answered Orbx TrueEarth Northern California: Overbaked Colors

[Ben Logan]

Hello Orbx,

 

I purchased and installed Orbx TrueEarth Northern California HD for XP11. Thoroughly enjoying it. However, I do have one disappointment: The overall color scheme is far too red-shifted. I realize the product features ortho imagery from summer. Nonetheless, as a lifelong NorCal resident, I can tell you that our north state chaparral in summer is much more tan and brown, vs. red and dark crimson. Far too many great swathes of open land look positively “cooked” in your NorCal package — almost Martian.
 

Is there a way to adjust the overall color palette? Your installer included a SAM plugin for seasons and colors, but it doesn’t seem to work on either desktop or in VR  (I’m using Oculus for VR, if that makes a difference).  
 

Again, overall I’m satisfied with the purchase. Been having fun with Orbx NorCal. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Jon Clarke]

9 hours ago, Ben Logan said:

Hello Orbx,

 

I purchased and installed Orbx TrueEarth Northern California HD for XP11. Thoroughly enjoying it. However, I do have one disappointment: The overall color scheme is far too red-shifted. I realize the product features ortho imagery from summer. Nonetheless, as a lifelong NorCal resident, I can tell you that our north state chaparral in summer is much more tan and brown, vs. red and dark crimson. Far too many great swathes of open land look positively “cooked” in your NorCal package — almost Martian.
 

Is there a way to adjust the overall color palette? Your installer included a SAM plugin for seasons and colors, but it doesn’t seem to work on either desktop or in VR  (I’m using Oculus for VR, if that makes a difference).  
 

Again, overall I’m satisfied with the purchase. Been having fun with Orbx NorCal. Any advice is appreciated!

 

Welcome.

I will let @Tony Wroblewski comment. There are however adjustments available on your monitor colour settings are there not? I am thinking of Saturation, brightness etc which may be adjustable to better suit your preferences. I understand it would be a nuisance  as you would no doubt have to change your colour settings back again when not in XP or NorCal. I know there is no way to change the colouring in the addon without a complete rework and overhaul, which will not be happening as far as I know.

[Ben Logan]

Thanks so much for the response, Jon. I could change color on my monitor, of course, but I’m mainly a VR user. I looked into ReShade as a solution, but I understand it doesn’t work on VR either. 

[Jon Clarke]

Sorry I cannot be more helpful.

[wolfko]

1 hour ago, Jon Clarke said:

Welcome.

I will let @Tony Wroblewski comment. There are however adjustments available on your monitor colour settings are there not? I am thinking of Saturation, brightness etc which may be adjustable to better suit your preferences. I understand it would be a nuisance  as you would no doubt have to change your colour settings back again when not in XP or NorCal. I know there is no way to change the colouring in the addon without a complete rework and overhaul, which will not be happening as far as I know.

 

Changing the monitor settings might help a bit adjusting scenery colours but unfortunately it also affects the colour of panels, planes, buildings, trees etc. in an undesirable way.

[John Dow]

The original source imagery was apparently quite red, and the simulator conversion process has a limited ability to adjust for such a factor.  Also the human eye is very subjective, many people are red limited or red colour blind so they won't perceive any major redness to the scenery, and that might have been the reason the original imagery was red biased, we just don't know.

 

I just did a test, I use XVision so I don't know what effect it would have on the default dull XP11 colour portrayal, anyway I reduced Digital Vibrance in the NVidia Control Panel/Desktop Colour Settings, to 40% and the effect is much less pronounced.  

[Jon Clarke]

6 hours ago, John Dow said:

The original source imagery was apparently quite red, and the simulator conversion process has a limited ability to adjust for such a factor.  Also the human eye is very subjective, many people are red limited or red colour blind so they won't perceive any major redness to the scenery, and that might have been the reason the original imagery was red biased, we just don't know.

 

I just did a test, I use XVision so I don't know what effect it would have on the default dull XP11 colour portrayal, anyway I reduced Digital Vibrance in the NVidia Control Panel/Desktop Colour Settings, to 40% and the effect is much less pronounced.  

Thanks for that tip/info John