🐾 Planet Zoo: Update 1.5 and Southeast Asia Animal Pack out now! 🐾

[Cocolori]

My experience is that the unlit screens look more washed out than the lit which is fairly intuitive as the lit have a light source behind them so they suffer less from the glare - I suspect that is what is making the difference and in actuality the image is being treated the same by the game (but I might be wrong). I think the PNG, JPEG etc. thing is all a red herring and people are getting different experiences based on the programmes they are using and how they save colour profile data. I posted my explanation of how I got my images to work in gimp here. Using the automatically loaded colour profile didn't work for me despite it saying that it was the right format - I literally had to find an image that did work in game with the right colours and use it to create a custom colour profile from it because none of the fixes (e.g. loading it in certain programmes etc.) was working for the images I wanted. I suspect it is a complex combination of the programmes settings 'deciding' what the correct colour profile for the image is plus the meta data stored in the original image. So some images you won't have issues with and others you will.

As @Danny_zoo said it is a limitation - my own suspicion is that to change it might not be in Frontier's hands without really limiting the types of images and formats that can be used because it is embedded in the image meta-data and Planet Zoo is a game not a bit of software designed to interpret and change images.

If it is at all helpful the image that I found that worked as a fully colourful, bright and as intended picture and that I used as my colour profile template to impose on my images was one kindly made freely available by a forum member. It was the truly stunning clouded leopard by @Ulysse you can find on the thread here

 

[Danny_zoo]

Ok, that's really weird. I've just tested it with a normal Screen lit and unlit and there it is the same with the lit Screen showing it perfect and the unlit Screen being washed out. I assume it might be hard for Frontier to fix it when it is not the same for every Player.

Regarding the Picture : I've used a grey Background and added additional Lights because I didn't like how dark my Albino Koala would've looked. The only Thing that slightly bothers me is that the Tree looks so extremely bright due to the Lights

Ok so I went ahead and took some pics to maybe try to compare notes, and make sure that I'm in the same page as you and we are not just misunderstanding each other.


So first off, is a pic of a sign I created using Canva, followed by the same sign displayed in both lit and non lit billboards. Both pictures show the same exact thing, the first billboard is the lit version, at first it will seem that the image is a lot more clear, but it is quite the opposite, the colors are off, and the text is impossible to read. In addition it sticks out like a sort thumb in the game, it just looks off as if it did not belong with the rest of the pieces. If on top of all this we are going to add realism into the equation, then a simple display info board like this will never be lit in a zoo, there is just no purpose for it, especially for outdoor exhibitions. The second billboard, the non lit version shows the image as it should look, all the color palettes are there, and the text can be can be seen if you are up close to it.

The same exact example a second time. Now with a similar sign, exactly the same, the first billboard is lit the second one is non lit. The non lit version is the only one that displays the original image the way it was intended to look.

Now this is a completely different example, but it relates to the kind of file the players are saving their media in. The picture shows the same exact sign in a non lit billboard screen, the first version is a JPG and the quality as you can see is pretty bad, you can hardly read any of the text and the quality of the images is poor. The second billboard has the same exact image in PNG and the quality is exactly as the original display I created using canva.

In my opinion, the lit and non lit discrepancy in image quality is a matter of preference, if you are building an indoor exhibition and want the billboard lit, then you have to use the lit version. Some players do not necessarily care about the colors being a little off, and realism is not important to them as much so not being able to read the text in a non issue for them. Until the billboards came out, most were using imaginary blocks and lines, and many were fine with that. For others that is not an acceptable compromise, as they want the visual experience to be as immersive as possible. At the end in my opinion the first one is a matter of willing to compromise one way or the other.

The second example showing the JPG and PNG quality variations is definitely a night and day experience, and should the player use the JPG as it is a lot less taxing on the gaming system, then know that the image quality will be severely compromise, and that is basically all there is to it.

Hope this helps anyone that has not figured out yet why they are having issues with images, the video option should work the same. I have no examples for that as using video in Planet Zoo is just not very immersive or rewarding for me, so I stay away from it.

 

[Firestar97]

My setting is ultra what is yours?

Almost everything at Medium. I must've forgotten to change it last Time I've reinstalled Windows 10. My Computer should be able to handle the highest Settings.

Can't make a new Sign with that Koala after changing the Settings because he died today but maybe I'll try to remake it with better Settings if a Albino Koala gets born again. There are still Descendants of him in the Zoo
Edit: now testing with everything at the highest possible Setting
It's barely noticeable but I think the Sign looks slightly better now

 

[Firestar97]

Ok so I went ahead and took some pics to maybe try to compare notes, and make sure that I'm in the same page as you and we are not just misunderstanding each other.


So first off, is a pic of a sign I created using Canva, followed by the same sign displayed in both lit and non lit billboards. Both pictures show the same exact thing, the first billboard is the lit version, at first it will seem that the image is a lot more clear, but it is quite the opposite, the colors are off, and the text is impossible to read. In addition it sticks out like a sort thumb in the game, it just looks off as if it did not belong with the rest of the pieces. If on top of all this we are going to add realism into the equation, then a simple display info board like this will never be lit in a zoo, there is just no purpose for it, especially for outdoor exhibitions. The second billboard, the non lit version shows the image as it should look, all the color palettes are there, and the text can be can be seen if you are up close to it.

View attachment 223716
View attachment 223714View attachment 223715
The same exact example a second time. Now with a similar sign, exactly the same, the first billboard is lit the second one is non lit. The non lit version is the only one that displays the original image the way it was intended to look.

View attachment 223722
View attachment 223723

Now this is a completely different example, but it relates to the kind of file the players are saving their media in. The picture shows the same exact sign in a non lit billboard screen, the first version is a JPG and the quality as you can see is pretty bad, you can hardly read any of the text and the quality of the images is poor. The second billboard has the same exact image in PNG and the quality is exactly as the original display I created using canva.

View attachment 223726
View attachment 223727

In my opinion, the lit and non lit discrepancy in image quality is a matter of preference, if you are building an indoor exhibition and want the billboard lit, then you have to use the lit version. Some players do not necessarily care about the colors being a little off, and realism is not important to them as much so not being able to read the text in a non issue for them. Until the billboards came out, most were using imaginary blocks and lines, and many were fine with that. For others that is not an acceptable compromise, as they want the visual experience to be as immersive as possible. At the end in my opinion the first one is a matter of willing to compromise one way or the other.

The second example showing the JPG and PNG quality variations is definitely a night and day experience, and should the player use the JPG as it is a lot less taxing on the gaming system, then know that the image quality will be severely compromise, and that is basically all there is to it.

Hope this helps anyone that has not figured out yet why they are having issues with images, the video option should work the same. I have no examples for that as using video in Planet Zoo is just not very immersive or rewarding for me, so I stay away from it.

For me it is showing up like this :
Left Side is unlit, right Side is lit and the Picture below is the Original

Maybe there's some Problem with the displaying of bright Colors

Also thanks for the Question regarding the Settings. Now that I've changed it to Ultra, the Shadows aren't so unrealistically extreme anymore

 

[Danny_zoo]

For me it is showing up like this :
Left Side is unlit, right Side is lit and the Picture below is the Original
View attachment 223736View attachment 223737

Maybe there's some Problem with the displaying of bright Colors

Also thanks for the Question regarding the Settings. Now that I've changed it to Ultra, the Shadows aren't so unrealistically extreme anymore

I definitely see what you pointing at, and it does look a little off. Had you not label them for me, I would have definitely thought that the one in the left was the lit version as it has that glare and light reflection. Then non lit version should have no glare and have an opaque color, that matches the original, as in real life, but in the case of your picture the effect is the complete opposite. Maybe as Cocolori explained, different operating systems show different variations, not sure how that would work.

Glad the Ultra works for you, I could never play the game in anything other than that, would rather set it aside and wait for an operating system that can fully handle it.

 

[Firestar97]

Maybe as Cocolori explained, different operating systems show different variations, not sure how that would work.

I'm using Windows 10 Professional.
Which one are you using?

Glad the Ultra works for you, I could never play the game in anything other than that

I absolutely understand what you mean. The Koala House was so dark even though the complete Roof was made out of Glass. That's why I needed to use additional Spotlights for the Koala Picture, so he will really look white on it. If not he would've just looked light grey. Now that the Shadows aren't that extreme anymore, it's bright in there

would rather set it aside and wait for an operating system that can fully handle it.

Sadly Windows 10 (even though it is Trash that I'm only using because Windows 7 has no official Support anymore) will be the last OS by Microsoft unless they hopefully change their Mind and create a new System that is as good as the old ones

 

[Danny_zoo]

I'm using Windows 10 Professional.
Which one are you using?



I absolutely understand what you mean. The Koala House was so dark even though the complete Roof was made out of Glass. That's why I needed to use additional Spotlights for the Koala Picture, so he will really look white on it. If not he would've just looked light grey. Now that the Shadows aren't that extreme anymore, it's bright in there



Sadly Windows 10 (even though it is Trash that I'm only using because Windows 7 has no official Support anymore) will be the last OS by Microsoft unless they hopefully change their Mind and create a new System that is as good as the old ones

Windows 10 home. Not sure if it makes a difference though, as far as the billboards I mean, it probably does not.

 

[FoxyDee]

Ok so I went ahead and took some pics to maybe try to compare notes, and make sure that I'm in the same page as you and we are not just misunderstanding each other.

That is very helpful, thanks! Seems like PNG is a way to go for me then.

 

[ZSHplays]

Regarding the jpg issue the reason for this is that jpgs compress the image quality by merging similar coloured areas of the picture together. It does this is in a clever way which you normally cannot see. However, in PZ (presumably due to the lighting engine) the images always show up brighter than they actually are which reveals the awful jpg compression as the "trick" to prevent human eyes seeing the compression is reliant on the original brightness of the image. You can certainly mitigate this by using maximum quality jpg settings but it's easiest just using pngs. Obviously if you're just nicking a jpg of the internet then you can't really solve the issue. In order to get my billboards looking good I simply lower the brightness of the image in photoshop before saving it for use in PZ.

 

[Firestar97]

Regarding the jpg issue the reason for this is that jpgs compress the image quality by merging similar coloured areas of the picture together. It does this is in a clever way which you normally cannot see.

Does that mean it does Damage to the Appearance of the Picture that can not be repaired? I'm always saving my Pictures as jpg first but if that's the Case I will always save them as png instead

 

[ZSHplays]

It does indeed! Maximum quality jpgs the difference is tiny though.

 

[Karen F]

Regarding videos, i just make my videos darker with a video editor now. Then they show up much better in game. Problem solved but still feels like something we shouldn't have to do.

 

[yoav_r]

I'm just glad South-East Asia keeps on getting attention even long after this pack, with the orangutan brachiation. Such an awesome region.

 

[Hugo98]

I'm just glad South-East Asia keeps on getting attention even long after this pack, with the orangutan brachiation. Such an awesome region.

You can't do this to us

 

[NZFanatic]

Must we? Every time?

 

[Captain Callum]

I'm just glad South-East Asia keeps on getting attention even long after this pack, with the orangutan brachiation. Such an awesome region.

 

[DragonNTiger]

Must we? Every time?

They really need to lock these old threads... there's no reason to even post in them after a month or two, and you always get idiots who like to bump them up as a joke...

 

[QueenCinna]

Please go lick a redback spider. Thank you

 

[yoav_r]

They really need to lock these old threads... there's no reason to even post in them after a month or two, and you always get idiots who like to bump them up as a joke...

Honestly I think a little joke like that helps break the tension a bit as we anxiously wait an announcement. It's not like it does any harm.

 

[HunterIsCookie]

They really need to lock these old threads... there's no reason to even post in them after a month or two, and you always get idiots who like to bump them up as a joke...

Aight calm down, no need to be insulting other users for having a little fun.

... other than that, it's weird to me that this thread only has 10 pages. That feels... wrong.