The perfect HDR ...

[Noel 4,487]

 

 

Can you see something meaningful that would obviate this feature being added to the interface, i.e. to be able to access display & other settings prior to initiating a flight?
 
This is already available,  you can use -simdirector command line on the Prepar3d.exe ... this will bring you to SimDirector where you can make display settings changes, load AC, etc. etc.   You can even build your own custom front end if you like.  There is also the command line -cfgdir:YouNewConfigurationDir to use different sets of Prepar3d.cfg, SimConnect.xml, basically the AddData, LocalAppData, ProgramData) ... details are in the P3D learning center help file.
 
Cheers, Rob.

 

Nope, SimDirector is not the GUI.  Are you saying the HDR tweak capability is configurable from the command line in SimDirector as well?

 

Appreciate your in-depth knowledge, but it's one thing to get into something built for essentially fixed customizations like SimDirector (yes, I know it's a commercial-oriented app), and quite another to add functionality to the GUI that common users (the majority here, and probably the majority of users even when commercial users are considered) will see, be able to use, and so forth.  

 

Most would appreciate the ability in P3D's GUI to set display settings, general settings, sound settings, PER FLIGHT if indicated, based on scenery, flight length, aircraft, AND change HDR parameters before loading the flight.   Seems likely simple to code, i.e., restoring access to settings pre-flight as was the case in FSX and all prior versions of it if I recall.

 

Cheers back at ya

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Not yet, but sun textures will greatly influence HDR as will the cockpit glass textures from various aircraft.  I was experimenting with different REX 4 sun textures and sky textures and was amazed by how much of an influence they have on HDR.  

 

I'd start by looking into the Sun textures and see how that works for your HDR range.

 

That's very interesting, I had no idea the sun texture affected HDR as well.

 

Speaking of sun textures, are there any replacements of the moon texture as well? The moon itself looks fine, but there is some kind of glow around it that makes it look very unrealistic.

[Guest]

No glow around my moon?  Sounds like you might have adjust HDR a little too much, especially bloom.

 

Cheers Rob.

[FlyIce 354]

Jusy tried Rob's HDR tweak and it indeed looks very nice. Much better than the default HDR which to my taste is too dark. One minor issue of tweak is that the color outside cockpit looks a bit bleached/unsaturated. But overall it's very nice. Thanks, Rob!

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

No glow around my moon?  Sounds like you might have adjust HDR a little too much, especially bloom.

 

More bloom does make the glow even more unrealistic, but it's still very apparent even at lower levels. I'll see about getting a screenshot.

[annber 10]

Rob, this is my first comment here and I am so glad to have come across your post. I have been a long time FSX user, and just recently decided to give prepar3d a try. For the most part it is far better than FSX, however, being that I prefer to fly with photoreal scenery around (my own), I noticed that the ground textures were way too dark compared to FSX. I had almost decided to concentrate solely on FSX when I read this post of yours.

Since applying the edits, things are looking brighter, pun indeed intended, thanks a million for sharing that from a long time fan of your videos.

I do have a question, rather a puzzling thing. I have noticed that whenever i switch views VC to outside, , the scenery or panel brighten to the perfect intensity about a second after I click to switch, then it reverts to the darker version which is still brighter than before applying your tweaks.  Has anyone experienced this?

Bernardo.

 

[Guest]

 

 

I do have a question, rather a puzzling thing. I have noticed that whenever i switch views VC to outside, , the scenery or panel brighten to the perfect intensity about a second after I click to switch, then it reverts to the darker version which is still brighter than before applying your tweaks.  Has anyone experienced this?

 

Yes, with one aircraft ... I think the Q400 did this, not exactly sure why.

 

Also be aware that sky texture can influence the HDR scene also - REX and others.  And finally external view angle can adjust the scene -- HDR reacts to color/brightness at any view angle.

 

You may want to tinker with these values (increasing TimeDelta should speed up the adaption rate) :

 

static const float BloomThreshold = 03.25f;

static const float BloomMagnitude = 03.75f;

static const float BloomBlurSigma = 1.3;

static const float TimeDelta = 4.0f;

 

Cheers, Rob.

[annber 10]

Thanks for the replies Rob and Novation, I was going to post a couple of screenshots I took to help explain what I noticed, but I cant find the default uploader or flash uploader anywhere on the toolbar, can you guys point me towards the uploader? Thanks.

 

Rob, it happens to me with all aircrafts, but the funny thing is that I did not notice it until perhaps a week ago. It happens for a split second right after I click to change views using my joystick, but before it actually changes to the next view, and it happens with all views. Anyway, if I could post these screenshots it shows perfectly what I mean.

[Guest]

 

 

but the funny thing is that I did not notice it until perhaps a week ago.

 

I'd see what has changed in that week and start from there.  

 

You could try moving the avgLuminance up to 0.85f ... 0.60f might be a little extreme.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[kmkc6403 8]

This is great tip for day flying, but it ruins P3D lovely dark nights :(

 

The first time i flew P3D at night was amazing. I kept saying to myself "it is really dark now!"

[annber 10]

Rob, here are the shots (hope it works) that hopefully explain the problem better than my words:

 

or if this does not work, and apparently it doesnt as that image extension is not allowed to be uploaded, so here are the direct links thru OZx image hosting

 

outside view dark 

http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2015/01/20/wrfQC.jpg

outside view lightened

http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2015/01/20/s29JK.jpg

cabin dark

http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2015/01/20/ex4B1.jpg

cabin lightened 

http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2015/01/20/MsaR7.jpg

 

it lightens only for a second, right before switching views,  atall other times it is the darker version I get.

[Guest]

 

 

it lightens only for a second, right before switching views,  atall other times it is the darker version I get.

 

Can you confirm you removed the "//" prior to the avgLuminance on line 166?

 

Original is:

//avgLuminance *= 0.85f;

 

Modified is:

avgLuminance *= 0.85f;

 

Adjust the 0.85 value up or down to suit your preference for dark/light.  If you like dark dark nights you have couple of options, fly with NO moon or add the "//" back in front.

 

Also remember to delete shaders folder after any changes and prior to starting P3D.

 

 

 

Rob, do you have an HDR file with the default settings please.. or anyone else.

 

Yes, but I don't have LM's permission to distribute, sorry.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[annber 10]

Rob, interesting point. Will check when back home tomorrow and report back.

[annber 10]

Seems that I had overlooked removing //. It does look much better now. Rob, two observations: First, I still get the 1/2 second brightened screen when clicking to change views, but I suspect that may have to do with my very weak graphics and system. Last, setting avgLuminance *= 0.60f; makes the ground terrain look perfect, but at night the panel looks way too bright. Setting the avgLuminance *= 0.85f; works better for the panel, but wished the ground would be a bit brighter. I will play with those numbers.

To end this post I wanted to say that your help has made Prepar3D a much much better experience for me, thanks again Rob.

[Guest]

Welcome ... experiment with the values from my original post (1st thread) ... some people use a "night" version and a "day" version of the file ... of course transitions from day to night wouldn't work without some compromise between the two.

 

Cheers, Rob.