I think this is really an important issue. While most of the attention when talking about lighting issues was focused on cockpits and hangars, to me, this is the most important illumination problem at this point. The fact that they consider in the issue tracker lighting problems as mostly solved, makes me a bit pesimistic, but I hope this gets more attention and planet lighting gets a new pass.
Does coloured lighting work?
- Thread starter nanite2000
- Start date
Thanks for your responses everyone.
It looks like coloured lighting is not working on planet surfaces, but coloured lighting does work in other places (e.g. Lagrange clouds, and close to stars).
I see 2 possible explanations:
It looks like coloured lighting is not working on planet surfaces, but coloured lighting does work in other places (e.g. Lagrange clouds, and close to stars).
I see 2 possible explanations:
- Coloured lighting does work, but it was dialled up to 11 in the alpha screenshots to show the capabilities of the engine, and severely reduced on release to be more 'realistic' (suggesting that when thicker atmospheres are released we will see more obvious atmospheric effects).
This would be annoyingly misleading, but would at least be a reasonable explanation (i.e. an artistic choice). - Coloured lighting doesn't work on planet surfaces, suggesting that the feature broke, or was removed, on release.
For example, going back to this original photo from CMDR Sheehy in the screenshots thread:
Should the light creating the orange yellow glow not also do the same for the ground? It's the same atmosphere. I think it's this that creates odd hard contrasts between sky and ground at times. The variance in colour in the atmosphere due to the star seems to only apply to the attmosphere in the sky, not being applied to the atmosphere/haze on the ground in the same area:
(edited)
But I absolutely could be completely misunderstanding what I'm seeing and what I should be seeing.
Should the light creating the orange yellow glow not also do the same for the ground? It's the same atmosphere. I think it's this that creates odd hard contrasts between sky and ground at times. The variance in colour in the atmosphere due to the star seems to only apply to the attmosphere in the sky, not being applied to the atmosphere/haze on the ground in the same area:
(edited)
But I absolutely could be completely misunderstanding what I'm seeing and what I should be seeing.
Yes, it's bathing the ground in white light, while it should be yellow-orange. It is similar to the screenshot I posted earlier :
When it kinda work, it seems to default to white instead of the proper color. But most of the time it simply doesn't work :
That ice/snow/frozen ground shouldn't be grey-white at all. Especially considering how reflective it is.
As I pointed earlier, I only have one screenshot where it kinda worked, but only for far away :
The light is the green-ish you'd expect.
I think you’re right.
With a bit more investigation, it seems that star colour is being applied, but not atmosphere colour. This is what’s causing the disconnect when viewing distant objects - they’re the wrong colour.
it also means it is not possible to recreate the very screenshots FDev claim were created in Odyssey, unless you just happen to have a star colour and atmospheric colour that exactly match (and I have yet to encounter a green star…).
Well now I’m even more confused. In your screenshot above, green atmosphere is being applied, but it really should be orange in your example, to match the horizon.Yes, it's bathing the ground in white light, while it should be yellow-orange. It is similar to the screenshot I posted earlier :In this case the light should be yellow-green, but it's white instead.
When it kinda work, it seems to default to white instead of the proper color. But most of the time it simply doesn't work :
That ice/snow/frozen ground shouldn't be grey-white at all. Especially considering how reflective it is.
As I pointed earlier, I only have one screenshot where it kinda worked, but only for far away :
The light is the green-ish you'd expect.
It matches actually. The sun is in the green part of the atmo, not the orange one. So it makes sense the light is green tinted.Well now I’m even more confused. In your screenshot above, green atmosphere is being applied, but it really should be orange in your example, to match the horizon.
The issue is how rare it happens, and also, how it seems to only work past a certain distance from the character. You an see how it's not doing anything close to me, and suddenly it's green.
What’s the best way to get this visible to FDev?
is it best to just upvote the issues shared by @MacIntoc in
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/does-coloured-lighting-work.588361/post-9471175?
or create a new ticket?
Let's ping @sallymorganmoore , she is lotsa busy, but hopefully she can get a look.
sallymorganmoore
Senior Community Manager : Elite Dangerous
Hello! Sorry, I've had this thread open for most of the morning today actually, just having a think and looking through the current focus on lighting feedback for Odyssey in general. We've naturally been collecting a lot on the shadows front and the cockpit but just chasing around issues of this type...like, yeah 'atmospherics lighting'. I've grabbed the tickets that have been popped in here anyway so no worries entering any more for the time being
Thanks Sally, you're a star.Hello! Sorry, I've had this thread open for most of the morning today actually, just having a think and looking through the current focus on lighting feedback for Odyssey in general. We've naturally been collecting a lot on the shadows front and the cockpit but just chasing around issues of this type...like, yeah 'atmospherics lighting'. I've grabbed the tickets that have been popped in here anyway so no worries entering any more for the time being
sallymorganmoore
Senior Community Manager : Elite Dangerous
No bother at all! Sorry that it might go quite for a bit on the topic while we compile and discuss but it's in the pot
Could you please also mention the possibility of using the nearest star as the main light source instead of the main star of the system ?No bother at all! Sorry that it might go quite for a bit on the topic while we compile and discuss but it's in the pot
That would avoid this kind of aberration.
Thx ^^
If you check the two shots I posted very early in this thread, you can see the star is a bright red colour from space, but once I enter the planet's atmo it turns into a blazing white instead. Therefore, no surprise the red light from the star doesn't seem to affect the planet colouring.
If it helps, I posted a ticket a while ago about a related issue with inconsitencies with atmospheric haze colours and terrain fog.
Thanks!
Thanks!
sallymorganmoore
Senior Community Manager : Elite Dangerous
As the very well known and age old saying goes...
"Ever ticket helps!".....................................................................................................Wait.
No, thanks so, so much for noting things down.
Thanks @sallymorganmoore! We want to get the game looking as beautiful as it did in the promo-images, so hopefully this can get addressed.
I'm trying to find an open ticket on this issue again but with no luck?
I know this stuff isn't going to get looked at until after the optimisation and performance issues are resolved further, but if we could keep a ticket open and at the forefront of issues for when the team do get to it, that would be great, I'm seriously missing the fog and the game just doesnt look it's best sadly as shown in the OP. If anyone has an open ticket please can you let me know and I'll rally some support for it. I just went back to the trailer and also the Alpha, which both look amazing as @nanite2000 said I really hope we can get the game looking as beautiful as this again!
I know this stuff isn't going to get looked at until after the optimisation and performance issues are resolved further, but if we could keep a ticket open and at the forefront of issues for when the team do get to it, that would be great, I'm seriously missing the fog and the game just doesnt look it's best sadly as shown in the OP. If anyone has an open ticket please can you let me know and I'll rally some support for it. I just went back to the trailer and also the Alpha, which both look amazing as @nanite2000 said I really hope we can get the game looking as beautiful as this again!
