Give Reshade a try if you have been reluctant!

[RobJC 2,069]

2 hours ago, spacedyemeerkat said:

Really? I mean, really?! Of all the combinations of words you could have chosen, that's your contribution? What was the point, Mike?

And I'm aware of the irony that my post is adding nothing but...

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I feel better now.

If you have nothing nice to say….seems to come immediately to mind. Not sure why people feel the need to “contribute” like that. 

[Bobsk8 12,729]

On 9/9/2022 at 5:19 AM, Cpt_Piett said:

Ok, so this is from my "personal notes" 😉 I usually keep some notes on various sim-related stuff in case I forget. Quick background for this is that latest versions of ReShade can induce CTDs, stability problems and visual glitches. This has been reported both on this forum and on the official forums. FinalLight's mod over at flightsim.to includes a very recent (if not the latest) version of ReShade. So I found a different installation method using a ReShade version that's a bit older. 

Note: This is for people with MS-store version of MSFS. 

1. Download ReShade for UWP https://github.com/MilkyDeveloper/ReshadeForUWP

2. Follow the instructions under "usage" on the main github page

3. Video with step by step here

4. Download FinalLight's preset from flightsim.to

5. Copy the "Shaders", "Textures" and "FinalLight_v1.3.ini" to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP

The next steps are optional but recommended as you probably want more shaders. All shader repositories can be found here. 

1. Download https://github.com/crosire/reshade-shaders and copy the "Shaders" and "Textures" folders to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP

2. Download https://github.com/CeeJayDK/SweetFX and copy the "Shaders" and "Textures" folders to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP (this is for Lumasharpen and others) 

3. Download https://github.com/FransBouma/OtisFX and copy the "Shaders" and Textures folders to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP (this is for Cinematic DOF and others)

4. Download https://github.com/prod80/prod80-ReShade-Repository and copy the "Shaders" and Textures folders to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP (this is for PD80_03_Shadows_Midtones_Highlights.fx and others)

Here's how to get ReShade set up with MSFS: 

1. Start MSFS from the .bat file on the desktop in admin mode. Wait until it loads to the menu.

2. Press the home key to open ReShade. Go to settings and set home key to e.g. 7 and effects key to e.g. 6. Increase the global font size. 

3. Close MSFS and then restart.

4. Go to ReShade home then select "FinalLight_v1.3" as a preset at the top. Make sure ApplyLUT (LUTTools.fx) is applied.

5. Select the shaders you want to use. I use LumaSharpen.fx, PD80_03_Shadows_Midtones_Highlights.fx and CinematicDOF. Suggested settings for these are found in this thread. 

The next step is important if you have stability problems. I got this solution from a user on the official forum: 

1. Go to the D3D11 tab of Reshade (top right). 

2. Tick “Copy depth buffer before clear operations”

3. Load a flight

4. Go back to the D3D11 tab

5. Tick the first two items in the list (see image below). Note: the list will probably not look the same on all systems. Just make sure the top two items are ticked. If one is already ticked, just remove it. Then tick the first two items. 

 

---

It's possible to update to the latest version of reshade, but I don't recommend this if you have stability problems. However - as the launch of SU10 is around the corner, many people will probably want to use DX12. Note that the reshade version in this method is not compatible with DX12. So then you have to update to the latest version.  

1. Download the latest version of ReShade here https://reshade.me/

2. Open "ReShade_Setup_5.3.0.exe" with 7zip (or similar) and extract "ReShade64.dll" to %UserProfile%\ReshadeInjectUWP, overwriting the existing file.

That's it. Let me know if there are any issues. 

Does all this require also solving the square root of 3?   😉

[Cpt_Piett 4,649]

I had some issues with ReShade causing the sim to freeze but I might have been able to resolve it (knock on wood!). It seems with the latest version and "Generic depth" off (addons tab), ReShade is working fine, even with frame generation and DX12. 

Using the following shaders:

• LUTTools (FinalLight's preset from flightsim.to)
• LumaSharpen
  • FidelityFX sharpening off + sharpening and film grain off in usercfg.opt
• Lightroom (global black level 8 and global vibrance 0.05)

IMO the image quality with these settings is considerably better than default. Even though setting it up is a hazzle, IMO it's worth it in the end. 

ReShade off: 

ReShade on: 

Off:

On:

(taken on a flight from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Edited December 28, 2022 by Cpt_Piett

[Fielder 3,673]

I always fly with a slightly reddish tint. Normal screen and even in VR (OXR ToolKit).

Viewing a neutral tint picture for hours a day on a computer monitor will cause everybody multiple problems. There's a simple fix: Windows night mode set to run all the time instead of just at night. My health means more to me than a better picture. Windows night mode has a slider, you don't need a lot of red shift for safety. 

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/prevention/7-ways-screen-time-affects-adults-and-how-cope

https://www.google.com/search?q=danger+of+computer+viewing+for+hours&oq=danger+of+computer+viewing+for+hours&

[F737MAX 5,604]

57 minutes ago, Cpt_Piett said:

IMO the image quality with these settings is considerably better than default. Even though setting it up is a hazzle, IMO it's worth it in the end.

Been happily using ReShade since the Summer, yet there was a comparison of screenshots on Reddit. I saw the same slight red/pink hue to some textures with ReShade turned on.

So, I succumbed and installed GeForce Experience to use simultaneously with ReShade.
By adding a Game Filter in G.E. and changing just one setting: 'Temperature' slider to -12, under 'Color', I am able to have a much more blue-looking (and IMO, real-looking) view of the World in MSFS.

Give it a try.

[Ricardo41 5,949]

2 hours ago, Cpt_Piett said:

I had some issues with ReShade causing the sim to freeze but I might have been able to resolve it (knock on wood!). It seems with the latest version and "Generic depth" off (addons tab), ReShade is working fine, even with frame generation and DX12. 

Using the following shaders:

• LUTTools (FinalLight's preset from flightsim.to)
• LumaSharpen
  • FidelityFX sharpening off + sharpening and film grain off in usercfg.opt
• Lightroom (global black level 8 and global vibrance 0.05)

IMO the image quality with these settings is considerably better than default. Even though setting it up is a hazzle, IMO it's worth it in the end. 

ReShade off: 

ReShade on: 

Off:

On:

(taken on a flight from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Reshade off looks a whole lot better, IMHO. 

[Cpt_Piett 4,649]

1 hour ago, F737MAX said:

I saw the same slight red/pink hue to some textures with ReShade turned on.

Yes I notice the red hue too. Could probably be tweaked somehow. It doesn't bother me though, but several people have mentioned it in this thread. For now I'm just happy that ReShade is working again after being without it for several months. As always - YMMV, to each their own etc. And I notice some people prefer default MSFS. 

[F737MAX 5,604]

2 hours ago, Ricardo41 said:

Reshade off looks a whole lot better, IMHO. 

2 hours ago, Cpt_Piett said:

As always - YMMV, to each their own etc.

Indeed, each to their own.
I like to keep my changes towards the more subtle end of the scale.

 

ReShade settings:

• FinalLight_v1.3 preset
• Levels.fx
• LumaSharpen.fx
• LUT.fx

(Cannot capture the GeForce Experience tweak in a screenshot, it applies the change while gaming).

ReShade Off:

 

ReShade On:

 

Also:

• ReShade Off:  https://i.imgur.com/EnceYSA.jpg
• ReShade On:  https://i.imgur.com/OWBABuC.jpg

 

[Cpt_Piett 4,649]

15 minutes ago, F737MAX said:

ReShade settings:

• FinalLight_v1.3 preset
• Levels.fx
• LumaSharpen.fx
• LUT.fx

 

We’re using almost the same shaders. Although as you say, your image with ReShade definitely looks more subtle.

[RJC68 823]

4 hours ago, Ricardo41 said:

Reshade off looks a whole lot better, IMHO. 

 

4 hours ago, Ricardo41 said:

Reshade off looks a whole lot better, IMHO. 

 

7 hours ago, Cpt_Piett said:

I had some issues with ReShade causing the sim to freeze but I might have been able to resolve it (knock on wood!). It seems with the latest version and "Generic depth" off (addons tab), ReShade is working fine, even with frame generation and DX12. 

Using the following shaders:

• LUTTools (FinalLight's preset from flightsim.to)
• LumaSharpen
  • FidelityFX sharpening off + sharpening and film grain off in usercfg.opt
• Lightroom (global black level 8 and global vibrance 0.05)

IMO the image quality with these settings is considerably better than default. Even though setting it up is a hazzle, IMO it's worth it in the end. 

ReShade off: 

ReShade on: 

Off:

On:

(taken on a flight from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Nice screenshots,

I must do some flying in that part of the world, especially seeing that my wonderful wife is Chilean 🙂

[Virtpilot 151]

Been using the reshade for a long time now and I have been very pleased to it. I´m interested to try these shaders but where can I find that Lightroom thing? I have tried to google that but I´m not sure which one is the correct one.

[Cpt_Piett 4,649]

6 hours ago, RJC68 said:

I must do some flying in that part of the world, especially seeing that my wonderful wife is Chilean 🙂

It's a beautiful part of the world, and even better with the Orbx mesh. 

25 minutes ago, Virtpilot said:

Been using the reshade for a long time now and I have been very pleased to it. I´m interested to try these shaders but where can I find that Lightroom thing? I have tried to google that but I´m not sure which one is the correct one.

https://github.com/martymcmodding/qUINT

[Virtpilot 151]

Thank you!!

[Virtpilot 151]

I get an error saying that could not compile the lightroom. fx shader. Reshade version is up to date. Any advice with that one? 

[Cpt_Piett 4,649]

On 12/30/2022 at 2:34 PM, Virtpilot said:

I get an error saying that could not compile the lightroom. fx shader. Reshade version is up to date. Any advice with that one? 

Sorry, not sure what the problem could be.