View Distance

[SealTeam]

In single player missions i can only see units from 600m exactly. Now i have read other posts on people complaining about MP limiting view distance to 100m and such but i cant see anything like that distance anyway. I have terrible problems long range sniping! Help please!

[nominesine]

Only 600? What version of OFP are you using?!? The viewdistance slider (found under options - video settings) where introduced in 1.3 or 1.46 or something like that. It let's you chose your viewdistance. Default in the original game was something like 900 meters I think.

[SealTeam]

No i dont see a view distance slider even though i'm running ofp 1.46.

Let me clarify.
I can see the ground at a longer distnace than i can see men and vehicles. About 900m or so as you said. But when it comes to seeing units i can only see them at exactly 600m. doesn't make for great sniping

[General Barron]

Nah, viewdistance slider was introduced with resistance, along with some other graphical options, like terrain detail. If you are playing in v1.46 or below, the viewdistance should be 800m (I think) for missions by default, unless the mission designer had chosen to limit that distance. In resistance, the player can choose his own viewdistance, although the mission editor can still "set" the view (until the player changes it). So if you have res, most likely you have somehow lowered your viewdistance slider.

Also, keep in mind that fog (a weather effect separate from view distance) can also limit your view, and looks about the same. So that might be the problem in certain missions.

[Seabiscuit]

Not that this has anything to do with this problem as I think that the General nailed it but it brings up a question for me.
When do AI see units?
Surely if you point them out when using binocs or a scope the AI will take notice but on their own is this limited to the viewdistance slider?
--Come to think of it since that's under video options I guessing the slider only changes the distance at which the system will render objects to the player.
Another question is does weather affect their ability to see enemy units or can they see right through the fog like they can with smoke grenades?
Does skill and rank affect this? I know they both affect accuracy.

From a realism standpoint and in most situations, a 600m enemy sighting is pretty good.
At 600m your trusty A2 won't help you much.
From www.armystudyguide.com your point target range is 550m, max effective range for an area target is 800m, at +1000m you might as well just send the enemy an invitation to the party.

SB...

[macguba]

Fog does what it says on the tin.    In principle neither you nor the AI can see further than, well, you can see.    In fact in thick fog AI can see a few yards further than human players.    Fog as no effect on radar.

Viewdistance is different.    It is fundamentally to do with rendering but it has an effect on things like radar and does affect AI.   In other words you can't get screwed because the AI can "see" further than you.

There has been some work done with the knowsAbout command, have a hunt around the forums and Editors Depot.    Somebody made a nice graph which gives an indication of the distance at which an AI unit is likely to detect you.   (Edit:  found the thread.)
 
Under the right conditions an AI sniper can detect and shoot you from over 1,000m.

AI can see through forests and smokegrenades, but not bushes.