I'm pretty sure you can set graphics settings with /set... No LUA required.

Example, list of varnames and its possible values will be very appreciated then.

Some(all?) commands are in the manual.
You can do it with lua too, if you want, but i forget how, i think it wasn't entirely straightforward tho.
[edit] gkinterface.Set/GetGraphicsOptions would be what you'd need.

I know this manual but I think it does not help much.
Can you give me an example how to change e.g. antialiasing mode?
I think it cannot be done or, at least, is not mentioned in the manual.

Video QUERY commands do not set anything and there are only few minor SET video settings listed.

Now I see your edit ...
OK, I still need an example and a list of variables and values. Can anyone help? Thanks.

I think you have a bit more control via lua. The set commands are in the manual http://vendetta-online.com/manual/app_commands.html

I've fiddled around with the same idea while back but after upgrading my hardware it wasn't really an issue anymore..

You can get the current options with gkinterface.GetGraphicsOptions and set them with gkinterface.SetGraphicsOptions. It's a bit awkward cause the table format for set is different and you have feed all options back.

This would disable glow for example.
do
local opts = {}
for _,v in ipairs(gkinterface.GetGraphicsOptions()) do
table.insert(opts, v.name == "Full Scene Glow Effect" and 1 or v.value)
end

gkinterface.SetGraphicsOptions(opts)
end

There's also Set and GetVideoOptions which probably work the same way.

edit: need ..to ..write ..faster

/set rglow 0 disables glow.

I think that changing rDistanceLODBias and rSceneLODBias would be the most productive things to do in a heavy sector...

To do what Inco wants, it sounds like we just need an updated list of cvars, that includes things like AA. That should be trivial.

People being about to set up binds for detail does sound pretty useful. Maybe we could make some default ones.

That would be great!

How about a FPS plugin? It would monitor FPS and reduce settings until 30 fps is achieved.

There's too much variation in framerate as things happen. Like you pan across an asteroid field with a capship and suddenly get 25fps, but in the other 270-degrees of the FOV you get like 200fps. You don't want automated tampering with your settings when that happens. Plus, a lot of settings require major reloads of the scene, including almost anything in OpenGL.

We originally tried doing automatic settings, back around 99/2000, with dynamic mesh degradation settings based on current framerate. But, the oscillations were too much to be usable or particularly useful based on the damped control systems we tried.

Yea thought about making a plugin like this too, i'd say most you could do is reduce lod settings in some extreme circumstances, like fps below usable value (less than 10-15 maybe) but even then could be problematic.

The new sectors seem to load at a normal speed for me and my FPS seems pretty awesome, although I haven't checked it with the FPS command, but I didn't have any lag at all.

I'm not really well informed on the intended goal of the Universe Redux as far as mineral resources go though. When it gets finished and implemented, will resources shift around the universe at certain intervals or will the resources be static like they are now, but with more dense asteroid belts?

I'm just thinking that without a significant mining operation, rare ore might be difficult to find in these denser asteroid sectors and if you finally find some rare ore (with or without a mining operation) that same asteroid could have no rare ore in it at all the next day.

I am however, for a mineral exhausting system where the rare ore you find eventually gets exhausted and you're forced to look elsewhere.

And on another note, what OpenGL version is VO currently using? I've been learning OpenGL but recently discovered that 90% of the tutorials out there are still for 1.1-2.1 and not tailored for 3.0-3.2. Just thought it would be interesting to see what version you guys are using. I assume you're still using the 2.1 version as 3.2 without compatibility mode requires somewhat modern video cards.

New sectors are great. But both fog and ion storm resulting in 25km away exit point, on adjacent sectors, was not good. I'd prefer no ion storms on fog sec.

One possible idea is, only on fogged sector, deploy [3..5] nav beacons. Shared ones, as transponders, they reply their numbers. Orientation is back after a quick look on radar. Makes a mental space "gps". (*bk-system-X99 name format?)

Another one: make roids fiels flat. Disk-like. So jump point is allways near, maybe 12KM most.

I'd also like to see *more* variation on density and colors... is possible more than one color per sector?


FPS is ok, but load time, even with 10mbps download, is muuuch longer. But preload is off here.

"I'd prefer no ion storms on fog sec."

I think it is meant this way. Deneb is a test.

"Another one: make roids fiels flat. Disk-like."

No please.
I hope we will not be forced to travel through such a sectors on regular ways like from one WH to another. If you want to mine or something there, take the route.

I am scared of something a bit different.

1) If average "travel" sector is going to look like this, we will definitely need some long range traveling. I mean more than jump to neighbor system.

2) I somehow feel incarnate is willing to put a massive percentage of sectors under the fog veil. I do not know how many hours (rather minutes?) a day you are playing, the devs, but you probably are missing one fact. ION storms are and fogs will be interesting if they are rare. Do not turn VO into boring shady place, please.

"So, a welcome development if used sparingly."

Aye!

"One possible idea is, only on fogged sector, deploy [3..5] nav beacons."

I would prefer real user driven in-sector navigation. Coordinates (could be given out), bookmarks, navigation, player deployable and player destroyable beacons, ...

"FPS is ok, but load time, even with 10mbps download, is muuuch longer."

It is not about your connectivity.

I just tried logging into Vendetta, since I received the "Happy Holidays to Long Lost Vets" E-mail promo :P. My account has the "Pre-Order" status. I'm guessing I don't qualify for this free play time?

Reflecting on the problems with a dynamic FPS monitoring plugin Inc mentioned, I suggest that the FPS plug in could instead record average FPS in each sector, and then change graphics settings on a sector by sector basis. This would solve the oscillation/damping problem.

Sure, except for all the content that's dynamic. A big convoy passing through, an unforeseen ion storm. Or the fact that every sector in a Warfare scenario could be populated with a giant cap battle one day, and a fighter battle the next. Tying detail settings only to geography would help certain cases, but miss a lot of them, and could make some worse.

Aside from the fact that this still doesn't solve the issue of needing to re-load the driver for a lot of major setting-changes. A reload can take significantly longer than simply loading a sector, so then the player is left defenseless while waiting for the client driver reload.

I have yet to see an entirely elegant solution to this issue, although a lot of people, and games, have tried. It's easier to solve in a single-player game, where at least one can expect some level of control over visible content. But in a persistent, multiplayer environment it gets a bit worse.

Incarnate is completely right. I am afraid of ANY auto-messing with my setup. 2-4 user defined presets would be enough.

I have already done two presets using all available variables but the results are mixed so far. I have to test it more.

Settings requiring driver reload would be used only for some "setup" user presets but not for in-game quick switching.

As I am testing it now, I can switch detail levels in the middle of a fight.

Thanks for the answer, Inc.

Inco, I'll look for your results.

why isnt that "vets-play for free" working for my account? i signed 2004-9-30 and now i got only 8 hour trial (which is over right now :( )