Increased Lod

[info0]

MonarchX
This is continuation of work from Boostin4kix, we work together. So yes, tho we are fixing his meshes because they were done worse way. ScoutBr0 found a great way to make the LOD mod possible without having any bugs.

We will not cover Toussaint, since it's using different LOD method. In Velen for example, the generic buildings are made out of, let's say, 5 to 10 additional meshes such as details, windows, doors etc. However Toussaint objects are made out of hundreds of meshes, that would be suicidal to do.

I don't know anything about modding LOD of FXs. I'm sorry.

Edit: I mean sure, if you want to make such mod then do it. Dunno if we will work together on this one, gotta consult this with team

Hmm, cause you know, according to CDPR, Blood and Wine DLC was supposed to add details they couldn't show when game was released. Adding new stuff into the game not visible in normal game (like new candle flares, more light sources, better LOD/meshes, better view distance, more shadows and other stuff you can see on your own when you compare normal game to Toussaint, the difference is definitely visible).

 

[ayyudee]

Such a shame there is a difference within B&W and base game. Probably the best visual mods are basically trying to replicate what was done there into the base game.

 

[Guest 3841499]

Hmm, cause you know, according to CDPR, Blood and Wine DLC was supposed to add details they couldn't show when game was released. Adding new stuff into the game not visible in normal game (like new candle flares, more light sources, better LOD/meshes, better view distance, more shadows and other stuff you can see on your own when you compare normal game to Toussaint, the difference is definitely visible).

No... Out of the most noticeable visible changes, Toussaint introduced more visible grass and increased draw and view distances. People loved that and fell for it, assuming that it was graphically "more advanced" than the main game in all areas, but Toussaint didn't have as many "hand-placed" items and didn't have as many custom/unique attributes and variety to it compared to the main game. It was Umbra-optimized, "auto-optimized" so-to-speak. It introduced a nicer reflective shader for water, an awesome shader for fire (used in The Ignition Project), and refraction, but also added many "unlit", "superbasic", and cheap shaders/FX, ones of lower quality compared to main game. That was one of Toussaint "optimizations", an upgrade in some areas, but also a downgrade in others.

Toussaint shadows were no different than main-game shadows and before More Shadows mod for it, light sources rarely produced any shadows... It may have been part of the atmospheric design to have "diffused shadow-free light" feel to it, but I bet it was more about optimizing performance.

That fake "E3" candle flare is just a tiny 22KB texture file, smaller in size and resolution compared to the main game flare texture. The flare shader used for it is identical for main game and Toussaint. It was made for Toussaint to create a different feel for it, that's it. There is nothing special about it, aside from simply being more opaque than transparent like the flare used in the main game.

Just because a mod has "E3" in its name with a bit of some screenshot-based evidence doesn't mean it actually came from "E3" or that it's "better" / "more advanced" graphics-wise. The E3 obsession did leave a huge empty space to create some awesome mods by those with creative minds, those not fixated on chasing some bits and pieces of un-released pre-2015 build of the game, those not limited by "E3 was as good as it could get" thoughts. I used to dislike the E3 obsession scene, but now I welcome it .

 

[Guest 3841499]

Would LOD mod have any impact on Increased Draw Distance mod? IDD does affect proxies, so it shouldn't be a problem, assuming LOD mod deals ONLY with proxies...

 

[Kek_top]

I used that mod once and it was bugged mess for me. It seems to work for some, wont work for the others.

About compatibility, maybe, maybe not. You will try yourself once we release it.

 

[Guest 3841499]

I used that mod once and it was bugged mess for me. It seems to work for some, wont work for the others.

About compatibility, maybe, maybe not. You will try yourself once we release it.

Were you using the old mesh-based IDD mod or the new Bootsrap-based one? The new one can crash the game in Toussaint, but aside from that I had 0 issues with it. I actually use the custom version from Posts section that allows up to 20x increase instead of 10x. 20x for everything works perfectly for main game.

 

[ELLAX]

Pretty amazing achievement. I know it's possible to do that, but i never expect someone try to achieve it. because it's nothing but hard boring work.

 

[Guest 3841499]

I bet Toussaint could also be achieved. I remember others claiming how shadows were impossible to add, but they were and it didn't require any special tricks. I bet the same applied to Toussaint. We just have to wait until they or someone else gets it done. I would try, but I have no way of knowing how their main game proxies are edited until the mod gets released.

 

[Lod_MOD16]

MonarchX No one said it wasn't possible. But if you want to edit 1000 little meshes for one god damn house in Toussaint then go on, no one stops you.

 

[PloughEnthusiast]

Were you using the old mesh-based IDD mod or the new Bootsrap-based one? The new one can crash the game in Toussaint, but aside from that I had 0 issues with it. I actually use the custom version from Posts section that allows up to 20x increase instead of 10x. 20x for everything works perfectly for main game.

But I'd assume that tanks the framerate. How big is the framerate loss anyway on average with the IDD mod set to "default"? (multipliers set to 5)
The fact that you say the bootstrap version of IDD mod can crash the game in Toussaint concerns me. So for Toussaint, it would be better to download the non-bootstrap version?


If all that is the case, that's just another reason why I'm looking forward to this new LOD mod.

 

[ScoutBr0]

I bet Toussaint could also be achieved. I remember others claiming how shadows were impossible to add, but they were and it didn't require any special tricks. I bet the same applied to Toussaint. We just have to wait until they or someone else gets it done. I would try, but I have no way of knowing how their main game proxies are edited until the mod gets released.

Improving LOD in Toussaint is completely achievable in the exact same way we are doing right now. Editing meshes. Feel free to try yourself on Toussaint meshes.

 

[Guest 3841499]

Someone made an opposite statement earlier. Novigrad LOD mod involved exporting proxy meshes into FBX and XML format, then making changes to turn proxy meshes into full meshes.sort of... I am not familiar with meshes, aside from material and property changes, never done FBX XML exporting.

Someone mentioned me you found a different way? If so, I would need a few example files to understand the process or some screenshots.

And as I mentioned in another thread, I went through 3000+ w2scene files in 2 sittings, maybe 8-10 hours total, but it only required looking for and deleting one parameter array. Changing proxies is unlikely to be as eaay, but I would like to try.

I was also curious about vegetation proxies. Have those been tackled already?

 

[Geralt-of-Blaviken]

i can't wait for the realease ^^

 

[Lod_MOD16]

Someone made an opposite statement earlier. Novigrad LOD mod involved exporting proxy meshes into FBX and XML format, then making changes to turn proxy meshes into full meshes.sort of... I am not familiar with meshes, aside from material and property changes, never done FBX XML exporting.
Someone mentioned me you found a different way? If so, I would need a few example files to understand the process or some screenshots.
And as I mentioned in another thread, I went through 3000+ w2scene files in 2 sittings, maybe 8-10 hours total, but it only required looking for and deleting one parameter array. Changing proxies is unlikely to be as eaay, but I would like to try.
I was also curious about vegetation proxies. Have those been tackled already?

This mod only, ONLY, ONLY, ONLY changes proxies of buildings.

I won't be answering your questions anymore.

 

[ayyudee]

This mod only, ONLY, ONLY, ONLY changes proxies of buildings.

I won't be answering your questions anymore.

Thanks

 

[Guest 3841499]

This mod only, ONLY, ONLY, ONLY changes proxies of buildings.

I won't be answering your questions anymore.

Thanks, you've been very helpful . Can't wait for the release! Your hard work is much appreciated!

 

[Lod_MOD16]

 

[SomeBloodyWitcher]

Holy...

:wat:

 

[Riven-Twain]

Hmm. That lad there seems to enjoy following Roach closely. Odd little fellow. . . . One would think he could find other things to appreciate in the landscape.

 

[SomeBloodyWitcher]

It's a girl...