4K DSR can be combined with special effects to simulate photorealism (SCREENSHOTS)

[beakerboy66]

My fellow PC Gaming Enthusiasts....

We've come a LONG way in game visuals, likely more than many people realize.

There is a software known as ReShade SweetFX 2.0 that allows you to customize the visual of a 3D application (a game). I decided to try using a high end preset that was created specifically for Rise of the Tomb Raider, and I also raised the SMAA to ultra. For those wondering, the preset enables SMAA, HDR, Lumasharpen, Cineon DPX, and Curves. Major props to the genius behind the configuration. I'm the genius who put it work...

And NO, this is not extremely demanding. It's less demanding than using 4K DSR, which is why I don't understand why more people aren't using it. Welp, I'm raising awareness now!

The following is a set of image comparisons across multiple games, where I'm using max in-game settings, max nvidia control panel settings, 4K DSR, and then the SweetFX turned off / turned on.

THIS IS ABOUT THE PURSUIT OF PHOTOREALISM. SweetFX 2.0 is a MAJOR step forward, and I think you'll agree.

My Rig:
EVGA Super-clocked GTX 970, Intel i5 4690K @ 3.5 Ghz ------Windows 10-------16GB Ram

Spoiler

 

[k1114]

I've known about sweetfx a long time but I disagree with you and suggest not using it. Sure it may seem more visually appealing with higher vibrance and contrast but it's actually more unrealistic and steps away from the dev's intended color mood. I'm seeing a lot of ugly blown out colors in those pics. What monitor do you have?

 

[beakerboy66]

I've known about sweetfx a long time but I disagree with you and suggest not using it. Sure it may seem more visually appealing with higher vibrance and contrast but it's actually more unrealistic and steps away from the dev's intended color mood. I'm seeing a lot of ugly blown out colors in those pics. What monitor do you have?

And I'd suggest a visit to the eye doctor. NVidia has publicly encouraged everyone to use this program on their Rise of the Tomb Raider graphics guide.

I have a SamSung 27" SyncMaster T260HD(digital)

When I toggle the effects on (first of all, it's -20 fps usually, so why the hell would I sacrifice FPS if the game looked less realistic), there's tons and tons of details that suddenly become visible, due to how the lighting seems to become more accurate. I don't know how you didn't notice that in the screenshots. The example is the first shadow of mordor screen

 

[k1114]

So in real life, you see blown out colors at everything you look at? The whole point of entertainment and why nvidia suggested it is to be more visually appealing. This is why movies are shot in different filters making it more unrealistic lighting. The same goes for this, more appeal, less realistic. Just a tn monitor as expected. Maybe if you had a better one, you'd see the detail without more post processing.

 

[Gam3r01]

I have to agree with k1114 here.
While some details are more pronounced, its generally in areas that look darker in the first image of the comparisons.
The rest of the image is just over saturated, some even begin to get washed out. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to games, but my migraines would be constant if the world was that saturated.

Look at the NFS pictures, you cant even read the numbers.

 

[beakerboy66]

So in real life, you see blown out colors at everything you look at? The whole point of entertainment and why nvidia suggested it is to be more visually appealing. This is why movies are shot in different filters making it more unrealistic lighting. The same goes for this, more appeal, less realistic. Just a tn monitor as expected. Maybe if you had a better one, you'd see the detail without more post processing.

TN monitors are good for gaming
and, something that is visually appealing is visually appealing because it IS more realistic. What do you think creates the sense of appeal? realism, of course, that's how our brains work. so basically, you have a monitor that "blows out colors" by default, is what you're saying.

 

[beakerboy66]

I have to agree with k1114 here.
While some details are more pronounced, its generally in areas that look darker in the first image of the comparisons.
The rest of the image is just over saturated, some even begin to get washed out. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to games, but my migraines would be constant if the world was that saturated.

Look at the NFS pictures, you cant even read the numbers.

It isn't a perfect enhancement, yeah it has a downside where it occassionaly will look better turned off, for instance in very bright scenes I've noticed it. BUT after playing with the enhancement, there's no way I will go back, coz 90 percent of the time, I'm seeing like twice as much detail, if not more, than I would without it.

 

[basroil]

So in real life, you see blown out colors at everything you look at? The whole point of entertainment and why nvidia suggested it is to be more visually appealing. This is why movies are shot in different filters making it more unrealistic lighting. The same goes for this, more appeal, less realistic. Just a tn monitor as expected. Maybe if you had a better one, you'd see the detail without more post processing.

As a professional photographer for about a decade, I have to agree that these images are made WORSE through those settings rather than better. It's a novice mistake I see often, over saturating and over contrasted "instagram" filtered garbage.
To the OP: Take some classes in photography and videography before attempting to make your own presets, since there's a lot to consider, especially how effects influence the tone of the story and, from a gameplay perspective, visibility of subjects.

 

[k1114]

I wouldn't call any of what you are doing as really seeing more detail but rather the detail is already there, you are just making it more noticeable. The first shadow of mordor screen, the one with him crouching if I'm correct. You kinda removed the atmospheric haze and higher contrast/saturation accentuates textures and objects. Extra haze is added to focus more on the foreground and also to fade the background which goes to a lower level of detail to have less strain. Why I mentioned monitors was because reviews for yours said it has lackluster colors and is pretty much a tv. This would make sense why what you did is better looking for your monitor to try to make up for it's downfalls. But on the other hand it could just also be personal preference and opinions is the main reason why everyone is or isn't using sweetfx and why devs are not doing the same filters as you by default.

I'd go a step further and say it's not really the realism that is more appealing, it's more visual depth and complexity. Okami, wind waker, street fighter, plenty of games are seen as the most visually appealing games but far from realistic. Confusing complexity with realism and stylizing with what reality really looks like. Higher color saturation and contrast is not what real life looks like so is less realistic and stylizing is the opposite of realism.

For example the second screenshot, the hallway is pretty well lit and yes it's more monotone and boring but light bounces and diffuses. You can't have that bright of a light on the door and another light on the stairs but such a dark area at the bottom of the stairs with 2 lights. The one with the girl and the house, the only way you'd have high contrast in lighting is from a harsh sunlight and you'll notice a nice example of this in gta in the desert vs lighting in the city. The kitchen and table won't be that dark with so much light coming into the house.

I wouldn't go as far as to call it filtered garbage like instagram garbage but I could compare it to something like 300 which is nice looking but I don't want everything to be epic lighting. You like what you do and want it on every game, go ahead but you see lots of people won't. Like I said in my first post, less realism, messes up the mood, maybe more appeal.

 

[beakerboy66]

I wouldn't call any of what you are doing as really seeing more detail but rather the detail is already there, you are just making it more noticeable. The first shadow of mordor screen, the one with him crouching if I'm correct. You kinda removed the atmospheric haze and higher contrast/saturation accentuates textures and objects. Extra haze is added to focus more on the foreground and also to fade the background which goes to a lower level of detail to have less strain. Why I mentioned monitors was because reviews for yours said it has lackluster colors and is pretty much a tv. This would make sense why what you did is better looking for your monitor to try to make up for it's downfalls. But on the other hand it could just also be personal preference and opinions is the main reason why everyone is or isn't using sweetfx and why devs are not doing the same filters as you by default.

I'd go a step further and say it's not really the realism that is more appealing, it's more visual depth and complexity. Okami, wind waker, street fighter, plenty of games are seen as the most visually appealing games but far from realistic. Confusing complexity with realism and stylizing with what reality really looks like. Higher color saturation and contrast is not what real life looks like so is less realistic and stylizing is the opposite of realism.

For example the second screenshot, the hallway is pretty well lit and yes it's more monotone and boring but light bounces and diffuses. You can't have that bright of a light on the door and another light on the stairs but such a dark area at the bottom of the stairs with 2 lights. The one with the girl and the house, the only way you'd have high contrast in lighting is from a harsh sunlight and you'll notice a nice example of this in gta in the desert vs lighting in the city. The kitchen and table won't be that dark with so much light coming into the house.

I wouldn't go as far as to call it filtered garbage like instagram garbage but I could compare it to something like 300 which is nice looking but I don't want everything to be epic lighting. You like what you do and want it on every game, go ahead but you see lots of people won't. Like I said in my first post, less realism, messes up the mood, maybe more appeal.

Hey man I took your advice and bought a new 27" LED monitor. It's Asus and it has a 50,000,000:1 contrast ratio with 2ms response time.

I took a good look at my screenshots, and at my games running in 1080P with and without "sweetfx" and came to the conclusion you're right

the developers make stuff look the way they look for a reason, and messing with it isn't helping much, mostly coz everything turns into some weird reddish color on my new monitor (which kicks major ass)

It's the VE278H

 

[basroil]

Hey man I took your advice and bought a new 27" LED monitor. It's Asus and it has a 50,000,000:1 contrast ratio with 2ms response time.

I took a good look at my screenshots, and at my games running in 1080P with and without "sweetfx" and came to the conclusion you're right

the developers make stuff look the way they look for a reason, and messing with it isn't helping much, mostly coz everything turns into some weird reddish color on my new monitor (which kicks major ass)

It's the VE278H

1) Fix the first post, make everything links rather than embedded, it's annoying as all hell.
2) You're still doing it wrong, you need to calibrate the monitor before considering anything "reddish" or anything. xrite color monkey or spider5 are great devices for just that. All professional studios use color calibration, and you'll get the best results with a real calibrator.

 

[k1114]

The monitor is better but still average at best. 50m:1 is dynamic which is just marketing to fool people like you. Static is going to be less than 1000:1 like other tn. If you want high contrast and good color, you should've gone with va. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824014373 Very nice black levels and better color reproduction than tn. The only thing that would beat a va display for contrast is oled. This ones about the same price and is even a true 8 bit panel. I wouldn't go 1080p 27" personally but if that's what you want too.

I wouldn't worry about calibrating for a casual gamer use.

I put the pics in a spoiler for him.