Automatic Gamma Changes

[Jimpanse1]

Hi guys, first thread here and already got some curious problem.

Since i use the newest patch there seems be some changes happening onscreen. It seems to depend whether the current visible area seems dark or not.
I had to take the following pictures in window mode, because the ingame screen capture always looks normal.

Spoiler

High Gamma

Normal Gamma

I was wondering if any of you guys have an idea why this only happens in the newest patch(1.27)
I did try to rewind the patch using the Replay Kit, so i can 100% it only happens in 1.27

What i accidently found out while i was actually trying to make those pictures: if i press Shift+Backspace, the Automatic Gamma regulations seem to stop. But its kinda annoying to deactivate it and of course accidently activate it if you're typing ingame.
Has anyone of you ever heard of that Combination?

I would appreciate any answers or suggestions and of course for your questions.

Further information:
- It also happens when i try to use the W3Editor while having patch 1.27
- I use the eurobattle.net Client(Since eurobattle.net is my favorite server)
- if i start WC3 TFT with Open GL the problem doesnt seem to appear (Although no solution since games like Pudge Wars & Archer Wars only show white screens, if i use Open GL)


Jim

 

[Kaijyuu]

The recent patch was for modern OS compatibility. It's conceivable that the new libraries/whatever they're using added some features like this.

My guess is your computer itself has some sort of gamma correction that wc3 previously could not hook into. Now it can.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Are you using a laptop, Jimpanse1? If so it could be a laptop specific shortcut, possibly tied to some sort of bloatware that came with it.

The reason it works now is probably because WC3 hooks to D3D9 now as opposed to D3D8.

Gamma should be set to around 2.2 for correct brightness display, assuming the people at Blizzard knew what they were doing and did not mess up the colour management pipeline (which SC2 leaves me to believe they vaguely did). Ideally they should use a sRGB output buffer for even more accurate output (as gamma 2.2 is only a rough approximation of sRGB) but that would raise the minimum system requirements as it was only added as standard functionality into later versions of D3D9.

 

[Jimpanse1]

I have a normal self built computer.

Mentioning the switch to D3D9 made me think why it only happens if i avoid using Open GL.
After checking every file in the tft folder i found a config for the enbseries. (I just cant remember when i put it there...)
The ENBSeries served as a "graphic enhancer" with the active effect "Bloom" which seemed to adjust the gamma ingame.

After finding the correct lines i finally managed to disable the Bloom effect and change the default hotkeys for each effect.
It seems like the first line actually had a filter which only activates if the game uses D3D9. ^^

Thanks for your help

 

[Dr Super Good]

The ENBSeries served as a "graphic enhancer" with the active effect "Bloom" which seemed to adjust the gamma ingame.

Bloom and gamma are not the same...

 

[pyf]

[...] After checking every file in the tft folder i found a config for the enbseries. (I just cant remember when i put it there...)
The ENBSeries served as a "graphic enhancer" with the active effect "Bloom" which seemed to adjust the gamma ingame.

After finding the correct lines i finally managed to disable the Bloom effect and change the default hotkeys for each effect.
It seems like the first line actually had a filter which only activates if the game uses D3D9. ^^ [...]

If files d3d8.dll and d3d9.dll are in your WC3 folder, then they are probably part of the ENBSeries, as well as the other enb<something> files. They are overriding stock Microsoft Direct3D dlls for the game.

I believe HDR and Bloom are the only effects the ENBSeries can add to WC3.

 

[Dr Super Good]

I believe HDR and Bloom are the only effects the ENBSeries can add to WC3.

Both of which it probably does incorrectly...

WC3 only uses d3d9.dll now.

 

[pyf]

It is indeed 'fake' bloom.

Some 'WC3-ready' ENB archives, might include an additional Palette file (enbpalette.bmp).

I personally dislike the game world being darker with it:
ENB Series for Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne | Telur Hitam

I believe ENBSeries for WC3 has been kinda debunked in this thread:
ENB for WarCraft 3