Terrain elevation mesh - A cheat for a much more detailed and accurate mesh

[socorrista22198]

Hi, after the SU14 I noticed the simulator has hidden a much more detailed terrain elevation mesh data stored somewhere. Would be awesome if we could select this level of detail while piloting too, don’t? At this moment, taxing, landing… over those flat pans is uninmersive.

This is the elevation mesh at this moment when you are flying in the sim:

And this is when you open the scenery editor and I load an object, automatically the mesh resolution increases exponentially (where does this data come from?):

This is the real elevation xD

My questions are, why in scenery editor mode I see a much more accurate terrain elevation mesh? Has you tried it? Is there anyway to have this level of detail while flying?

I think it’s an optimization feature the reason we see the less detailed version, but if the simulator has those elevation data stored, I think would be nice we could use that level of detail while piloting (for example, having an option to increase the mesh resolution in graphical settings), it’s much more realistic and inmersive.

My graphic settings are maxed out for terrain detail.

Regards.

[DementedCorn327]

Moved to User Support Hub SDK that is more appropriate to get an answer to your questions.

[socorrista22198]

Thanks @DementedCorn327, but I’m not agreed with moving to this section, I’m sure all other users will agreed in those elevation data would be awesome to be able to use it in the sim, maybe they want to vote.

[DementedCorn327]

Trying to understand what could cause that difference, what is your TLOD setting in your graphics options ?, do you have the coordinates of that location ?

[socorrista22198]

My TLOD is 400 and the coords of the capture 38°36’50.1"N 1°31’25.3"W

[TOLOWTERRAIN723]

This is very interesting. If there is more detailed mesh than what we are getting…then let us have it!

This is me. TLOD 150. I think i’m getting the same as you.

[DementedCorn327]

Is that the same location than on the 1st screenshot ?, can you try with TLOD 400 ?

[TOLOWTERRAIN723]

sure can

this is 150

this is 400

there’s barely any change, apart from my fps dropping to the floor… maybe some tiny changes in the mountains in the back

[socorrista22198]

If you want reproduce how the resolution mesh increases, select “new proyect”, “airport” icao “LEOT”, open the scenery editor, click “Load this asset group”

[DementedCorn327]

Thank you for the steps !, I’ll try to reproduce. May I suggest you to also search in the dedicated SDK forum and if no related topic post your question/screenshots there ?, maybe someone has the answer and a solution or workaround that can be applied quickly.

MSFS DevSupport

[Stardrifter2232]

This is a really interesting find, thank you for sharing. I don’t know the answer but I’ll be watching this space for whatever comes of this as I’m all for a more accurate mesh if there’s one already there that we could potentially benefit from.

[TheBlackWind977]

I don’t know if it’s related, but I’ve been seeing my scenery change around me as I’m flying. It’s kind of annoying with elevation going up and down. When it loads in, sometimes the elevation is slightly different, and sometimes the ground texture is going way up in quality loading one block at a time. It’s like it’s loading new images with newer higher res data. The whole season is different. I thought it could be Rex but the resolution appears much better.

I was just too lazy to do anything about it until I ran across this browsing the forum. I’ll try to grab a screenshot the next time I see it happening.

[karuchie]

I think this is due to the Falloff Distance on the runway.
The default value of -1 results in extensive flattening and the detailed topography of the entire airport is lost.
Try setting Terraforming Falloff Distance to 1.

However, depending on the original terrain, the taxiway may become uneven and taxiing difficult.

[socorrista22198]

Could be, but I don’t think is related to the falloff distance runway after this example, if so, the relief would follow the runway lines and in this other example the relief meets the real elevation data.

[socorrista22198]

This is another example. Same location 38°36’50.9"N 1°31’29.1"W

The default elevation data:

And this after press “Load this asset group”:

This is the real elevation:

[socorrista22198]

Please admins, move the thread again to the wishlist section, isn’t an SDK problem. If the sim stores this resolution elevation data, other people should be able to vote to include it in graphical options.

[karuchie]

Difference between Falloff Distance -1 and 1.

[socorrista22198]

Good example! So you were right, is the Falloff Distance, I’m not an scenery designer and isn’t my intention, I only was testing static model planes and discover this abysmal difference in relief.

When we are piloting, it has more sense the simulator set this relief automatically, we prefer the more resolution elevation data, shouldn’t we vote?

[TOLOWTERRAIN723]

@karuchie

Difference between Falloff Distance -1 and 1.

awwww…

[socorrista22198]

More examples, I think this should be taken in consideration the difference is abysmal, it has no sense to show a flat pan if the simulator has stored a much more accurate relief mesh data for airfields. I suggest click the image and use keyboard arrows.

The real one:

Now:

Should be:

We obviously prefer the detailed mesh, the inmersion sensation increases exponentially, don’t know what is the purpose to flat the relief purposely.