Prepar3D Tweak Assistant (PTA)

[edpatino 1,974]

Hi folks.

I've built my own presets using the v2 beta and I'm very satisfied with the results so far, but just want to get rid of that "blue" haze color that you get when flying inside clouds, looking to have a more "white" appearance. I've set the "haze effect power" to 1.75 and the "fog influence" setting inside Sky fog tuning to 0.5.

Is there any additional suggestions?.

Thanks, Ed

[KNOSSOS 122]

Is there any additional suggestions?.

Hi Ed!

Are you using AS2016 with active cloud motion effect?

I'm pretty sure that Fog influence in sky fog tuning doesn't affect this haze.

Please try Cloud fog tuning instead. Just a suggestion.

 

regards,

[edpatino 1,974]

Hi Ed!

Are you using AS2016 with active cloud motion effect?

I'm pretty sure that Fog influence in sky fog tuning doesn't affect this haze.

Please try Cloud fog tuning instead. Just a suggestion.

 

regards,

 

Hi, Yuri:

Yes, I'm using AS2016 with the cloud motion effect. Do you think it has an influence over the "blueish" tone of fog when flying inside clouds?.

Anyway, I'll try cloud fog tuning instead, as you suggest.

Thanks, Ed

[GSalden 4,691]

This morniong I sent Yri my files and pointed him towards water and the use of PTA - EnvTex

 

EnvTex is able to change the wave sizes and changes will be made in the waterconstantv3.xml file ( and perhaps also the triton.ini file ).

PTA is able to change the look of the water too, so I am wondering if this will cause issues.

 

Eg : once we set waves in EnvTex and then set a PTA preset, PTA first will load the default shaders and then make the changes we have set.

That might mean that the waves settings made by EnvTex are overwritten...

 

Using PTA first and then EnvTex is the way to go.

 

As I use multiple PTA profiles ( spring - autumn - summer - winter - night )  and sometimes change profiles twice a day it would mean that I also have to reload the EnvTex settings.

( at least water needs to be reloaded ).

 

 

This is what I have written to Yuri and wanted his advice on this...

[KNOSSOS 122]

This is what I have written to Yuri and wanted his advice on this...

 

PTA doesn't modify water constants. 

These constants used in shaders as an input values for the futher calculations. 

PTA modifies calculations performed by shaders. If input values change, the final result will change of course. No waves settings overwritten.

 

Your question at http://www.avsim.com/topic/489018-prepar3d-tweak-assistant-pta/page-39#entry3526760

Than you for input and sending me a detail info.

 

I've made some tests with your presets using scenario (in PTA 2):

1. Open day preset  - apply.

2. Open night preset - apply - make screenshot #1 and full copy #1 of sim/ShadersHLSL directory.

3. Restore original shaders - apply night preset - make screenshot #2 and full copy #2 of sim/ShadersHLSL directory.

I have absolutely identical screenshot #1 and #2 and also absolutely identical sim/ShadersHLSL directory content in both cases. With accuracy to one byte.

Also I made the same tests with your copies of PTA1 and PTA2.

The results are the same. No differences when shaders restored or not.

 

But actually your presets called "night" in PTA1 and PTA2 are different. And difference is in lighting tweaks also.

That why you may get the different results at night environment.

 

 

 

 

 

UPD. Unfortunately, I can't give any advices how to use ENVTEX with PTA because I don't have ENVTEX.

[GSalden 4,691]

Thanks for your great help Yuri

[KNOSSOS 122]

You're welcome mate

[KNOSSOS 122]

PTA 2.0 for Prepar3D 3.1-3.4 released

Release notes:

1. Prepar3D V3.4 Hotfix 2 (3.4.18 build 19475) compatibility.
2. New tweak "Clouds light scattering".
3. Tweak "Clouds shade adjustment" renamed to "Clouds saturation".
4. New tweak "Cirrus lighting".
5. New tweak "Clouds shadows depth": separate adjustment for the cloud shadows.
6. New tweak "Aircraft lighting". Old tweak "Aircraft brightness tuning" now is a part of new tweak.
7. New tweak "Objects lighting". Old tweak "Adjust autogen ambient sunlight" now is a part of new tweak.
8. Lighting tweaks for terrain was grouped into a new tweak "Terrain lighting". If you did not use all these tweak, just leave unused parameters with a default values.
9. New tweak "Autogen emissive lighting".
10. New tweak "Terrain saturation".
11. Old tweaks for luminosity of urban areas at night grouped into a new tweak "Urban areas lighting at night". If you did not use all these tweak, just leave unused parameters with a default values.
12. Rayleigh scattering effect now has the new option "Exclude clouds". When checked, effect will not apply to clouds.
13. New tweak "Sky fog tuning".
14. New tweak "Sky saturation".
15. New tweak "Specular lighting".
16. New tweak "Waves size". The tweak allows the tuning of waves sizes depending on altitude.
17. Reflection, refraction and granularity water tweaks was grouped into a single tweak "Water surface tuning". If you did not use all these tweak, just leave unused parameter with a default value. A new parameter "Specular blend".
18. Like in post-processing effects, all parameters of the shader tweaks can use now not only simple values but various expressions with shaders variables. (Please see documentation for detail info.)
19. You can restore default (initial) parameters values for a single tweak. 20. In addition to the PTA built-in tweaks you can also use create your own tweaks. Use this feature if you have some manual corrections that need to be applied to the shader files. These edits will be applied immediately after built-in tweaks in order specified in the list. IMPORTANT! There is no error detection provided! To locate the errors in your code please activate an option "Content Error Logging" in General section of P3D settings. (Error message appears at sim exit).
21. The logic of preset saving was changed. The option "Autosave preset on exit" removed from the tool. Now you will be asked only if preset was modified.
22. New option that allows to receive a notification when the new version of tool released. (Update is checked once in 3 days).
23. User interface redesigned. Sliders removed but you can use mouse wheel (or Ctrl+mouse wheel) to change values. Some improvements and new skins.
24. Help contents was clarified. There are some examples of using expressions in chapter 10.
25. Tweak descriptions were updated. Huge thanks to Adam (aka Adamski_NZ) for this! The illustrations of tweaks were also reworked and now contain values of parameters.
26. Fixed bug in "Curves" post-process shader.

How to upgrade PTA 1.X to PTA 2.0:

1. The format of ini files used to store presets was changed in PTA 2.0. All presets from the previous version of tool are NOT compatible with version 2.0. Please reconfigure the required presets in the new utility in accordance with release notes and your PTA 1.X version presets.
2. It's highly recommended to install PTA 2.0 in a new directory separate from previous version of the tool.
3. Before installation please make sure that you have the original (no tweaked) shaders in Prepar3D. If you are already using PTA 1.X you can restore original shaders by menu command "Actions - Restore original P3D shaders".
4. When original shaders restored, unzip distribution archive in separate directory. At first start PTA 2.0 should automatically detect target P3D version, find proper P3D installation directory, shaders cache directory, and create backup of used in tweaks shaders to \SHADERS_BACKUP subdirectory in main PTA directory. Config files, used by tool, will backup to \CONFIG_BACKUP.

How to upgrade PTA 2.0 beta to PTA 2.0:

All presets are compatible. To install delete old PTA.exe from your PTA 2.0 directory, unzip PTA.exe from new distribution archive. Then apply your preset.

[simmerhead 885]

That was quick!

[Mephic 129]

Speedy Gonzales

[Barnes 212]

Hi Yuri,

 

I just updated P3D 3.4 to hotfix 2 and updated PTA v2.0 beta to V2.0.

 

I am now getting this error and I'm not sure why the original backup of cloud.fx is missing from the backup directory.

 

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

 

Thanks,

Dave

 

 

 

[KNOSSOS 122]

 

 

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Hi! Sent you PM.

[captainspain 2]

Hi Yuri,

 

I just updated P3D 3.4 to hotfix 2 and updated PTA v2.0 beta to V2.0.

 

I am now getting this error and I'm not sure why the original backup of cloud.fx is missing from the backup directory.

 

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

 

Thanks,

Dave

 

 

 

 

Hi! I have a same problem, I restore my backup shaders but not working. 

 

Thx in advance!

 

Solved!! Reinstall P3D Client and works!!

[Barnes 212]

Hi! Sent you PM.

Thanks for you help Yuri.

 

regards,

Dave

[Adamski_NZ 966]

Here's my preset for the new PTAv2.0:

 

 

 

 

Available here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/11xehj26tgne4d4/Adam_PTA_20_4.zip?dl=0

 

Once again - many thanks to Yuri/Knossos for an outstanding tweak tool!

 

Adam.