Reach tree LOD troubles with Happy Little Trees

[SirDibble2]

Hey, so i've been trying to get LOD going with HLT and everything is generating ok, but about half the trees in the reach have what i've been referring to as the 'cherry blossom' effect, where all the branch tips in the LOD models form a white block that jarringly goes away as the full model loads in.

Following STEP guide for generating LOD, using HLT standard install, and the hybrid LOD add on. Did a new profile with only my utility/bug fix mods and HLT and LOd requirements to take pics and get logs without other stuff muddying it up.

1st pic is looking ahead at some of the LOD in question:

https://ibb.co/5MvQ0yN

2nd pic is walking forward just enough to get the closest trees to load in

https://ibb.co/b7cQ7k5

Last pic is just an aerial view looking down at the reach to show that only, if i'm not mistaken, the fully barren reach trees have this issue. Other LOD for reach trees looks fine.

https://ibb.co/tzN3VZz

I deleted all logs before i ran this, so they are all fresh if they're needed. Really just looking to see if there is a way to fix this. Thanks in advance!

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by SirDibble2

[z929669]

The mod in question is HLT with the 'Quality' version of the Add-On, I believe. reachtree0*.nif, not sure which one(s)

It is possible that textures used by the model may not be as expected from HLT, but they would be also used by the full model.

[DoubleYou]

7 hours ago, z929669 said:

Yeah, the crowns are identical. I'm sure it's optimization of the mipmapping and possibly also the NiAlphaProperty. Reach trees are a ***** with the fat trunks and teeny, broom-like branches (or little groups of leaves on fat branches).

If that's the case, I would simply remove the crown altogether. It doesn't sound necessary for lod.

[SirDibble2]

7 hours ago, sheson said:

You are using a 3rd party tree mod with third party 3D LOD assets. I have no idea how anything is supposed to look. From experience I know that DynDOLOD typically does not change the look of 3rd party LOD assets in the way described.

https://dyndolod.info/Official-DynDOLOD-Support-Forum#In-Game-Screenshots
To get closer to LOD, toggle to the free fly camera with tfc in console.

A close up screenshot of LOD and a close up screenshot of the full model that shows the differences between them would be helpful.

Is there a reason you are not chekcing checking the NIF and textures the 3D LOD models uses in order to see what mod(s) they come form? If I knew there mod(s) and filenames I might be able to look at things myself.

I have family in town and haven’t been able to jump back on the game. I still plan on checking stuff out when i’m able.

7 hours ago, z929669 said:

The mod in question is HLT with the 'Quality' version of the Add-On, I believe. reachtree0*.nif, not sure which one(s)

It is possible that textures used by the model may not be as expected from HLT, but they would be also used by the full model.

I will say the branches on the full model to fade to a very white color compared to the rest of the tree, so it makes sense the the LOD model crowns are very white from a distance, and as y’all have pointed how the blockiness could be from the way it is rendered or the alpha thingamajig.

[SirDibble2]

Will post follow up pictures later, including a screenshot with the formid for the tree (it’s a reachtree02).

The LOD when up close is honestly fantastic. Like, deeeeaaamn. Literally almost the same as the full model, It looks so good. The issue is definitely just how close together all those bleached out looking branches are. Not sure that there is a solution to that.

[sheson]

Still waiting for requested information.

I would suggest to check the transparent areas of the full texture. It may be useful to fill the transparent areas with a darker color. 

Alternatively it might help to set ObjectLODForceAverageColor=1 in the ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\DynDOLOD_[GAME MODE].ini

[z929669]

51 minutes ago, sheson said:

Still waiting for requested information.

I would suggest to check the transparent areas of the full texture. It may be useful to fill the transparent areas with a darker color. 

Alternatively it might help to set ObjectLODForceAverageColor=1 in the ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\DynDOLOD_[GAME MODE].ini

It could be the alpha opacity or the alpha test cutoff. Reach tree branches have NiAlphaProperty of 30, which is really low.

Assets - I can take a closer look in the future, but it's probably reasonably simple to fix