Dark ground textures - Why?

[Egbert Drenth 250]

Hi,I'm having a (long time) issue with extremely dark ground textures at any airport.Compare the 2 screenshots below and you see what I mean. They were taken at the same airport and same time.(don't mind the taxi light differences, that is caused by settings and the halo.bmp)We both use a (different) nVidia graphics card, though not the same drivers.Now to my question:What determines the lightness of the ground textures and why are they so different?I can't imaging that is it caused by a difference in graphics cards.Please enlighten me :biggrin:Egbert

[vololiberista 205]

I would say that you pics are dark because it is night!!!vololiberista

[PebbleBeach 119]

I was going to say the same thing. Looks perfect to me.

[Egbert Drenth 250]

I would say that you pics are dark because it is night!!!

Ahhh. it is night! Why didn't I think of that? How could I have overlooked that.Apart from that, there is a distinct difference in the ramp color between the 2 images.The ones in the bottom picture are much brigther and the yellow taxi lines are much better visible

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Apart from that, there is a distinct difference in the ramp color between the 2 images.The ones in the bottom picture are much brigther and the yellow taxi lines are much better visible

I don't know if it applies in FS9 like it does in FSX, but in FSX on a night when the moon is out the ground textures are noticeable brighter. I would guess that could be the difference in the shades in darkeness provided that FS9 acts the same way when the moon in out.Test it out by loading the same airport during different times/dates of the month when the moon is out and when its not and see it that makes a difference or not. If not, it could just be a difference in the shades of the textures are darker at one airport than the other provided they are different airports. Edited January 16, 2012 by cmpbellsjc

[Steve0616 14]

Are you sure the surfaces are the same? Can't tell without seeing them in daylight, but the lighter one appears more like concrete and the darker asphalt....

[vololiberista 205]

Different textures have different effects and also if the scenery has apron lights for example. However, you will never have the aircraft lit by night even if surrounded by apron lights.vololiberista

[Egbert Drenth 250]

Are you sure the surfaces are the same? Can't tell without seeing them in daylight, but the lighter one appears more like concrete and the darker asphalt....

It's exactly the same scenery that's why I'm puzzled, images were taken during a mutual online flight.But also at other airports the concrete etc is pretty dark, I always have difficulties seeing taxi lines, numbers etc.It's not a big deal but I just wondered why the differences are just that big.

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

It's exactly the same scenery that's why I'm puzzled, images were taken during a mutual online flight.

It looks like the planes are darker in the top pic than they are in the bottom one also. Are you using ENB? If you had it turned on (the darker pic) and then hit Shift F12 at one point and turned it off everything could look brighter as in the bottom pic.

[sweetmusic 9]

Although I think the pictures you posted are very appropriate for nighttime, your monitor's contrast and gamma controls play an important role here. Try adjusting them.In general, I very much dislike night ground scenery that "glows" as if lighted from underneath. Whether night or day, light and shadow are key to achieving visual reality.

Edited January 17, 2012 by sweetmusic

[Egbert Drenth 250]

your monitor's contrast and gamma controls play an important role here. Try adjusting them.

Thanks for the hint, I will try.

Although I think the pictures you posted are very appropriate for nighttime

Yes, but it makes it sometimes extremely hard/impossible to taxi/park into a platform correctly.In the cockpit it is just a black blur, I would like to have some better visiblity.But as you suggested, I'll try to adjust my monitor settings.

[vololiberista 205]

Thanks for the hint, I will try.Yes, but it makes it sometimes extremely hard/impossible to taxi/park into a platform correctly.In the cockpit it is just a black blur, I would like to have some better visiblity.But as you suggested, I'll try to adjust my monitor settings.

Try using your taxi/landing lights. It helps, even in real life!!!!!!!vololiberista

[Chase 303]

I think that is pretty much par for the course OP. Unfortunatley there's not much lighting going on at FSX airports like in real life unless you have a nice scenery package and/or bright taxi lights on.