[1.9-1.12.x] EVE-Redux: Performance-enhanced EVE + maintenance (v1.11.7.1 - 09/09/2022)

[blackrack]

EVE-Redux

This is my continuation of EVE (Environmental Visual Enhancements). This started as a performance-enhanced version of EVE.

See here for EVE (thanks for everything @rbray89).

This build also integrates @R-T-B's and @BIOZ fixes for 1.10.

Information about current EVE-Redux

This version uses a few more modern rendering tricks:

- Cloud shadows are rendered using the depth buffer instead of re-rendering most of the scene's geometry with a projector (saves a lot of CPU time, culling the scene+sending draw calls)

- Celestial shadows are also rendered using the depth buffer instead of re-rendering most of the scene's geometry with a projector (saves a lot of CPU time, culling the scene+sending draw calls)

- All the particles in a volumetric cloud layer are rendered at once in a single draw-call, instead of one draw-call per particle, saving CPU time

- One MeshRenderer and one GameObject per volumetric layer instead of one per particle

- Volumetric particles are rendered at 1/4 the screen resolution then upsampled with a depth-aware filter and composited into the scene, saving GPU power

So how fast is it really?

Spoiler

My test results:

My own results with an i5-3470 and a GTX 1080 at 1440p, very CPU-bound in KSP. Left is last release, right is this build, framerate can be seen in the corner:

At runway with EVE only, 98 vs 121 fps:

At runway with scatterer+EVE 68 vs 97 fps:

Zoomed out with scatterer+EVE 45 vs 69 fps:

EVE surface with scatterer+EVE, an absolutely ridiculous 27 vs 87 fps (this scales much better with a higher number of clouds and volumetrics)

Full comparison album: https://imgur.com/a/gl2Yonq

Test results from users:

@Poodmund's test results with stock EVE configs and modified density configs:

Full post:

 

Test results with spectra:

@airtrafficcontroller results (15% performance increase in-game): https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/196411-110x-eve-redux-performance-enhanced-eve-build/&do=findComment&comment=3841285

@RyanRising's results (no significant performance difference in-game) https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/196411-110x-eve-redux-performance-enhanced-eve-build-v11111-26082020/&do=findComment&comment=3844819

Test results with SVE:

@TheKurgan's results (~6% performance increase in-game) : https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/103963-wip110x-scatterer-atmospheric-scattering-v00630-19082020/&do=findComment&comment=3840894

Known issues:

-You might notice a bit of aliasing now that all effects use the depth buffer

-Volumetrics may appear visible from underwater with scatterer

 

Downloads

Spacedock: https://spacedock.info/mod/2631/Environmental Visual Enhancements Redux

Github:  https://github.com/LGhassen/EnvironmentalVisualEnhancements/releases/

Configs:

Configs are to be downloaded from the default EVE config:https://github.com/WazWaz/EnvironmentalVisualEnhancements/releases/download/EVE-1.2.2-1/EnvironmentalVisualEnhancements-Configs-1.2.2.1.zip or your favourite visual pack

 

Changelogs:

Spoiler

***********Redux 1.11.7.1***********
- Fix flickering city lights with Parallax (added a small depth offset)
- Fix volumetrics in VR (thanks @JonnyOthan) for Kerbal-VR https://github.com/JonnyOThan/Kerbal-VR
- Fix a nullref and some game event leaks (Thanks @BrettRyland and @GotMachine)

***********Redux 1.11.6.1***********
-Fixed flickering clouds in reflections (most noticeable on TU parts)

***********Redux 1.11.5.1***********
-Fix compatiblity with 1.10-1.11 (recompile shaders with older unity version)

***********Redux 1.11.4.1***********
-Fix clouds shadows breaking TAA (scatterer/tufx) in low orbit
-Fix BuildManager exception during load (Thanks @al2me6)
-Add terrain ultra material support for 1.9+ (Thanks @Bioz)

***********Redux 1.11.3.1***********
-Fix cityLights not appearing with latest scatterer versions (0.0770+)

***********Redux 1.11.2.1***********
-Fix depth precision issues on cloud shadows
-Cloud shadows are visible all the way instead of only ~20 km around camera
-Fix 2D clouds fading into the planet when zooming out
-Fix issue where clouds are stuck when loading savegame from KSC

***********Redux 1.11.1.1***********
-Volumetrics fade near the camera, more natural transition
-Fix flickering on volumetrics
-Disable mixed-resolution volumetric rendering on OpenGL (buggy)

***********Redux 1.0***********
Performance improvements:
-Cloud shadows are rendered using the depth buffer instead of re-rendering most of the scene's geometry with a projector
-Celestial shadows are also rendered using the depth buffer instead of re-rendering most of the scene's geometry with a projector
-All the particles in a volumetric cloud layer are rendered at once in a single draw-call, instead of one draw-call per particle, saving CPU time
-One MeshRenderer and one GameObject per volumetric layer instead of one per particle
-Volumetric particles are rendered at 1/4 the screen resolution then upsampled with a depth-aware filter and composited into the scene, saving GPU power

 

Discord:

I don't have an official Discord but I usually hang out in the EVE and scatterer channels of the kopernicus discord so you can find me there, although this server is mostly for modders: https://discord.com/invite/uA69S3zZqf

Donations:

I do this in my spare time, if you like what I do you can support me here:

Patreon:

Paypal:

Edited February 12, 2023 by blackrack

[TheKurgan]

Awesome! Downloading it now!
Thanks!

[blackrack]

5 minutes ago, TheKurgan said:

Awesome! Downloading it now!
Thanks!

Please report on performance increases and any issues

[TheKurgan]

Will do, cheers.

 

[R-T-B]

14 minutes ago, blackrack said:

Note: this isn't meant to be maintained as a separate version of EVE, the goal is to have a lot of people test it here, validate it, and then integrate it into mainline EVE.

And he ran it by me first, so no one get on his case.  I think this is a good thing and I welcome it.  Shaders confuse me anyways!

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by R-T-B

[AlphaRP]

Testing it now with Spectra and the 64k clouds.

[Starseeker]

I'll give this a test with JNSQ's EVE config!

[AlphaRP]

Did a quick tour, everything look good.

My performance with my Eve Ocean base has certainly improved!

Edited August 19, 2020 by AlphaRP

[blackrack]

12 minutes ago, AlphaRP said:

Did a quick tour, everything look good.

My performance with my Eve Ocean base has certainly improved!

Glad to hear it. I would appreciate some numbers though

[Poodmund]

Particle instancing... finally. Thank you so much, Blackrack.

[TheKurgan]

Sorry... I should have posted this here...

@blackrack I can remove it from the scatter thread and post it here if you like?

or just link to it... I guess

 

 

[blackrack]

21 minutes ago, TheKurgan said:

Sorry... I should have posted this here...

@blackrack I can remove it from the scatter thread and post it here if you like?

or just link to it... I guess

 

 

Thanks. I think your system is quite fast though and you have so many other intensive mods that for you it's like a drop in the water. On my system the biggest differences are where the framerates would drop below 60 before.

Also, there is no change in scatterer water :p

Edited August 19, 2020 by blackrack

[MKSheppard]

If you need configs for this; download them from here

https://github.com/WazWaz/EnvironmentalVisualEnhancements/releases/tag/EVE-1.2.2-1

[RyanRising]

I had charts for my performance testing that I filled in here, but I lost them when posting and didn't save them anywhere else. The gist of it is I couldn't find any significant performance difference on my system with Spectra configs (except when on the runway with an out-of-date scatterer?). I think Spectra already tried to optimise whatever you fixed out of the configuration, but thanks for the update nonetheless. Sorry I couldn't get you any meaningful data - or any at all, now.

EDIT: Here's some numbers I found later.

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by RyanRising
added some actual data.

[TheKurgan]

2 hours ago, blackrack said:

Also, there is no change in scatterer water :p

hehe maybe so, but it looks a little different color. 

[dok_377]

@blackrack
I might have just found a first issue. The clouds are flickering near the poles when the camera is low. This is not the case in the old version (that isn't yours). I think it has something to do with the particle rendering, when I turn it off the flickering stops. I am using the Sci-Fi VE with your EVE build on 1.10.1, if that helps. 
 

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by dok_377
I'm deleting the video and cleaning this post as the relevant issue is resolved, so it will not contain the dead thumbnail.

[blackrack]

2 hours ago, dok_377 said:

@blackrack
I might have just found a first issue. The clouds are flickering near the poles when the camera is low. This is not the case in the old version (that isn't yours). I think it has something to do with the particle rendering, when I turn it off the flickering stops. I am using the Sci-Fi VE with your EVE build on 1.10.1, if that helps. Here's a video that shows the issue:
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Video isn't loading. Anyway, I'm not going to fix anything until performance improvements are confirmed.

5 hours ago, RyanRising said:

I had charts for my performance testing that I filled in here, but I lost them when posting and didn't save them anywhere else. The gist of it is I couldn't find any significant performance difference on my system with Spectra configs (except when on the runway with an out-of-date scatterer?). I think Spectra already tried to optimise whatever you fixed out of the configuration, but thanks for the update nonetheless. Sorry I couldn't get you any meaningful data - or any at all, now.

I would like to know your system specs. Anyway @Avera9eJoe does spectra use any cloud shadows and celestial shadows? What about the number of volumetrics?

[Poodmund]

At some point over the next few days I'll see for myself with a custom config with a super dense particle field. 

Truth be told, I've been playing without volumetric EVE clouds for years now because of this exact issue.

[blackrack]

12 minutes ago, Poodmund said:

At some point over the next few days I'll see for myself with a custom config with a super dense particle field. 

Truth be told, I've been playing without volumetric EVE clouds for years now because of this exact issue.

Would appreciate this, anyway, I remember at one point you had a tornado made of multiple layers of volumetrics or something like that.

[RyanRising]

36 minutes ago, blackrack said:

Video isn't loading. Anyway, I'm not going to fix anything until performance improvements are confirmed.

I would like to know your system specs. Anyway @Avera9eJoe does spectra use any cloud shadows and celestial shadows? What about the number of volumetrics?

GTX 1080, Ryzen 5 3600X @ 4.1Ghz, 32GB DDR4 @ 3.2Ghz. Game’s on a 1TB Samsung 860 EVO SSD. If I remember correctly it ran around 120fps on the runway, 75 FPS when I zoomed out to the cloud layer, 90fps on eve sea level, 60fps zoomed out to the opaque layer, 145 on Duna, 115 zoomed out, and 100 on Laythe sea level down to 80 near the bioluminescence. Didn’t change appreciably from old to new. There aren’t many volumetrics, but I’m sure joe could tell you exactly how many.

again, sorry I couldn’t have the proper data for you, and I may be remembering wrong.

Edited August 20, 2020 by RyanRising
Clearer stuff

[HafCoJoe]

1 hour ago, blackrack said:

Video isn't loading. Anyway, I'm not going to fix anything until performance improvements are confirmed.

I would like to know your system specs. Anyway @Avera9eJoe does spectra use any cloud shadows and celestial shadows? What about the number of volumetrics?

Woah first time I've heard of this! Yes Spectra does have cloud shadows as well as celestial shadows. Volumetrics are the absolute lowest values I could get with the clouds still looking good. I did a lot of tests and went with the setting with the best FPS.

[blackrack]

30 minutes ago, Avera9eJoe said:

Woah first time I've heard of this! Yes Spectra does have cloud shadows as well as celestial shadows. Volumetrics are the absolute lowest values I could get with the clouds still looking good. I did a lot of tests and went with the setting with the best FPS.

It makes sense then, with this you might have a bit more wiggle room.

[evileye.x]

OMG, can't believe it happening!

EVE in hands of @blackrack, finally! 

*happy crying...

[HafCoJoe]

He's taking over! muhahaha

[Poodmund]

4 hours ago, blackrack said:

Would appreciate this, anyway, I remember at one point you had a tornado made of multiple layers of volumetrics or something like that.

No worries, it was actually a volcano plume that was generated using particles accelerated mostly upon the y axis... was a little odd.