[kasperl]

The specmaps are maps that determine how bright, and what colour the reflections are. If they have an alpha channel, that'll determine the envirment map. If there is no alpha channel, the normal specmaps will be used, and if there are no specmaps, the normal map will be loaded as spec.

A ship without spec will look like it is either plastic or molded from glass or something, a ship with it will look like it's metal. All ships have specmaps, but not all have specmaps with alpha. Envirment mapping might look a bit odd, but it is only available in Bob builds anyway, so it won't appear in 3.6.  They are included in the installer, in MV-shine.vp (IIRC, I am not all that up-to-date myself).

[kasperl]

Oh, as for the stutterings, could you please copy and paste your commandline in here? Also, what files are in your main folder (the one with teh FS open exe)? Are you using D3D or OGL? What resolution? Are the stutters at any specific point?

[Nazgul9]

I've checked everything - except the low memory planet textures - when i was installing.

My command line looks like this: E:\FreeSpace2\fs2_open_3_6.exe -spec -glow -pcx32 -jpgtga -d3dmipmap -cell -phreak -ship_choice_3d -2d_poof -snd_preload

At the moment i'm using D3D, with a resolution of 1024x768 in 32bit (standart). I have the following new vp files in my install folder: mv_core_a.vp, mv_effects.vp, mv_hieffects.vp, mv_hiplanets.vp, mv_models.vp, mv_speffects.vp, mv_textures.vp (@kasperl: no mv_shine.vp - am i missing something?)

I guess i'm blind then, lol. I haven't played FreeSpace2 much prior to the install of the open source add-ons though (just one or two training missions), so maybe that's why i'm not seeing that much difference as i wasn't used to the old version. That's also the reason why i can't tell if the stutterings are at any specific points but i think they are random (i even got one in the options menu).

[WMCoolmon]

mv_shine was upgraded to mv_textures shortly after the release of 3.6, so you should be fine.

You should definitely be seeing a difference with -cell, as that is not so much a graphical improvement as it is a difference in the way things appear. Ships should look more like they were lifted out of a comic book with it enabled.

Do you have a screenshot handy?

[kasperl]

-cell needs extra art, it's meant to make things look cartoony. Are you sure you want that effect?

[Nazgul9]

Do you mean cell shading, like in the game XIII? Hmm..., it looks nothing like that. It looks about the same with or without -cell. Well, it seems that it's still not working correctly.

Here's a pic of how it looks on my comp with all visual enhancements enabled:



As you can see, nothing spectacular (no metallic shining, lo-res textures...).

[Nazgul9]

And here's a pic with everything off:



Hmm..., maybe the nebula is a bit more detailed on the previous pic, and what's coming out of the "exhaust pipe" is white instead of blueish, strange... Where are the supposed hi-res textures i ask myself.

[karajorma]

You do appear to be lacking both specular and glowmaps.

[Nazgul9]

What do glowmaps and specular do?

Are the textures ok, since they stay the same?

[WMCoolmon]

Glowmaps make the lights on the ships really seem to light up. Like the big red light on the Fenris will appear fully red even in darkness.

Specular maps add the shine to ships that you see when you shine a bright light on semi-polished metal.

Do you have "Use Large Textures" checked?

[kasperl]

Turn of cell, it might be biting your spec and glow.

Glow creates lights, spec makes things shine.

[Nazgul9]

Cell is off, large textures on.

Btw, OpenGL doesn't work for me, doesn't even start loading.

[kasperl]

Kara, does the Myrm have glowmaps?

Nazgul: can you give us a screenie of a capship at close range?"

[karajorma]

Don't know why you're asking me kas but only the very tip of those two spikes at the back are glowmapped. You probably won't see them unless the ship is disabled though.

I'd suggest a pic of the fenris/leviathan as it would kill two birds with one stone since the model for that ship has been upgraded too.

[.::Tin Can::.]

I still have a problem with the text being underlined, even when I turn on "Fix Text Distortion"

[kasperl]

Kara: I asked because I cannot check myself, know you probably would know, and I needed to know to see if it is just spec breaking.

And a picture of a Leviathan would be very nice.

Have you tried upgrading Catalyst to 4.4?

[Tahna Los]

whoops.