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[SAS~Tom2]

Hello fellow sim nerds !

Over the time I modified my gapa gamma tool settings a tad, IIRC my default settings were thankfully taken from Avala's and redko's presets.
For FreeFalcon, Falcon BMS and IL-2 I made some additional setting changes which I find sometimes useful, depending on the theatre.

Just unzip anywhere, start with the gapa exe icon and my presets are Numpad numbers 1-8, where 3 is back to default. Also the arrow keys shift between some settings.
You may easily exit the progy by right-clicking on the gapa taskbar symbol and hitting exit.
Gapa just sits on top of your monitor brightness, contrast and colour setup and does not even need a registry.
https://www.mediafire.com/?ij6z8ruzr295v1j

Made by Tomasz Porosinski, I got it from SimHQ.




For Avala's Terrain lighting mod ( made by Avala of course ) I experimented with one setup in an older HSFX4.11 install and found these settings 'appealing', especially for afternoon flights.

Just unzip the file and put one of these folders into your jsgmemods folder and activate in the usual way.
Or put it manually (the two ..mat files) into the folder..
...maps\_Tex.

https://www.mediafire.com/download/btfdsxizpwe7418/Avala%27s!+Terrain+lighting.rar


I increased the default setting a bit and added a "specular" value of 1 for landlight.mat.
IIRC Avala encouraged all users of this mod to play with their own settings..kind of fun.

Cheers to redko and Avala for testing these 2 tools.


2 screens of the gapa setting, cannot capture it, should look similar but not as cartoonish, shots at ca 15-15.30.






...etc..that was setting no "numpad 2".

More or less lol.

[SAS~Tom2]

It actually were 3 screens-.

 

[PA_Willy]

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=3324.0

Here you can find true Gapa-Gamma shots, captured directly with FRAPS.

[Avala]

I think that little tutorial could be of help. I wrote this some time ago about LandLight.mat file:

I know that all of us probably know what they are and what they are used for. But recently I was working with them more and now
I think that we can use them more.

As you know they are mentioned in load.ini file of every map in line:


[LIGHT]
LandLight = LandLight.mat
CloudShadows = CloudShadows.mat



I would suggest that when making a map and load.ini file for your map you move them in your textures folder. You can even change the names, important is the correct path to them and what says in them (BTW I think its good way to do also if you are using your own clouds for the map)

I did it like this:


[LIGHT]
 LandLight = Avala/serbia/Zemlja.mat
 CloudShadows = Avala/serbia/Senke.mat


In this way no one can mess with your map settings and you can fine tune your map and show people exactly what you intend to show them.


What those files are changing? As far as I have noticed:

LandLight.mat:

Ambient

This line determines the lighting and contrast on the ground (don't forget that the ground is 3D object, just like the planes). When you increase the number behind it, your ground textures are getting brighter and your ground is getting less contrasted, more dull. Map looks less relief. When you decrease the number, your textures are getting darker and you overall ground is getting darker. But map has more visible contrasts on the 3D mesh. For example side of the mountain which is in shadow, or side of the gorge which is in shadow will be more darker, and that brings more contrast to the ground. Ground looks more relief, more 3D, more realistic.

Diffuse

This line works more with colors on ground textures. When you increase the number behind it your textures for the ground are getting more brighter and intensive in colors. When you decrease it, textures are getting more darker with less intensive colors on them. In my opinion its best to set it in contrast with "Ambient" line. Dark "Ambient" (and you will have shadows darker) and bright "Diffuse" (you will have side of the mountain which is in the sun more brighter) and in that way overall better looking map. With this, I think that there is no more need for so many texture tunings in photoshop.

CloudShadows.mat

Has only one line:

Diffuse

Which determines intensity of the clouds shadows on the ground. Bigger the number, darker shadows. Be careful, I think that shadows actually does affect performance, while "LandLight.mat" does not affect performance at all.




I have these screenshots just as a example, but you can see it for yourself how it is really working (and looking) only if you try it on your own maps which you know the best, and in that way you will see the differences the best. I can guaranty that you will be surprised how your maps are looking more 3D with more realistic geography.




Time on all screenshots are 16:30.

[SAS~Tom2]

Thanks Avala!

Cheers

Tom


Needa try with fraps someday. Ingame I like it, removes the typical IL-2 flush green oversaturated element. PS: Modified numpad numbers: 1-9 except 5. Ns 1, 2 and 4 are my settings, 1 and 2 my favourite.

[SAS~Tom2]

Took some ingame screens with Fraps.
Following here are some before and after shots as well as some extras.
In the above mentioned gapa version offered for D/L this would be profile "numpad 2".
 

16.00

stock


gapa



Stock


gapa










...gapa...17.00.









Regds

Tom