Dark Graphics, Game freezes

[LeeLoou]

I finally was able to log into the game today and now my screen is too dark to be able to play the game. Its hard enough trying to navigate around my ship, I cant imagine trying to do missions in dark areas. The brightness on my laptop is at 100% and I have no problems on the internet or anything else on my laptop. When I log into the game right from the character select screen its dark, my gamma setting in game is at 100%. The game was not like this before this update and it is now unplayable.

[LD_Little_Dragon]

It's the shader setting.  They took away the 'very low' setting and forced us all to run with the 'low setting'. 

You can turn shaders off completely by modifying your client settings (shaderset = 0 change to shaderset = 1). 

The graphics look pretty bad with no shaders at all, but it's easier to see.  Somewhat.  Actually too bright for me, but that's better than too dark.

[OneYenShort]

You could try playing with gamma either via in game controls (maybe?) or externally via drivers.  Nvidia and AMD should have settings that can be tiggers per game.  I think.  Its been ages sense I really kept up to date on that.

[Demosthinez]

I am having the same issue with a fresh install on a new system. And I have no idea what file the client settings are in, but I will keep looking. 

[LD_Little_Dragon]

Been fiddling with my monitor displays.  Not really finding much improvement.

Jacking up contrast helps with the 'too dark' areas, but then the menu/inventories and outdoor stuff is too bright.  It also makes anything outside of the game almost impossible to read when I alt-tab away.

It's a really annoying, since everything about the 64 bit upgrade is great for me except for this shader issue.

I didn't even realize I had more then the usual 'needs glasses' vision problems, but this is all making me feel old. 

Oldish. 

Not young.

[syrumani]

So, like most, I downloaded the update yesterday.  After a 2 hours update, got the game loaded, and of course - dark.  I found on the SWTOR forums someone said to change the Shader setting.  I was all ready to do that after work.  Loaded the launcher.  4 times.  Once, the screen froze with the "once upon a time" title.  Twice it froze after "The Eternal Empire has taken Voss".  This is where I tried updating the DirectX bit.  The 4th try, everything seemed to be going faster, smoother.  I had high hopes. The screen didn't freeze until "The Eternal Empire has taken Voss. Our forces await your command".

 

So.  I am open to suggestions.  I have seen where someone says to launch via Steam, but I'd really like to avoid that route.

 

 

Edited to add that I have also tried the C++ route.  Still no luck.  Will try uninstalling the whole thing, and re-installing.

Edited March 29, 2023 by syrumani
Edited to add that I have also tried the C++ route.  Still no luck.  Will try uninstalling the whole thing, and re-installing.

[OwenBrooks]

you are likely best to post in the technical issues forum https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-Technical/bd-p/star-wars-the-old-republic-en

provide a dxdiag per https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-Technical/Guide-Posting-a-DxDiag/m-p/4832663/highlight/true#M70799

Edit: Still dark in fullscreen mode ?

Edited March 30, 2023 by OwenBrooks

[OwenBrooks]

The game can only alter gamma in fullscreen mode 

[Demosthinez]

I am on a fresh install. I had used steam before to avoid some of the issues with the game, but my screen was to dark to play the game after the monster update.

So I uninstalled and reinstalled using the downloader from swtor.com, and like before, my screen is so dark it is impossible to play. 

Before the update, no issues, after the update BIG issues. 

I use Full Screen when playing, and the shader is at 100%.

I am really stumped at what to do here. I have seen people saying to add a line to my client settings, but I have no idea where to find this. The file others have mentioned I don't see on my system. 

I know my 15 bucks is a drop in the well to these folks and literally means nothing, but why continue to pay for a game I can't play. 

Please help.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Demosthinez

[syrumani]

I ended up uninstalling the whole thing last night, and reinstalling.  Still dark, still a bit glitchy as of last night.  Will try and play again tonite.  If there isn't a "reasonable" way to fix this . . . and by reasonable, I mean not having to do multiple things in different websites that should logically be done in game settings . . . or to revert to previous game settings - I mean, it worked find for me, and it looked like daylight in outside scenes - I will probably stop, too.  Which is sad, as I've been playing this for 10 years, with a 4 month break here and there.

[syrumani]

I will say this again . . . there were no system issues prior to this update.  During the auto-conversation video, the color is fantastic!  I thought I finally picked the right color setting.  Hair was white and everything.  Nope, once section over, back to dull grey hair outside.  Game is glitchy, and twice now I have tried to go back to Odessen after Dromund Kass/Empress Ecina, and the game freezes.

[syrumani]

I find it interesting that in the GAME UPDATE 7.2.1 - KNOWN ISSUES folder that our issue with the darkness is not listed at all.

 

 

 

[LD_Little_Dragon]

1 hour ago, syrumani said:

I find it interesting that in the GAME UPDATE 7.2.1 - KNOWN ISSUES folder that our issue with the darkness is not listed at all.

Bioware probably doesn't consider it an issue.  They have a 'vision' for what the game should look like and anyone who doesn't share their vision (both in the design and the physical sense) isn't worth listening to.

[LeeLoou]

Nothing on the forums that addresses the dark screens. I put in a ticket and all they said was my computer must meet the requirements, OS: Windows 10 or later - 64-bit
Processor AMD: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+ or better
Processor Intel: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz or better
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: Star Wars: The Old Republic requires a video card that has a minimum of 1 GB of on-board RAM as well as support for Shader 3.0 or better.
Examples include:Intel HD 3000 or better/AMD Radeon HD 7450/Nvidia GeForce 610
Storage: 75 GB available space

I am running a dell laptop with a core i7, 16 GB ram, 2TB hd, GeForce GTX 900m with 4GB onboard ram and im running windows 10, so its not my PC. How about bioware adds a brightness bar in the graphics options LIKE EVERY OTHER PC GAME OUT THERE!!!

I have been playing since pre-launch, and this is the deal breaker, I cant play a game that I cant see and I cant in good conscience keep giving money to a corp that doesnt give a rats about their customers. I have cancelled my subscription.

[OwenBrooks]

18 hours ago, LeeLoou said:

I am running a dell laptop with a core i7, 16 GB ram, 2TB hd, GeForce GTX 900m with 4GB onboard ram and im running windows 10, so its not my PC. How about bioware adds a brightness bar in the graphics options LIKE EVERY OTHER PC GAME OUT THERE!!!

Have you checked that antialiasing - gamma correction is turned on in the nvidia control panel under manage3d / star wars the old republic 

Cant hurt to do https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/calibrate-monitor-windows-10

Just in case see if a repair will activate https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-Technical/GUIDE-Client-Repair-Scan/m-p/6454174#M70804  rare cases of very dark display can be game file related 

Edited April 4, 2023 by OwenBrooks

[LeeLoou]

Nothing has worked and now I cant even log into the forums, I had to get on this thread thru my sub. This is so messed up now I dont think im even going to bother re subbing if they get this issue fixed. SWTOR just doesnt care about their customers so why should I continue to give them my money.