A new monitor or a new set of eyes

himselfehimselfe Join Date: 2009-09-20 Member: 68834Members
in Tech Support
Dear Unknown Worlds,

You either owe me a new monitor, or a new set of eyes.

While playing Natural Selection the game crashed and left Windows with permanent gamma ramp enabled. Restarting the game only turned the gamma ramp up further, so I tried adjusting the settings in my graphics card control panel, this did not fix it. After a quick search on Google turned up empty I decided to restart my PC, this appears to have reset the gamma values, however since restarting my PC I have noticed that colours appear a little 'burned' and it seems harder to distinguish the contrast between certain elements of the Windows GUI. I have tried adjusting the graphics card settings and running the colour optimisation wizard, however no mater what I try I can not get the levels to match how they were previously.

I have also noticed that icons from the desktop have been burned into the display (it's a CRT monitor). Since I generally like to play HL1 mods in windowed mode I suspect years of playing NS with gamma ramping enabled has permanently degraded my monitor. While I don't seriously expect you to supply me with a new monitor or a new set of eyes, <b>I have to ask why such a retarded and obnoxious feature is enabled by default in the first place?</b>

To my recollection I have not come across any other Half-Life mod or game that has resorted to such an obviously flawed method of displaying the right level of brightness.
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Comments

  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    It seems like your GPU tripped out. Other than that you need to learn to set your colour settings rather than abusing a team on an open forum.
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  • himselfehimselfe Join Date: 2009-09-20 Member: 68834Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1728219:date=Sep 21 2009, 04:31 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Sep 21 2009, 04:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728219"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->you need to learn to set your colour settings<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That's the problem, I know exactly how to adjust the colour settings, but as I explained no adjustment achieves the same balance as I had before NS crashed. It's more likely to be monitor degradation rather than a graphics card issue. The graphics card did as it was told, it is misbehaviour on NS's part to not restore previous settings.

    <!--quoteo(post=1728219:date=Sep 21 2009, 04:31 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Sep 21 2009, 04:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728219"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->rather than abusing a team on an open forum.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm not abusing the team, I love NS as a mod and have huge respect for what the team have achieved in creating such a mod. Most of my post was in jest, but it's a valid question. Why does NS need to resort to such intrusive methods to achieve the correct lighting, and why is such a dangerous method enabled by default?
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    If you don't like it don't play it. Better yet, no one else has had a monitor die because of it, I'd like to see your proof.
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  • homicidehomicide Join Date: 2003-11-10 Member: 22451Members
    Good thing gamma ramp doesn't break the laws of physics and change "white" into "ultra white." It changes "white" into....."white"
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  • slayer20slayer20 Killed a man once. Join Date: 2007-12-13 Member: 63157Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited September 2009
    Ok I just got the same problem this guy has.

    Was playing the <BAD> CO server when it froze. I closed out of it and my monitor it stuck with it's gamma ramp on. Something isn't right here...

    Edit: Just restarted my computer, and the color is fixed now.
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  • zimzumzimzum Join Date: 2004-09-02 Member: 31200Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    When NS has crashed on me, and the gamma doesn't reset, I've always dbl-clicked the ResetGamma.exe in the ns folder to fix it.
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  • TinCanTinCan Join Date: 2006-12-11 Member: 59010Members
    Does a full power cycle fix it?
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  • himselfehimselfe Join Date: 2009-09-20 Member: 68834Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1728252:date=Sep 21 2009, 08:46 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Sep 21 2009, 08:46 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728252"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If you don't like it don't play it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    But I <b>do</b> like it...

    <!--quoteo(post=1728252:date=Sep 21 2009, 08:46 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Sep 21 2009, 08:46 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728252"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd like to see your proof.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's a bit hard to take photos of CRT monitors with a digital camera, but <a href="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5395/monitorburn.jpg" target="_blank">ask and you shall receive.</a>

    <!--quoteo(post=1728323:date=Sep 22 2009, 05:53 AM:name=homicide)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (homicide @ Sep 22 2009, 05:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728323"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Good thing gamma ramp doesn't break the laws of physics and change "white" into "ultra white." It changes "white" into....."white"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm sure you're aware of the fact that CRT monitors can be damaged by intense contrast differences when static images are displayed on a screen over long periods of time.

    <!--quoteo(post=1728865:date=Sep 25 2009, 09:55 PM:name=zimzum)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zimzum @ Sep 25 2009, 09:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728865"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->When NS has crashed on me, and the gamma doesn't reset, I've always dbl-clicked the ResetGamma.exe in the ns folder to fix it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That's handy to know, thanks! It'd be good if there was some information on that in the FAQ.

    <!--quoteo(post=1728866:date=Sep 25 2009, 09:55 PM:name=TinCan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TinCan @ Sep 25 2009, 09:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728866"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does a full power cycle fix it?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    A full power cycle usually restores the graphics card to it's previous settings.
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    I said I'd like to see your proof. Not your screwed up monitor but your proof that NS caused it rather than whining it did you have to prove it.
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  • himselfehimselfe Join Date: 2009-09-20 Member: 68834Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1728949:date=Sep 26 2009, 04:02 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Sep 26 2009, 04:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1728949"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I said I'd like to see your proof. Not your screwed up monitor but your proof that NS caused it rather than whining it did you have to prove it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I have no proof that NS specifically caused it, hence why the original post was mostly tongue in cheek, but I can imagine years of playing NS in Windowed mode with gamma ramp enabled hasn't helped the matter.

    Do you have anything constructive to add or are you just a rabid fanboy salivating at the chance to misdirect your own zeal?

    Nothings perfect, and while I love NS as a game I think the decision to enable gamma ramping by default is poorly devised. There are far better ways of achieving the correct lighting levels in a game and I've yet to see a valid reason why NS resorts to such a method in the first place.
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  • UnderwhelmedUnderwhelmed DemoDetective #?&#33; Join Date: 2006-09-19 Member: 58026Members, Constellation
    ResetGamma.exe
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  • FuNiOnZFuNiOnZ Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26112Members
    Theres no way to damage a monitor with gamma adjustments, it can only go as bright as it can handle.
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  • himselfehimselfe Join Date: 2009-09-20 Member: 68834Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1729750:date=Sep 30 2009, 07:06 AM:name=FuNiOnZ)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FuNiOnZ @ Sep 30 2009, 07:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1729750"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Theres no way to damage a monitor with gamma adjustments, it can only go as bright as it can handle.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Brightness isn't the problem, contrast intensity is.
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