly modified...as:
1. 10M custom mesh for Kentucky
2. Afcad airstrip
3. all structures (except the two buildings in the far background) self-created with Gmax and Lago, river created with ground 2k,
roads are USAROADS...

Lastly...I do notice that RIVERSU.bmp has the suffix of "SU"....does this mean summer?...I've tried flying in all seasons and the rivers are still flat....

Any ideas?
HELLLLLLLP!!...


Thanks,
Chas
(Hesynergy@charter.net)

Here two jpgs. with setting of June 6 2005 with(before) and after(without which was shot today) river depression

 

[arno]

Hi Chas,

I made a new thread of your question. It did not really fit in the old thread.

1. What effect does mip-mapping have on
a. Frame rate
b. scene quality

On the framerate it has a positive effect. When you are far away from the object FS does not have to use the full version of the texture, but can use a smaller version. So this means less memory is needed for all the textures and they can be processed faster.

About the quality, you can see what it does if you change the mipmap setting in FS. If you set it too low things look blury, but if you set it too high it might look too crispy. This depends on your personal taste as well of course. You should try to find a setting where the effect is natural (further away things should look more blurry).

About the rivers I have no idea.