Brightness problems after running Bioshock 2.

[Devilish]

Hi all,

Dunno if anyone else also has these problems, I only seem to get them after playing Bioshock 2.

Basically, after starting bioshock 2, the standard windows brightness seems to be set to a much higher level - see able when alt-tabbing, or after closing bioshock 2.

When I first started playing Bioshock i ended up almost maxing the brightness in game, however changing that now does not affect the windows brightness after closing the game.

The only way I've found to get the brightness back to the standard brightness in windows is to reboot the computer.

Is anyone else having this problem? and is there either a Fix, or a simple work around to somehow reset the windows brightness or refresh the GPU or so?

OS: WinXP x64
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
GPU: GeForce 8800GT (latest drivers - 6.14.11.9621)

[doomed]

Here's an idea: Open the nvidia control panel and go to Display -> Adjust desktop color settings and put back the gamma to 1.0

[Devilish]

Thanks for the fast reply.

The gamma is already (or rather still) set to 1.0, none of the options in the control panel have been changed in anyway yet the screen is still brighter then it was when i started Bioshock 2.

[doomed]

Weird. I'm afraid I don't know how to help you!

[clivewil]

Dunno if anyone else also has these problems

yep, i have it too - gamma doesn't reset when exiting.

(fwiw: running Win XP SP2, Asus 1gb 8800GT, driver version 195.62, latest DirectX 9)

[Tech Jamie]

Make sure you are running the game in the same resolution as your desktop. Are you running any type of monitor calibration software?

[EXCellR8]

The only way I've found to get the brightness back to the standard brightness in windows is to reboot the computer.

i've noticed this with a bunch of different Unreal Engine games... and that's the only way I've found that fixes it. i think there might be a way to correct it with the developer console but i'm not sure how to do that with BS2...

[Devilish]

Make sure you are running the game in the same resolution as your desktop. Are you running any type of monitor calibration software?

Yep using same desktop res, and have no extra calibration software then the Nvidia control panel (which I don't play around with at all)

Glad that someone else has this problem and not just me.

[Tech Paul]

Yep using same desktop res, and have no extra calibration software then the Nvidia control panel (which I don't play around with at all)

Glad that someone else has this problem and not just me.

Show hidden files and folders,

- In Windows XP: Click on the Tools menu then choose Folder Options.
- In Windows Vista/7: click on the Organize menu and choose Folder and Search Options.
- Click on the view tab.
- Ensure "Show hidden files and folders" is selected in the list.
- Press Apply then OK.

Go to the following location:-

C > Users > YOUR PC LOGIN > App Data > Roaming > Bioshock 2

Right click the clear space in this folder and select New, then Folder.

Move the contents of this folder to your new folder.

Launch the game.

The folders contents will be re-created once the game launches.

Does the game crash on exit?

Do you close the game through the games main menu or do you close quickly using Alt+F4 for instance?

[Devilish]

Game never crashes on exit, it just doesn't reset the brightness back to the default windows setting.

I've always closed Bioshock nicely using the main menu

I let the game re-create all the options seemed to work ok - until I upped the brightness in-game due to it being way too dark. seems like that's where the problem lies as Bioshock is not returning the brightness to standard.


For the people not on windows vista, the location of the config files are at:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Bioshock2

[Vanbursta]

I have the same problem, game exits nicely but doesn't reset my desktop brightness until I reboot the PC. It doesn't happen with other games. I had to set BS2 brightness in game because it was WAYY too dark, now when I exit the game the brightness level isn't reset so Windows desktop is WAY too bright until I reboot the PC.

Most annoying!!

[Devilish]

Welcome to the club Vanbursta.

Wish i had a proper solution for you, but the only fix I've found is to finish Bioshock 2 so you don't have to deal with all the problems it has anymore

[63jax]

have the same problem too, still not fixed.

[GrouchyDan]

I used to have this problem with Bioshock (1) on Windows XP and my Radeon HD 2600XT graphics card. Running Catalyst Control Center after exiting Bioshock always returned screen brightness to normal, however.

I'm running Bioshock 2 on the same computer (different video monitor) with Windows 7 now, but haven't experienced any unusual screen brightness disruptions.

I don't know how these comments can help.

[Skotty]

I've had this problem on Bioshock and Bioshock 2. Can't remember what other system configs I've used with these games, but right now it's a Core 2 Duo system with a Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320 MB. I haven't played around a lot with video settings, but it resets on reboot. Can also adjust brightness back down in game before exiting game.

I don't know why this hasn't been fixed in Bioshock 2. If they know how to adjust the brightness in the first place, it should be very easy to reset the brightness to where it was on game exit.

[the frogger]

I also had this problem with other games. So far it hasn't happened with BIOSHOCK 2 for me. The only way I fixed it was as said earlier, reboot your OS.

I don't think it's a problem specific to BS2, Hitman, SOF2 and half life all did this to me at random times. And one day it just stopped happening. Weird, but true.

[Marlec]

Hi Devilish

No m8 your certainly not alone with this problem, i have it too & i wish i knew a fix for it cos its really annoying having to reboot my PC everytime i play BioShock 2.

Can you please look into this 2K ?

[clivewil]

better late than never... i added the argument -nogamma to the target of my shortcut and i think it may have solved it.