Photorealism project - Sky + SweetFX [DX9]

[Pe11e 812]

I nailed it! After who knows how many months of tweaking SweetFX values, and tweaking my own sky textures (morning, noon and afternoon), I finally got what I searched for. :excl:

 

Before I get started, I must warn that sky textures and sweetfx preset is calibrated for my monitor and in DX9 mode. I hate dark visuals in FSX, so I made brighter SweetFX preset with some calibrated colors for photorealism. I bet that on 90% of monitors this will look good. If not, just tweak a bit this values in sweetfx:

 

   /*-----------------------------------------------------------.
  /                      Cineon DPX settings                    /
  '-----------------------------------------------------------*/

 

#define Red   12.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]
#define Green 9.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]
#define Blue  9.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]

#define ColorGamma    1.5  //[0.1 to 2.5] Adjusts the colorfulness of the effect in a manner similar to Vibrance. 1.0 is neutral.
#define DPXSaturation 1.0  //[0.0 to 8.0] Adjust saturation of the effect. 1.0 is neutral.

#define RedC   0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]
#define GreenC 0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]
#define BlueC  0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]

#define Blend 0.9 

 

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

 

for DX10 SweetFX preset, disable SMAA, enable Lift Gamma Gain with these values:

 

   /*-----------------------------------------------------------.
  /                      Lift Gamma Gain settings               /
  '-----------------------------------------------------------*/
#define RGB_Lift  float3(1.000, 1.000, 1.000)  //[0.000 to 2.000] Adjust shadows for Red, Green and Blue.
#define RGB_Gamma float3(2.200, 2.200, 2.200)  //[0.000 to 2.000] Adjust midtones for Red, Green and Blue
#define RGB_Gain  float3(1.000, 1.000, 1.000)  //[0.000 to 2.000] Adjust highlights for Red, Green and Blue

 

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

 

NOTES:

 

This test is done with FTX Global + SceneryTech, REX Clouds, Shade, mu Sky textures and Sweetfx preset.

 

This set contains only morning, noon and afternoon sky textures! I'm using REX dawn and sunset textures, so you must provide these textures by yourself. B)
 

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

 

So, I took this RL photo as a reference, added some minor brightness for realistic exposure:

 

 

And I made sky texture and SweetFX preset to match the reference photo:

 

 

 

Zoomed:

 

 

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

 

Examples and comparisons, 32km visibility (20 miles):

 

 

^^^^^ (note the realistic haze effect, which is a bit more saturated on afternoon sky texture, also from RL photo reference)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taken from 20000 feet, 80km visibility (50 miles):

 

 

 

 

 

Sky at 34000 feet, 80km visibility (50 miles):

 

 

 

Bonus shot:

 

 

 

 

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

 

I attached SweetFx preset here, or you can download it here:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v0g7c1pkf5e0xu8/SweetFX_settings.txt

 

Sky textures download:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k7u0b57wmy1vfxg/Sky.rar

 

Unpack and copy sky texture files to FSX/Texture.

 

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

 

 

Test, and report back, hit me with some screenshots. ^_^  If this set is good for the masses, I will upload it also in AVSIM library.

 

 

Cheers, enjoy, and thank me later.

SweetFX_settings.txt

[JSkorna 137]

Makes me want to try SweetFX again!

[Nyxx 6,993]

So your running SweetFX and Shade together at the same time ?

 

Is Swwet FX the one that you cannot run in full screen just window mode?

[RobdeVries 28]

Very nice, I like these kinds of mods!

[Pe11e 812]

Jon_aus, on 26 Dec 2013 - 5:01 PM, said:

 

Good stuff! I much prefer the brighter look as well. Along with the right visibilty levels, far more realistic. Nice job!

 

Thanks bud. I noticed that half of the screenshots floating around the net are taken at unlimited visibility, totally unrealistic.

 

NyxxUK, on 27 Dec 2013 - 12:47 AM, said:

 

So your running SweetFX and Shade together at the same time ?

 

Is Swwet FX the one that you cannot run in full screen just window mode?

 

Shade and SweetFX are running together at the same time of course without any problems. I'm running FSX in windowed mode for years. Just tested it in fullscreen mode, SweetFX is working fine.

 

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

 

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:

 

First, you need SweetFX 1.5.1 postfx plugin from here:

 

http://forums.guru3d...ad.php?t=381912

 

- Unpack it to the root of FSX directory. So you should have now new "SweetFX" folder in FSX folder, and sweetfx_settings.txt with few other new files that comes with this postfx plugin, also in the root of FSX folder.

- Copy and paste my sweetfx_settings.txt, and overwrite.

- Backup sky_morning_X.bmp, sky_noon_X.bmp and sky_afternoon_X.bmp (where X is from 0 to 9) files from FSX/Texture folder.

- Unpack content of Sky.rar archive into FSX/Texture folder and overwrite.

 

Load FSX and turn on/off SweetFX with the SCROLL LOCK button.

 

That's it. Enjoy!

[Lurk 3]

those open cargo doors ain't going to get you far, you know!

[Pe11e 812]

those open cargo doors ain't going to get you far, you know!

 

Ahahahahah I didn't noticed that until now. :lol:  I dropped some postfx candies and I forgot to close the doors. :ph34r:

[Tony P 160]

I think you need to check this line...

#define RGB_Gamma float3(2.200, 2.200, 2.200)  //[0.000 to 2.000] 

 

That should probably be set back to 1,1,1  its just way to bright with those settings.  Not sure how you even set 2.2 as 2 is the max.

[Pe11e 812]

I think you need to check this line...

#define RGB_Gamma float3(2.200, 2.200, 2.200)  //[0.000 to 2.000] 

 

That should probably be set back to 1,1,1  its just way to bright with those settings.  Not sure how you even set 2.2 as 2 is the max.

 

hmmmmm I tested these values in DX10 few days ago I think, but don't hold my word. FSX is very very dark without these values if you leave SMAA off. With SMAA on you'll get jaggies all around.

 

Oh yes, I forgot to thank adi518 for this discovery!

 

Check this thread:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/427579-discovered-fix-for-dx10-sfx-smaa-disable-problem/

[SolRayz 392]

Looks really good, except in my case, I only get half of the screen effected and my frame rates get cut in half. Never had much luck with Sweetfx.

 

err...nevermind, Split screen was enabled in you settings.

 

FPS is just unacceptable, plus FSX just crashed on takeoff...no Sweetfx for me. Too bad cause it looks pretty good. Oh well.

[Pe11e 812]

Never had any problems with SweetFX, and when it is enabled FPS is the same. I really don't have a clue why FPS is low in your case. :(

 

Are  you sure you have 1.5.1 SweetFX installed? My settings file is for that version.

[SolRayz 392]

Apparently Sweetfx doesn't play nice with dual monitor setups. I disabled one monitor and it runs beautifully. It's amazing what this does to the horizon and clouds and the landscape just pops! FSX stock is soooooo washed out its kind of a joke really.

[jbassue 181]

WELL DONE.

[nikaslan 9]

I hate dark visuals in FSX, so I made brighter SweetFX preset with some calibrated colors for photorealism. I bet that on 90% of monitors this will look good. If not, just tweak a bit this values in sweetfx:

 

   /*-----------------------------------------------------------.

  /                      Cineon DPX settings                    /

  '-----------------------------------------------------------*/

 

#define Red   12.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]

#define Green 9.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]

#define Blue  9.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]

 

#define ColorGamma    1.5  //[0.1 to 2.5] Adjusts the colorfulness of the effect in a manner similar to Vibrance. 1.0 is neutral.

#define DPXSaturation 1.0  //[0.0 to 8.0] Adjust saturation of the effect. 1.0 is neutral.

 

#define RedC   0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]

#define GreenC 0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]

#define BlueC  0.36  //[0.60 to 0.20]

 

#define Blend 0.9 

 

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

Cheers, enjoy, and thank me later.

 

 

Ok, may I thank you now?

 

Until recently when I upgraded my system, I couldn't run sweetfx without FSX crashing.

I too hate FSX dark tones so I decided to give sweetfx another go with your preset settings. Never used DPX effect before, I was using vibrance, curves and lift_gamma_gain effects.

 

I was impressed with the picture brightness, but it seemed too bright on my monitor and for my taste. So I toned down the effect somewhat by using

 

#define Blend 0.6   (instead of 0.9)

 

Also I didn't fancy the color balance change that these settings gave so I also changed this

 

#define Red   9.0  //[1.0 to 15.0]  (instead of 13.0)

 

Now, I have to say that I feel great with the results. I really like the brighter image, the contrast balance between ground and sky and especially the brighter, fluffier clouds. Clouds (REX textures) now seem less cartoon-like, much more real, much more 3D.

 

And the strange thing is that FSX now doesn't crash with sweetfx.. Go figure!!

[Pe11e 812]

Cool.

Every display/taste is different. I'm loving that in in my preset, ground textures look alot better with #define Red   13.0  //[1.0 to 15.0].

 

I'm currently in DX10 mode, and my preset doesn't look indentical as in DX0, but it's close.