can someone explain PBR and what to expect?

[TBryson2]

I understand that "PBR" is supposed to improve the visual effects of an aircraft (C-172), but in most of the posts I read it's as if "we" are already supposed to be totally knowledgeable about PBR and what to expect and how to configure our systems to get the best out of it.

I updated the C-172, and re-installed a 172 that I repainted some time ago (I know isn't PBR). I simply cannot tell the difference in A2A's PBR 172 and mine on the outside view. The inside view, very minor differences, and I only noticed them after reading the posts about the problems when the latest 172 update was released.

My system should be fully capable of handling the PBR requirements, (NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti) so I'm pretty sure it isn't hardware related. (I do not have 4K monitors, if that makes a difference). I'm running 3 (not cheesy) monitors on surround settings.

1. What are the optimum P3D settings to take advantage of PBR?
2. are there any other settings (NVIDIA Inspector, etc.) that should be considered?
3. Hardware considerations?
4. IF I wanted to update my paint scheme for PBR I know I can look it up, but any good "laymans" guides to reworking textures for this task?
5. Is there supposed to be some remarkable difference (night / day) in the way the aircraft looks?
6. If we include a paint scheme, how do we get the PBR cockpit into it? (I assume there's a setting in one of the config files?)

TB2

[Dogsbody55]

Good questions, but from the response, I'd say it's a secret.

I presently don't have a flightsim on my PC. Tomorrow, I'm installing a new SSD drive and will then load P3D V4.5. So speaking personally, it would be nice to see these questions answered.


Hoping someone will provide some answers too,
Mike

[bladerunner900]

I'll tell you what I have found so far.

1. Have not altered my settings much. YMMV

2. Don't use NI anymore so don't know about that.

3. My current hardware works so nothing special, as far as I know.

4. The format and naming convention for the DDS textures are different. No Alpha channel for instance in the main texture. The Alpha in current paints seems to be ignored so re-naming will be enough for most. Some models have been tweaked, like the A2A Cub. A new paint-kit is used for that one.

5. Aircraft are supposed to look better. More natural lighting, shading, reflections etc. etc. Again and depending on your environmental add-ons, YMMV.

6. There should be a default PBR cockpit paint per aircraft model. Any custom paint for the cockpit may have to be re-done as the layout and UV mapping may have changed. Like the A2A Cub cockpit.

Steve.

[bladerunner900]

Just a reminder. That A2A are now using mipmaps in their textures. What that means is, if you don't set the Texture resolution to Ultra in P3D, aircraft and pannels can look blurry in-sim. Just like the old FSX TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD resetting anoyance of old. Set it at High:2048 and that is the maximum you will see, inside and out.

Steve.

[Al FR-153]

I'm not going to address P3D or FSX or A2A for that matter, the question was "can someone explain PBR and what to expect?" PBR (Physically Based Rendering) is how the human eye sees reflective qualities of various materials in computer graphics. I'm only a student of it myself, primarily because of where flight sim seems to be going and the results of PBR that I have seen so far. Everything our eyes see reflect light and reflects it in different ways depending on the material and the amount of light (sun) that is available. For us, that means that the tires on the plane reflect light different than the sheet metal, the glass, the chrome, and even the dirt on a bird. The wizards at Disney and others have made computer generated movies look so real, you in your own mind have to look twice to see if it is real or computer generated. The use of PBR texturing is attempting to bring that to flight simulation as well.

I have, for many years now, been repainting aircraft, mostly A2A birds. Through the use of the 'alpha' channel, with the current tools, I can change the reflective value of the texture files TO A POINT. To me, a high shine is too plastic looking. It doesn't look like a new aircraft shine, the top of the fuselage has the same reflection as the underbelly, the upper-wing and the under-wing reflect somewhat the same, but it is as close as we can get currently. With PBR the reflective values will be different. When the sun is shining on a props nose cone 'spinner' for example, it will reflect light differently than when it is in shadow. The same for the vertical stab, wings, tires, etc. Overall, it should look more realistic.

How.... There are a few new textures, nothing magical, we already use most of them in scenery such as ORBX, but they were not PBR. Does that cause you to go buy a new computer? No. Does that cost you some disk space? Yes. Does it change how fast your computer will run? No. Does it change the frame rate that you have on your current computer? I don't know (yet). That is part of what I too am trying to learn. But, from what I have seen to date, there is no need to panic. It is simply a technical trick to your eyes.

[MkIV Hvd]

Well done and thank you so much for the perfect explanation, Al!

[TBryson2]

Thanks all for the replies! Still, would be nice to know if the changes to expect are "night and day", or subject to your imagination.

TB2

[Dogsbody55]

Thank you all for answering, and to Al for your detailed description. I have dropped off my desktop this morning to have a new SSD installed, which will be dedicated only to P3D and it's addons. When I get it back, I'll be installing V4.5 of this sim, then adding back my addons which I'm sure will take weeks . From the sounds of it, the effects are subtle, but all the latest from A2A seem to want a sim with PBR, so it's good to know a little about it, as well as some of the traps.

Thanks again,
Mike

[Gabe777]

Metallic surfaces look best.

PBR quality depends on skill of dev doing it.

It's effects depend very much on light sources: angles, colours and intensity ... and viewing angles.

It basically, makes reflections, look more realistic... physical accuracy and intensity are the main criteria affected.