Every time a bright white screen transition happens, it feels like getting punched in the face. I even cover my eyes sometimes because I know I’ll get a headache after a few of them. Why are devs still doing this?
Bandai Namco, I’m looking at you for this one.
Andi said:
Bandai Namco, I’m looking at you for this one.
Radahn practically hands me a flashbang before the fight even starts. Miyazaki, why?
Andi said:
Bandai Namco, I’m looking at you for this one.
It’s even worse because the rest of the intro is so dark, and then BOOM, light attack.
I swear devs don’t test their games in dark rooms. That’s the only explanation.
By the way, what does HDR have to do with these white transitions? Did I miss something?
Poe said:
I swear devs don’t test their games in dark rooms. That’s the only explanation.
By the way, what does HDR have to do with these white transitions? Did I miss something?
If your setup is right, SDR brightness is capped at 100-200 nits, which isn’t super bright. HDR, on the other hand, can hit 1000 nits or more, so those white transitions end up being way brighter with HDR.
@Joss
Good point, I forgot the brightness range in HDR makes a big difference. Thanks for explaining.
Poe said:
@Joss
Good point, I forgot the brightness range in HDR makes a big difference. Thanks for explaining.
It’s not just about brightness. HDR adds a bigger range of brightness and darkness, which changes how things look overall.
@Channing
Actually, HDR also expands the color range, but it’s the brightness levels that really stand out. The name ‘High Dynamic Range’ is mostly about brightness and contrast though.
Tate said:
@Channing
Actually, HDR also expands the color range, but it’s the brightness levels that really stand out. The name ‘High Dynamic Range’ is mostly about brightness and contrast though.
The wider color range comes from supporting color spaces like P3 or BT.2020. HDR is about higher brightness and contrast levels. For example, Apple has displays that support P3 but aren’t HDR.
Poe said:
@Joss
Good point, I forgot the brightness range in HDR makes a big difference. Thanks for explaining.
HDR10 is just a marketing term. HDR and 10-bit color are actually separate features.
Poe said:
I swear devs don’t test their games in dark rooms. That’s the only explanation.
By the way, what does HDR have to do with these white transitions? Did I miss something?
A completely bright screen is bad enough, but HDR makes it even worse because the brights are brighter.
@Jesse
I thought HDR was about contrast and how dark the blacks can get.
Landyn said:
@Jesse
I thought HDR was about contrast and how dark the blacks can get.
It’s both. HDR affects both the brightest and darkest parts of the screen.
@Jesse
Screens weren’t designed to be 100% bright all the time. TVs are tricky, and human eyes even more so. I’ve spent years adjusting TVs, and it’s always a challenge to get things looking right. The key was always finding the balance that works for your eyes, not just maxing out brightness.
Poe said:
I swear devs don’t test their games in dark rooms. That’s the only explanation.
By the way, what does HDR have to do with these white transitions? Did I miss something?
When my OLED goes full white, it’s like a flashbang went off in my room.
Poe said:
I swear devs don’t test their games in dark rooms. That’s the only explanation.
By the way, what does HDR have to do with these white transitions? Did I miss something?
Here’s the thing: our eyes are used to adapting to huge differences in brightness in real life, like stepping out into the sun after being in a dark room. But old displays couldn’t do that, so devs faked it with white flashes. Now, with HDR and better screens, the brightness is real, and those fake flashes don’t make sense anymore.
Thanks for the reminder, from a dev’s perspective!
Nothing like a good flashbang when you’re gaming in the dark.
As someone with migraines, I really wish there was more awareness about how painful these transitions are. It’s awful.