Discussion Customizable water (micro)textures?

[misha.physics]

Hi,
I'm just interested if it's possible to make some experiments with the water (micro)textures in D3D9Client, namely changing the size of specular ripples, their contrast, speed. For example, here are screenshots from Orbiter 2016 (left) and OpenOrbiter (right):



Are there any parameters (like text files) to move from one to another?

And can we change the distance of the water micro(textures) visibility? For example, to make the water (micro)textures be visible at a further distance just to make it look a bit better:

 

[misha.physics]

I'd like to share an idea how it might be tried to make the coastline border of the custom island textures clearer.

For now we have the following. For example, we made custom surf and mask tiles with clear boundary:



And we placed it on a layer of the default tile:



So, we have:



Of course, we can make something like that:



But it doesn't look very good in game. I think the better way is to use water micro textures that will be visible near and a slightly greater distance. I think these water micro textures have to suppress the default surf tiles more strongly, namely these water micro textures should be less transparent. It must look nicer, since these water micro textures fill their area defined with mask files:



This could improve the coastline edges of the custom tiles. For now we have the following:

 

[misha.physics]

Just a good picture to explain what I mean. It would be good to have such water micro textures (left rectangle) at every point of the water when observed from low altitude:



Of course, there can be added some new effects for the time changing (in game).

 

[jarmonik]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll try to add some customization options for the water rendering.

 

[misha.physics]

I'll just explain why I attached the picture from Orbiter 2016 for comparison, although, water in OpenOrbiter looks of course nicer than in the 2016 one.

That's because it will be nice to have an option to make the blue color of the water micro texture to be paler, namely lighter.

And an option to make water waves to be less dense, since it can make the flickering of the water micro textures much less noticeable when looking at an acute angle (but there can be other and better ways to reduce this water texture flickering).

And the water micro texture in the left rectangle on my last picture can cover all water area at the same distance. I don't mean the using of these water micro texture at too large distances from Earth, because in that cause the water will look too monotonous, and it's not needed (or some). It can make sense at distance like on my picture. At large distances from the Earth the default textures (surf tiles) can be displayed without the water micro textures. (Or maybe there can be a way to make some combination (overlay) of default textures and water micro textures for larger distances (but it's probably a bad idea.)

And the effects related to the sun reflection are very desirable.

These are just my thoughts for future. Maybe something will be useful. But there can be other better alternatives.

Just googled some water pictures:

 

[misha.physics]

and it's not needed (or some)

Just rereading my message I noticed that I've forgotten to edit this sentence. I was going to write (or some combination (overlay) of default textures and water micro textures could be maken), but I decided to mention this below for larger distances from Earth.

 

[jarmonik]

There are some water rendering adjustments coming in in next version.

 

[misha.physics]

This is great news. I think it will be useful to have settings for the size, color, transparency, speed animation of waves and their density, contrast (maybe not all of this). The MIP Maps for all surface levels work perfectly and make flickering almost invisible, so it would be nice to find a solution to reduce water flickering.

And sorry for the repetition, I just think it's very important. Regarding clear coasline borders I think it make sence to increase (or add corresponding setting) the distance of the water micro textures visibility and:

these water micro textures have to suppress the default surf tiles more strongly, namely these water micro textures should be less transparent

Just to say, I'm ready to do a lot of tests with water settings and help to find good sets, make various graphic comparison if needed.

 

[misha.physics]

This is a short comparison of water textures with default settings.

v240201:


v240310:


I think water looks very nice now, with clear coastline border and without flickering. Both pictures are from the last build (I changed some water parameters):



And is it normal or I've broken something (I mean sliders without signature)?:

 

[misha.physics]

It's pleasure to watch the ocean:



I have an idea that could be considered for a future. I mean some elevations for the whole water: small hills that will look like volume waves. But even these flat waves look great!

 

[N_Molson]

Looks very good !