Strange Gamma Problem...

zoda · March 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">Is this normal??</div> First off I want to say I looked at the "webbed" topic on gamma and my drivers are already up to date (41.09). I tried fooling with gamma and brightness in the console, but I got no results which helped the problem.. just a slight change even when I do very high and very low numbers. I have my display settings on my video card set and they look beatiful. Every other game runs it with no problem.

<b>So heres what happens-
When I start my game everything looks fine and then when I go onto a server everything becomes extremely bright. If I type quit in the console I can see everything appearing with perfectlly normal brightness/gamma right before it quits. When I take a screenshot it comes out like it should, but I used Photoshop to take one image and make it appear as if it would in the game.

Right when I enter the ready Room I can see the change happen.. It is really annoying because it is so bright that details are hard to see and I have trouble seeing other players.</b>

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my specs:
AMD k6-2 500MHZ CPU
geforce 4 mx420 pci (dont have agp)
256MB PC133 SDRAM
DSL
13GB HD with a low RPM
Acer V75M motherboard
ESS SOLO onboard sound
350 watt PSU
CTX 17" monitor (Im not sure what model, but its a few years old)
OS: windows 98SE

resolution:
512x480 (anything higher plays very slow)

note: I had a different monitor that didnt have this problem. The monitor got messed up after a power outage and I bought this one off a friend for like $30.It can do high resolutions and doesnt have many problems. I dont know hwo old it is. It was before I formatted so I am not sure if it is the monitor or the game which is giving me this problem..

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Here are the pictures-

edit:<b> Can someone tell me if these are working?? they arent appearing on my screen</b>
please use the links if they arent appearing on the post.

Console before I join a server/ when I take a screenshot:

<img src='http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/NSconsole.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
<a href='http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/NSconsole.jpeg' target='_blank'>www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/NSconsole.jpeg</a>

console after joining server/ edited with photoshop:

<img src='http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/NSconsoleafter.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

[URL=http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/NSconsoleafter.jpg]

In game before I join a server/ when I take a screenshot:

<img src='http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/ns_bast0000.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

In game screenshot after joining server/ edited with photoshop:

<img src='http://www.freewebz.com/zoda/screenshots/ns_bast0000after.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

Even though I edited the photos to make them appear brighter that is how it really looks when I play, It does not look like the orignal photo shows.

I heard there is a feature which makes thigns brighter in NS so you can get "more" detail.. However I seem to get a lot less... How does this feature work, does it kick in when you join a game? is there any way to disable it/ tweak it? Is there something wrong with my game> or is the only way to play with normal gamma to buy a new monitor?

It seems weird since I dont have this problem in counter-strike, quake, or death-match classic.

thanks

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edit: I fixed the images

Skumball · March 2003

You have the same problem as me:

<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=18&t=25010' target='_blank'>http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/in...ST&f=18&t=25010</a>

<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=18&t=8337&st=45' target='_blank'>http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/in...18&t=8337&st=45</a> (last message)

Apparently it is your monitor that is the problem. I have the exact same thing happen with me. I have looked into it further and the NS peeps have included a thing in each map called env_gamma which boosts the gamma on each map. Why o why I do not know as I'd much rather be able to play normally, i don't care about brighter graphics! I think our monitors aren't displaying this 'feature' as they should. You are not alone!

zoda · March 2003

Its included in the [b]<i>Maps</i>[/i]<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

thats a bummer.

your pic doesnt look that bright.. was it a screenshot like mine which came out normal anyway?

looks like we are screwed...

Do I need a LCD monitor or what?? because I plan on getting an CRT monitor by NEC within the next few months.. I have a job and am saving up for a new comp.. I will get the tower and parts first though.. Te monitor never seemed like as much of an obligation.

I would hope that Flayra reads these posts and rids these features or adds them to the game rather than maps where th euser can decide to use them or not... I bet he wont though.... It's just what 2 users so far who have complained? and we could fix it with a new monitor.. Oh well.. It's just a request. I will not be extremely angry if it never gets attention.

Skumball · March 2003

I had to brighten my image to look more like it did in-game, but it has been brighter than that. The main problem is the mini-map in both marine and commander view i.e. it can't be seen <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

But the impossibly bright textures are just as annoying and the HUD blends in with the background in some places, especially when reloading at the ammo dispenser and you really need to see how much ammo you have! That screenshot is from ns_bast and I usually shoot the 2 floodlights to make it easier on the eye <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

The map-makers have the option to set the level of gamma in the env_gamma entity and some are brighter than others. For example, ns_bast is set at 1.8 gamma and the mini-map is nothing but a white box. However ns_nancy is set to 1.3 gamma and I can just make out the mini-map, but only just. To see what gamma each map has been set to, run Half-Life with the console:

hl.exe -game ns -console

Then click on 'console' when the game loads and type:

map ns_mapname

and the gamma level is shown on-screen.

You shouldn't need an LCD monitor, just a half-decent normal one will probably do <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'> I'll be upgrading fairly soon anyway, but we still should have the option to disable the gamma boost <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

Fam · March 2003

The env_gamma increases the contrast in NS, making things look more vibrant and colourful. Most people like the effect it gives.

I cannot see those screenshots, but I suggest having a look at what your brightness and gamma settings are in Half-Life. (brightness in the console IIRC). Try reducing those a bit. The problem is normally not the env_gamma, but your graphics card and HL settings.

Skumball · March 2003

Well it is a combination of both really. If I make a test map and include the env_gamma it is too bright. If I remove this entity then it looks fine, just like the other HL mods, which is what I need. If I reduce my NVidia Gamma slider to normal then the lighter textures look OK but the game is generally too dark, which is why I increased the NVidia Gamma slider in the first place. I have to reiterate that all games and applications are fine with this NVidia Gamma increase, except NS.

Fam · March 2003

Have you run the NS gamma config (at the end of the install)?

MonsieurEvil · March 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Fam @ Mar 10 2003, 12:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Have you run the NS gamma config (at the end of the install)?  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Shortcut to gamma config also provided at:

Start | Programs | Natural Selection | Optimize Gamma Settings

If you follow those tuning steps for making sure your monitor is not manually set too bright, it will look fine in NS. The problem people usually have with gamma settings stem from them having a degrading or broken monitor. It's in effect a hardware problem with your CRT and its settings.

zoda · March 2003

theres no way to chane the env_gamma on maps, correct?? at least no way to do it without corrupting the file so it wont run on other servers... Or maybe hacking this file is illegal.. I have no idea.. anyway if there is any way to do it that is easy, wont crrupt maps, and legal(its only a slight change and jsut for me, so I dont see why not)

Well now I am starting to get used to the extreme brightness, but it's still pretty bad...

here is what the gamma for each map was set to when I loaded them up like skjumball said:
Ns_Caged 1.8
Ns_bast 1.8
Ns_nancy 1.3
Ns_Eclipse 1.7
Ns_Tanith 1.72
Ns_Hera 1.6
Ns_Nothing 1.5

I did the gamma tuner more than once and everything seems right. At my work I am always adjustiung the levels on photoshop and I can tell what looks right for the gamma tuner, but once I get into the game it doesnt look quiet so good.

Skumball · March 2003

I have followed the NS Gamma Config several times but it doesn't help.

Zoda: That bright console screenshot is similar to how mine looks after the game begins. Although that second screenshot looks very washed out, is that how it actually looks? Mine is very bright but that screenshot looks like it has been brightened rather than had a gamma increase. It's the actual textures in the game that are bright and not the screen as a whole. Did you mean:

<img src='http://mysite.freeserve.com/skumball/2bright2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

To recreate the same look as in-game I use Photoshop and use Levels by dragging the right arrow further to the left.

zoda · March 2003

nah, It really does look that washed out...... If it was like the one you did I wouldnt be too mad.. That looks ok. It's still bright, but at least I dont feel like there is smoke everywhere or the sun is a mile away... My game looks way too bright. Changing the brightness and gamma through the game seems to do little more than change how players and items look.. The map is always very bright and even with thos all tweaked out everything is still bright....

THe best combo I could find was gamma "0" / brightness "100".. It's strange, but turning the brightness up gave me more detail and turning the gamma up gave me less.. when I did this it looks best.

Oh well.. I have nothing else to say right now, I will just try and get used to this.

Zerogreat · March 2003

Mine looks normal, but sometimes it seems that the contrast is bit higher. Is there any console command to change contrast?

zoda · March 2003

Ahh well. I've gotten used to it now.

Strange Gamma Problem...

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