Re: HDR stopped working after 4.2.0 Update

Fortunately I didn't payed full price for that game! It's part of the Xbox Game Pass and 5.0 was my last hope. I assume they didn't even listened or read here in their forums. Will uninstall now! It's enough! 

It is still broken, even with the new update.......... COME ON NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there anyone from DICE reading these comments!? Can you just let us know you are aware of the problem? The game has been practically unplayable since update 4.2.0! It’s dim, washed out, dull and contrast is all over the place. All other games are perfect. It’s definitely a 2042 issue. Please give us a fix. We want to play the new update. I paid $100 for this game and have been playing since the beginning. Please address this. 

This is just ridiculous at this point!!! Dice does not care and it shows. I can't believe its been about 2 months now and it's still not fixed!  

Gonna sound weird but the issue might be windows hdr improperly applying color gamut data.

Here's how you can test:

1. Download the DisplayHDR test VESA windows app

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/displayhdr-test/9NN1GPN70NF3?hl=en-us&gl=us&rtc=1

2. Start Bf2042 and go to the main menu or in-match (make sure you're in borderless fullscreen)

3. Launch the DisplayHDR test app, press esc to turn it into a window on top of BF2042 and use the right arrow key to go to the first page with the black to white squares 

4. Alt-Tab between the DisplayHDR test app and bf 2042 a few times, and then if you notice the HDR in BF2042 works properly while the Display HDR app is focused (the window on top) then its a windows hdr gamut issue with your monitor.

To fix it, you need to force the DisplayHDR window to always be on top while playing the game. I do this with windows power toys the following way:

1. Download windows power toys

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/microsoft-powertoys/XP89DCGQ3K6VLD

2. Open it and minimize it to tray

3. Focus the DisplayHDR window and (assuming it fixes BF2042 HDR colors) and use the powertoys shortcut to force a window to always be on top (Ctrl-WindowsKey-T)

4. Drag the Display HDR window so it's barely showing somewhere on your screen but still applying the correct HDR colors over BF2042

-Note: when you mouse over the DisplayHDR window the mouse will disappear, but it's still there you just can't see it. If you're mousing over the window tab at the top, you'll be able to move it like normal by holding left click and dragging.

5. Click on BF2042. Play with fixed HDR colors (this method doesn't cause any performance loss)

I have to do this for all games with a native HDR implementation because windows is wonky with HDR for my monitor. AutoHDR has no issues, probably because it's a native MS app like Display HDR test.

If this works for you, highly recommend to do the same in other games with a native HDR implementation, as their HDR colors might also be slightly to completely off (depends on the game) without you noticing.

My theory is that windows has trouble converting/reading/outputting native HDR implementations in third party software and apis and messes up somewhere, but apps built on the MS api (such as from the windows store) are able to properly output the monitors true HDR rating (similar reason to why AutoHDR has no issues?), so when you use them over a game with native HDR that windows is improperly outputting HDR from, it "snaps" it back to the proper HDR spec.

@NikkMann149This is not the issue!

Prior to 4.2.0... it worked amazing... but right after 4.2.0... broken. I was playing the game prior to the patch, then after the patch, booted up and not working anymore.

I think it's something related to EA Desktop app, I'm going to install Origin and try it to see what happens... unless someone with Origin can verify it also.

@VipeNess Gotcha, yeah give that origin guide I posted earlier a shot.

For my peace of mind though, could you try the hdr app thing before origin? Cause there's always a chance a bf2042 update could've messed up the way it sends hdr data to windows, leading to the same issue (and same fix)

I didn't start playing until the second half of S4 so I've always had the issue.

@VipeNess Was asking you to test the thing I wrote about testing the windows hdr color gamut instead, but for origin this guide tells you how to use it instead of ea desktop

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2948118653

@NikkMann149so this actually worked for me, surprisingly. I still think it's a DICE issue because, as everyone else is saying, HDR broke only after patch 4.2.0 and no other changes.

Still, for now I will use this DisplayHDR on top hack because at least it makes the HDR looks very nice (as it did before 4.2.0)!

Dice doesn't care and they never will. It shows in the quality in their games. Utter trash. Game is still in the pre-alpha stage. 

Error persists even after the last update. Thanks Dice.

@VipeNess

Thanks for testing Origin and reporting it didn't worked either, you save me some times!

I'm so tired of fixing my games myself these days...

I have a workaround that works for me, every time I boot the game I do the following:

1. Turn HDR OFF in the game menu
2. Turn HDR OFF in Windows with Alt+Win+B
3. Turn HDR back ON in the game menu
4. Turn HDR back ON in Windows with Alt+Win+B again, the colours then look correct

I'm running an Nvidia graphics card with Windows 11 and running the game via Steam which then launches the EA App - so I'm not sure if this will work for people with different configurations.

The strange thing I noticed is that when recording the game with Nvidia share, it would record the HDR accurately; even though while playing/recording the colours looked totally off on the monitor. So I think something odd is going on with how the game is booting up and initiating HDR through the way Windows outputs HDR and running the above steps seems to initiate it correctly.

That doesn't work because you can't turn HDR back ON in the game menu when HDR is off in Windows.

The_Bonelord you are just getting SDR in HDR output doing this and it will look washed out. You just better play in SDR directly it will be better.

But i can CONFIRM that the workaround that @NikkMann149  posted on PAGE 9 * WORK!

Go try it it's not hard at all. I will add this :

-After having set the HDR window that fix it always on top of BF2042 by CTRL+Win+T (if i remember correctly), you can just do the exact same CTRL+Win+T FOR BF2042 and it will be on top of the already on top windows while keeping HDR working so... If my english is still Ok...

So you don't even have to bother with a single pixel of the HDR window fixing it.

You will be able to notice differences just in Display Options. Find HDR calibration and you will notice that depending if you'r HDR is fixed or not by the workaround, you will have to caliber it here differently.

When it was fine (before 4.2.0), i had it almost full left side on my HDR 600 monitor Odyssey G7.

Since broken 4.2.0 i had it completely the opposite almost full right side.

Guess what? Now it is completely back at it's good value pre 4.2.0 i have to set my calibration just like before! IT WORKS!

I still think it's EA/Dice fault and responsability. All my other games works perfectly. This is the only piece of software * i have that FACTUALLY BROKE it with a patch.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE AN EFFICIENT WAY TO MONITOR IT,* EA GO * FIX IT, OR DO YOU STILL NEED US TO SEND SOME HDR MONITOR JUST IN CASE?!

(Also, even these forums are horrible to use, i hope i will never have to come back, also FU)

Thanks a lot @NikkMann149  you did it better and quicker than EA

Bonsoir !

Here is a link to the GOOD WORKAROUND message :

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/HDR-stopped-working-after-4-2-0-Update/m-p/12634304/highlight/true#M27846

Adieu.

The easiest workaround but not fix, is just to turn off HDR before launhcing 2042, then once in game just press WIN+ALT+B Then enable HDR if it is turned off in game.

That said, this is not a permanent fix and has to be done at each launch, and even if you accidentally ALT TAB out of the game.

If you do accidentally ALT TAB, then you just need to press WIN+ALT+B while on desktop then again after you ALT TAB back into the game.

PLEASE FIX THIS GAME DICE/EA.

@SubSonix  I think you just better play in SDR directly than doing this. I think you are advicing to use the worst case display scenario

How so? It just-renables HDR in game to it's correct setting, I don't see how it's any different to how your process works, just easier.

I don't know, it does not work on my side.

You sure it's not just washed out SDR content output in HDR? Some reported that kind of fix work while it seems to not work for me and others, but maybe?

To be sure, i recommend Nikkmann's technique. You can monitor the differences easily like i posted earlier.