Altering Gamma

[J37_Spyboy]

Hi all

I subscribe to the 'Self Elected Ape of the Year's' YouTube channel.

Recently he posted an improvement to the visual nature of the game achieved by changing the Gamma value in the startup cfg file...check it out!

My question to all you techmates... how do you open the file?

Thanks

[coconut]

You can open startup.cfg with e.g. notepad.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Go to IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data

 

Find the Startup.cfg like Coconut said

 

Where it says gamma [below] you will edit it to what ever you want, typically 0.5/0.6 or 0.7

 

Save it but after that don't edit anything in the settings in game or it will set it back to what ever you had before.

 

[KEY = graphics]

adapter = 0

bloom_enable = 1

desktop_center = 1

fps_limit = 60

full_height = 1440

full_width = 2560

fullscreen = 1

gamma = 0.60000

[Leaf]

Sometimes I wonder how people's screens are set up, because I'm running it at 0.9 gamma and couldn't be happier.

Anything less makes the game look less realistic and, in my opinion, worse. 

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Sometimes I wonder how people's screens are set up, because I'm running it at 0.9 gamma and couldn't be happier.

Anything less makes the game look less realistic and, in my opinion, worse. 

 

How do you know other peoples screens are set up wrong and yours is right? :D

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

How do you know other peoples screens are set up wrong and yours is right? :D

 

This post is going to be somewhat off-topic but seriously... I don't understand the issue people around here seem to have with others enjoying the sime or configuring things differently... 

 

Enough of this nonsense:

• Don't fly your 109 at 6KM.
• Don't fly with .5 gamma because it's "wrong" and you should spend your game time calibrating your display in a way that we want you to because we think it looks best.
• Fly VVS even when you don't like to or want to because it is what we want you to do and you flying what you want to fly is unfair to us!
• Learn to fly within the confines of the current FM all-the-while I am pretentiously telling you that your piloting is bad and you're "doing it wrong." Everybody else's data is wrong and our development team would certainly make no modeling mistakes... Ever... About anything... Ever... EVER.

How about I:

• Fly at whatever altitude I want to - whether I am tangling with you on the deck at a disadvantage or whether I'm having a frozen wank on my lonesome at 8KM.
• Configure and play my game with settings that are pleasing to my eyes because you can't see my equipment or light sources in my game room and are in no position to tell me what looks best to me.
• Fly what I want to fly, when I want to, even if you don't want me to... Because after all, I don't play games for others...
• Vocalize about the issues that I want to... And you can show me how great your piloting is... After that, you can provide citations showing how right you claim to be.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Space_Ghost

[Sandhill]

 

This post is going to be somewhat off-topic but seriously... I don't understand the issue people around here seem to have with others enjoying the sime or configuring things differently... 

 

Enough of this nonsense:

•  
• Don't fly with .5 gamma because it's "wrong" and you should spend your game time calibrating your display in a way that we want you to because we think it looks best.

How about I:

•  
• Configure and play my game with settings that are pleasing to my eyes because you can't see my equipment or light sources in my game room and are in no position to tell me what looks best to me.
• .

 

It DOES seem pretty silly to do otherwise...to point out that Gamma setting is subjective and folks might benefit from experiment is, though, a good thing I think

[Jizzo]

How do you know other peoples screens are set up wrong and yours is right? :D

Nikko aka Captain Cockpitlight ....... the new Marvel Superhero to join the Avengers in the 3rd Movie. 

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Nikko aka Captain Cockpitlight ....... the new Marvel Superhero to join the Avengers in the 3rd Movie. 

 

Thanks....and blocked

 

Grow up 

[Wulf]

 

 

How about I:

• Fly at whatever altitude I want to - whether I am tangling with you on the deck at a disadvantage or whether I'm having a frozen wank on my lonesome at 8KM.

 

 

 

Ugh!! .... my innocence has been forever shattered.  I know its 'natural' and all of that but the game seems kinda dirty now.

[Jizzo]

Thanks....and blocked

 

Grow up 

Leaf... i bet someone has an oil slick in his underpants now

Edited October 15, 2015 by JG5_Jizzo

[indiaciki]

isn't it possible from inside the game? What's the point? increasing contrast? If this is the point it would reduce realism

[SharpeXB]

Suggestion added:

 

http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/18677-add-gamma-setting-test-screen/?p=293317

 

It's also important to calibrate your monitor correctly first before adjusting the settings in the game

This disc really helps

http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Digital-Video-Essentials-HD-Basics/70091299?strkid=1295176682_0_0&strackid=739dc01c78a70c74_0_srl&trkid=1640825

 

You need a test pattern which looks like this, you can't use this screenshot though, you need the actual disc. If the contrast and brightness are set correctly you should be able to see all the steps. Many digital systems or PC monitors will clip off the above white and below black information though.

Edited October 15, 2015 by SharpeXB

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

just so you know Ape of the year isn't one discover that, its been around for 2 1/2 years now. just look for it in the technical sections.

[Hoots]

Repeating indiaciki's question (cos I'm interested) how does this differ from changing it in game with the slider?

[reve_etrange]

Repeating indiaciki's question (cos I'm interested) how does this differ from changing it in game with the slider?

The in game slider only goes to 0.8, but you can set lower values in the config files. Some people have a better experience with values in the 0.5 - 0.8 range.

[Dakpilot]

I really dont think sugesting setting up your monitor should be said to be nonsense...it is not about being told what 'we/they want"

 

It is only science, (and a well understood and researched one) there is a correct setting,  it is not 'subjective' any more than setting up the actual computer for good performance, needs correct settings

 

The ingame  gamma (not .cfg) adjustments are good enough if monitor is set up correctly.

 

using the .cfg is a poor workaround to make up for a deeper issue, which is why it is hidden

 

Do people want a realistic view or simply fudged settings to give better spotting/advantage in dogfights?

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Alkyan]

For me it's a game changer, game looks freaking badass at 0.5

[Hoots]

The in game slider only goes to 0.8, but you can set lower values in the config files. Some people have a better experience with values in the 0.5 - 0.8 range.

Cheers

[J37_Spyboy]

Well that provoked a wide and varied response. Thanks everyone.

I didn't think to look at the in-game sliders!!

[coconut]

 

 

You need a test pattern which looks like this, you can't use this screenshot though, you need the actual disc

 

I wonder, why is that? 

[Reflected]

Lowering the gamma to 0.5, does it make the game look brighter or darker? What does it do that is supposed to look so much better?

[Dakpilot]

I wonder, why is that? 

 

If the screen shot is from a different system with non perfect settings comparable with your own you will be basing your adjustment an incorrect base (generalised answer)

 

in windows there are built in procedures to set up monitor calibration to a reasonable basic setting

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[StG2_Manfred]

Lowering the gamma to 0.5, does it make the game look brighter or darker? What does it do that is supposed to look so much better?

 

The lower the gamma value the darker the in-game graphics. For me a value of 0.6 works perfect, because then the snow landscape is less glaring. The landscape looks even better with a value of 0.5 but then my gauges within the cockpit become too dark. You have to test it with your monitor what fits for your hardware setup best.

[TWC_Ace]

Just in case you dont know, for summer and autumn maps you will probably need 0.8-0.9 

[Matt]

The gamma value basically control the linearity between the brightest and darkest color (those two colors themselves are not affected by gamma).

 

Overall, I wouldn't say that changing the gamma value will have a positive effect on visibility in general, but that depends on the calibration of the monitor and also on the environment (bright room, dark room etc.) and that's highly subjective. I'm using 0.9 with a calibrated Eizo FS2434 in a relatively bright environment and it works the best for me.

[TP_Jacko]

Lowering the gamma to 0.5, does it make the game look brighter or darker? What does it do that is supposed to look so much better?

 

This makes the darks look darker if that makes sense gives a less washed out view, some say it helps spot contatcs  but 0.5 is typically too dark for me

 

in windows there are built in procedures to set up monitor calibration to a reasonable basic setting

 

Cheers Dakpilot

 

I looked at my NVIDEA set up and no idea how to do this calibration 

[coconut]

The windows calibration thing is used to adjust your display using the monitor's hardware controls, and that's what you should use, primarily.

The NVidia color adjustments should preferably not be used, but I have to say they are a lot easier than using the on-screen display and the buttons of my monitor.

[coconut]

 

 

The gamma value basically control the linearity between the brightest and darkest color (those two colors themselves are not affected by gamma).

 

Isn't that value typically close to 2.0? I suspect the gamma setting in the game isn't technically the same as the usual gamma setting. Then there is also the gamma setting on my monitor, which is locked to 3 in sRGB mode. The confusion is total for me.

[coconut]

Sorry for spamming this, but here is a custom mission that simply displays a pattern to adjust contrast/brightness/gamma. Gamma can be adjusted in-game during a mission through the basic settings menu.

 

 

The mission is set during the darkest hour of a moonless night. If you can see details on the ground, I would say your brightness/contrast/gamma/whateveryouwannacallit is too high. But ultimately it's up top you.

[SharpeXB]

Certainly attempting to adjust anything in the game without first setting your monitor correctly is folly.

 

I've noticed on my monitor the Brightness control doesn't function correctly or as it should. Brightness should set the black level. It moves the signal up and down the scale. On my monitor it does nothing on the test pattern but the blacks are set correctly by default.

Contrast sets the white level by changing the range of black-white. Ideally the black level should remain the same when you do this so you can set the white. That part is working well enough on mine.

When it comes to seeing white on white like BoS ground vehicles. Contrast shouldn't be turned up too high or you'll wash out the whites.

[Matt]

Isn't that value typically close to 2.0? I suspect the gamma setting in the game isn't technically the same as the usual gamma setting. Then there is also the gamma setting on my monitor, which is locked to 3 in sRGB mode. The confusion is total for me.

It's gamma in BoS. It can't be brightness or contrast, because black will stay black, regardless of ingame gamma setting.

 

The monitor gamma setting is usually 2.2. So if you set it to 2.2 in the monitor settings and it looks just fine with 1.0 set in BoS, there's no reason to change it. Lowering gamma will make colors (except for full white and black) a bit darker, which might help in spotting targets at day, same as a higher than 1.0 gamma setting might help during night missions. But you will usually lose contrast between the dark or bright colors this way, which could give it a less real look.

 

But i like i said, it's basically just subjective. But what i would definately do in general (not just for BoS), is finding the optimal calibration settings for you monitor first. Prad.de is one example, where you can usually find pretty good settings to start with.

http://www.prad.de/en/

[FuriousMeow]

It's a snow map. It should be bright, it should be blinding. Snow blindness should happen. It's all white down there. Adjusting gamma so it isn't "so you can enjoy" the game so it's not bright white from the sun reflecting the majority of light back at you is like getting the core skins modified for all planes to bright pink on your end so you can see them better. No different than jamming the gamma way up high on night missions so that you can see almost as clear as day at night.

 

I guarantee when the summer and autumn maps come out, you'll be flipping those gamma values back because those maps will be too dark and you won't be able to spot easy there now.

Edited October 15, 2015 by FuriousMeow

[Reflected]

I tried 0.8 and it looked horrible. The whites were so white, I couldn't see the horizon or distinguish the clouds. 0.9 looks ok, but I might go back to 1.0. Then again, my monitor is well calibrated.

[Leaf]

Leaf... i bet someone has an oil slick in his underpants now

 

Couldn't help but chuckle at that lol

 

Odd how simply expressing one's opinion can irritate so many...

Edited October 15, 2015 by 19te.Leaf

[Wulf]

It's a snow map. It should be bright, it should be blinding. Snow blindness should happen. It's all white down there. Adjusting gamma so it isn't "so you can enjoy" the game so it's not bright white from the sun reflecting the majority of light back at you is like getting the core skins modified for all planes to bright pink on your end so you can see them better. No different than jamming the gamma way up high on night missions so that you can see almost as clear as day at night.

 

I guarantee when the summer and autumn maps come out, you'll be flipping those gamma values back because those maps will be too dark and you won't be able to spot easy there now.

 

 

But aircrew would have been issued with tinted goggles to counteract the high levels of reflected light so perhaps making adjustments to the gamma actually produces a more realistic environment.

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

Couldn't help but chuckle at that lol

 

Odd how simply expressing one's opinion can irritate so many...

Oh, absolutely! All the way up to the point that we're calling each other names and making sophomoric wisecracks!

[Matt]

Of course snow is white, but when staring at a blinding white screen, with darker (=not as white) surroundings, that's just not comparable. Nothing wrong with toning the brightness down a bit in that case.

[TP_Jacko]

I ran my monitor calibration and came out with a completely different colour set than before and did not need to turn the ingame slider down in fact pushed it back up to remove the stronger colours.

 

So as said above looks like calibrate the monitor first then tweak the in game settings.

[Uriah]

I tried Ape's suggestion and I went bananas.

Well, not really. I did notice the world of snow was not so blinding but also the cockpit was much darker.

Dark enough to turn on the cockpit lights.

 

I also notice the outside of the plane was much darker. When I come in for a landing I open the cockpit and stick my head out.

The sky was noticeably darker.