NOT YET UPDATED TO 0.19, so cant say what sorcery will happen if you try it! Make sure you download the latest version which is posted in the later pages of this thread, the files in this first post are old and will probably look weird if working at all. Installation process is also simplified, described in each post which contains a version. For the latest info, check this post: https://beamng.com/threads/graphics-mod-alternative-lighting.60343/page-13#post-1158760 What it is: Its a combination of sky and lighting settings for maps and changes to the PostFx files. In the Beamng 0.19+ version(s) ill include: Tonemapping changes (more filmic) Bloom changes (possibility to have a softer but stronger bloom) Higher quality SSAO (double the resolution, 'fixes' issues atleast my computer has with it such as artifacts around edges and also clouiding surfaces) Vanilla map specific sky/lighting changes to suit the tonemapping FPS shouldnt drop by much since these are mostly just changes and not replacements but the high quality SSAO will impact it. Also the tonemapping might do although i havent seen any on my specific spec. OLD INFO BELOW Quick comparison (2020-01-09), this is on Hirochi which i assume havent got all the devs Lighting updates that Utah got in 0.18 but you get an idea: Vanilla (removed my mods and deleted my Settings-folder and the cache-folder so things should have reverted to vanilla): My mod: Working Tonemapping (Didnt work after introducing DirectX 12, does now) Fixed Bloom offset (Had a weird offset, fixed now) High quality SSAO (Hardcoded. High quality means no artifacts around sharp edges and no bumpy/cloudy look) High quality DOF (Not sure it the high uality makes any difference tbh. Might also look into DOF Blur Curve Near settings, since its more or less ON/OFF) Working Minimum Luminance (Awesome for making better transition between bloom/non-bloom luminance) Working White Cutoff (If you like blown out exposure, this makes it possible) Adjusted scales for many PostFx settings so that they are more userfriendly (example. Bright pass threshold) Working tick boxes for the PostFx window Adjusted visible distance on maps in order to get smooth DOF curves and smooth Fog transition Probably some more that ive forgot @Grevata has made a great installation video, check it out here: OLDER INFO BELOW UPDATE 2019-06-07 Changed way of posting. Will now link to post on this thread. Note that the files in this first post are now considered old. UPDATE 2019-05-18 Miniupdate with a small big deal in it. First is the PostFx which has recieved an update to DOF, i like autofocus but its broken so curves are not really reacting as they should when adjusted. Could lead to flicker between close and far DOF. Tuned down close DOF since i still like it but wanted less impact when the flickering occurs. SSAO has been slightly adjusted too. Second is the core.zip (extract into your C:\Users\Username\Documents\BeamNG.drive-folder). This will take more or less care of an issue with SSAO, which ive always thought to be cloudy or spotted or something, would also leave very obvious resolution differences (SSAO is usually textured at half scale) so edges would look low resolution if you didnt want to kill SSAO with over blurriness so that it would look like the car sat on a dark cloud. The file ups the SSAO render scale to1.0 of the original resolution, way better even though im guessing it could do with some improvement of therest of the code cause it should be needed. Looks way better when you know the difference IMHO. You might but shouldnt need to clear your cache for this one. Screens below and later in this thread, on page 6, post 115. The forum dont like my font colors, as can be seen since i get post coding everywhere. UPDATE 2019-05-17 (italy016.zip, perfectizione elbe.zip) Good things are coming, well theyre actually already here, ive released another Alternative lighting mod for BeamNGs 0.16 Italy map. With that is a PostFx preset for you to use in order to accomplish a look as the latest screens below (26 of them). Abit much of everything for some, just enough for some. Not too keen on heavy SSAO, DOF plenty off though still driveable. Im using autofocus. Bloom is adjusted accordingly and is as good as i can get it without overblooming stuff (as in Dirt 2.0 for example) or not noticing it at all. Light rays are there but very minor. Lens flare is designed to almost kill you IF you look straight into the sun, if you dont you should be ok. Specular (brightness of the sky settigns) is set to make highlights pop, also helps get some contrast on the landscape. Installation instructions is the same, unzip the Italy zip into your C:\Users\Username\Documents\BeamNG.drive\levels-folder Unzip the PostFX into C:\Users\Username\Documents\BeamNG.drive or wherever you want to find it. Almost forgot, change the TOD to morning or evening or atleast something else than mid day, gives a better atmosphere than having everything lit at max. Enjoy! UPDATE 2019-03-21 (mount_coottha.zip, POSTFX12 GENERAL.zip) New map mod out! @B25Mitch awesome Mount Coot-Tha. Note that we've had a rename of the mod, since im trying to create some sort of new-gen simcade (Forza H4, Dirt 2.0 and so on) graphics mod, and not a Natural Light mod. New PostFx too, suits the Mount Coot-Tha good, veeeery WIP SSAO on this though cause i accidently erased the current one and had to remake it from an old version. Screenshots added. Edit: since @Exchy got green going for him i made a less green version, for those that experience the same, check THIS post. UPDATE 2019-02-21 Apparently i wrote '2017' as the year for the other updates, donno why. Changed that. ECUSA added! "east_coast_usa.zip". Testing things.. so yeah, have a go One, yes ONE screenshot but also a vid added to demonstrate, check below. PostFX added too "POSTFX8 GENERAL.zip". The one i use now or atleast in ECUSA. UPDATE 2019-01-17 (POSTFX3 ECUSA.zip) Added this due to the POSTFX2.zip made the DOF effect the vehicles in ECUSA, test this one out if you experience the same thing as @CrimsonCrocodile made me aware of. UPDATE 2019-01-16 (utah v1.zip) Utah has been added! Had this on my disk for a short while but havent done alot of work on it the last days. Dont know if any more work is needed but we'll see.. So since the status of this thread is "WIP Beta Released" i might aswell include it Acreens added btw, a few fast ones from a sticky situation. (italy v2.zip) Italy has been updated, night is now darker. Shadows has been finetuned (lightened ever so little). Lighting has been slightly changed and will now have a almost unnoticeable wider saturation range (=more colorful). (POSTFX2.zip) PostFx has been changed too, SSAO more precise and Bloom hits a wider field of colors and is also slightly increased in strength. (the original PostFx zip has been renamed to POSTFX1.zip to keep track of things easier) Please, say which one of the version you like better and why. Itll help to get this to perfection I present to you BeamNG Alternative Lighting. TITLE CHANGE, was prior to this known as BeamNG Natural Lighting but after a chat with B25Mitch i realized it might not be the most appropriate name so now its Alternative Lighting cause thats what it is Earlier ive been doing alot of Reshade presets but theyre quite heavy and has its downsides as a gfx overlay, this is simply other settings in BeamNG itself. I read up on setting up sky/light/shadows settings in Torque3D, aiming at getting a natural feel to it and this is the result. These settings will make the previous kind of dull and bland textures, normals textures, shadings, shadows, models, all things that is lit up or not pop to life, something ive always missed in BeamNG. Ive also attached a PostFx preset file that will work great with WCUSA and Italy, which will be the first two maps to be released. I have plenty more settings set up for alot of other maps, original and mods, but these are more WIP than the ones i release as a first step. The graphics settings i use is more or less full everything, SMAA, all PostFX boxes are ticked and so on BUT ive reduced my Dynamic Reflections, primarily the distance (set to 100m, usually 50m cause you can see more anyways) and update rate settings. Heres basicly what it will look like, ive made some minor changes to look better throughout the TOD loop:
hmm, I might need help on installing this, I already put the .ter files on the right folder. but doesn't seem to work
I need to do some digging around later then out of the house atm. I did ask here and installing it is how i understood it from the devs @Nadeox1 : https://beamng.com/threads/where-is-map-settings-saved-if-f11-ingame.60318/
If the screens are to be beleived, this is a huge improvement graphically. I’ll definitely be trying this out when I get the time!
Thats how it looks for me but i might have missed something getting it to work for others. I dont want to release a whole new map when ive only changed a few parameters, not models and so on. Ill have a look later on. MEANWHILE, HAS ANYONE GOT IT TO WORK?
@RiFlech , try this one, its all the content from my Italy folder, could need everything, although i didnt think so.. Place the content from the zip into your My Documents/Beamng.drive/levels/Italy/ -folder Make a backup of yours first though --- Post updated --- Until i get this running for all of us, heres a few additional screens from a unofficial fav map EDIT: ZIP moved to first post.
I loaded up West Coast after the update finally finished, and turned on the PostFX you made for West Coast, but I barely see any changes from my attempt (All I see is slightly lighter SSAO). You know what's going on or do I have to replace the whole file?
….Oh....it was just mentioned as theTerrain.ter or something, so I thought it was only for Italy working. I guessed I was just being dumb though.
Np, i didnt put all the correct files in it either, so you wouldnt have noticed any difference until todays update anyway
So, I totally forgot to redownload both files, but before I redo the process, do I have to do anything else other then placing West_Coast_USA.ter/.json in the folder and use the PostFX file, or is there anything else I need to do, like deleting the original files?
All the files in the levels zip need to be in the folder, not only the .ter file Good to see the difference with avanilla maps! Only using the PostFx will not do much since the lighting changes is in the map settings themselves, not after effects --- Post updated --- For the fun of it i took a screenshot (the first one below) with the Natural Lighting and my PostFx to make a complete comparison, as shading are now IMO better with my map settings i dont need to push the SSAO so hard, neither do i need to add contrast to the screen using LUT, compared to before. I would really like to see my map settings and you PostFx, i imagine it now being quite strong compared to without my map settings. In the second screenshot ive circled some of the differences that can be seen by using my lighting setting, with or without PostFx. The highlights and overall shadings are now visible/more visible, the normal maps for the taillights, tires, road surface, you name it, is now doing their job instead of as before when they were not very pronounced at all. Other things that can be seen is the shadows in the trees, static objects and so on has a greater impact on the rest of the world, its also darker, as is the light lighter A vast improvement overall if you ask me
Can't see difference between vanilla and natural lightning and at the last one not realistic for gameplay to have DoP IMO. When you drive is true you focus at the road but still can see the mountains clear. I don't know How even exist the option for playing when is just a photographie matter.
Thanks, yeah found that yesterday lol Ill remove it and update the file as soon as possible. Otherwise does WCUSA seem to work? Whats your overall impression, good/bad and so on?
Oh wow! I didn't realise this had been released. I'll check it out next time I have a chance to play and give you my opinions
