Difference between revisions of "Viewerhelp:2.7.1/Preferences - Graphics"

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{{Modified Translated Help Article}}
{{Modified Translated Help Article}}
=== Graphics tab ===
 
Controls user interface size and the quality of the Viewer's graphics.  
Controls the settings and quality of the Viewer's graphics.  


{{UIref
{{UIref
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| Choose among four preset graphics levels, with increasing level of detail and more computer power needed: '''Low''', '''Mid''', '''High''', and '''Ultra'''. For '''High''' and '''Ultra''', you need a computer that meets or exceeds the [http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ System Requirements].}}
| Choose among four preset graphics levels, with increasing level of detail and more computer power needed: '''Low''', '''Mid''', '''High''', and '''Ultra'''. For '''High''' and '''Ultra''', you need a computer that meets or exceeds the [http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ System Requirements].}}


{{UIref
Click:
| Apply
* '''Apply''' to make your selections take effect. The Viewer will remember them when you next log in.
| Apply '''UI size''' settings. Other graphics settings preview live as you change them.}}
* '''Reset''' to go back the recommended '''Quality and speed''' setting, based on your graphics card.
 
* '''Advanced''' to show [[#Advanced_graphics_settings|Advanced graphics settings]].
{{UIref
* '''Hardware''' to display the {{winlink|Preferences - Graphics - Hardware Settings|Hardware Settings}} window.
| Reset
| Reverts to the recommended preset, based on what Second Life detects your graphics card to be, on the '''Quality and speed''' slider.}}
 
{{UIref
| Advanced
| Shows '''Advanced graphics settings''' (see below).}}
 
{{UIref
| Hardware
| Shows the {{winlink|Preferences - Graphics - Hardware Settings|Hardware Settings}} window.}}


=== Advanced graphics settings ===
=== Advanced graphics settings ===


{{UIref
'''Shaders''' - Enables or disables various types of pixel shaders
| Shaders
| Enables or disables various types of pixel shaders:
* '''Transparent Water''' - Whether water reflections appear.
* '''Bump mapping and shiny''' - Depth and shine effects which are found on various inworld creations.
* Local Lights -
* '''Basic shaders''' - Makes inworld look less "flat".
* '''Atmospheric shaders''' - Realistic sky and water appearance. '''Basic shaders''' must be on for this to be enabled.
:When checked, and your systems supports it, the following options are available:
** Lighting and Shadows
** Ambient Occlusion
** Depth of Field
}}


{{UIref
{{UIref|Transparent Water|Whether water reflections appear.}}
| Shadows
| Select the type of shadows to display.}}


{{UIref|Bump mapping and shiny|Depth and shine effects which are found on various inworld creations.}}
{{UIref|Local Lights|Display the six closest point light sources (in addition to sun and moon).}}
{{UIref|Basic shaders|Provides more depth and realism.}}
{{UIref|Atmospheric shaders|Realistic sky and water appearance. '''Basic shaders''' must be on for this to be enabled. }}
When '''Atmospheric shaders''' is checked, and your systems supports it, the following options are available:
{{UIgroup|
{{UIref|Lighting and Shadows|Check to display shadows and the effects of projector lights. See also [https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Lighting_and_shadows Lighting and shadows].}}
{{UIref|Ambient Occlusion|Check to show a subtle darkening of nooks and crannies in shapes and in shadows.  You may use this with any '''Shadows''' setting.}}
{{UIref|Depth of Field|Check to make objects far from the focal distance appear fuzzy or out-of-focus.}}
{{UIref| Shadows| Select the type of shadows to display:
* '''None''' - do not display shadows; equivalent to turning off Lighting and shadows, with some subtle differences.
* '''Sun/Moon''' - Check to cause all qualifying objects to cast shadows and have shadows cast upon them.
* '''Sun/Moon + Projectors''' - Check to have objects cast shadows from the light of the sun and the moon and up to two projector light sources. }} }}
{{UIref
{{UIref
| Water Reflections
| Water Reflections
Line 70: Line 59:
| Sets the resolution with which glow effects are rendered, which tends to be a minimal difference}}
| Sets the resolution with which glow effects are rendered, which tends to be a minimal difference}}


{{UIref
'''Mesh detail''' - Sets the amount of detail used in rendering certain elements. A higher value takes longer to render, but provides more detail.
| Mesh detail
| Sets the amount of detail or number of triangles used in rendering certain elements. A higher value takes longer to render, but makes these objects appear with more detail.
* '''Objects''' - More detail is especially noticeable with curved objects which require many triangles to render like "sculpties" ({{Xref|sculpted prims}}), spheres, and wheels.
* '''Flexiprims''' - Controls the smooth motion of flexible primitive objects, as commonly used in avatar hair, skirts, capes, and so on. More noticeable when there are many flexiprims onscreen.
* '''Trees''' - Affects the detail of Linden "system" trees, not to be confused with Resident-trees made using objects.
* '''Avatars''' - In addition to rendering avatars more realistically, this also sets the distance at which avatars become '''Avatar impostors'''. Lower this to make them become impostors nearer, which looks worse but results in faster performance.
* '''Terrain''' - Increasing this makes the ground mesh look more organic and curvy.
* '''Sky''' - Only changes the sky's detail when '''Atmospheric shaders''' is on. Lower settings can make the sun and cloud formations look blocky.}}


{{UIref
{{UIgroup|
| Avatar rendering
{{UIref|Objects|More detail is especially noticeable with curved objects which require many triangles to render like "sculpties" ({{Xref|sculpted prims}}), spheres, and wheels.}}
| Sets options that affect how the Viewer renders avatars:
{{UIref|Flexiprims|Controls the smooth motion of flexible primitive objects, as commonly used in avatar hair, skirts, capes, and so on. More noticeable when there are many flexiprims onscreen.}}
* '''Avatar impostors''' - Renders distant avatars cheaply, often resulting in substantial performance gains in large crowds. Unless you dislike the way it looks or have other problems, leave it on.
{{UIref|Trees|Affects the detail of Linden "system" trees, not to be confused with Resident-trees made using objects.}}
* '''Hardware skinning''' - Provides a slight performance boost. This is incompatible with some hardware, so if if it's not already grayed out yet avatars appear jagged or deformed, try turning this off.
{{UIref|Avatars|In addition to rendering avatars more realistically, this also sets the distance at which avatars become '''Avatar impostors'''. Lower this to make them become impostors nearer, which looks worse but results in faster performance.}}
* '''Avatar cloth''' - Makes your avatar mesh clothing ripple in the wind. Not available on all hardware, notably Macs because of Apple's drivers.}}
{{UIref|Terrain|Increasing this makes the ground mesh look more organic and curvy.}}
{{UIref|Sky|Only changes the sky's detail when '''Atmospheric shaders''' is on. Lower settings can make the sun and cloud formations look blocky.}}
}}


'''Avatar Rendering'''
{{UIgroup|
{{UIref|Avatar impostors|Renders distant avatars cheaply, often resulting in substantial performance gains in large crowds. Unless you dislike the way it looks or have other problems, leave it on.}}
{{UIref|Hardware skinning|Provides a slight performance boost. This is incompatible with some hardware, so if if it's not already grayed out yet avatars appear jagged or deformed, try turning this off.}}
{{UIref|Avatar cloth|Makes your avatar mesh clothing ripple in the wind. Not available on all hardware, notably Mac OS.}}
}}
{{UIref
{{UIref
| Terrain detail
| Terrain detail
| '''High''' is possible on supported systems, '''Low''' makes the ground look fuzzy but renders faster.}}
| '''High''' is possible on supported systems, '''Low''' makes the ground look fuzzy but renders faster.}}

Latest revision as of 09:29, 15 June 2011

KBnote.png Note: This article has been edited since it was returned from translation. REQUIRES RE-TRANSLATION.


Controls the settings and quality of the Viewer's graphics.

Quality and speed

  Choose among four preset graphics levels, with increasing level of detail and more computer power needed: Low, Mid, High, and Ultra. For High and Ultra, you need a computer that meets or exceeds the System Requirements.

Click:

  • Apply to make your selections take effect. The Viewer will remember them when you next log in.
  • Reset to go back the recommended Quality and speed setting, based on your graphics card.
  • Advanced to show Advanced graphics settings.
  • Hardware to display the Hardware Settings window.

Advanced graphics settings

Shaders - Enables or disables various types of pixel shaders

Transparent Water   Whether water reflections appear.
Bump mapping and shiny   Depth and shine effects which are found on various inworld creations.
Local Lights   Display the six closest point light sources (in addition to sun and moon).
Basic shaders   Provides more depth and realism.
Atmospheric shaders   Realistic sky and water appearance. Basic shaders must be on for this to be enabled.

When Atmospheric shaders is checked, and your systems supports it, the following options are available:

Lighting and Shadows   Check to display shadows and the effects of projector lights. See also Lighting and shadows.
Ambient Occlusion   Check to show a subtle darkening of nooks and crannies in shapes and in shadows. You may use this with any Shadows setting.
Depth of Field   Check to make objects far from the focal distance appear fuzzy or out-of-focus.
Shadows   Select the type of shadows to display:
  • None - do not display shadows; equivalent to turning off Lighting and shadows, with some subtle differences.
  • Sun/Moon - Check to cause all qualifying objects to cast shadows and have shadows cast upon them.
  • Sun/Moon + Projectors - Check to have objects cast shadows from the light of the sun and the moon and up to two projector light sources.
Water Reflections

  Sets the types of elements that water reflects. When set to Everything, this is a particularly taxing feature and requires a fast graphics card to use effectively.
Avatar Physics

  Controls the frequency of display updates for enhanced avatar physics:
  • To make avatar physics movement smooth, move the slider to a high setting.
  • To make avatar physics less taxing for your computer, move the slider to a lower setting. Avatar physics movement will be less smooth, and you will not see avatar physics movement of avatars who are far away.
  • To turn off avatar physics, move the slider to the lowest setting.
Draw Distance

  Affects how far out from your viewpoint objects are rendered in the scene. Increasing this can substantially slow down your performance in dense areas, so experiment to find the right balance.
Max Particle Count

  Sets the maximum number of particles you're able to see at once.
Max # of non-impostor avatars

  Sets the maximum number of avatars that are displayed in 3D instead of 2D. Decreasing this number can increase performance, but can also make more avatars around you look less realistic.
Post process quality

  Sets the resolution with which glow effects are rendered, which tends to be a minimal difference

Mesh detail - Sets the amount of detail used in rendering certain elements. A higher value takes longer to render, but provides more detail.

Objects   More detail is especially noticeable with curved objects which require many triangles to render like "sculpties" (sculpted prims), spheres, and wheels.
Flexiprims   Controls the smooth motion of flexible primitive objects, as commonly used in avatar hair, skirts, capes, and so on. More noticeable when there are many flexiprims onscreen.
Trees   Affects the detail of Linden "system" trees, not to be confused with Resident-trees made using objects.
Avatars   In addition to rendering avatars more realistically, this also sets the distance at which avatars become Avatar impostors. Lower this to make them become impostors nearer, which looks worse but results in faster performance.
Terrain   Increasing this makes the ground mesh look more organic and curvy.
Sky   Only changes the sky's detail when Atmospheric shaders is on. Lower settings can make the sun and cloud formations look blocky.

Avatar Rendering

Avatar impostors   Renders distant avatars cheaply, often resulting in substantial performance gains in large crowds. Unless you dislike the way it looks or have other problems, leave it on.
Hardware skinning   Provides a slight performance boost. This is incompatible with some hardware, so if if it's not already grayed out yet avatars appear jagged or deformed, try turning this off.
Avatar cloth   Makes your avatar mesh clothing ripple in the wind. Not available on all hardware, notably Mac OS.
Terrain detail

  High is possible on supported systems, Low makes the ground look fuzzy but renders faster.