I noticed in the ArmA2 forum (and with a reminder from Shia on the 1C forums) people are now playing with enabling effects and shaders by using DX hook DLL's here:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3358151/Want_anti_aliasing_but_not_the.html

The way it works is that you can override default graphics by placing an additional set of files and config in your CloD directory. I can't vouch for their safety, but the people originally producing them are legit, i.e. you can use this for inspiration, as it's just as applicable (in DX10) for CloD:

http://a2fxaa.blogspot.com/

The dx10 files do actually work with CloD too, so if people want to fiddle with enabling full screen AA (kinda) then it's all there to play with now. In a quick 5 minute fiddle it seems to have a negligible performance hit with a nice improvement in look.

So, for all those color/shader wannabe's, here's your chance!

PS Don't know what impact on MP-VAC, so be careful out there..

Edit: If you use the latest from here: http://hotfile.com/dl/125975700/ef4f3b1/injectFxaa_by_some_dude_9.7z.html

..then don't forget the 'on/off' switch is now 'Pause' and that you use the DX10 files.

Edit2: These effects are applicable to both ATI and Nvidia cards now, and don't forget to turn 'OFF' all native CloD anti-aliasing first - this techniques works much better and is an order of magnitude more efficient.

FXAA Off (check the wing edges and background buildings)




FXAA On

Nice find, FF!

Just looking at the prop blades or the tall chimneystack in the background shows the huge difference. The blog is a good read.

Yep, the 'shader10.fx' file can be edited to produce a whole range of new effects, include changing the saturation of the lighting. I expect all the 'the grass is too green' shader variants to now come flooding out..

The biggest impact of this is really not so much the ability to now change the colors/effects but that there is now a decent Anti-Aliasing algorithm to run that doesn't have a large performance impact.

Amen! Thanks for posting this, off to give it a shot now.

Nice find sir

new algorithms are so sexy

Definately is an improvement. Personally though I'm waiting for the overhaul of the graphics engine first as I'm sure anti-aliasing is on the list of things to fix even though it was not mentioned specifically.

So we could get banned for using this ?

I'm going to wait for the new patch or some official confirmation that using this doesn't involve being burnt at the stake.

Works nicely. Thanks for the heads up.

Seems to work well here, thanks again FearlessFrog!

Cheers Frog! its a start but im not seeing that much of a improvement here.

Anyway we can adjust it?

So do you disable the FSAA in-game and then use this dll to enable it? Or do you use both in tandem? I'm at work and my attempts speed up the office clock with the ] key are not successful.

Yep, disable in-game AA in the Video options, as the two effects together won't really work plus you'll get no performance gain.

Should be possible, yes. As there isn't much explanation on-line what this stuff does, here's my summary:

- Inside the 'injectFxaa_by_some_dude_9' zip file there are a couple of directories. CloD on Windows 7 uses DirectX 10 so look in the 'd3d10' directory for the three files.

- The file dxgi.dll is the 'hook' library, i.e. something that will get called by the game as it runs. It looks to see if the effect is enabled (on and off with the Pause key, and it starts 'on' (don't forget your F-lock key if on a keyboard that needs Pause like that)).

- The file 'shader.hlsl' is the instructions or source of the effect. High Level Shader Language (hlsl) is a DirectX intermediary programming language for graphics cards. It's human-readable (ish) and contains the specialized instructions that GPU's are so good at, i.e. en-masse transformations and whole screen effects.

- The file 'Fxaa3_11.h' is referenced by the above file and is the 'meat' of the algorithm to render the FXAA. FXAA is a 'brute force' technique that doesn't use depth and vertices but is a 'pixel shader', i.e. it will go pixel by pixel on the screen (called a 'frame') and attempt to find and soften edges. What it loses out by inaccuracy (i.e. your text and instruments have 'edges' that shouldn't be blurred but are) it gains on efficiency, i.e. GPU's are *really* good at instructions involving the whole screen, hence you can use this without negligible performance impact.

The FXAA was produced by an engineer at Nvidia, and as it's written in HLSL works on all graphics cards that support those pixel shaders. ATI have an alternative algorithm already in their drivers called 'MSAA' (similar technique) that you could use if you don't want to use this (and have an ATI card of course). I haven't played with MSAA yet with CloD.

So, in summary you copy these three files and put them from the zip file into where CloD runs, i.e.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover

..and then toggle the 'Pause' button to see if it worked ok.

I haven't had time to fiddle with the shader, but it won't do any harm if you change some values, i.e. in shader.hlsl the line:

#define FXAA_QUALITY__PRESET 39

..looks like it controls the 'impact/performance' ratio, so you could try higher/lower figures in that. You'll need to restart the game on each change I expect.

Hope that helps, and apologies to WWII aviation fans for the tech offtopicnessness.

Hi FF,

Here's a quick look at the default injectFXAA. Haven't pissed around with any of the files yet (and may not...but I'm tempted! ). It looks pretty good right off the rack. Have to remember to knock out these files if I plan to go online.

Cool demo video Snapper - yes, it looks like that pre-AA Spitfire was modeled in Minecraft!

The next step for this is that now there is a generic hook then non-AA effects can be added, i.e. in ArmA II there have been some nice spot.h and saturation.h files added to do things like improve the HDR (dynamic lighting) and general color saturation (filter out greens etc).

If the next patch doesn't fix everything we are all dreaming of then it's good to know there are other ways to configure to taste.

For online play, I'm hoping that MG take a look at this stuff and then just either build it in as an option or start to rely on the underlying driver support better (both NVidia and ATI have stuff like this in their latest drivers).

Hi there ,
i´m the one from http://a2fxaa.blogspot.com/

Cool thing to find out that my blog is mentioned here :-)
Just want to introduce myself and if you need any help with settings on the FXAA Shaders feel free to ask ....
Maybe i can get a copy IL-2 and can check out what is possible with this Engine. Will check the local gamestop tomorrow :-)

Well, if I was interested before, Snapper's video sold me.

Hi EOOQE,

Yep, great blog - and a nice collection of shaders on ArmAII. Don't forget if you do visit gamestop, this is 'IL2 - Cliffs of Dover' in DX10 we are talking about here, as there is an earlier IL-2 1946 title too. This is the one we are trying FXAA on:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/63950/