Regarding the lights....

ED must have changed something in the graphics engine code with 2.5.1 Update 1.

The screenshot below shows Update 1 on the left and to the right 2.5.1 prior to the update.

A lot of lighted objects became pink or severely washed out.

I'm currently trying to fix this, but there's no telling what 2.5.2 will yet...

Rudel, did these global changes by ED affect the way the pit looks in daytime as well? I ask, because even though the latest update is a step in good direction, some of the black elements became too dark in my opinion.

The whole gunsight for example is a pitch-black blob now, with no sense of 3D depth - it's difficult to flip/rotate some switches when they're barely visible, while some of the white markings (like on the aiming angle knob) can't be read either unless in zoomed view. Lights on the annunciator panels are pretty much non-readable too, as they became very dim.

I made these observations while flying at noon, even temporarily switching from my preferred gamma 1.6-1.7 to default 2.2, but that didn't help really.

Yes it dd....

The problem is in DCS now and how it draw the shadows. There some general formula how dark the shadow will be. But there is one point, that only few people realize. DCS now don’t have autoexposure like human eyes and cameras. Without this feature, you can experience in DCS very bright surfaces at direct sunlight, or very dark shadows, all because lack of autoexposure. What can really help is some future AVERAGE GAMA AUTOMATIC CALCULATION, which will constantly adjust picture brightness.

sorry to hear that, Rudel. That must be really frustrating.

Can you check on exterior lights, as well? I think those were hit with a similar downgrade.

I cranked the gamma to its maximum and it looks like the black levels are clipped at the minimum. Doesn't DCS have dynamic range lighting?

Rudel, did these global changes by ED affect the way the pit looks in daytime as well? I ask, because even though the latest update is a step in good direction, some of the black elements became too dark in my opinion.

[...]

I made these observations while flying at noon, even temporarily switching from my preferred gamma 1.6-1.7 to default 2.2, but that didn't help really.

Same thing happens in the Mirage and Gazelle (in VR at least). It looks like deferred shading and the new lighting engine need more time to mature, as much as me and everyone else would have liked these issues to have been ironed out before the release of 2.5 ...

"as much as me and everyone else would have liked these issues to have been ironed out before the release of 2.5"

HOLY WORDS! :thumbup:

It looks like deferred shading and the new lighting engine need more time to mature, as much as me and everyone else would have liked these issues to have been ironed out before the release of 2.5 ...

If I remember correctly everyone else was banging on ED's door to release 2.5 no matter what the state of the current version was. Blinded by some screenshots and not patient enough to wait for some more weeks/months :music_whistling:

Gamma variation won't help, black would still be black. It's just a response curve between the minimum and maximum values that don't change.

doesn't ED communicate with 3rd party devs and inform them about the forthcoming changes which may effect their modules?

Because if it is the case, it would be appalling.