Question about shaders.

[Brian_Gladden]

I see different ones posted on .To periodically but I was wondering how to use them?

 

[tiger1962]

I wouldn't bother. These shaders are made to improve the creator's own system, not yours. Create one of your own instead.

 

[Brian_Gladden]

I wouldn't bother. These shaders are made to improve the creator's own system, not yours. Create one of your own instead.

Would probably help if I actually knew what they really were and how they are implemented first...

 

[Daube]

These "shaders" addons are a bit like what "Tomatoshade" was for P3D, or also the "ENB Bloom" was for FS9 and FSX.
It's an addon that lets you customize the general colors and lighting of the simulator.
Some of these "shaders" are more complex than others, some are even payware addons.

I use a free one called ARPC which consists in just two files to drop into the main folder of MSFS. It has just one configuration file in which I can write some numbers that modify the intensity of the daylight, and I can switch it ON or OFF with a simple key combo to check the differences in flight.
Thanks to this addon, I can now have a bit brighter mornings and sunsets, meaning that the city lights turn on while it's still a bit bright, which give me a more realistic "cold winter mornings" impression that I appreciate a lot. Without the addon, the city lights turn off a bit too soon for my taste.
Will try to post screenshots.

 

[Postbaer61]

Would probably help if I actually knew what they really were and how they are implemented first...

Further information on using the shader tool can be found here.

Home

ReShade - Advanced post-processing everywhere.

reshade.me

It is open source and free to use.
With this tool, you can use the reshade.ini files available for download at fs.to.

 

[Daube]

Here is with the shader ON, at 07:20 AM today near Seattle.


And same time without the shader:

 

[falcon409]

Quite a difference Daube and it seems to me as well to be a more realistic interpritation of dawn. The bottom could just as easily be night time.

 

[Daube]

Yes it's exactly my feeling about it.
That being said, I actually have no idea about how bright it should be in Seattle at 07:20 AM on a 7th of December. It could be that the default render is actually realistic and mine is just too bright, I don't really know...

 

[guzler]

That looks brilliant. Pity there isn't a setting in the sim where we get to change the time lights go on and off

 

[ftl818]

According to this site: https://dateandtime.info/citysunrisesunset.php?id=5809844, sunrise is 7:46 AM. the sky should be dark and just a bit lighter at the eastern horizon. So both are too light.

 

[Tom Clayton]

Actually, the time right before sunrise and after sunset can still be light enough to see just fine as long as there are no clouds in the way. This is from Google's AI when asked about the different levels of twilight:

Civil Twilight

• • Definition:
    The period when the sun's geometric center is between 0° and 6° below the horizon.
  • Characteristics:
    The sky is still bright enough for outdoor activities, and the horizon is clearly visible. The most colorful skies are seen during this time.

Nautical Twilight

• • Definition:
    The period when the sun's geometric center is between 6° and 12° below the horizon.
    
  • Characteristics:
    The sky is much darker, and the horizon becomes difficult to see. It is still bright enough to see the horizon and navigate by the brightest stars.

Astronomical Twilight

• • Definition:
    The period when the sun's geometric center is between 12° and 18° below the horizon.
    
  • Characteristics:
    It is the darkest phase of twilight. For observers, it is not technically considered true night until the sun has gone 18° below the horizon. However, the sky is dark enough for astronomical observations.

And here's where you can view where each one is currently:

Day and Night World Map

Where is the Sun directly overhead right now?

www.timeanddate.com