Z-Fighting / Flickering LOD

[FaR2sToNeD]

Hey :smile:

 

This has been an issue for me in more or less every Bethesda game so far, I managed to resolve it somehow on Oblivion (TES4LODGenerator or something I think) and managed to minimise it on Skyrim but I can't seem to get rid of it in Fallout 3 or New Vegas.

 

I've tried literally everything you can search for and a lot of things you can't, ranging from drivers to card setting and everything in-between. I've tried every ini tweak available that relates to the LOD in any way and nothing at all seems to even reduce it.

 

Has anyone managed to find a fix for Z-fighting? Below is the selection of my current ini file that might have anything to do with the issue. Everything else works perfectly with 80+ FPS more or less all the time, my only issue is the damn LOD.

 

 

 

[General]

uGridsToLoad=7

uExterior Cell Buffer=64

iPreloadSizeLimit=51380224

uInterior Cell Buffer=3

bPreCullActors=1

bTaskletActorSceneGraphUpdates=0

bTaskletActorAnimMovementUpdates=1

bAnimationUseBlendFromPose=1

bEnableProfile=0

bDrawSpellContact=0

bRunMiddleLowLevelProcess=1

iHoursToSleep=3

bActorLookWithHavok=0

SMainMenuMusicTrack=special\maintitle.mp3

bUseEyeEnvMapping=1

bFixFaceNormals=0

bUseFaceGenHeads=1

bFaceMipMaps=1

bFaceGenTexturing=1

bDefaultCOCPlacement=0

uGridDistantCount=20

fGlobalTimeMultiplier=1.0000

bNewAnimation=1

bFixAIPackagesOnLoad=0

bForceReloadOnEssentialCharacterDeath=1

bKeepPluginWhenMerging=0

bCreate Maps Enable=0

SLocalSavePath=Saves\

SLocalMasterPath=Data\

bDisableDuplicateReferenceCheck=1

bTintMipMaps=0

iIntroSequencePriority=3

bPreloadIntroSequence=1

fStaticScreenWaitTime=3.0000

SMainMenuMovieIntro=

SIntroSequence=

sIntroMovie=Fallout INTRO Vsk.bik

iFPSClamp=0

bRunVTuneTest=0

STestFile1=

bActivateAllQuestScripts=0

bUseThreadedBlood=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

bBorderRegionsEnabled=1

bDisableHeadTracking=0

bTrackAllDeaths=0

uiFaceGenMaxEGTDataSize=67108864

uiFaceGenMaxEGMDataSize=67108864

bPreemptivelyUnloadCells=0

iNumBitsForFullySeen=248

bUseHardDriveCache=1

bEnableBoundingVolumeOcclusion=1

bDisplayBoundingVolumes=0

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bExternalLODDataFiles=1

bCheckCellOffsetsOnInit=0

uGridDistantTreeRange=5

bCreateShaderPackage=0

bWarnOnMissingFileEntry=0

bAllowScriptedAutosave=0

uGridDistantTreeRangeCity=4

uGridDistantCountCity=4

iSaveGameBackupCount=1

bDisplayMissingContentDialogue=1

SSaveGameSafeCellID=2AEEA

bUseThreadedAI=1

bChangeTimeMultSlowly=1

bCheckPurgedTextureList=0

bAnimateDoorPhysics=0

sLanguage=ENGLISH

bLoadFaceGenHeadEGTFiles=0

[Display]

;SHADOWS

bEquippedTorchesCastShadows=0

bDoCanopyShadowPass=1

bDrawShadows=1

bDoStaticAndArchShadows=0

bDoActorShadows=1

iActorShadowCount=4

iActorShadowIntMax=10

iActorShadowIntMin=0

iActorShadowExtMax=10

iActorShadowExtMin=0

iShadowFilter=0

fShadowFadeTime=1.0000

iShadowMapResolution=1024

bShadowsOnGrass=1

bActorSelfShadowing=1

iActorShadowCountInt=6

iActorShadowCountExt=6

fShadowLODDefaultStartFade=200.0

fShadowLODRange=200.0

fShadowLODMinStartFade=100.0

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

;/SHADOWS

fDefaultWorldFOV=80.00

fDecalLifetime=10.0000

bReportBadTangentSpace=0

bStaticMenuBackground=1

bForcePow2Textures=0

bForce1XShaders=0

bHighQuality20Lighting=1

bAllow20HairShader=1

bAllowScreenShot=1

iMultiSample=8

bDoTallGrassEffect=1

bForceMultiPass=1

bDoTexturePass=1

bDoSpecularPass=1

bDoDiffusePass=1

bDoAmbientPass=1

bImageSpaceEffects=1

bUseRefractionShader=1

bUse Shaders=1

iNPatchNOrder=0

iNPatchPOrder=0

iNPatches=0

iLocation Y=5

iLocation X=5

bFull Screen=1

iAdapter=0

iScreenShotIndex=0

SScreenShotBaseName=ScreenShot

iAutoViewMinDistance=2000

iAutoViewHiFrameRate=40

iAutoViewLowFrameRate=20

bAutoViewDistance=0

fDefaultFOV=75.0000

fNearDistance=10

fFarDistance=1000.0000

iDebugTextLeftRightOffset=10

iDebugTextTopBottomOffset=20

bShowMenuTextureUse=1

fLightLODDefaultStartFade=1000.0

fLightLODRange=500.0

fLightLODMinStartFade=200.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

fSpecularLODDefaultStartFade=500.0

fSpecularLODRange=300.0

fSpecularLODMinStartFade=200.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fGamma=1.0000

bAllow30Shaders=1

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

fNoLODFarDistancePct=1.0000

fNoLODFarDistanceMax=10240.0000

fNoLODFarDistanceMin=100.0000

fEyeEnvMapLOD2=800.0000

fEyeEnvMapLOD1=500.0000

fEnvMapLOD2=1800.0000

fEnvMapLOD1=1500.0000

fGammaMax=0.6000

fGammaMin=1.4000

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=10

bIgnoreResolutionCheck=0

fSpecualrStartMax=1000.0000

fSpecularStartMin=0.0000

bDynamicWindowReflections=1

iPresentInterval=0

bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1

uVideoDeviceIdentifierPart4=0

uVideoDeviceIdentifierPart3=0

uVideoDeviceIdentifierPart2=0

uVideoDeviceIdentifierPart1=0

bAllowPartialPrecision=1

fPipboy1stPersonFOV=50.00

fDefault1stPersonFOV=70.0000

bLODNoiseAniso=1

iMaxAnisotropy=15

fLandLOFadeSeconds=15.0

bEnableEyefinity=1

sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285"

iTexMipMapSkip=0

iWaterMultisamples=4

bTransparencyMultisampling=1

fSpecularLODStartFade=25000

iSize W=1280

iSize H=1024

fShadowLODStartFade=25000

fLightLODStartFade=25000

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

iShadowMode=3

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=3

[Water]

bUseWaterShader=1

bUseWaterReflections=1

bUseWaterRefractions=1

bUseWaterDepth=1

bUseWaterHiRes=1

bUseWaterDisplacements=1

bUseWaterLOD=1

bReflectExplosions=0

bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=1

bForceHighDetailReflections=1

bForceLowDetailReflections=0

fTileTextureDivisor=4.7500

fSurfaceTileSize=2048.0000

fNearWaterOutdoorTolerance=1024.0000

fNearWaterIndoorTolerance=512.0000

fNearWaterUnderwaterVolume=0.9000

fNearWaterUnderwaterFreq=0.3000

uNearWaterPoints=8

uNearWaterRadius=1000

uSurfaceFPS=12

iWaterReflectWidth=1024

iWaterReflectHeight=1024

bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1

iWaterBlurAmount=4

[MAIN]

bEnableBorderRegion=1

fLowPerfCombatantVoiceDistance=1000.0000

iDetectionHighNumPicks=40

fQuestScriptDelayTime=5.0000

bCloneModelsInBackground=1

iLastHDRSetting=-1

[HAVOK]

bDisablePlayerCollision=0

fJumpAnimDelay=0.7500

bTreeTops=0

iSimType=1

bPreventHavokAddAll=0

bPreventHavokAddClutter=0

fMaxTime=0.016

bHavokDebug=0

fRF=1000.0000

fOD=0.9000

fSE=0.3000

fSD=0.9800

iResetCounter=5

fMoveLimitMass=95.0000

iUpdateType=0

bHavokPick=0

fCameraCasterSize=10.0000

iHavokSkipFrameCountTEST=0

iNumHavokThreads=4

fChaseDeltaMult=0.0500

bAddBipedWhenKeyframed=1

fQuadrupedPitchMult=1.0000

iEntityBatchRemoveRate=100

iMaxPicks=40

[SpeedTree]

iTreeClonesAllowed=1

fCanopyShadowGrassMult=1.0000

iCanopyShadowScale=512

fTreeForceMaxBudAngle=-1.0000

fTreeForceMinBudAngle=-1.0000

fTreeForceLeafDimming=-1.0000

fTreeForceBranchDimming=-1.0000

fTreeForceCS=-1.0000

fTreeForceLLA=-1.0000

fTreeLODExponent=1.0000

bEnableTrees=1

bForceFullLOD=1

fLODTreeMipMapLODBias=-0.7500

fLocalTreeMipMapLODBias=-0.2500

[BackgroundLoad]

bBackgroundPathing=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

iAnimaitonClonePerLoop=5

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

iExteriorPriority=50

iBackgroundLoadFaceMult=200

fBackgroundLoadingPerLoop=20.0000

fBackgroundLoadClonedPerLoop=5.0000

iBackgroundLoadExtraMaxFPS=20

iBackgroundLoadExtraMinFPS=10

iBackgroundLoadExtraMax=3000

iBackgroundLoadExtraMin=5

iBackgroundLoadExtraMilliseconds=2

iBackgroundLoadTreeMilliseconds=7

iBackgroundLoadMilliseconds=1

iBackgroundLoadLoading=1

bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=0

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

iAnimationClonePerLoop=5

bSelectivePurgeUnusedOnFastTravel=1

bCloneModelsInBackground=1

[LOD]

fLODLandDropAmount=230.0000

fLodDistance=500.0000

bUseFaceGenLOD=0

iLODTextureTiling=2

iLODTextureSizePow2=8

fLODNormalTextureBlend=0.5000

bDisplayLODLand=1

bDisplayLODBuildings=0

bLODPopTrees=0

bLODPopActors=0

bLODPopItems=0

bLODPopObjects=0

fLODFadeOutMultItems=30

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=30

fLODFadeOutMultActors=30

fLODMultLandscape=1.0000

fLODMultTrees=0.5000

fLODMultActors=1.0000

fLODMultItems=1.0000

fLODMultObjects=5

iFadeNodeMinNearDistance=500

fLODFadeOutPercent=0.6000

fFadeOutThreshold=0.3000

fFadeInThreshold=0.7000

fFadeInTimet=2.0

fFadeOutTime=2.0

fDistanceMultiplier=1

fLODBoundRadiusMult=10

fObjectLODMax=15.0

fObjectLODMin=1.0

fObjectLODDefault=5

fItemLODMax=15.0

fItemLODMin=1.0

fItemLODDefault=2

fActorLODMax=15.0

fActorLODMin=2.0

fActorLODDefault=5

fTreeLODMax=2.0000

fTreeLODMin=0.0200

fTreeLODDefault=0.5000

bLODUseCombinedLandNormalMaps=1

bForceHideLODLand=0

fLODLandVerticalBias=0.0000

fTalkingDistance=1000.0000

iBoneLODForce=-1

fLODQuadMinLoadDistance=65536.0000

bDisplayLODTrees=1

bDisplayLODBuildings=1

fLODFadeOutActorMultInterior=1.0000

fLODFadeOutItemMultInterior=1.0000

fLODFadeOutObjectMultInterior=1.0000

fLODFadeOutActorMultCity=1.0000

fLODFadeOutItemMultCity=1.0000

fLODFadeOutObjectMultCity=1.0000

fLODFadeOutActorMultComplex=1.0000

fLODFadeOutItemMultComplex=1.0000

fLODFadeOutObjectMultComplex=1.0000

[Landscape]

bCurrentCellOnly=0

bPreventSafetyCheck=0

fLandTextureTilingMult=2.0000

fLandFriction=2.5000

iLandBorder2B=0

iLandBorder2G=0

iLandBorder2R=0

iLandBorder1B=0

iLandBorder1G=255

iLandBorder1R=255

SDefaultLandDiffuseTexture=DirtWasteland01.dds

SDefaultLandNormalTexture=DirtWasteland01_N.dds

[DistantLOD]

bUseLODLandData=0

fFadeDistance=12288.0000

iDistantLODGroupWidth=8

[TerrainManager]

fSplitDistanceMult=0.75

fBlockMorphDistanceMult=0.70

bUseNewTerrainSystem=1

bUseDistantObjectBlocks=1

fBlockLoadDistance=500000.0000

fDefaultBlockLoadDistanceLow=50000.0

fLowBlockLoadDistanceLow=25000.0

fHighBlockLoadDistanceLow=50000.0

fDefaultTreeLoadDistance=25000.0

fLowTreeLoadDistance=10000.0

fHighTreeLoadDistance=40000.0

fTreeLoadDistance=80000

fBlockLoadDistanceLow=100000

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated, but remember if you can google it I've tried it lol. Thanks in advance and obvious Kudos to anyone who can help ^^

[FaR2sToNeD]

Nobody? :(

[JohntheHero]

I'm looking for a solution too. I'm demotivated to even bother with my binoculars if all I'm going to see out in the distance are flickering mountain textures.

[FaR2sToNeD]

Close to a year later it dawned on me while trying to fix a separate issue in FO3... The Z-fighting issue was addressed in Skyrim by Gopher in one of his

. He mentions a lot of different things to tweak but the main thing that worked for me on the Fallout engine was 'fNearDistance='.

 

I've been playing with the variable and anything above 10 seems to cause clipping with arms/weapons in first person mode but you can find a balance eventually with a few attempts.

 

So I guess this is solved. Open FALLOUT.INI and search for 'fNearDistance=', change the value and test.