HDR Guide

[ŞĦÅÐΘЩЌÌŁŁΣŘ]

TDLR! (Easy version)

Navigate to C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\b1\Saved\Config\Windows and open the Engine.ini file. Scroll down to the very bottom and copy/paste this.

[SystemSettings]
r.AllowHDR=1
r.HDR.EnableHDROutput=1
r.HDR.Display.OutputDevice=5
r.HDR.Display.ColorGamut=2
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.FullScreenMode=0
r.HDR.UI.Level=1.5
r.HDR.Display.MidLuminance=54
r.HDR.Display.MaxLuminance=750




UPDATE #2!
The search for the best settings never ends! I have been going back and forth between the engine INI version and the reshade version and they both that their positives and negatives. I find the engine INI one to be truer to the original vision of the game, whereas the reshade version changings things quite dramatically. If you just want basic HDR without fussing with programs, use the engine INI version.

I would love to try the nvidia HDR but i dont have windows 11. I hear there is bit of a performance impact with that one too. I will put the engine ini version here at the top for the people that want HDR without a fuss...



Reshade method (More flexible, harder setup, less true to original game visuals)
1) Download reshade 6.2.0. (latest version) Make sure you get the one with addon support (important!)

2)Run the reshade exe and install it to the b1.exe. (game executable) When you install it select the directx 10/11/12 option. https://ibb.co/hHBqPLV

3)When it asks to select which effects to install, install the default ones but also scroll down and select reshade hdr shaders by lilium. https://ibb.co/MSfRxFq

4) Then on the addons page select auto hdr by endlessly flowering. (this is why you need the addon version of reshade) https://ibb.co/8xJHdqp

5)Launch the game and press home to open reshade. You can follow the tutorial if youre not familiar with it. At the top select the "addons" tab and enable auto hdr, enable hdr and use hdr10. After you enable those either restart or just change your games resolution to enable it. https://ibb.co/vvfRK7h

6) Go into the home tab and enable liliums inverse tonemapping. The default settings should work great, but if you want to adjust brightness, contrast etc you can do it below.
https://ibb.co/jV8r654

7) When you have your settings dialed in, enable the performance mode of reshade in the bottom right corner of the window. This will disable the realtime editing of the settings but help with performance.

Here is a quick video i recorded using the default settings with the reshade method. The compression is a bit high but it gives you a sense of the increased contrast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bid260Ao4W4


Other notes...
For some reason it appears the game is elevating the black levels by default, (even in sdr) making everything look very washed out. I enabled the levels adjustment filter (default settings) and that dramatically improved the contrast. I also like very colorful images so i added a small vibrancy boost but that is 100% optional.
For those who are more technically inclined, you can use the liliums hdr analysis tool to dial in your settings. It has things like brightness histograms, heatmaps, gamut maps etc.


If you get some great settings please post them for others!



Info for engine ini edits (for advanced users)

r.AllowHDR Creates an HDR compatible swap-chain and enables HDR display output.0: Disabled (default)
1: Allow HDR, if supported by the platform and display

r.HDR.Aces.SceneColorMultiplier Multiplier applied to scene color. Helps to reduce over saturation

r.HDR.Display.ColorGamut Color gamut of the output display:
0: Rec709 / sRGB, D65 (default)
1: DCI-P3, D65
2: Rec2020 / BT2020, D65
3: ACES, D60
4: ACEScg, D60

r.HDR.Display.MaxLuminance The configured display output nit level, assuming HDR output is enabled.

r.HDR.Display.MidLuminance The configured display output nit level for 18% gray

r.HDR.Display.MinLuminanceLog10 The configured minimum display output nit level (log10 value)

r.HDR.Display.OutputDevice Device format of the output display:
0: sRGB (LDR)
1: Rec709 (LDR)
2: Explicit gamma mapping (LDR)
3: ACES 1000 nit ST-2084 (Dolby PQ) (HDR)
4: ACES 2000 nit ST-2084 (Dolby PQ) (HDR)
5: ACES 1000 nit ScRGB (HDR)
6: ACES 2000 nit ScRGB (HDR)
7: Linear EXR (HDR)
8: Linear final color, no tone curve (HDR)
9: Linear final color with tone curve

r.HDR.EnableHDROutput Creates an HDR compatible swap-chain and enables HDR display output.0: Disabled (default)
1: Enable hardware-specific implementation

r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode Mode used when compositing the UI layer:
0: Standard compositing
1: Shader pass to improve HDR blending

r.HDR.UI.Level Luminance level for UI elements when compositing into HDR framebuffer (default: 1.0).

r.HDR.UI.Luminance Base Luminance in nits for UI elements when compositing into HDR framebuffer. Gets multiplied by r.HDR.UI.Level

[Datherpots]

I have a LG 27UL650 HDR 400 monitor, what settings do I need or is it even worth it? It's not on rtings, the one on rtings is 27UK650

[Turbo Nozomix]

Great work. Hopefully the devs will take note of how easy it is to enable, and will provide a menu option for it.

[Bigshrimp]

For anyone that is using the RTX HDR method from the Nvidia app. The below guide should help with figuring out the correct settings within the app itself for whatever OLED or HDR monitor you have.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1b03yfg/rtx_hdr_paper_white_gamma_reference_settings/

[Satori]

This is great. tnx to whoever contributed.

my lg 65 c1 settings in case it may help someone, or anyone has advise.

r.allowhdr=1
r.HDR.EnableHDROutput=1
r.HDR.Display.OutputDevice=5
r.HDR.Display.ColorGamut=2
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.FullScreenMode=0
r.HDR.UI.Level=1.2
r.HDR.Display.MidLuminance=54
r.HDR.Display.MaxLuminance=750

ive put ingame brightness to 52. played+tested a bit.

Looks rly good to me. Huge difference, crazy they didnt put hdr standard into the game..

[Roie]

Originally posted by Satori:

This is great. tnx to whoever contributed.

my lg 65 c1 settings in case it may help someone, or anyone has advise.

r.allowhdr=1
r.HDR.EnableHDROutput=1
r.HDR.Display.OutputDevice=5
r.HDR.Display.ColorGamut=2
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.FullScreenMode=0
r.HDR.UI.Level=1.2
r.HDR.Display.MidLuminance=54
r.HDR.Display.MaxLuminance=750

ive put ingame brightness to 52. played+tested a bit.

Looks rly good to me. Huge difference, crazy they didnt put hdr standard into the game..

you are correct!

[Troy Muni]

Originally posted by Satori:

This is great. tnx to whoever contributed.

my lg 65 c1 settings in case it may help someone, or anyone has advise.

r.allowhdr=1
r.HDR.EnableHDROutput=1
r.HDR.Display.OutputDevice=5
r.HDR.Display.ColorGamut=2
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.HDR.UI.CompositeMode=1
r.FullScreenMode=0
r.HDR.UI.Level=1.2
r.HDR.Display.MidLuminance=54
r.HDR.Display.MaxLuminance=750

ive put ingame brightness to 52. played+tested a bit.

Looks rly good to me. Huge difference, crazy they didnt put hdr standard into the game..

Thanks, I've got a G1 and going to try yours tomorrow...just got to bump up the 750 on mine to 900. Are you using these with Nvidia's HDR from the new app or running it through Windows? I've got mine configured through Nvidia...think it's the same settings from the reddit post above.

[dobermaxx69]

The Reshade option works great. I don't know how much it impacts performance though. I have a 4090 and even with FG on, I can't hit a steady 120fps unless I set RT to medium. As for the settings for Reshade, I don't wanna fiddle with it so I just use fiddle with the Game Mode settings on my Samsung QD OLED. Game looks great. Sound used to cutout but I just disabled Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio and now it works with no issues. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Dekuxe Version but I don't know if it's worth it.

[Troy Muni]

Actually I don't think any of these settings are necessary anymore if you''re pre-configured through the new Nvidia app. I noticed above the person is recommending auto-HDR, which is bottom of the barrel (no offense to the OP). I used to use it originally but I don't think you need to mess with reshade anymore for HDR if you configured everything as per the reddit post in Nvidia. It looked drastically better after today's driver update, as if it was somehow woken up by it.

[Troy Muni]

Originally posted by dobermaxx69:

The Reshade option works great. I don't know how much it impacts performance though. I have a 4090 and even with FG on, I can't hit a steady 120fps unless I set RT to medium. As for the settings for Reshade, I don't wanna fiddle with it so I just use fiddle with the Game Mode settings on my Samsung QD OLED. Game looks great. Sound used to cutout but I just disabled Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio and now it works with no issues. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Dekuxe Version but I don't know if it's worth it.

Oh jeez same card also running 7.2.4 for audio. I remember those audio issues LOL...dolby atmos through Windows is lousy. I think it's either from you double processing or Nvidia's got a codec or driver issue. You're better off going to the highest bit rate and letting your AVR process Atmos instead. Btw try Auro3D instead of Atmos - it's a 1m x's better in some games and most movies, just not this one.

edit - and you think it fixed the cutouts/buzzing sound. Rebooting is a good test to see if it really worked...my money says it didn't fix your audio. If you have a half-way decent AVR, let it do the heavy lifting and what it's built to do best and set it to the highest bitrate. It's so much better than spatial audio thru Windows, it's not even close.

As for reshade - I'm not doing any of this I don't think. Reshade is great for reshade, but Nvidia's new app blows auto HDR into the stone age where it belongs IMO.

[TapperP]

For some reason the game is no longer using the settings I put into the ini file.

It was working earlier, but now... it's not. I can tell the game is booting with HDR on but when it starts it's back to the washed out looking SDR.

WTH?! I am so frustrated.

I have a 4070 Super and AMD 7800X3D and LG CX 48 inch TV.

[Troy Muni]

Originally posted by TapperP:

For some reason the game is no longer using the settings I put into the ini file.

It was working earlier, but now... it's not. I can tell the game is booting with HDR on but when it starts it's back to the washed out looking SDR.

WTH?! I am so frustrated.

I have a 4070 Super and AMD 7800X3D.

The washed out color is probably because you have HDR enabled in Windows! Windows HDR is straight up lousy and is known for causing this. Read the reddit post above and configure your Nvidia app with the settings for your displays nits. You can't have Windows and Nvidia set up at the same time - it's gotta be one or the other. Go with Nvidia.

Edit - Auto HDR isn't even real HDR. It's 100% simulating the effect. That's the old way to do it before the recent app change they rolled out in the past year or so. And they just fixed it to work 100% probably a 3-4 weeks ago now. You just need to configure it properly for your TV's HDR. It's very simple to do.

[TapperP]

Originally posted by Troy Muni:

The washed out color is probably because you have HDR enabled in Windows! Windows HDR is straight up lousy and is known for causing this. Read the reddit post above and configure your Nvidia app with the settings for your displays nits. You can't have Windows and Nvidia set up at the same time - it's gotta be one or the other. Go with Nvidia.

Thanks. I think I got it working now. Just need to tweak the settings.

Weird that Game Science didn't implement HDR in the PC version, but maybe it will come later.

UPDATE: it looks great now! And runs a lot better too. I have settings completely maxed out with full RT, and getting 60 - 70 ish fps. Using DLSS + FG of course. But it runs and looks really good. Great game as well!

[ŞĦÅÐΘЩЌÌŁŁΣŘ]

Im sure the nvidia HDR is better. I would love to try it but you need windows 11, which i dont have, nor want...
For now reshade or the engine.ini edits are better than sdr. Reshade also lets me adjust other things like levels and saturation. Lets just hope they add official HDR support in a patch. (And a slider to reduce the sharpening!)

[Nam]

anyone got the game crash after installing reshader?

[willian]

I tried using RTX HDR, however couldn't figure out how to make OBS capture work with it. (and doesn't support dual monitor, which is a must for me). I don't see a colorlossless capture card on the market so there is no option to go "native".

(Also tried nvtruehdr, with same issue on OBS and similar issue on FG)
Please tell me if there is any fixes for them.