Bridge Commander Central
BC Forums => BC General => Topic started by: tiqhud on November 23, 2007, 12:04:56 PM
-
I have forgotten, what the Setting in the Graphics area "mipmap" does , I had turned it off in 2004 when I re-install, And I have forgotten what it does?
-
It's a graphics engine optimalisation, it creates several "levels" of a texture, one for a certain distance. Usually around 4, with 0 being the closest (full map) and each step will half the texture.
That way, it won't have to load a 4096x4096 textures when it's miles (generally speaking) off.
And only a 512x512 texture. Since most details will be lost on you anyway.
-
I never saw much differece having it on or off, TBH lol.
-
I never saw much differece having it on or off, TBH lol.
Which is the meaning of it, it just makes your game faster.
-
I never saw much differece having it on or off, TBH lol.
You'd notice quite a difference on a slower machine, particularly if equipped with a low amount of video memory. As MLeo explained, it's basically the same thing for textures as LODs are for meshes, it doesn't make the game look any better or worse (if done properly :))
-
Which is the meaning of it, it just makes your game faster.
I mean, having for example 3 Ent-F, that means quite a lot of graphics, I get the same gaming speed having the option enabled or not. no matter if they're near or far. or having several KM dominion cruisers.
maybe what actually mipmapping does is use the files in \low and \med to create those mipmaps. it would be most improved and usefull if every modder released a toned-down version of every mesh and texture they make, like those in the stock game.
I used to have an old 8 MB GFX back in the days when BC was released, and even in low graphics I got a noticeable lag. having full graphics with mipmapping on didn't help much either way.
-
8MB is even below the minimal system specs for a graphics card. :P
It does take more memory than having it off, but it takes less time to render.
It does not use the Med and Low folders, otherwise it wouldn't be called mipmaps, mipmaps is something that's done on the graphics card itself, not the CPU.
So, on a fast computer, you won't notice anything.
But your 8MB graphics card mostlikely won't even have mipmap ability. ;)
-
the question , has been answered, Thank you Folks, Moderator Delete this Now you can, Hey look at me a Yodaism.
-
8MB is even below the minimal system specs for a graphics card. :P
P2 300 mhz with 64 Mb ram and 8 Mb GFX was ok around 1998/2000.
But your 8MB graphics card mostlikely won't even have mipmap ability. ;)
seems so.
but I think the models, when you used the "switchout distance" in the stock files, loaded those textures in \low and \med as needed. after all, when you define a LOD you assign the textures for it in the ship files.
-
I'm afraid it's more or less how I stated it.
It's a GPU thing to do.