Please fix HDR

  • RealStyli
    Vanguard
    Insider

    This is not a new issue, it's one that's been in the game since the beginning pretty much.

    Basically, the HDR is not tone-mapped correctly. In most games, when you enable HDR, it expands the dynamic range of the image but doesn't drastically change the colours. Yes, the colours will be more vibrant and the darker colours will have more depth, but it should be the same tones.

    However, in Sea of Thieves, it dramatically alters how certain areas look. This is especially the case in The Wilds, where the sky takes a "toxic" yellowish-green tone - rather than the muted bluey grey in the SDR version.

    Yes, if you boost the vibrancy on the SDR image, you do see those yellows coming through, the yellow is there - but I feel like it's far, far too intense with HDR on. I think the correct vibrancy is somewhere in the 30-50% range of what has been applied.

    Another obvious example is on the menu screen where a very red light is shone on the player character model - this is from the tavern fire, but it's far too red, IMO. In this case, it feels like the vibrancy is cranked up even more, resulting in over-saturated reds.

    alt text
    Note: I have boosted the brightness a bit on the HDR pics just so they come across on SDR somewhat

    These issues with the HDR are the main reason I don't use it for Sea of Thieves, despite loving how it looks in some areas (the Shores of Plenty, for example). It's also far too dark at night with not enough shadow detail, which can be a gameplay disadvantage - when SDR is already pretty dark itself.

    It feels like Rare just threw an auto-HDR setting across the game rather than grading it correctly.

    Anyone else tried out the HDR and have thoughts?

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  • NeedSmokes
    Commander

    @realstyli

    With HDR on. Have you toggled the color blindness filter modes/strengths?

    The 3 options can make a big difference, and perhaps one of those will suit your preference better?

  • RealStyli
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @needsmokes

    I have tried that. Yes. But that doesn't fix bad HDR.

  • KlutchxKay
    Legend
    Insider

    I knew it didn’t feel right! I’ve gotten used to it but yeah, it feels like they just amped up the saturation and colors rather than tuning it.

    Absolutely deserves tweaking.

  • BurnBacon
    Vanguard
    Insider

    Here I started thinking my Xbox settings were messed up But seeing someone else also say the SoT HDR needs fixing

    Whew I been messing with my tv settings and Xbox settings just to make SoT look good, but it makes other games look nasty

  • strangeness
    Lord
    Insider

    @realstyli Obviously different setups can produce different results, but I definitely don't have the issues you do.

    Xbox series x, LG OLED CX (so expanded HDR range too). Only real issues I have are mermaid gems are too bright. A little of the wilds yellow peeks through (much oiike you describe when amping up saturation in SDR) but not nearly to the extent of your shot. And since it's there in SDR, but usually crushed, this seems like a legit thing for HDR to bring out a bit.

  • PersonalC0ffee
    Captain
    Insider
    Boatswain

    @realstyli said in Please fix HDR:

    This is not a new issue, it's one that's been in the game since the beginning pretty much.

    Basically, the HDR is not tone-mapped correctly. In most games, when you enable HDR, it expands the dynamic range of the image but doesn't drastically change the colours. Yes, the colours will be more vibrant and the darker colours will have more depth, but it should be the same tones.

    However, in Sea of Thieves, it dramatically alters how certain areas look. This is especially the case in The Wilds, where the sky takes a "toxic" yellowish-green tone - rather than the muted bluey grey in the SDR version.

    Yes, if you boost the vibrancy on the SDR image, you do see those yellows coming through, the yellow is there - but I feel like it's far, far too intense with HDR on. I think the correct vibrancy is somewhere in the 30-50% range of what has been applied.

    Another obvious example is on the menu screen where a very red light is shone on the player character model - this is from the tavern fire, but it's far too red, IMO. In this case, it feels like the vibrancy is cranked up even more, resulting in over-saturated reds.

    Note: I have boosted the brightness a bit on the HDR pics just so they come across on SDR somewhat

    These issues with the HDR are the main reason I don't use it for Sea of Thieves, despite loving how it looks in some areas (the Shores of Plenty, for example). It's also far too dark at night with not enough shadow detail, which can be a gameplay disadvantage - when SDR is already pretty dark itself.

    It feels like Rare just threw an auto-HDR setting across the game rather than grading it correctly.

    Anyone else tried out the HDR and have thoughts?

    Bro, this is so true.

    I was trying to help Banshee set up his new monitor the other day and it has HDR and Omg, it looks just like that screenshot. It was so bad.

    If someone can like fix this, it would be greatly appreciated.

    It won't personally benefit me, as I'm not all into HDR.

  • RealStyli
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @strangeness said in Please fix HDR:

    @realstyli Obviously different setups can produce different results, but I definitely don't have the issues you do.

    Xbox series x, LG OLED CX (so expanded HDR range too). Only real issues I have are mermaid gems are too bright. A little of the wilds yellow peeks through (much oiike you describe when amping up saturation in SDR) but not nearly to the extent of your shot. And since it's there in SDR, but usually crushed, this seems like a legit thing for HDR to bring out a bit.

    To clarify, I play on PC connected to a brand new Samsung QN90b QLED screen (I went with the 43" specifically because it's great for gaming).

    I used to think this was a PC specific issue until I saw someone on Xbox Series X streaming with HDR on (not recommended) and realised the colours were the same there.

    The yellowish green (more so the green) does come through if you crank the vibrancy on the SDR image all the way up, that is true. But that just goes to prove that it's not graded (calibrated) correctly in the software. The colour tones should not look so different if they are done correctly. What you should see is more accurate colours and for the image to "pop".

    Yellow is one of those colours that is harder to represent on SDR but it shouldn't dominate when that image is displayed in HDR.

    Now, this is something that could be perhaps tweaked in Windows by adjusting the blue gamma but, as other games don't seem to suffer the same issue (and it is on consoles as well), that would suggest this is a game-specific issue.

  • Tipper II7
    Seafarer
    Insider

    @realstyli

    Has there been any response from Rare or has anyone found anything to help this issue. I have the exact same issues on my Acer XB283K KV monitor. HDR looks really dim when I turn the in game HDR slider to just past where the square turns white, like I'm supposed to. Screen is dim and dull, and the game is unplayable at night due to how dark it gets. If i crank the slider up to where the brightness and colors look really good and I can see at night, I get really bad brightness washout in the outdoor to where I can't see further than one or two map squares. I get the same yellowish tint to everything in The Wilds as well.

  • PersonalC0ffee
    Captain
    Insider
    Boatswain

    Just disable HDR for SoT until they fix it. No, it hasn't been fixed yet.

  • Scheneighnay
    Ship Mate

    I play with HDR on console and without it on PC.

    Game looks ridiculously darker with HDR on to the point that it's hard to see anything at night, even with a lantern. God forbid if there's actually light in the room to make screen glare.
    Daytime is much less vibrant as well.

    Only upside is that glowing is easier to spot and distinguish.

    I don't get the color issue though, it's just darker.

    Should mention screenshots and recordings aren't a good measure. I've found that in HDR they look a lot different than they actually did in-game. I have one example where the recording is extremely dark but looked normal in game.

  • RealStyli
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @scheneighnay

    Yep, I did brighten up the screenshots in the OP to better compare the colours between HDR and SDR. The post was more about the colours being incorrect - especially in The Wilds.

    I touched on the darkness issue but that's harder to illustrate what's wrong - basically, the black levels are crushed, resulting in it being very hard to make out detail in the shadows. This seems to be worst in the Shores of Plenty, for some reason, and with certain hulls. Though you can improve things (on SDR as well) by turning off local dimming and auto contrast, and turning on shadow detail, if your screen has those settings.

  • ImaJhin6647
    Sailor

    STILL NOT FIXED im done with this game for good theyre too worried about underwater fast travel that takes FOREVER and sounds bad also leaving treasure one of the most useless features as the sailing is majority of the game, they also focus on dumb season rewards, all i want is to play with hdr like EVERYOTHER GAME I PLAY, no issues but some reason rare cant get the "picture" idk why theres a slider for hdr brightness it only has 2 options 400 or brighter than [mod edit] sun burning your retinas, years this game has been out and years ive seen this still an issue its clear they dont wanna fix it so its clear they want me to quit

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    Deckhand

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