Hi all,
For some time certain authors of liveries supply those only in 2048x2048 pixels (some other in 4096x4096). Then certainly, when we stick our nose on the plane fuselage the the difference is obvious. Much thiner and more attractive rivets, details well ........ detailed ....... etc. but, because there is for sur one "but". Who uses FG in sight outside the camera stuck on at 5 cms of the fuselage? Absolutely impossible to pilot in these conditions.
These high resolutions textures weigh down the our PC memory. In MP it destroys very quickly the FPS. All this for a graphic advantage which pleases only the livery author by hampering more that other thing the users who, themselves, wish only to fly in the best conditions.
By the way it is also valid for the ground textures as well.
What to do? Reduce the resolutions to keep the FPS and the resources available, but in this case, in a few years, when PC will be even more powerful and screens wilder, FG will lagging behind be graphically, or to increase the size of textures with the aim of hypothetical future while preventing the current users from flying without trouble?
It seems that the current discussions are more sterile than other thing. Thinks like:"my texture is maybe big, but it is beautiful", "Yes but mine is probably not beautiful, but the FPS is always there" "...bla bla bla ".
But solution, real solution nobody speak about it. Then I am going you to propose a quite simple one and, I think rather easy to implement. Knowing that it is mostly the liveries(and planes) authors that will have to work in ........ hem..... But it is me that! Argh well OK I accept the challenge lol
Here we are. First of all, let us imagine that in the FG graphic options we could find a button (or better a cursor) which allows us to define if our FG is going to work in low resolution, in average resolution or in high resolution. (Yes 3 options seems to me the minimum necessary. Neither too much, nor not enough).
Then, well it is very simple. In the FG code (or SG I'm not sur), any texture call will have have its access path modified like that:
Before: path / file.png (or dds or other)
After: path(way) / RESOLUTION / file.png (or dds or other)
RESOLUTION being a file name defined by default according to the cursor quoted before.
As an example: low resolution the file would be: 1024x1024
Average resolution: 2048x2048
High resolution: 4096x4096
What would give us, as for example for a plane livery (let us take the Westland Whirlwind)
Before: flightgear/data/Aircraft/Westland-Whirl ing / Models / Liveries / agoi.png
After: flightgear/data/Aircraft/Westland-Whirl ing / Models / Liveries / 2048x2048 / agoi.png
Of cource, it would change nothing the xml livery file which would still contain the tag: <texture > Liveries/agoi.png</ texture >
Simply the system would add the good resolution file in the access picture path.
Flightgear/data/Aircraft/Westland-Whirl ing / Models / Liveries / 1024x1024 / agoi.png
Or
Flightgear/data/Aircraft/Westland-Whirl ing / Models / Liveries / 2048x2048 / agoi.png
Or
Flightgear/data/Aircraft/Westland-Whirl ing / Models / Liveries / 4096x4096 / agoi.png
The only constraint for the Liveries authors, to create liveries in various resolutions and to copy them in the right folders. But it can be not compulsory. If a folder or a livery is non-existent it is the closest which will be taken by the system.
It could be thus extended to the ground textures, buildings etc......
And even later, we can imagine 512x512 folders (for the very small configurations) and 8192x8192 and even 16384x16384 for the machines of future smile
We can imagine as an example that the algorithm can even define by itself the folder name according to the existing folder and according to the cursor.
If the cursor is on MIDDLE and what there are folders 512x512, 1024x1024, 2048x2048 then it will set 1024x1024.
But if present folders are 1024x1024, 2048x2048 and 4096x4096 it will set then 2048x2048.
Finally it can be the subject of a discussion. Because what to set if there are only 2 folders or if there are 6 resolution folders.
this would make FG use more simple, more flexible and would allow it to remain excellent in spite of the PC evolution. Without speaking about the of use simplification. launch the Texan T6 as an example. At present it has 7 liveries 1024x1024 and the same ones in 2048x2048 plus the default texture. Because of that there are 15 xml files in the selector menu. Lets imagine if we had 3 or 4 different resolutions. The selector menu would be full of lines proposing the same liveries in various resolutions.
By using folders and cursor explained here befor, only 8 entries would be available in the selector. The quality choice being made somewhere else.
Obviously, if the resolutions folders (1024x1024, 2048x2048, 4096x4096, in the example) are absent, the algorithm Will keep the default path. It allows obviously to remain compatible with what already exists.
Here we are. I hope that it is clear. Thank you for having read me.
Regards Emmanuel
P.S. Thanks to Didier1963 for translate my post.