Increasing gamma when playing Civ

[pesgores]

My computer's screen is old and is a bit burned (just a bit), but it's enough to make civ too dark.

I tried using a program called Adobe Gamma, but when I load Civ4, the gamma increase disappears. I try going back to Windows without unloading, increase the gamma again and when I go back to the game, the effect disappears again.

Can someone point out another program or tell me how to fix the issue?

 

[pesgores]

Lil' help please? Only recently I realised how annoying it is.

 

[pesgores]

I know this will fall down the list if no one replies.

 

[ori]

one thing you could try is whether the same happens when you play the game in windowed mode...

 

[pesgores]

Is the difference big when in Window'd mode?

 

[ori]

well - scrolling works a bit differently - but apart from that no - not really...

 

[pesgores]

Indeed? Hmmm...An option to consider.

Still looking for help...how to increase gamma when in fullscreen mode?

 

[Furiey]

It takes one checkbox in the game options and restarting the game to test to see if windows mode makes any difference, and removing the check and restarting the game to put it back to fullscreen if it doesn't or you don't like it. That will give some more information that may help find a solution. I certainly can't think of anything else.

 

[Fezzik]

I use a program called Gamma Panel (or gapa) to increase gamma in several games and to view dark photos using a pre-defined hotkey.

It's free, pick one:
http://majorgeeks.com/Gamma_Panel_d2796.html
http://download.cnet.com/Gamma-Panel/3000-2094_4-10703616.html

To set it up, open the settings then before messing with anything enter a hotkey for the default, untouched settings. I use Ctrl-Shift-` (backtick/tilde key) because it's all on the very left of the keyboard and isn't used by other programs. Save it as (default) or something.

Now starting with Ctrl-Shift-1 and continuing to Ctrl-Shift-5 or so, create several more profiles varying from dark to light, saving each one with a different name. Careful to watch that you don't set values too extreme because they seem not to work at extreme levels. The graph will say "LUT: 0" if that happens.

Now you can switch gamma while in-game using those hotkeys. Start up gapa before playing or drop a shortcut in your Startup folder in the Start menu.

(Some games other than Civ4 may require setting an option "Allow External Gamma Settings" or some such for it to work with them, and it doesn't always work with hardware accelerated video, unless you change the renderer)

 

[pesgores]

It takes one checkbox in the game options and restarting the game to test to see if windows mode makes any difference, and removing the check and restarting the game to put it back to fullscreen if it doesn't or you don't like it. That will give some more information that may help find a solution. I certainly can't think of anything else.

What box? I've searched for it and I missed...is it in graphics->resolution?

@Fezzik: Tanks for the program, seems nice, gotta try it.

 

[ori]

in graphics - just uncheck the box that says full screen mode