to HDR or not to HDR in v2.3

[peppy197 165]

HDR choice in P3D v23

There are times I like and times  I no like...

 

opinions?

 

PROs:

• I found the clouds tend to blend together nicely with it on
• I find the darks are darker
• Colors have some more depth to their contrasts/brilliance

 

 

CONs:

• a 5+ fps hit, not much when its 40 but a lot when its 16
• way to much shinning of exterior airplane
• some shimmering of glass displays
• blurring of white fonts of buttons when night lights on

[Alan_A 1,650]

 

 

way to much shinning of exterior airplane

 

I found that to be a problem during my first test of 2.3 - a fleet of bizarre glowing airplanes at KDCA.  For the moment have turned it off, though I might try it again at some point.  In general, I haven't much liked any of the contrast enhancements (like ENB) because of the exaggerated darkening of the ground at dusk.  The lower default contrast, to me at least, is a better approximation of what the eye sees, since the eye adjusts to lighting.  HDR and the others act more like a camera, with limited contrast sensitivity (therefore darks that are too dark, or brights that are too bright).  My $.02, for whatever it's worth.

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

 

HDR choice in P3D v23

There are times I like and times  I no like...

 

opinions?

 

PROs:

• I found the clouds tend to blend together nicely with it on
• I find the darks are darker
• Colors have some more depth to their contrasts/brilliance

 

 

CONs:

• a 5+ fps hit, not much when its 40 but a lot when its 16
• way to much shinning of exterior airplane
• some shimmering of glass displays
• blurring of texts of buttons/switches

 

 

I found that to be a problem during my first test of 2.3 - a fleet of bizarre glowing airplanes at KDCA.  For the moment have turned it off, though I might try it again at some point.  In general, I haven't much liked any of the contrast enhancements (like ENB) because of the exaggerated darkening of the ground at dusk.  The lower default contrast, to me at least, is a better approximation of what the eye sees, since the eye adjusts to lighting.  HDR and the others act more like a camera, with limited contrast sensitivity (therefore darks that are too dark, or brights that are too bright).  My $.02, for whatever it's worth.

 

Agree with both - but this is a great topic instead of the endless tweaking threads to get it to work better - dont miss that

[TrafficPilot 121]

I've turned HDR off. Just appears too dark and unnatural to me. A bit like someone has put a polarising filter over my eyes/camera.

 

Oh and I've gained back 10fps!

[Alan_A 1,650]

 

 

this is a great topic instead of the endless tweaking threads to get it to work better - dont miss that

 

Couldn't agree more - these are nice problems to have.

[geolpilot 88]

During day I find HDR on has an effect similar to self-darking spectacle lenses. Looking out of the VC to a bright area it is initially so bright and lacking contrast, but gradually darkens, as though eyes / spectacles are adjusting to the bright outside. Then looking down at the panel / interior its initially too dark, and gradually lightens as the eyes adjust. In some respect I suppose realistic.

 

Some ported add-on airports are intensely bright (white walls and roofs). Makes sitting at VTBS, with those bright tent-like roofs, and massive window areas a real strain on the eyes! Even the light poles glow. Same effect is seen in FSX DX10 with bloom on, so it appears these were just not designed for DX10/11, and one would have to wait for developers to adjust the textures involved. I turn HDR off in these instances and it helps a bit.

 

My WOAI planes also are very bright if white, and logo lights wash out the tail markings. Again old AiI model textures not made with bloom or HDR in mind.

 

Also just took a night flight in the Carenado C90. With HDR on the panel lights are so intensely bright its hard to see outside (like turning on the interior light of one's car in a darkened area - not safe!). I turned HDR off so I could better see the new light effects on the outside. Again I guess until the lighting effects of add-on planes are brought up to date with P3D V2.3 (fully P3D compatible), one may just have to select HDR off for some planes.

 

Rob

[ryanbatc 12,813]

HDR is far too overdone in this sim.  The problem is the difference between light and dark is too vast.  And also that it's software trying to simulate what the human eye can see - usually difficult to do.  If they cut the amount of change in half I'd maybe use it more often.

 

IMHO they need to brighten up the dark (when you're looking at the sky but you can still see your cockpit it's too dark in the cockpit), and darken the light (when you're looking in your dark cockpit but you can still see some of the sky it's super bright and highlights are blown to kingdom come)

 

At night it's off on my sim no matter what - looks too hokey and panel lights bloom like crazy it's silly.

 

I will admit I sometimes like the contrast it adds, without HDR some things looked washed out.

 

I've still got VC shadows and I was able to turn cloud shadows back on with 2.3 so that's awesome!

[peppy197 165]

wish we could tweak it

Are we Tweakers or simmers after all

 

 

Long live us TWEAKERS

 

LM should rename their sim to Tweak3D V23

[N1G 88]

When I read about HDR as it pertains to photography, I was scratching my head. I think what may be required is understanding what the graphics engineers are attempting to do when the image is basically a scene created by a computer. I am not sure I completely understand what is behind all of the HDR hype so to speak. How does this type of HDR compare to the real world?

 

 

Bob

[Matthijs 79]

LM should rename their sim to Tweak3D V23

Well I think that v2.3 is the first version which you can use without tweaking.

[TrafficPilot 121]

 

LM should rename their sim to Tweak3D V23

 

ha! +1

 

 

Well I think that v2.3 is the first version which you can use without tweaking.

 

Matthijs you must have a super computer! What happens to your V2.3 when there's a thunderstorm? Mine grinds to a 7fps halt.

[Alan_A 1,650]

 

 

When I read about HDR as it pertains to photography, I was scratching my head.

 

In a sense, HDR in the sim is doing something opposite to HDR in photography.  In photography, you combine images at several different exposure values in order to produce much more detail in highlights and shadows than would be possible in a single exposure.  In the sim, "HDR" is actually removing detail - washing out highlights and darkening shadows - in order to create an impression of greater contrast.  The intent may be the same - more visual drama - but the methods aren't. 

[alulekk 3]

Off.

 

Great posts in here.  Nothing to add other than I greatly prefer HDR off.

[William J.S.S 173]

I do my testing with horrible weather and I stay at my target 20fps. Now, granted I don't have 100% AI running, but I have no super computer.

[Alan_A 1,650]

Matthijs you must have a super computer! What happens to your V2.3 when there's a thunderstorm? Mine grinds to a 7fps halt.

 

I haven't tried heavy weather in 2.3 yet.  In 2.2, the variable was cloud coverage density.  I'd grind to a halt if it was on maximum, mostly do OK when it was set to high, and ran beautifully with the slider at medium.  Unfortunately medium doesn't give you a solid overcast (FSGRW was better in this respect than ASN because it handles stratus differently) but the overall performance gain was so great that I learned to live with it.  Am hoping for something better in 2.3 but it's possible that cloud rendering is hitting the limits of what our systems can do.