Objects in Viewer are Choppier Than They (Should) Appear

[Ariel Vuissent]

I got a new computer recently, which runs SL much better than my old one (Yay!), but I have noticed something I saw less of on my old computer, oddly. (Or maybe I just expected it from the old one...) I have a decent draw distance - 400 or so, I think - and high graphics, but for some reason, if I'm not zoomed right on an object, it appears sort of deconstructed - angular and incomplete, sometimes missing pieces. It doesn't occur with all objects, and for some it occurs are further distances than others, but it occurs often enough to be distracting and rather annoying. I feel like I'm missing a setting; anyone know what it could be? Or if it's just a function of SL and how the objects were created, that's fine too, I'd just like to know if there's anything I can do to fix it.

Thanks!

[Rolig Loon]

That's a really big draw distance, Ariel.  There's rarely a good reason for seeing almost all the way across two regions, so I'd suggest dropping it down to 256m.  That's not the problem, but it's aggrevating it.  The real problem is that you are seeing mesh objects that have crummy low LOD.  Once you get far enough away that you can see only the low LOD models, you're seeing really simple triangles and a lot of empty spaces.  There's nothing you can do about that, since that's a matter of poor design by whoever made the objects, but you can minimize the effect by not looking at quite so many distant objects.

BTW, you may get some people telling you to simply increase the LOD sliders in Preferences >>> Graphics to their maximum values (or use the debug settings to do it). That will compensate for some of the crummy mesh design, but at the cost of performance, especially if you have your draw distance that high.  I'd resist taking that advice.

[Whirly Fizzle]

It sounds like you maybe have object LOD set too low, or the objects that collapse at a distance just have crappy LOD.

You didn't say which viewer you are using. You'll find the object LOD setting at:
LL viewer: Me -> Preferences -> Graphics -> Advanced Settings -> Mesh (top right) -> Objects.
Firestorm: Avatar -> Preferences -> Graphics -> General -> Objects & Sculpts LOD

Setting the LOD setting to a higher value means that you will see the highest LOD (most detail) from a greater distance.
However it's a trade off - the higher you set the LOD setting, the greater performance hit you'll get.
Unfortunately there's a lot of crappy mesh on the grid with hardly any detail for the lower LODs (to save on land impact) & creators will just tell you to crank up the LOD setting instead.
 

 

[Ariel Vuissent]

Yeah, it was LOD. Thanks, guys! I just dragged the draw distance slider up from the way-too-low I started with, so I'll decrease that, but I'm not having a hard time handling it all. Yet. Upping LOD and decreasing draw distance should do it, I suspect; I'll lower LOD again if it causes issues. 

[Nalates Urriah]

Rolig gave you a good answer. It should suffice.

I'll give you some background. Regions are 256x256m. The average draw distance is typically 128m, which lets you see most of the region you are in. A 256m draw distance has you looking into the surrounding 8 regions plus the one you are in, 9 regions. Your viewer is talking to all 9 region servers placing a greater load on your viewer and the additional regions. A 400m draw distance has you looking into over 20 regions. So, 400m is huge draw distance. The ideal draw distance when shopping is 64m... it makes stuff around you render faster.

In the upper right of most viewers is an icon that accesses graphics settings presets. You have to make your own presets. I have a 64m, 128m, 256m w/Lod 2, 256m w/LoD 4, and a 1024m w/LoD 4. This ranges from shopping to photo settings for panoramic images. Like:

LOD is level of detail. It is a way of optimizing 3D models. A high rez model with lots of polygons is the max LoD. The next simpler level has less polygons. So on to the lowest level with the fewest polygons. In some cases a building will have just one polygon (sort of) and display a picture of the building pasted on it. From a distance it looks the same and saves a huge amount of render power.

Some creators in SL simply do not understand optimization. They do not design optimized content, one of largest contributors to lag in SL. They will tell you to set your LoD to 4 or higher so you can't see their shoddy work... well, actually it is more ignorance than shoddy as some of it is pretty awesome looking. Saying higher than 4 is a sure sign of ignorance. Viewers can only use 4 levels. Settings greater than 4 are treated as 4.

By having a high LoD setting you force the system to download all the high rez models when low rez models would work very well. So, more work for the viewer, network, and servers. The 3D modeling industry came up with the LoD technique to reduce the work load. The Lindens built it into SL and figured out the best general use setting. The SL default is 1.0. The max that any viewer will use is 4. Firestorm used 2 as the default setting in their viewer. There is a whole community controversy thing about that.

With a good video card a setting of 1.5 or 2 is reasonable. I suppose that is why the Firestorm team chose 2. Above 2 enters the realm of debate as to what we are doing to the system and how we impact others. I use 1.2 to 1.5 in general. When I want a picture like the above, I'll bump it to 4, thus my need for graphics settings presets.

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You description suggests your issue is a LoD setting problem. I suggest you play with the setting. Use Ctrl-Alt-Shift-D to enable the Develop item in the top menu bar. Develop->Show Debug Settings. This is a list of all the settings in the viewer, over 3,000. Memorize them all... no... look for RenderVolumeLODFactor. Notice the big button labeled Reset to default. Just write down the name of the setting you change. If it doesn't work out, go back and return it to the default value. Don't let all the sky is falling warnings about Debug Settings scare you away. Use reasonable care and you'll be fine.

[Chic Aeon]

Unless there is a real REASON to have your draw distance set high (like wanting to cam for blue crystals on the Realms :D) it only makes your computer work harder than it needs to.  Do you really need to see two sims over?  In most cases no and in some cases (wink) you would like your draw distance to be very low so you won't see your less than classy neighbors. I have mine set between 128 and 200 most of the time depending on what I am doing. 

And while setting your LOD higher so that you can view that less than well-made mesh will WORK, it would be better to hang and and buy items that will work at a lower LOD -- since I turned mine down to 2 from 4 my computer is WAY happier and I have  a very hefty computer to start with. Still, overtaxing generates heat and heat is not good.  

 

[Ariel Vuissent]

I had my draw distance set high in an attempt to fix what I now realize was an LoD problem - I thought the reason I was having trouble seeing things in, say, events was because my draw distance was too low when in fact it was because some vendors, or even at times the boards/booths at the event, could have been built better. With a lower draw distance and a higher LoD, I'm able to see what I wanted to see and still run very well on near-ultra graphics, so thanks again, everyone!