Nvidia Desktop Colour Settings and Prepar3D v2 - improving visuals without a framerate loss

[autogyro 18]

Thought I'd post my personal settings that helps with getting more vibrant and better looking visuals, at least visually, based on my monitor these settings seem to improve things.

 

Note, this in effect is similar to a colourising and brightness/contrast adjusting shader. Since I have no idea how to write a shader for Prepar3D v2, I simply set these settings in Nvidia Control Panel, and only turn it on with Prepar3D v2.

 

Since it's based on my monitor, I can't guarantee that you'll achieve similar effects or that the effects are the most appealing to you, however the general aim is the same:

 

Prepar3D v2, by default, has the following issues, in my opinion:

 

1. Image is generally too dark.
2. Contrast between dark and light isn't strong enough
3. There isn't a suitable 'warmth' to a nice sunshine
4. Sunsets and sunrises don't have that visual 'pop' to it. Colours are a bit faded.

 

The settings I've adopted are:

 

Check "Use NVIDIA Settings"

 

Colour Channel: All Channels

 

Brightness: +80%

 

Contrast: +100%

 

Gamma: +1.2

 

Digital Vibrance: +80%

 

Hue: +350º

 

You may wish to tweak that above to get to settings which visually are attractive to you, based on your monitor and what you see. ALthough your screenshots will still appear the standard P3D v2 style dark and drab, at least once you have your monitor's colour and brightness adjusted to suit something visually appealing, flying in the sim itself looks great.

 

It also has the benefit of not affecting any frame rates as the adjustment is outside of P3D v2.

 

The best comparison I can make, is what it looks like default, and what it appears similar to, once I've enhanced the same image, using a image editing software to try and match what I see visually on my screen (top is default, bottom is edited):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My screenshot collection thread, http://forum.avsim.net/topic/442062-autogyros-collection-of-p3d-screenshots/, is in effect, my post editing attempt at getting similar vibrancy, daytime brightness and warmth as what I achieve with these Nvidia settings.

 

Actually even looking at the above, the vibrancy isn't quite as strong visually as the way I've edited my two screenshots above, on my monitor ingame, the colours aren't quite THAT vivid.

 

In any case, feel free to play around the settings to come up with something you like, it might just help given we don't have ENB shaders or sweetfx available on P3D v2.

For those wondering "how do you edit the screenshot to match what you see since you need to adjust the colour settings which would then affect your ability to match colours?"

 

Basically I have a triple monitor set up, so I drag the picture from the colour edited monitor to the adjacent monitor (both Dell 23" IPS monitors), whereby the picture looks dark and non vibrant and I adjust it to try and match the monitor next to it (I keep 2 copies of the photo open).

[NicolasTAP 6]

 

 

 

Thank you for this tip. It's a different world for me :drinks:

 

[gboz 157]

The obvious problem for anyone without a dedicated sim computer is that

your screen colours will be totally messed up when you go back to the desktop.

 

gb.

[ErichB 3,643]

Can you not just use Sweet FX to achieve the same results?  It works for me together with my monitor's 'Game' setting, which intensifies the brightness and contrast settings.  I find the Dell U3014 awesome for this. 

[autogyro 18]

The obvious problem for anyone without a dedicated sim computer is that

your screen colours will be totally messed up when you go back to the desktop.

 

gb.

 

You can easily turn it on and off by selecting "Other applications control colour settings" or selecting "Use NVIDIA settings".

 

With regards to SweetFX, I thought it wasn't officially supported in P3D v2? Same with ENB?

[ErichB 3,643]

With regards to SweetFX, I thought it wasn't officially supported in P3D v2? Same with ENB?

 

Not sure what you mean by 'supported'.  It's freeware and should work in most DX applications.  It certainly works in P3Dv2.  Seems easier than messing about with the monitor and Nvidia settings, and If you don't like it, you just remove the files and rebuild your cache.  I've had no issues.

[Dave_YVR 973]

Personally I find P3d V2 to be much more accurate colour and contrast wise than FSX. It all depends on what each user is looking for though.

[OmniAtlas 93]

I will attempt these color changes when I get back tonight -- is there a way to automatically enable these changes only with P3D? (application specific?)

[autogyro 18]

I tried Sweet Fx but couldn't get it to work unfortunately, gave me a Prepar3d couldn't start up message.

 

These settings aren't application specific, but once you have your settings memorised it only takes about 15 seconds to switch on and off.

 

Only digital vibrance and hue need to be set back after quitting the game. The other settings can be turned off by selecting application controlled brightness/contrast

[willym 4]

I had already decided to use this technique with my next rebuild/upgrade. I does help though that I have dedicated system hardware and do not switch into other applications.

[Guest]

I've been using my Samsung monitor's Dynamic contrast for a few weeks now with P3D. It really turns on the light in P3D! I simply disable it again after quitting P3D. Sometimes I forget it and then I suddenly think 'O, wait, dynamic contrast' and when I turn it on it's as if I put off my sunglasses.