soft glow with a fading impact.
soft glow with a fading impact.
Over the years I've observed an unusual lighting phenomenon becoming more common since 2012. I'm not sure what it is or why it happens, but it bothers me. I plan to share several photos of this issue and would really appreciate any insights from someone with technical expertise. In the images you'll see a silvery glow on shiny, dark surfaces—especially reflective ones. It definitely creates reflections or lighting effects, making everything it touches appear unnatural and overly glossy. This effect appears wherever light hits a surface and makes it seem lighter, but here it looks too intense and silvery. You can spot it across the Tarkov game, on the AK-12 side, near the M-16 receiver, and even on customization shots of the uniform.
It seems the way games manage reflections and refractions on surfaces isn't very smooth.
It sounds like you're wondering if the sound is deliberate or a result of how the engine works.
It's the Fresnel phenomenon applied within physically based rendering systems. Essentially it describes how surfaces appear more reflective when viewed at certain angles. This is grounded in actual physics. What bothers me more are reflections and lens flares in the final shot. In short, it delivers a high level of realism. I’m familiar with these materials and they generally behave as expected. Perhaps reducing the Fresnel intensity slightly would help, but overall it’s accurate. Even non-reflective finishes on weapons or blades become quite reflective at oblique angles. Realistically, RTX should handle this better because it incorporates more global illumination when calculating reflections and lighting. This means it won’t disappear or vanish entirely since PBR is being used correctly. If you’re willing, try adjusting the Fresnel node in Blender for a clearer grasp of its function. *Note: Many PBR materials seem overly glossy, especially in Unreal Engine, often prioritizing shine over nuance. Artists usually lean toward glossy finishes for visual impact, even if it sacrifices realism.*
I was certain it was rooted in reality, though perhaps it’s being overdone. The first image and the BF4 customization on black clothing are especially harsh. It resembles a coating of white donut glaze applied over the surface.
Additionally, while discussing lighting, I have another inquiry. I've observed in some recent games that there appears to be an issue with lighting where surfaces begin mimicking the colors of reflected objects. This effect is far more pronounced than real life would allow, to the extent that a non-reflective green surface starts adopting hues based on its surroundings. For instance, an airplane flying high might develop a subtle blue tint, while one flying low over a desert appears noticeably yellowed.
I don't believe those games are especially flawed. The BF4 customization image seems reasonable overall. The Fresnel effect I referenced could be slightly exaggerated, but I'm also uncertain if it accurately captures the real-world scene, which would affect how the reflection appears. It doesn't look like a donut glaze to me either; the reflections still show some texture. This would likely just be realistic lighting—colors and light interact quite a bit, which brings back my earlier thoughts about Fresnel and shine in general. Too much intensity seems to be the problem here. I'm not sure what you mean by the airplane example since the instrument panel would be inside the cockpit while the desert would be outside. Still, most airplanes, especially older models, tend to be fairly smooth surfaces. WW2 aircraft were often made from polished steel or aluminum, which reflected a lot of light and helped with camouflage. The sky usually has a warm yellow/orange tone, while a cool blue sky would fill in the shadows with a blue cast. Low-flying planes over desert terrain make sense if they appear blue from above and yellowish or golden on the ground.