Potential improvements for sky colors

[cianpars 1,179]

It may be possible to zip the exe in the store version, move it out, apply the edits and place it back where it will again become encrypted.  I haven't tried this but that will be my approach unless somebody tells me that it doesn't work.

[Farlis 2,317]

Instead of trying every trick in the book to get this to work, and risking a hernia in frustration, I suggest to just wait what ASOBO has to say about this all and when they will officially implement this.

[bobcat999 8,502]

1 hour ago, cianpars said:

It may be possible to zip the exe in the store version, move it out, apply the edits and place it back where it will again become encrypted.  I haven't tried this but that will be my approach unless somebody tells me that it doesn't work.

I believe it is only the older Microsoft store installations that are fully encrypted. 
If you run it through 'management' in the Xbox app, you can convert it to a new style installation without this encryption.
You have to do this to get apps like Parallel42 Stripr to work for example.

I will give it a go at some stage, because although Asobo are looking at it, nobody knows when they intend to implement it, or even if they ever will.  
People who are not confident maybe should not try it for the risk of messing up their installation, but that is up to them.
I will back up my .exe file like a sensible person  

Enough people have performed the task successfully up to now anyway.  

Edited September 19, 2023 by bobcat999

[DModjo 122]

10 hours ago, bobcat999 said:

I believe it is only the older Microsoft store installations that are fully encrypted. 
If you run it through 'management' in the Xbox app, you can convert it to a new style installation without this encryption.
You have to do this to get apps like Parallel42 Stripr to work for example.

I will give it a go at some stage, because although Asobo are looking at it, nobody knows when they intend to implement it, or even if they ever will.  
People who are not confident maybe should not try it for the risk of messing up their installation, but that is up to them.
I will back up my .exe file like a sensible person  

Enough people have performed the task successfully up to now anyway.  

I think the game's .exe is still encrypted with this. Let us know how you go.

Edited September 20, 2023 by DModjo

[iamlmc 2]

I tried a different method (https://github.com/jet2code/arpc-injector) and ended breaking my MSFS 2020 .exe.

Long story short, after modifying the .exe  I got a compatibility error when starting the Sim (not recognized as being a 64 bit file). The odd thing was that the problem persisted even after changing the modified .exe with the unmodified .exe backup file.

I also want to point out that my MSFS 2020 install (MS Store) had the .exe encrypted... so it would never work.

[captain420 3,099]

So tired of this stupid encryption on MS store version. I will be sure to purchase the steam version when it comes to MSFS 2024.

[MrBitstFlyer 3,894]

20 hours ago, captain420 said:

So tired of this stupid encryption on MS store version. I will be sure to purchase the steam version when it comes to MSFS 2024.

I purchased the store version at release, but after a year of update/authentication issues I purchased the steam version. Glad I did because Steam automatically starts the updates off plus no authentication issues.

I tried this hack for the sky colours - only took a minute or so, very easy

[MrBitstFlyer 3,894]

The combination of the lights hack, the new AccuSeason Advanced, the MSFS2020 Map Enhancement tool set to High LOD, an HDR monitor and ReShade with FinalLight preset to correct the overly green tint in MSFS, is just sublime!

Using ReShade to add some saturation affects everything, but the Map enhancement tool allows the ground texture saturation ONLY to be set, so more subtle saturation can be applied to the sky.

Add xEnviro for many more cloud types than default live weather and MSFS is just stunning!

Edited September 21, 2023 by MrBitstFlyer

[Alvega 2,125]

48 minutes ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

The combination of the lights hack, the new AccuSeason Advanced, the MSFS2020 Map Enhancement tool set to High LOD, an HDR monitor and ReShade with FinalLight preset to correct the overly green tint in MSFS, is just sublime!

Using ReShade to add some saturation affects everything, but the Map enhancement tool allows the ground texture saturation ONLY to be set, so more subtle saturation can be applied to the sky.

Add xEnviro for many more cloud types than default live weather and MSFS is just stunning!

Can we see some screenshots?

[BaronKen 144]

1 hour ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

The combination of the lights hack

 

By lights hack, are you referring to the sky color mod?

[MrBitstFlyer 3,894]

1 hour ago, BaronKen said:

 

By lights hack, are you referring to the sky color mod?

Yes, of course.  I refrained from trying it, but when I did it was very easy and quick to do.

[MrBitstFlyer 3,894]

2 hours ago, Alvega said:

Can we see some screenshots?

 

2 hours ago, Alvega said:

Can we see some screenshots?

I don't think it is possible to take HDR screenshots - unless someebody knows how to?

[cianpars 1,179]

5 hours ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

 

I don't think it is possible to take HDR screenshots - unless someebody knows how to?

That is something I am finding very annoying and would also like to find a way to resolve it without too much ballache.

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,799]

OK ...

So NVIDIA claim that  GeForce Experience 3.23 can do it and save a genuine JXR format HDR screenshot ....

https://www.nvidia.com/en-in/geforce/release-notes/GFE/3_23_0/Rich/gfe-v3_23_0-rich-release-highlights/#:~:text=Press [Alt%2BF1] to,accurate viewing of HDR screenshots.

 

HOWEVER ...   even if you DO manage to take a HDR screenshot in true HDR - it is still going to look washed out and truly awful on someone else's SDR screen, as they cannot display HDR. 

The best you will manage is a screenshot that looks OK on someone else's HDR screen.

There are HDR to SDR converters around, so I suppose you capture in HDR and convert back to SDR,  but no idea whether the end result looks any good.

Personally - if I intend making vids or screenshots, I just turn off HDR in my display settings before starting the game and then make sure the game has HDR disabled and work in SDR.

 

TLDR - the main issue is even if you get a genuine HDR screenshot it will only look OK if viewed by someone else who also has a HDR screen.

Edited September 22, 2023 by Glenn Fitzpatrick

[MrBitstFlyer 3,894]

4 hours ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

OK ...

So NVIDIA claim that  GeForce Experience 3.23 can do it and save a genuine JXR format HDR screenshot ....

Checked GEForce Experience and it actually saves an SDR image from the HDR screenshot!  I'm off to work now but I'll take some screenshots later.