Graphics Settings

3D video cards can vary greatly in terms of features and performance. Use these settings to enable or disable features as needed for the best visual quality and performance for your particular video card.

Hardware Acceleration
Click the Hardware acceleration checkbox to enable or disable full use of your computer’s video card. If your computer meets the minimum requirements, then hardware acceleration will be enabled by default. If your computer does not meet the minimum requirements, then the hardware acceleration option will not be available.

If you are experiencing artifacts, such as black squares or flickering materials, then it is likely that your computer needs an update to its video drivers. Contact support@ideaspectrum.com if you would like help finding an update. In the meantime, disabling hardware acceleration should eliminate most issues.

Important: Enabling or disabling Hardware Acceleration requires a restart of Realtime Landscaping Photo in order to take effect.

Graphics settings button
The Graphics settings dialog contains many different options that adjust the graphical quality of Realtime Landscaping Photo. To access the Graphic settings dialog, click the Graphics settings button from the Program Settings dialog.

Graphics quality
The Graphics quality drop-down menu is used to select the level of graphical detail that is best suited to your computer’s capabilities. If you experience slow performance on medium sized landscapes, then it is recommended to choose a lower quality setting.

Light coronas
(Not currently used.)

Gamma correction
Enables gamma correction when printing. This helps the graphics appear more crisp and vivid. However, on some printers this may cause the scene to appear overly bright and colorful, so you may need to turn off this option.

Anti-aliasing
Enables anti-aliasing, if supported by your video card. Anti-aliasing helps smooth jagged edges that can occur during rendering. However, this can decrease the rendering performance, so try turning this option off if the program is running slowly.

Improved texture filtering
Enables anisotropic texture filtering, if supported by your video card. This helps large flat surfaces to appear less blurry when viewed at an angle.

Advanced Lighting Effects
Click the Advanced lighting effects checkbox to enable or disable specular lighting and other advanced effects if supported by your video card.

Improved water quality
When using Realtime Landscaping Architect, this enables reflections and refractions for swimming pools and ponds imported using the 3D Design Wizard.
Note: you also need to enable the "Improved water quality" option on any swimming pools and/or ponds you create using Realtime Landscaping Architect.