Riven 1.3's Windowed mode is broken and HDR looks bad

[danny-san]

Riven version 1.3 played on Windows 10 will not let the player leave Fullscreen mode in graphics. Attempting to switch to Borderless Windowed mode and clicking apply does nothing. Attempting to switch to Windowed mode and clicking apply makes the screen blink three times and then does nothing. I have been reading problems with players playing in ultrawide here, I have only played version 1.3, so I don't know if I have discovered a new problem or what.

I was able to get the game to go to windowed mode by only having a 1080p screen plugged in, starting the game, swapping screens to the 3440x1440 screen, and then switching to windowed mode and clicking apply. Trying to then change to Borderless Windowed mode just locked me to Fullscreen again, with no ability to switch modes without apparently plugging in an entirely different monitor. Just playing with a 1080p monitor doesn't let you swap modes either, it's weirdly just the change in monitors that facilitates the game option to do something.

HDR in this game looks awful. It's grey and is a strict downgrade to the game's vanilla graphics. Playing the game in SDR with Windows 10 set to SDR is the correct way to play the game. Below is the game in SDR followed by HDR. I have read unconfirmed posts that say that playing in Borderless Windowed mode fixes the HDR, but I am unable to confirm this being as the game forces Fullscreen.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3309377169
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3309377230

[Hellish Fiend]

I'm honestly not sure about the fullscreen/windowed mode issue, as I had some weird issues with it myself, but HDR is largely hardware dependent. In fact, taking regular screenshots of it is largely a fruitless endeavor because it does not capture the full range of what is being done for the brightness and color. Steam doesn't support JXR screenshots, which are the ones you would need to get an accurate comparison.

Your HDR issues may be hardware related. For example, if you have an entry level (or even midrange) LCD screen that supports HDR, it may or may not do the game justice. Hardware specs to look out for are:

Peak Brightness (Nits): At least 600 nits, with higher-end models reaching 1000 nits or more.

Local Dimming Zones: More is better. Edge-lit displays with few or no dimming zones may exhibit washed-out blacks and less dynamic range.

Color Gamut: Ideally supporting at least 90% of the DCI-P3 color space. Entry-level screens might only cover a smaller percentage, which can result in less vibrant colors.

Contrast Ratio: OLED displays generally offer infinite contrast ratios, while LCDs vary widely, with higher-end models performing much better.

HDR Standards Supported: Some lower-end models may claim HDR support but only meet the minimum HDR10 standard.

Bit Depth: Some lower-end displays use 8-bit + FRC (Frame Rate Control) to simulate 10-bit, which might not deliver the same quality.

[danny-san]

Nah, the screenshot is accurate to what the game displays when HDR is enabled. That's what it looks like. I don't think it's the screen, I tried two screens, and HDR works fine in every other game and in HDR video media. This looks like a Riven issue.

[M A K O]

Originally posted by danny-san:

Nah, the screenshot is accurate to what the game displays when HDR is enabled. That's what it looks like. I don't think it's the screen, I tried two screens, and HDR works fine in every other game and in HDR video media. This looks like a Riven issue.

yeah there's a problem with the game, how they're using unreal engine, or with unreal engine itself. i made a few posts about HDR being borked and windowed fullscreen. sad to see the issues are still here this long after release.

[JName_2022]

HDR is broken in every Cyan game I've played. Some hardware setups it's ok, and others it's awful. There's no way to adjust it is the problem so if it detects the wrong peak brightness you're hosed.