LCD Issues (on Night Missions) Any Suggestions?

[Wozza]

Hi all

I'm running one of the newer LCD's, a 19" Viewsonic VX924. It's a great monitor for all my current games (X3 Reunion, Call of Duty2, age of Empires) but when I fired up SH3 for the first time since I changed from a CRT I cannot see a THING on night missions. From dawn to dusk it looks better than it ever did but regardless of weather conditions (I can see the stars clearly) I cannot even make out the crew members on the bridge. I'm aware that LCD's don't display black areas on screen as well as CRT's, but SH3 is now unplayable at night. Any advice or suggestions (apart from go back to CRT!) greatfully received.

Cheers
Wozza

[slow_n_ez]

I was in same boat with you with my 19" Gem LCD ... Great monitor .. worked with everything except the night time stuff in SH3 ...

Open the game... then adjust your monitor for fuller brightness .. There wasn't any in game option to change the gamma or brightness that I found .. but just manually changing the buttons on the monitor case seemed to work very well ...... plus didn't cause any real difference in any of game or anything ..... hope that heps some what............

[kiwi_2005]

I get the same problem with my lcd at night a blind man could see better than i. complete blackness with maybe a hint of light on the waves to let me know im not staring at a dead monitor.

U can try turning up the brightness in windows display settings, - doesn't work well for me though.

Markiknov has a night mod but it conflicts with one of my other mods so i have to disable it, yet it use to give some light.

[Torplexed]

That's sad to hear. I was thinking of picking up a flat screen. Guess I'll hang on to my big bulky CRT monitor a little longer.

[Wozza]

Thanks guys. I admit that I haven't spent alot of time fiddling with the desktop options, except those on the monitor itself, and they're next to useless. I have an Nvidia control panel that I can adjust gamma, contrast etc, so I'll try and find a compromise between blinding sunlight and a readable night!.

Torplexed, don't give up hope. You'd have to see SH3 on my monitor to believe how good it looks during dawn daylight and dusk. It may be worth asking how other people get on with their LCD. If I can get my SH3 nights back to useable, I'll post back.

[jbt308]

Ya know it's funny. I've been using the same LCD for the past 3 years. When SH3 first came out, I was using an ATI card, and nighttime looked perfect, not too dark, not too light, it was perfect.

I recently reinstalled SH3, and the only thing that's changed is I got a 7800GT card, now, I can see more with my eyes closed. I never had the RUB or any of the other major mods installed, so I just chalked it up one of the mods. Now I'm starting to think it might be the card. The ATI looked so much better than the newer nVidia, so this might just be another issue with nVidia cards, at least for me.

[Marhkimov]

Just export the graphic TGA's from my ocean mod files and import them into your own game files. That's how I made the lighter night sky.

[Wozza]

Now I'm starting to think it might be the card. The ATI looked so much better than the newer nVidia, so this might just be another issue with nVidia cards, at least for me.

Mmmmm. I too have a 7800GT. I wonder if this is a pattern.

[Oleif]

I just loaded RUb for the first time and experienced the same problem. Its impossible to see at night on me NEC lcd monitor. Id love to see a resolution to this.

[Kaptan Tommy]

Hmmmm. I'm with Torplexed. I've been dreaming of a new flat screen, but in light of all this, it gives me reason to pause. Over the years I've gone from 15" to 17" to my current 19" (as I updated computer systems). Now I'm thinking of a possible super machine sometime this year and seeing if I can afford a 20" or 21" flat screen (I'm getting older[er] and using failing eyesight as my excuxe :lol: ).

Too bad there's no way I can test SH3 on a monitor before I buy it. All those fish videos they have running in the store make these new flat screens look so damned great...

[Cpt.Thorne]

I had the same problem with Rub (all the versions) I have 17 inch Viewsonic with GeForce 6600, but after I installed Krillers water mod on top of Rub I was able to see again. I also now have Markhimovs mod installed so I am not able to tell if my night is Kriller night or Markhimovs night but all in all still able to see things. Hope you get it to work
Cpt.Thorne

[Emcon]

Marhkimov:
Just export the graphic TGA's from my ocean mod files and import them into your own game files. That's how I made the lighter night sky.

I've got a LCD too. And this helped for me. :sunny:

[Type XXIII]

Alternatively, play in a darkened room. A lot easier to see contrasts on a dark screen if you're not in a bright environment.

Or, if you're hardcore, buy red lightbulbs and use them at night. :hmm:

[clive bradbury]

One word - Powerstrip.

[irish1958]

I have a viewsonic 900x LCD digital moniter and have no problems.
irish1958

[trenken]

I have a 19" Sony, and although it's very dark at night, it doesn't really bug me too much. I guess just because im used to it. Ive never played this game on a CRT so it looks fine to me. But yes, it's dark on my LCD too.

[jbt308]

Or, if you're hardcore, buy red lightbulbs and use them at night. :hmm:

Yes, hardcore, see below.
You can see the wonderful LCD in the picture. From what I've been reading, I don't think it has to do with the LCD, sounds more like a textures/video card issue. I'll try that fix when I get home from work later.

Before:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a217/jbt308/before.jpg


After:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a217/jbt308/after.jpg

[Oleif]

JBT you are my hero

[kiwi_2005]

Or, if you're hardcore, buy red lightbulbs and use them at night

Running a red light bulb in my place would only get the nosy neighbours calling me a pimp :hmm: :arrgh!:

[jbt308]

JBT you are my hero

I do what I can

Wife prefers me pretending to be a sub captain then me going out to bars and strip joints, hehehe. Cheaper too.

[Myxale]

Wow thats quite cool, and a red bulb won't cost the world.

Might try it myself...great idea...but as Kiwi said, being a Pimp of a Kaleun might call up some attention from the BdU or the person next door! lol
. :up:

:arrgh!:

[jbt308]

Just export the graphic TGA's from my ocean mod files and import them into your own game files. That's how I made the lighter night sky.

I installed your smoke mod, OMG, you've done it, you've made the game enjoyable again. Seeing those tiny little puffs of crappy looking smoke compared to what you've done, oh man. I can't thank you enough.

I checked out the Light Sky mod as well, just a touch too bright for me, I'm gonna fiddle with some values and see what I can do.

Again, thanks for smoke mod!

[waste gate]

Why not try 'Marhkimov's_LIGHT_ NIGHT_ mod'? It works well on my 19" Sony LCD and my notebook LCD as well.

You can find it here:

http://u-boot.realsimulation.com/
SH3 Downloads, General section.

[jimmie]

One thing you may try is view angle. unlike CRT, LCDs can display very differently at diffrent angle - especially color. you may not see any difference at day but at night.

[MONOLITH]

One word - Powerstrip.


He's right.

I recommend this for anyone who plays dark games. It saved me on my dark monitor.

It allows you to change the gamma or brightness while still ingame, and works very well.

Give it a try, you can always delete it.

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm


Also, not sure about Nvidia, but ATI cards have a hot key set up in the Catalyst Control Center that you can do the same thing, increase the gamma while in game.

[Average Joe]

One thing I noticed after using Geforce video cards for so long, then watching two ATi cards on other computers, then finally tossing my Geforce for an ATi. It seems Geforce sets their default brightness higher than ATi's.

Even with a CRT I still use (hot-keyed) gamma-increases for night patrols, using Ray Adam's Ati Tray Tools, then switch back to normal for day patrols.

[tycho102]

Yes, hardcore, see below.



Awesome. All you need now is a dive klaxon (http://www.airraidsirens.com/klaxon/). Remember in "Mary Poppins", and there was the old British admiral who sounded at the o'clock?


Every day at 1700 hours:

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