Smaller sun for DCS World

This replacement SkyQuad.fx file will make the sun approx 30% smaller in size.

 

I have also bundled my modified sky.fx for enhanced atmospheric and terrain lighting (a spinoff from this thread http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=90290)

 

P.S: this is WIP, if some feel the sun has been made too small please say so and i'll go about changing it.

 

once we are all happy with a size i will make a nice ray halo for it. so let me know when the size is good for everyone.

Another thought, the ED people who made the existing ray effect did it for a reason, to create an effect. And I don't dislike it. It looks quite nice.

 

They modelled the eye's response to light also, so, is this what the person who made it imagined a person might see, if squinting past a very bright sun, whilst maneuvering? Seems a reasonable thing to have done, in that respect.

 

So, back it off a bit, but I wouldn't want it gone. What a starring camera lens can show, and what a squinting human sees, are always different.

mainly for decent eye candy ingame. rather dull looking with stick out rays.

mainly for decent eye candy ingame. rather dull looking with stick out rays.

Hey diveplane, I don't know if you saw the images attached to my post up the page, I came back to this thread and they were not there after posting them earlier, take a look.

You're probably right about the eye-candy bit, I'm reading too much into it being there.

once we are all happy with a size i will make a nice ray halo for it. so let me know when the size is good for everyone.

For now it's as good as it's going to get, i've reuploaded one last version in the first post which matches what Speed says in his post.

So if you feel like giving this a go do it now :thumbup:

For now it's as good as it's going to get, i've reuploaded one last version in the first post which matches what Speed says in his post.

 

So if you feel like giving this a go do it now :thumbup:

Mustang, go to ED and ask for salary!

well done!

This doesn't seem to be working for me. Sun is the exact same size with both files installed, but with slightly different shading. Any ideas?

Nice to see your still keeping busy Mustang :thumbup:

For now it's as good as it's going to get, i've reuploaded one last version in the first post which matches what Speed says in his post.

 

So if you feel like giving this a go do it now :thumbup:

Like I said on TS, Mustang. 0.5 degrees. From cockpit, 120 Suns should fit side by side in a 60degree viewrange setting.

Speed's on the money.

This doesn't seem to be working for me. Sun is the exact same size with both files installed, but with slightly different shading. Any ideas?

Use the zoom !

With Mustang modification new sun diameter is ~ 0.3*old diameter. (with maximum zoom)

What you see with this new mod(s): the old sun-rays which is unchanged.

2nd file changes the TOO DARK landscape - what U C from High Alt.

Shoot a missile vertically upto 30-50km. Use F6 view and look back to the Earth :smilewink:

Good Job Mustang :thumbup:

Original (TOO DARK) Midday High Alt Screenshots from DCS:WH Beta:

Edit: This post is obsollete.

Here is a Update: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1526362&posted=1#post1526362

Like I said on TS, Mustang. 0.5 degrees. From cockpit, 120 Suns should fit side by side in a 60degree viewrange setting.

 

Speed's on the money.

:)It is not so easy as you might think - we can now fairly easy change the Sun disk size - but it is very hard to do the same for the "glow" around it.

.

When you do - it darkens the whole world...

I also spend a whole day in the files and after many try'n'errors I had this as my best result:

I made also a Vid to show the changes better as it you can't show the changes on static images

(sorry for the poor quality!):

And you can see that the Sun disk now has the right size and can be realistically hidden by small things.

(...but the glow is still a little oversized - not at all a problem at bright day )

And I only edited the SkyQuad.fx

- the Sky.fx is the default DCS 1.2.0 one - as changing the "glow" radius in this file changes also the whole lightning of DCS.

Here are the three edits I have made:

SkyQuad.fx :

Line #47:

float D = pow(abs(clamp(dot(normalize(viewPos.xyz), lightVec.xyz), 0.0, 1.0)), 70000.0);

// default 1000

line #49

Out.cOut.xyz = tex2D(mySampler, tex0) + step(0.3, D) * 80.0 * HDR;

// default 6.5/24

Explanation:

The value in line '47 reduces the size of the sun-disk when it will be raised

Line #49

0.3 - this reduces the disk and also the glow, but also reduces the illumination...

So I raised the Effect of HDR from 24 to 80.

Everything must be in good balance...

Maybe mustang gets some new Ideas.:)

Files attached.

Please first use the original ones to get back to the default - than copy my files over.

Excellent PeterP i'll check this out right away!

EDIT: you don't need to include the sky.fx file in your package, you only need the skyQuad.fx file.

2nd file changes the TOO DARK landscape - what U C from High Alt.

Shot a missile vertically upto 30-50km. Use F6 view and look back to the Earth :smilewink:

 

Good Job Mustang :thumbup:

i'm glad you noticed this HungaroJET ;)

Excellent PeterP i'll check this out right away!

 

EDIT: you don't need to include the sky.fx file in your package, you only need the skyQuad.fx file.

Mustang, many thanks to for showing the right way!!!

I already spend hoers in this files before - but I never found the right trigger!:).

I put in the default sky.fx so people that don't think about reverting back to the default files - will not post something like "It doesn't work!"

well.... this is my way to make something Idiot-proof...

:P

Pete, tried it at 7:15AM, and although the sun was blazing actually between the clouds, the land was not well-lit. At first I thought the Sun was behind a cloud, but when I panned around it wasn't. The sun itself looks bright, but the land is not equally morning-sun brightness, but the sun also looked out-of-round ... like a cross-bred square and circle. :D

Something is distorting the shape, and the land brightness needs to be ramped up a fair bit still.

From what you said above I gather that if you make it brighter, the rays just come back stronger, is that right?

Found something else Pete.

6:40AM this time

Panning slowly between 89 and 91 degress off-boresight from the sun, there's a sudden change in land ambience, from washed-out look, to a not well lit look (consideruing it's in bright direct sunlight, and shadow edges should therefore be fairly stark).

EDIT: Just did the same test with the standard files, to see if they do this too, and they do, except, when then standard files do it, the human iris-effects re-adjust for it, so that as the sun's disk becomes out of view, at ~91 degrees, the eye adjusts after a few seconds, then the 'dull' land brightens up again. But moving back towards the disk once more, as it gets washed out by the sudden glare, the iris-effect readjusts again, and the colours are progressively no longer all being washed out!

So what is happening is the mod's settings are preventing the iris-effect from re-adjusting to the change from direct light to shade, on the 'eye'.

Can that be rectified? Because that may be part of the solution. The other part is to make the sun appear more round again.

What happened to the mod? I had it working well in 1.2.3 but after updating to 1.2.4 I lost it, and all the download links appear to be dead.

 

Everything is fine, well , read on

- DCS uses this smaller sun itself since 1.2.3. so no need to use this mod -and its isn't compatible any-more.

 

Only the HDR effects are a little overdone for my taste - so you not really notice that the sun is smaller unless you zoom very close in to the sun.

 

Here is the successor of this mod:

HDR with a 'D' like Dynamic for DCS 1.2.4 ( 1 2 3)

PeterP

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Lagacy:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bugs and workaround:

When you have "flickering" - please use "alternate version when flickering"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHANGELOG

1.2.3 to 1.2.4:

+ Overcast fix v3 >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=93051

+ z-fighting fixes >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=92125

1.2.2 to 1.2.3:

+ alternate version when flickering

1.2.1 to 1.2.2:

+ reduced sun reflection over sea

+ reduced sun reflection also for lakes/rivers >>>

+ added Mustang's corrected sky.fx >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1532939&postcount=152

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ReadMe of 1.2.4 :

Realistic Sun 1.2.4

 

This version includes some of Mustang's shader-fixes (see change log).

 

It also includes the template I used to create the Rays.tga - so you can create your own.

 

 

Instruction:

 

Copy the contend of

 

'copy contend of this folder to DCS World'

 

into your DCS World installation and allow to overwrite.

 

Example target path :

C:Program FilesEagle DynamicsDCS World

 

Backup files are provided in 'original file DCS 1.2.0 sun'.

 

 

This is only working if you use a HDR setting!

 

 

Before/after video:

 

All intensive test where made with HDR "Normal" and 1920x1080 16:9

 

- if is this isn't working like on the video for you

and you want to change the point when the darkening of the HDR kicks in:

 

open

 

Eagle DynamicsDCS WorldBazarshaderssky

 

skyQuad.fx

 

and change in line #49 the "300.0".

 

to a smaller value = later HDR

or greater value = sooner HDR

 

use steps of 10.0 and make a test in-game

-than fine-tune it.

 

Keep in mind that it the HDR effect highly depends of your used FOV (Zoom) and how dark the actual scene is.

 

 

Higher the FOV in the external views to take screen-shots with full sun.

>>> R-Ctrl+NumPad/ <<<

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bugs and workaround:

 

When you have "flickering" - please use "alternate version when flickering"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

CHANGELOG

 

1.2.3 to 1.2.4:

 

+ Overcast fix v3 >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=93051

+ z-fighting fixes >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=92125

 

1.2.2 to 1.2.3:

 

+ alternate version when flickering

 

1.2.1 to 1.2.2:

 

+ reduced sun reflection over sea

+ reduced sun reflection also for lakes/rivers >>>

+ added Mustang's corrected sky.fx >>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1532939&postcount=152

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Please provide Feedback in this thread:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1526362#post1526362

 

 

 

Many thanks to Mustang for showing me the right place to search for a fix!

 

 

-PeterP

 

31-08-2012

changes also the default DCS World theme to reflect the change:

Please report back.

Thank you!

Awesome Peter, just awesome.

That is outstanding! :thumbup:

'You must spread rep...'

Very nice!

Hi Pete, did a heap of tests and settled on stripping the ballast out of these equations, then got fantastic lighting, and very pretty dawns, with crisp bright middays. Give it a go. :)

The version that made these screens:

float D = pow(abs(clamp(dot(normalize(viewPos.xyz), lightVec.xyz), 0.0, 0.0)), 0.0);

Out.cOut.xyz = tex2D(mySampler, tex0) + step(0.3, D) * 0.0 * HDR;

Out.cOut.w=0;

The version in your mod:

float D = pow(abs(clamp(dot(normalize(viewPos.xyz), lightVec.xyz), 0.0, 1.0)), 70000.0);

Out.cOut.xyz = tex2D(mySampler, tex0) + step(0.3, D) * 90.0 * HDR;

Out.cOut.w=0;

zzzspace.... ben there dan that :)

please have a look at the size of your sun after your edits.

It has the size of Aldebaran again.

:)I'm not looking for pretty pictures - My edits are made to give you the most realistic looking sun when in the cockpit.

Just try my mod "with ballast" again and use the "change FOV" function when not in the cockpit [R-Ctrl+/]

have a look:

Same time/place - just one day later:) - absolute believable lightning for a 0600 in the black see area.

Fantastic Peter :thumbup:

zzzspace.... ben there dan that :)

please have a look at the size of your sun after your edits.

 

It has the size of Aldebaran again.

 

:)I'm not looking for pretty pictures - My edits are made to give you the most realistic looking sun when in the cockpit.

lol, hmm, I installed it and the lighting and shadows looked all wrong to me, so I played with it until it looked right.

So I guess I want the crisp clear lighting more than the small sun. :)

lol, hmm, I installed it and the lighting and shadows looked all wrong to me, so I played with it until it looked right.

 

So I guess I want the crisp clear lighting more than the small sun. :)

Than just don't use any of the files in this thread - just switch "HDR" off in the menu...

because that is exactly what you have done with the "* 0.0 * HDR;" edit.

And than you will also have a right sized sun.:)

Gut gemacht!

I will use it!

Very nice!

Do you have results where the HDR still fills its purpose more?

I mean where the exposure kinda doesn't let me see all unlit areas and unlit bottom sides of aircrafts while I get blinded but still have your nice new sun size?