Antialiasing and Arma 2-Nvidia

Having some interesting issues regarding antialiasing (AA).

Using Win Vista 64/nvidia 190.62/Geforce 285 x2/Newest Arma 2 beta patch.

So....

I cannot impact the AA in the game from the Nvidia control panel at all- not with override applciation, not with enhance application, not with Global changes etc.

From within the game-if the interface resolution and 3d resolution are the same, then if I enable the AA even at "low" the game takes a major FPS hit, but image quality is great. By raising the AA from Low to Very High to (5-8) the game doesn't change at all-same image quality, and FPS.

Also, if the interface resolution and the 3d resolution are different, then the AA options Low to Very High to 7, don't change image quality at all, nor does the FPS change, but when I choose "8" the very highest AA setting, the AA kicks in, and the image quality increases dramatically and the FPS drops dramatically.

I do not use Nhancer (too many additional problems), nor any additional profiles from EVGA or Nvidia. I can't tell if those profiles are now obsolete with newest Nvidia drivers. I don't see any benefit in SLI mode (I run at lower resolutions 1024x767-1366x768 due to using a LCD TV as a monitor).

Does anyone know what is going on? And how I can enable AA at a lower settings so that the FPS don't drop so drastically? Any other insights into running this game faster? Better?

I have gone through all optimisations in these forums (disable Physx/Windowed mode/-Winxp extensions etc etc.), but no one seems to have these same issues.

Any help appreciated.

I don't see any benefit in SLI mode

[...]the FPS drops dramatically.

That should answer your question already...since AA is purely GPU-bound, adding a second GPU should help tremenduously with performance.

Nonetheless, interesting find with different ingame AA modes having the same impact. For me (single GTX 260) AA was always too expensive performance wise anyway, so I never bothered checking the different modes.

I would have thought that SLI mode would allow antialiasing without the expense, but it doesn't seem to impact/increase the FPS at all-in any mode (with or without AA). I have tried all of the aforementioned options with and without SLI enabled.

Just been banging my head against the wall...

I guess the question I have is "is anyone using AA?"

would not play the game with out it.

Have you set AA to "use application settings" in nvidia control panel? That works for me Slick Twitchy.

Yes, the "use application" option seems to be the only one that actually works (can't override or enhance application from Nvidia panel). But still, there seems to be a kind of "on/off" option (as explained above). AA is either on or off (depending on the aforementioned scenarios), and even though I consider my system pretty high end, the AA drops the FPS significantly (I don't like playing with it on due to the "chop".

I was just wondering if anyone is experiencing this on/off issue-I can't set the AA to different levels....it is either on or off..:confused:

Do you know what AA is supposed to do?

"but image quality is great."

Doesn't seem like you know how to spot the differences....

WhatIi am trying to say (although poorly) is that my in-game settings are an "all or nothing" implementation of antialiasing. And that the nvidia panel does not impact the game no matter what I do.

Further, it seems with my computer (i965 oced 3.73/8 Mb/2 x geforce 285/Vista 64) I should be able to enable antialiasing without the game dropping my FPS by half. I have tried every option I could find to maximize the FPS and increase graphics. But the only smooth gameplay I can get is with AA completely disabled.

All other games run great.

Yea there seems to be something wrong with AA in this game..at least on my system. In some parts of the game i have AA enabled and in other parts of the game my AA seems to be gone. I'm using a 285 GTX and and Vista 64.

Well then it may a combination of those factors Vista 64 and/or Geforce 285s.

I am trying to troubleshoot, and my first step was to ascertain why I have this "all or nothing" antialiasing; and why the nvidia control panel doesn't affect (effect? can never remember the rule) the game.

There was one beautiful moment when it all worked, antialiasing was on (seemed to be at a pretty high level) and the gameplay was smooth. But it didn't last, and the game became choppy over time. Weird though,

Well then it may a combination of those factors Vista 64 and/or Geforce 285s.

I am trying to troubleshoot, and my first step was to ascertain why I have this "all or nothing" antialiasing; and why the nvidia control panel doesn't affect (effect? can never remember the rule) the game.

There was one beautiful moment when it all worked, antialiasing was on (seemed to be at a pretty high level) and the gameplay was smooth. But it didn't last, and the game became choppy over time. Weird though,

Nope, I set via the manage 3d settings/Program settings options. Though, I have to add the program, and the point at the .exe. Not sure if that is a problem or not. Some games already have the game icon in the Program Setting field. Like I said I haven't downloaded any of evga's additions. Just using the newest nvidia drivers.

nope. I wont even bother with AA till the next generation of cards come out after the crap 200 series which barely runs anything that much better than a 8800 Ultra or a 9800 high end card.

Well maybe, but every other game I have (e.g. Rise of Flight/Black Shark/Crysis/Wolfenstein) I can run super smooth at my highest settings-which isn't that high since I run on a 1080i LCD, and maxed out graphics 32x antialiasing, 16x antistropic etc etc.

Most games I use the nvidia control panel to control graphics settings.

I am hoping that Arma 2 will have a couple of patches that optimize the game...cause I really dig it.