How to fix the sky ?

[Brauner]

I'm running sh5 with all video options on to the max. When I look at the sky straight up it looks like I'm running 16 bit colors
I can see terrible circles. Using GForce 260 with latest drivers DirectX 11.
Any way I can adjust the video settings?

[SteelViking]

In the download section, reaper7 has released a replacement sky texture that reduces sky banding. It does not completely eliminate it, but it does help.

[Echolot]

I don't think SH5 use sky texture.
It works with shaders and colors defined in data\Env\EnvColors_XXXX.cfg files.
There are values named SkyTopColor and SkyBottomColor.
If there too different values you get the banding.
I update the value of SkyTopColor with the one from SkyBottomColor so both are same and it will reduce the banding.
But it's not the best solution I guess.

[SteelViking]

Yes, it does use sky shaders, but it also uses a texture. Trust me. The texture is layered over the sky geometry. The texture I am talking about is in .dds format. SHIII and IV did not use .dds, they used .tga formats only as far as I know. I have tried reaper7's replacement sky texture and it does reduce the banding.

[Echolot]

Ok. Thanks SteelViking. Will try.

Gruß.

Echolt.

[SteelViking]

In fact, now that I look at it and think about it. I am pretty sure that if you take reaper7's sky texture, open it in PS or GIMP, and save it uncompressed with gamma corrected mipmaps, you should get significantly reduced sky banding. However, the sun and moon halos will still have banding. Anyway, I did this a while ago, just follow the link for reaper7's sky fix, with what I did to improve it further. Plus it is already in JSGME format: http://www.filefront.com/16900155/re...20Sky%20Mod.7z

Cheers fellas, hope it helps you too

[Brauner]

solve the problem (sort off) tweaking video card set up
antialiasing gamma correction -> On but the Ali clouds are now sooo low on the horizon.

[Seaman_Hornsby]

Originally Posted by SteelViking

In fact, now that I look at it and think about it. I am pretty sure that if you take reaper7's sky texture, open it in PS or GIMP, and save it uncompressed with gamma corrected mipmaps, you should get significantly reduced sky banding. However, the sun and moon halos will still have banding. Anyway, I did this a while ago, just follow the link for reaper7's sky fix, with what I did to improve it further. Plus it is already in JSGME format: http://www.filefront.com/16900155/re...20Sky%20Mod.7z

Cheers fellas, hope it helps you too

I gave this a try and it does improve the sky. Banding is significantly less noticeable, which makes for much better immersion while on the bridge. Thanks man!

[SteelViking]

Originally Posted by Seaman_Hornsby

I gave this a try and it does improve the sky. Banding is significantly less noticeable, which makes for much better immersion while on the bridge. Thanks man!

You are more than welcome However, it was reaper7's original work, so don't forget him.

[reaper7]

Cheers SteelViking. You know I haven't even seen it ingame. I did it for someone else. Then heard that the Cfg file was the only way to stop banding and that texture wasn't used - So never checked to confirm.

Huh go figure, it does actually work .
Thanks for the update on that - I may do an Improved no compression version then. That one had slight compression but not as bad as DXT3/5.

[SteelViking]

I just sent you a PM about this reaper7, suggesting the exact same thing you just said you are going to do