How to make an image pop

[evok99]

I have done a side by side comparison of about 60 different ENB presets and there is one preset that makes the image pop for interior settings. That is Project ENB CoT Realistic.

Here are 4 ENB presets comparing the same image. As you can see, the Project ENB CoT image almost looks like CGI. I'm not talking about the DoF or the saturation, both of which I am not fond of, but of something else that simply makes the character pop out. How does bronze316 achieve this? Is it the PP2? I have tried out his other presets, Seasons of Skyrim and True HDR, but they do not achieve this look either.

Far Off ENB CGI:



Seasons of Skyrim ENB True HDR



Kinematic ENB



Project ENB CoT Realistic


Here is the code bronze316 is using in his PP2 enbeffect.fx file:

Code: Select all

#if (POSTPROCESS==2)

	float newEAdaptationMax = lerp( EAdaptationMaxV2Interior, ( lerp( EAdaptationMaxV2Night, EAdaptationMaxV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEAdaptationMin = lerp( EAdaptationMinV2Interior, ( lerp( EAdaptationMinV2Night, EAdaptationMinV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEBrightnessV2 = lerp( EBrightnessV2Interior, ( lerp( EBrightnessV2Night, EBrightnessV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEToneMappingCurve = lerp( EToneMappingCurveV2Interior, ( lerp( EToneMappingCurveV2Night, EToneMappingCurveV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEIntensityContrastV2 = lerp( EIntensityContrastV2Interior, ( lerp( EIntensityContrastV2Night, EIntensityContrastV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEToneMappingOversaturationV2 = lerp( EToneMappingOversaturationV2Interior, ( lerp( EToneMappingOversaturationV2Night, EToneMappingOversaturationV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float newEColorSaturationV2 = lerp( EColorSaturationV2Interior, ( lerp( EColorSaturationV2Night, EColorSaturationV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	float HCompensateSatV2 = lerp( HCompensateSatV2Interior, ( lerp( HCompensateSatV2Night, HCompensateSatV2Day, hnd ) ), ji );
	

		grayadaptation=max(grayadaptation, 0.0);
		grayadaptation=min(grayadaptation, 50.0);
		color.xyz=color.xyz/(grayadaptation*newEAdaptationMax+newEAdaptationMin);//*tempF1.x

		color.xyz*=(newEBrightnessV2);
		color.xyz+=0.000001;
		float3 xncol=normalize(color.xyz);
		float3 scl=color.xyz/xncol.xyz;
		scl=pow(scl, newEIntensityContrastV2);
		xncol.xyz=pow(xncol.xyz, newEColorSaturationV2);
		color.xyz=scl*xncol.xyz;
		color.xyz*=HCompensateSatV2; //Bronze316 - from PP5

		float	lumamax=newEToneMappingOversaturationV2;
		color.xyz=(color.xyz * (1.0 + color.xyz/lumamax))/(color.xyz + newEToneMappingCurve);

	#endif

[far327]

Just happy to see I made your top 4

bronze316 is a force to be reckoned with in the ENB config world. Gotta love those who create such beautiful configs and actually share out there work!

[prod80]

Seasons of Skyrim is also from Bronze316, and it uses the same code as Project ENB.

As you can see in both those screenshots they are very very close to each other. Saturation levels/brightness levels seem to be different, but color wise they are pretty much identical.

[SBDninja]

I'm using Seasons now, I just think it looks fantastic!

[Unreal Warfare]

Less bloom, a decent Depth of Field, and FXAA/SweetFX tweaking generally helps to get this type of effect.