A lot of the screen shots out there are of mods to IL2.
While stock IL2 is alright, it really doesn't shine visually without mods.
Everything from refined 3d to better maps and textures.
And try maxing out your Conf.ini:
http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,9756.0.html
All type of cards:
Code: [Select]
[window]
ColourBits=32
DepthBits=24
StencilBits=8
Code: [Select]
[GLPROVIDER]
GL=Opengl32.dll
Code: [Select]
[game]
TypeClouds=1
Code: [Select]
[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=3
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=0
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=0
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=1
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=1
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
HardwareShaders=1
Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=3
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1
VideoSetupId=17
Effects=2
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0
For ATI cards:
Code: [Select]
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=0
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0
Water=2
For Nvidia cards:
Code: [Select]
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=1
Water=4
For quick copy&paste action, the whole [Render_OpenGL] section for ATI cards:
Code: [Select]
[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=3
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=0
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=0
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=0
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=0
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=1
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=1
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0
HardwareShaders=1
Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=3
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1
VideoSetupId=17
Water=2
Effects=2
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0
And the same thing, whole [Render_OpenGL] section, this time for Nvidia cards:
Code: [Select]
[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=3
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=0
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=0
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=1
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=1
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=1
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=1
HardwareShaders=1
Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=3
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1
VideoSetupId=17
Water=4
Effects=2
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0
Note: "Effects=2" is prone to cause stutters and different errors if your hardware can't handle it. Additionally it causes issues with effects mods like "Plutonium Effects Mod". Be warned, in case of trouble, just set "Effects=1" instead.