Comparison between release vs 1.14.6.0

[PorcoRosse]

In an effort to track down changes, potential downgrades, improvements as I’ve seen a lot of “it was better before” or “it was worst before”, I decided to find a way to have both my 1.14.6.0 as well as a working 1.7.12.0 (version at release) install of MSFS at the same time on my PC.

This way, it is possible to really know what was better or worse before, with the exception of things that may occur only server side.

Here’s my spec:
Win10 20H2 on a gen 4 (Pci-e 4.0) M.2 SSD NVMe
FS2020 are both installed on the same M.2
RYZEN 5600X running on X570
32gb RAM (swap file is on same M.2 for speed purpose)
Nvidia 2070S
1440p

Here’s the protocole I used for screenshots:
Due to the atrocious nature of the sharpening filter and TAA that was implemented on release which were producing very blurry images with that “oil painting” effects in the mid-distance and farther, and due to the fact those were much more improved with some patches (both TAA and implementation of AMD’s fidelityFX filter), I removed the sharpening filter on both version through UserCfg.opt as well as turning TAA off. This way, we can have a fair comparison as far as ground textures resolution are concerned for example. As nobody uses MSFS without some form of sharpening filter (or you’re crazy), I’m using my own solution that I’ve always used on MSFS: DELC_sharpen filter via Reshade set at 0.450 which makes textures even crispier (at the expanse of some graininess). Reshade version is the latest.

Graphic settings are all on ultra, terrain LOD and details are both set to 200, rendering scale is at 100
Just so you can reproduce and test things yourself, here’s the two remote places I used:
Amazon jungle was set here: 2°34’40.5"S 61°05’20.7"W
Nevada desert is taken exactly from here: 35°58’48.6"N 115°29’18.0"W
You can use those coordinates inside MSFS flight planner (copy/paste them in the search field)

Here’s a couple of interesting comparison.
YOU MAY HAVE TO USE RIGHT CLICK AND OPEN IN NEW TAB TO GET FULL RES

The infamous tree rendering distance

This is from 1.7.12.0 without vegetation mod:

Same with vegetation mode enabled 75-100:

Now in 1.14.6.0 without vegetation mod (it’s mostly broken)

LOWI in 1.7.12.0 without veg mod:

Same with veg mod 75-100 (obviously much better):

Now in 1.14.6.0:

[MichaMMA]

and what is this

@PorcoRosse

vegetation mod

?

[PorcoRosse]

Vegetation Draw Distance Fix • Microsoft Flight Simulator

[MichaMMA]

so… an external MOD ?

[PorcoRosse]

Photogrammetry

Departure set on POI Empire state, New York

1.7.12.0

1.14.6.0

Definitely some improvement in the LOD distance on the later if you take a close look.

[PorcoRosse]

Yes, it is the only one that was used sometimes during all this test, otherwise no mods so as not to interfere. It was a mod that would expand trees draw distance further than normal, the last two updates broke it and made it so we can’t force draw distance anymore.

[MichaMMA]

want only mention, that we can not compare the results of mods

New York should have bit more details, because the Update. And good to see that you not realy lose “fps”

[PorcoRosse]

I can’t really tell but suffice to say there are releases back from august that were “frozen” on 1.7.12.0 if you get my drift It’s just for testing purpose and since I own the game, well… suffice to say there are ways to make one old release not interfere with yours

I don’t see much difference with your LOWI, what are you thinking about exactly? If it’s colors, I’m using a bit of vibrance filter in Reshade so things are a bit more colourfull.

[PorcoRosse]

I may have still the tree distance mod running on 35-50 (I believe that’s what the guy behing the mod told us to do as for 1.14.6.0), see if that helps.

Also, try pushing Terrain LOD to 3.0 in UserCfg.opt for a test (but it doesn’t seem to be working lately)

[PorcoRosse]

There’s no mod except for the tree distance but it’s there to show how trees were back on 1.7.12.0 without this mod, what it was possible to have before with the mod, and what it is only possible to have now with 1.14.6.0.

The photogrammetry shots however uses no mods at all

[PorcoRosse]

For ground textures comparison and how blurry they are or not in the distance, here’s the Nevada shots:
35°58’48.6"N 115°29’18.0"W

1.7.12.0 (remember the protocole in first post regarding sharpening and TAA)

1.14.6.0

Pretty much the same here, no real difference in the textures, they’re not blurrier in the distance. Perf are less good on 1.14.6.0

[gordongreig]

OK, so if I understand you correctly, in the Amazon series, the first 2 pics are release version, no mods, and the last 2 pics are latest version no mods - so comparable? This is true of the others too - so if we ignore your “with mod” pics, we can see a fair comparison. Not sure why everyone is complaining about comparisons with/without mods.

Anyway, these comparisons are really interesting. I downloaded the old v new (both without mods), and zoomed in max on them, and see the following:

Amazon (release first, current second)

I’m struggling to see a material difference here, which is interesting

New York (release first, current second)

Again nothing in it - just a slight tint in colour between the two

EDIT - looked at the LOWI ones as well

First pic is release, second is current

I see more trees here in the current version than the release version, especially up the slopes of the mountain

[sarpouli]

I noticed today, beside any probable tree draw or density improvements, that tree textures quality had been downed one more time in the so-called patch that came with 1.4.6.0 build, which in turn aimed to increase performance.

[bijanstudio]

I found out recently that LOD depends on location. If you go to Africa, LOD looks much much better than if you go to Sweden. Same setting, same LOD and same altitude.

Lod for West of USA is in between Africa and Sweden. I haven’t explored the rest of the places to compare yet.

[gordongreig]

@SubtotalGuide81

LOWI comparison was with the tree mod

You might be right, as the OP says:

@PorcoRosse

I may have still the tree distance mod running on 35-50

Would be nice to see the LOWI one without mods

[PorcoRosse]

One of the Lowi 1.7.12.0 is without tree, for 1.14.6.0 I’m not entirely sure so I will make them again just to be extra sure.

[PorcoRosse]

Here’s LOWI completely unmodified. No vegetation mod, MSFS sharpening filter on, no reshade of any kind (remember then that on update 1.10.11.0, asobo introduced AMD FidelityFX sharpening filter and modified their TAA antialiasing)

1.7.12.0

1.14.6.0

[Vibstronium]

Is there a difference you’re trying to point out by making these comparisons? They look about the same to me.

[HICKSER337]

sincerely… do not undertake why so focused on the trees… and even more… do not see any difference between all the screenshots

[SubtotalGuide81]

It’s very washed out, is it possible to get clear shots like before?

Still, the tree difference is obvious: