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How do I get the best quality graphics/surfaces for SE?
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| Hawke | Date: Sunday, 17.06.2012, 21:37 | Message # 1 |
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Observer
Group: Newbies
United Kingdom
Messages: 2
Status: Offline
| Hey,
So, I'm getting a new laptop in a few days. Intel Quad Core I7-2670QM 2.20GHz 6MB processor, 1.5 Nvidia GTX 560M GPU, 8GB RAM. I'm really keen to try out Space Engine and push my laptop to the limits to see what it's capable of.
I've lurked the forums for a short while, and seen lots of tweaks for graphics. Something about using RAM instead of VRAM, I dunno. Basically - I really want those detailed and beautiful surfaces like this . How do I get the best results?
The next bit is important - I'm a major noob, and I'm really keen not to get my hand sticky with changing loads of code and all that (eww). So, if you could possibly tell me how to get the best out of SE (I think LOD 1 is the setting to get those surfaces?), in noob-friendly format (I'm using Windows 7), that'd be awesome.
Thanks!
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| HarbingerDawn | Date: Sunday, 17.06.2012, 22:08 | Message # 2 |
 Cosmic Curator
Group: Administrators
United States
Messages: 8717
Status: Offline
| Welcome to the forum Hawke!
That laptop should do a great job of running SpaceEngine. The settings you'll want to change are mentioned in the post you alluded to: http://en.spaceengine.org/forum/4-515-1
There is no "code" to change, just a few options in the main.cfg file.
VideoMemorySize should be set to some large number (eg. 4095)
VideoMemoryMaxPercent should also be set fairly high (eg. 95)
VideoMemoryStartupDetect should be set to false
VideoMemoryDynamicDetect should also be set to false
While flying around in the program you should probably leave the LOD set to 0 (this will still look nice), and if you find a spot on a planet that you like and have stopped there then you can try turning it up to 1 or even 2. Also, if you're flying around Earth, the Moon, Mars, or other Solar system worlds that have textures stored in files, then you can also use LOD 2.
*Also, be sure to read the Forum Rules, especially the fourth and fifth bullet points.
Happy exploring!
All forum users, please read this!
My SE mods and addons
Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2 GHz, 16 GB DDR3 RAM, GTX 970 3584 MB VRAM
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| Hawke | Date: Sunday, 17.06.2012, 22:22 | Message # 3 |
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Observer
Group: Newbies
United Kingdom
Messages: 2
Status: Offline
| Thanks for the into - really friendly community here.
So, I just pop open the main.cfg file, edit those numbers, save and close? Simple. Hopefully...
I'm sure I'll be awful to start with. Quick question - any button/way I can remove all the HUD, so it's just space (insert Portal 2 reference)?
Oh - and any tips?
Thanks!
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| HarbingerDawn | Date: Sunday, 17.06.2012, 22:46 | Message # 4 |
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Cosmic Curator
Group: Administrators
United States
Messages: 8717
Status: Offline
| Yes, just open that file and edit those numbers. You should probably save a backup of the file just in case.
Use the [`] key to toggle the HUD. When taking screenshots with F11 the HUD is automatically disabled. To take a screenshot showing the HUD use Ctrl-F11.
I can't think of any particular tips offhand, other than just to take it easy until you've made sure that you have the best settings and you know how it will perform.
All forum users, please read this!
My SE mods and addons
Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2 GHz, 16 GB DDR3 RAM, GTX 970 3584 MB VRAM
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| apenpaap | Date: Monday, 18.06.2012, 00:09 | Message # 5 |
 World Builder
Group: Users
Antarctica
Messages: 1063
Status: Offline
| It's possible this change will cause SE to crash more often; I had that happen to me when I tried to use my ram as well. So I turned it back, figuring LOD 0 on a stable system was better than a constantly crashing LOD 1. So if you get lots of crashes when on a planet's surface, best to turn the changes back.
Another tip I have is that procedural systems aren't the only ones that can look nice: our own Solar System is full of wonders. If you want the planets to look really nice, have a look at the official addons. Particularly the ones for Earth (you use all of them for the best look, as one makes the map itself more detailed and beautiful, one makes height differences and stuff like mountains more detailed, and one gives you gorgeous clouds).
There are also very nice unofficial addons: an awesome Mercury, a great texture for Saturn's moon Tethys, a nice-looking Jupiter (I've got an even better one installed myself; unfortunately I didn't make the texture myself and so can't share it). I also made a pair of textures myself: Venus; and Iapetus and Enceladus, which I quite like.
Of course, there's no need to get any of those if you don't intend to spend much time in our Solar System, but if you do want to look around our own system, they make it much nicer looking.
I occasionally stream at http://www.twitch.tv/magistermystax. Sometimes SE, sometimes other games.
Edited by apenpaap - Monday, 18.06.2012, 00:09 |
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