Catalyst AA Guide

It's a good post but my control center doesn't have some of the options. There is no drop down list for the settings but simply a check box to either use application settings or not. I also have tried the morphological setting and experienced a HUGE performance hit. I normally use the box filtering since it actually looks the best. Edge detect blurs things slightly for me and I can't see any difference in things by moving the quality slider so I leave it on performance.


I'm using the 11.10 WHQL drivers with the latest control Center. It's not called the Catalyst Control Center though, it's Vision Control Center.

 

I think you need to have a desktop hd 5/6 series for most of the options and even between the 5 and 6 series some options vary though most are similar.

There's a list of games that support adaptive and Super sampling AA in the second post.

 

AA game compatibility list updated.


Added:

Need for Speed: The Run, LA Noire

 

AA game compatibility list updated.


Added:

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)



Image Comparisons


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: NO AA



http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/2124/noaa.jpg


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 4x MSAA



http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/5238/4xmsaa.jpg


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 12x Edge Detect MSAA



http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/926/12xedgemsaa.jpg


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 12x Edge Detect EQ MSAA



http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/2382/12xedgedetecteqmsaa.jpg


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 4x Adaptive MSAA



http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3161/4xadmsaa.jpg


Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 4x SSAA



http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3159/4xssaa.jpg


Forced AA seems to be working fine but with a large vram footprint. All modes worked fine when forced with ingame AA disabled, however enabling Adaptive AA made some textures look completely transparent, this seems to be a game engine issue though as Nvidia cards seem to have the same problem with transparency antialiasing.

Using enhance the application setting AA modes did not seem to work correctly with almost no noticeable imgae quality improvement and a very small increase in vram usage, enabling edge detect made fps drop dramatically and the game became unplayable. All enhance the application modes are being entered as inconclusive.

 

AA game compatibility list updated.


Added:

Mass Effect Series, Microsoft Flight


Image Comparisons:


Mass Effect 3: NO AA



http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2124/noaa.jpg


Mass Effect 3: 8x EQ MSAA



http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/7729/8xeqmsaa.jpg


Mass Effect 3: 8x EQ Adaptive AA



http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7568/8xeqaaa.jpg


Mass Effect 3: 8x EQ SSAA



http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7522/8xeqssaa.jpg


For Mass Effect 3 4x SSAA seems to be the sweet spot for quality/performance with a HD 6970 at 1920x1200.

Mass Effect 3: 4x SSAA



http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3159/4xssaa.jpg

 

Nice thread, never came across this before, how on earth is this not stickied ???

Ps the game compatibility list seems to be down.

Pps maybe update the guide to mention the MLAA 2.0 & Adaptive & Supersample MSAA now availble in DX10/11 on 7xxx hardware from 12.3 beta onwards.

 

Thanks for the notification, fixed.

Also just waiting on the new AA features to become available, and also some clarification regarding some HD 7xxx series features, before updating the thread and perhaps adding the 7 series to the title.

 

Cheers for that.

I've been testing out the new MLAA 2.0 and Adaptive/Supersampling for DX10/11 (BF3)

All seem to be working well.

Adaptive is particularly nice for BF3 as it really cleans up chains/fences so next to 0 Performance hit (in game MSAA needs to be active for it to work)

Ive got a few new screenies (with the CFAA and EQ modes tested aswell) I could post over the weekend hopefully if I get chance, but I provided a few focused on adaptive and supersampling here here

Im now running x2MSAA (ingame), enchance on (EQ mode), Adaptive ON, MLAA on, (post process ingame off obviously).
Its a nice balance

Edit:
PS this guide from TH has a good guide for the AA modes and how they work.
Afaik and from the above guide, this would indicate that the AA compatiblity chart in this thread is a bit misleading.
All the 'Enhance application settings' is turn on the EQ mode, eg adds coverage samples to the level used ingame, it isn't a pre requiste for any of the other modes.

For example I can use Adaptive/Supersample mode and also enable the Edge detect (CFAA) with the mode “Use application settings" active, so long as ingame MSAA is active they will work.

I'm only speaking from the experience of a 7970 with cat 12.3 drivers though !!! so please correct me if i'm wrong

 

I see, for dx10/dx11 it needs 'Enhance Application Settings' as the AA method and then you can choose Adaptive, Supersampling as well as Multisampling as the AA Mode.

Thanks for the link to the comparison shots, will check them out and if you post the other screenshots here I will add them to the chart once we get some clarification on all the new features.

 

^^ just naming and labeling the screens now.

But this is how it appears to work.

Adapative/Supersample = Only depend on ingame MSAA being on, CCC setting can be left "use application setting"

EQ mode = Needs ingame MSAA on AND CCC set to "Enhance" (this is all the enhance mode does)

CFAA/Edge detect = Edit not sure about this one, doesn't appear to work in BF3 with "applicaton settings" or "enhance settings" in CCC

"Override application" setting only need to be used when there is no MSAA ingame at all.

 

AA settings in BF3 with 12.3 beta + drivers

Ok sorry for the double post but wanted to make the post a bit cleaner.

All following shots are 1080p,Ultra settings,Post process OFF, ingame MSAA of varying values (stated), MLAA 2.0 on in CCC.
Please see above post for how to enable EQ mode and Adaptive/Supersample modes.
(Note I've not used Supersample here as its the same IQ as Adaptive for much less fps)
RadeonPro used to take screens.

x2MSAA, MLAA on


x2MSAA,EQ mode on, MLAA on


x2MSAA,EQ mode on,Adaptive on, MLAA on


x4MSAA, MLAA on


x4MSAA,EQ mode on, MLAA on


x2MSAA,EQ mode on,Adaptive on, MLAA on


Notes:
Look at how x2MSAA, with EQ on, Adaptive on is better IQ and performance than just ingame x4MSAA.
The EQ settings helps clean up the pipes center left of screen, and the Adaptive AA really cleans up the fence.

This is the best compromise for me so far and is the settings i'll be using.
Just to clarify here is what my CCC settings are for my BF3 profile.

"Enhance Application" in drop down box = To turn on EQ mode
"Adaptive" set as mode = To turn on the Adaptive filtering
Ingame MSAA at x2 (x4 is just too much hit in MP)

(If you just want the Adaptive filtering, leave "Use application setting" in dropdown box and just move the "mode" slider to "Adaptive")

 

That sounds simple enough. Though previously Edge detect had the largest performance hit and produced the highest image quality.


Just going to check the images ^^

EDIT.


Checking those images have to say adaptive looks quite fantastic, the effect on the fence is very impressive. It's difficult telling if any of the other AA methods are having much effect, possibly due to MLAA being applied, even then the image quality does look quite good. Would be interesting seeing the differences without MLAA and if possible Supersampling as well. Thanks for the shots.

 

I'll try to get time for them over the weekend.

yeah Adatpive is great.
Regarding the EQ mode, look at screens 1 & 2, screen 2 with EQ on shows a little better on the pipes centre left of screen than no EQ.

Just had another play with the CFAA/edge detect, looks like I was wrong it doesn't appear to do anything with drop box set to "application" or with "enhance" so i'm not sure how to get that one working if you can with BF3.

 

Not all AA modes work with every game and may not work with certain drivers, perhaps it'll get enabled with later drivers.

 

Okay finally got time to post some shots in BF3 without MLAA.

As you will see the CF(Edge detect) doesn't appear to be working at all.

The EQ mode does effect fps negatively- and is altering the image, but not really improving it vs ordinary x4MSAA.

Supersampling eats fps and results in more blurring of the fence vs Adaptive which costs only 1fps !!

Anyway have a look for yourself, all shots taken at 1080p Ultra with AA mode stated in picture, fps top right corner.

No AA


x4MSAA


x4MSAA with CF(Edge Detect)


x4MSAA with EQ("Enhance application" by adding coverage samples)


x4MSAA with Supersampling AA


x4MSAA with Adaptive AA


x4MSAA with Adaptive AA + MLAA 2.0


x4MSAA with Adaptive AA + SMAA


So clearly AMD/ATI did something right with the Adaptive sampling this time, its virtually free and does a great job.

 

Yeah, I've noticed in most games that SSAA is too blurry, and EQ works effectively in some cases, and hardly at all in others. Bulletstorm uses EQ pretty well, but something like BF3 doesn't. I usually stick with 4xAdaptive AA + injected FXAA if the performance hit with Adaptive isn't too high, otherwise I'll just use 4xMSAA + FXAA. It usually gets most of the jaggies but retains 60fps.

 

It's been a while since the AA compatibility list was updated. This was mostly because I had been using a Radeon 6 series graphics card and AMD did not extend DX11 driver level antialiasing capabilities to that series.

I have since purchased a Radeon 7 series graphics card and can now continue to add new (and old) games to the list as I get around to testing them.


AA game compatibility list updated.


Added:

Battlefield 3


Image Comparisons:


Battlefield 3: NO AA




Battlefield 3: 4x MSAA




Battlefield 3: 4x EQ Edge Detect MSAA




Battlefield 3: 4x EQ Adaptive MSAA




Battlefield 3: 4x EQ SSAA




Battlefield 3: 4x EQ Edge Detect SSAA




In game post filter AA was disabled, and a resolution of 1920x1200 was used. Other than MLAA, enhanced AA was the only form that could be enabled from the control panel, overriding did not work. I could not confirm if Edge detect was working correctly.

This is of course in line with what slickric21 has previously posted.


Edit

And a few further Comparisons for anyone interested.


No AA




4x MSAA (Ingame)




4x EQ Edge Detect MSAA




4x EQ Adaptive MSAA




4x EQ SSAA

 

Yay!

this my go to thread when someone has a problem.

Welcome to CGN BlackZero!

 

Thanks!

Quite enjoying the higher performance and new features, looking forward to adding more titles. I have got quite a backlog to catch up on.

 

How do you mean "this time"... new card generation, drivers, other software? I want to know if there's something I should tinker with again

Edit: Nevermind... but did I catch a post that was edited later? I could swear that I was looking at some different screens!
Edit again: You definitely did... because the host you used in the updated one is blocked at work, where the other ones worked fine. Can I ask why you removed them?