Intel HD4000 crippled by anti-aliasing

[Chuft-Captain]

Please note in the following screenshots:
1. The FPS values, and
2. Strange line artifacts when AA is enabled. (= 2)

My immediate suspicion is that Intel have been lazy on the openGL implementation in their driver (as I haven't seen any similar issues reported with directX games), however I thought this thread would be useful information for the Celestia developers in case it's a Celestia specific application issue with this new hardware.
Given the very good performance (if you believe the hype) of this new embedded iGPU (comparable with a good mid-range discrete GPU -- at least with AA off or with directX), I think it's possible that many people may choose in the future to do without a discrete GPU and just make do with an iGPU, in which case this may be something that Chris and other DEVs are keen to support wrt. to compatibility with Celestia.
I cannot believe that AA=2 can have such a profound effect, so I believe there's possibly something wrong with Intels's HD4000 drivers (at least in terms of openGL support).
ie. I haven't seen any similar issues reported in the usual DirectX based gaming reviews, and the only benchmark of the openGL side I've found so far is: http://www.geeks3d.com/20120427/intel-ivy-bridge-hd-graphics-4000-gpu-opengl-and-opencl-tests/
One disturbing comment from that reviewer was:

Intel provides a Direct3D 11 driver only so currently, we have to forget OpenGL tessellation.

I wonder if this comment explains the issues I'm encountering when AA is enabled? I'm no expert in this area -- is software tessellation somehow expected to be a replacement for Antialiasing?
EDIT: I've since come across this as well: http://www.geeks3d.com/20120506/intel-ivy-bridge-hd-graphics-4000-gpu-opengl-4-tessellation-tested/

Any comment from Chris and other DEV's would be welcomed, esp. WRT whether this is likely to be application issue or driver issue.
If there's any further information regarding my setup or debug/logfile contents which would be useful, please let me know.
Should I be reporting this to INTEL?

EARTH at startup (Default earth texture with either JVV's 16K Cloud Map or default clouds, the symptoms are the same ):

startup aa=1.jpg

startup aa=2.jpg

startup aa=2 closeup.jpg

[Chuft-Captain]

... continued:

LEXX:
(Note that LEXX also suffers from some sort of rendering artifacts in the second screenshot).

lexx aa=1 OGL2 fullscreen.jpg

lexx aa=2 OGL2 fullscreen.jpg

[Chuft-Captain]

For reasons made obvious by the following shots, it would be nice to be able to set AA = 2 (at least).

iss aa=1.jpg

iss aa=1 jaggies2.jpg

[symaski62]

ok, openGL 3.3 version ( HD Graphics 4000 )



celestia.exe => Ctrl + V openGL ? version

(USA) intel
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchR ... x?lang=eng

Products
Product family => Graphics
Product line => Processor graphics
Product name => 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Processors with Intel® HD Graphics 4000/2500

------------------------------

( Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics Driver )
windows 8 > 32 & 64 bits ok " BETA "
windows 7 > 32 & 64 bits ok
windows XP SP3 > 32 & 64 bits ok
windows vista > 32 & 64 bits ok

-----------------------------

( Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator Driver ) ( not HD )
windows 7 > 32 & 64 bits ok
windows XP SP3 > 32 & 64 bits ok
windows vista > 32 & 64 bits ok

[Chuft-Captain]

Symaski62:

My driver version is the same as yours (8.15.10.2696). There is apparently a newer driver available (.2761 I think), but the automatic Intel updating utility doesn't find it for some reason.
I don't know if it would fix the problem, but it may be worth trying it.

As you appear to have similar hardware and driver version to me, would you mind doing a test (with your current .2696 version driver) by:
1. Setting AntialiasingSamples = 2 in celestia.cfg
2. enabling Antialiasing in the Render menu.
and report your FPS for either or both of the scenarios described above. -- please ensure you have first disabled any discrete-GPU (if you have one).

(I can provide celURL's if you wish).

bdfd:
Your comment translated as:

Nearby salvation (I am of Lens).

OpenGL does not work with celestia :
You have to use 'ctrl V' to switch on other graphics modes.

I had the same worries when I realized my Add-ons promiers.

OpenGL DOES work with Celestia, but only version 2.0.

However, this problem with Antialiasing occurs in all 4 render paths (basic, multi-texture, OGL vertex, OGL2) This fact, now that I think about it) suggests that it is a hardware problem and nothing to do with openGL.

[Fenerit]

...

1. Setting AntialiasingSamples = 2 in celestia.cfg
2. enabling Antialiasing in the Render menu.
and report your FPS for either or both of the scenarios described above. -- please ensure you have first disabled any discrete-GPU (if you have one).

FYI, such settings slow down Celestia and does create artifacts on my system with nVidia GT 220 only if the antialiasing is set on also within the relevant nVidia control panel. In this latter control panel the antialiasing must be set "application controlled"; then all works fine. There was an old thread concerning such issue, but I'm unable to retrieve it correctly. Maybe you should check if even within your graphic card' setting panel the antialiasing is set on and try to disable it, leaving all settings to Celestia.

[PlutonianEmpire]

My apologies for this quick thread derail, but what is the highest Anti-Aliasing level Celestia can use or support when modifying the .cfg file?

[selden]

Whatever is supported by your graphics hardware. They alll differ.
Most, but not all, support at least 4x, which is the example shown in celestia.cfg.

[PlutonianEmpire]

Whatever is supported by your graphics hardware. They alll differ.
Most, but not all, support at least 4x, which is the example shown in celestia.cfg.

How do I find that out?

[selden]

Whatever is supported by your graphics hardware. They alll differ.
Most, but not all, support at least 4x, which is the example shown in celestia.cfg.

How do I find that out?

How you find out what your graphics hardware supports varies depending on the manufacturer.
Hopefully you have something similar to what's provided by Nvidia.

If you are running Windows and have Nvidia graphics hardware with Forceware v296.70
1. either open the Control Panel or right-mouse-button-click on the desktop backdrop.
2. select the option "Nvidia Control Panel".
3. in the top-left menu, expand "3D Settings" if necessary
4. under "3D Settings" select the option "Manage 3D settings"
5. In the right-hand pane, select (left-mouse-button-click on) "Antialiasing - Transparency"
6. A drop-down menu appears. Scroll down to see the bottom-most entry

On my laptop computer, it says "8x Supersample"

[Reiko]

... continued:

LEXX:
(Note that LEXX also suffers from some sort of rendering artifacts in the second screenshot).

lexx aa=1 OGL2 fullscreen.jpg

lexx aa=2 OGL2 fullscreen.jpg

For some reason on high detailed models I always get artifacts like in the 2nd screenshot you posted. It has done that on every graphics card I have with AA off or on.