Allow draw distance down to 8 m (sliders min 64 / auto-tune min 32) #233

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opened 2026-10-01 22:37:00 +00:00 by sky_line · 1 comment

sky_line commented

2026-10-01 22:37:00 +00:00

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Request

Allow draw distance (RenderFarClip) down to 8 m. Some users run tiny draw distances (privacy-like "fog" feel, very low-end habits, roleplay sims). It costs us nothing to allow.

Current limits

Preferences > Graphics slider (panel_preferences_graphics1.xml), Advanced graphics (floater_preferences_graphics_advanced.xml), Quick prefs (floater_quick_prefs.xml) and Lightbox scene panel (panel_lightbox_scene.xml): min_val="64".
Performance auto-tune panels (panel_performance_autoadjustments.xml): min_val="32" for the draw-distance targets (AutoTuneRenderFarClipMin etc.).
The setting itself has no clamp in settings.xml. Check for code-side clamps in the camera, pipeline and VK renderer.

Work

Lower min_val to 8 on every draw-distance slider / spinner (keep the max), including quick prefs, Lightbox and performance auto-tune.
Audit what assumes a larger far clip, and verify each still behaves at 8–32 m:
- camera near / far ratio and depth precision;
- VK cull and draw-distance fade (atmosDistanceFade, zinfo far): objects must fade, not pop, at short range;
- sky / clouds / sun (must not be clipped by far clip);
- water plane and terrain patches;
- haze / fog: LL ties fog distance to draw distance; make sure it looks intentional (thick fog), not broken;
- sun shadow cascade splits (RT and shadow maps), RT radius (RenderVKRTRadius), probe placement / ranges;
- avatar impostor distance, particle / object interest list (the sim still sends objects by draw distance; at 8 m almost nothing streams);
- minimap and world map (unaffected, but check object layer).
Optional: a one-line tooltip saying very low values hide almost everything and save little on this viewer, so it's a look, not a performance setting.

Test

Set 8, 16 and 32 m in a busy sim and on a mainland road. Check:

nearby objects and avatars render;
no flicker or popping at the boundary;
sky and water look sane;
teleporting and flying keep working;
setting it back to 256 restores everything without a relog.

## Request Allow **draw distance (`RenderFarClip`) down to 8 m**. Some users run tiny draw distances (privacy-like "fog" feel, very low-end habits, roleplay sims). It costs us nothing to allow. ## Current limits - Preferences > Graphics slider (`panel_preferences_graphics1.xml`), Advanced graphics (`floater_preferences_graphics_advanced.xml`), Quick prefs (`floater_quick_prefs.xml`) and Lightbox scene panel (`panel_lightbox_scene.xml`): `min_val="64"`. - Performance auto-tune panels (`panel_performance_autoadjustments.xml`): `min_val="32"` for the draw-distance targets (`AutoTuneRenderFarClipMin` etc.). - The setting itself has no clamp in `settings.xml`. Check for code-side clamps in the camera, pipeline and VK renderer. ## Work 1. Lower `min_val` to 8 on every draw-distance slider / spinner (keep the max), including quick prefs, Lightbox and performance auto-tune. 2. **Audit what assumes a larger far clip**, and verify each still behaves at 8–32 m: - camera near / far ratio and depth precision; - VK cull and draw-distance fade (`atmosDistanceFade`, zinfo far): objects must fade, not pop, at short range; - sky / clouds / sun (must not be clipped by far clip); - water plane and terrain patches; - haze / fog: LL ties fog distance to draw distance; make sure it looks intentional (thick fog), not broken; - sun shadow cascade splits (RT and shadow maps), RT radius (`RenderVKRTRadius`), probe placement / ranges; - avatar impostor distance, particle / object interest list (the sim still sends objects by draw distance; at 8 m almost nothing streams); - minimap and world map (unaffected, but check object layer). 3. Optional: a one-line tooltip saying very low values hide almost everything and save little on this viewer, so it's a look, not a performance setting. ## Test Set 8, 16 and 32 m in a busy sim and on a mainland road. Check: - nearby objects and avatars render; - no flicker or popping at the boundary; - sky and water look sane; - teleporting and flying keep working; - setting it back to 256 restores everything without a relog.

sky_line referenced this issue from a commit

2026-10-03 01:50:56 +00:00

Draw distance down to 8 m (#233)

sky_line commented

2026-10-04 02:45:44 +00:00

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Verified done: every RenderFarClip slider (graphics prefs, advanced, quick prefs, performance, Lightbox scene) and the auto-tune min/target sliders start at 8 m; the VK cull far clamp floor went 32 -> 8 m. Commits: de1639fb93. Shipped in v1.0.0-beta.1.

sky_line closed this issue

2026-10-04 02:45:44 +00:00

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sky_line/Slipstream#233

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