Every Deep Light setting for ETS2 and ATS, explained

What most players need on one screen: Deep Light on or off, the four presets, six quick adjustments, and the upscaler with frame generation.

Real LifePresetPro

Measured against thousands of real road photos: deeper shadows, natural contrast, no burnt sky.

PhotorealistPresetPro

Calibrated on real photos.

Bright Haze v2PresetPro

Tuned by eye in game: lifted shadows, deep shadow fill, warm haze, sharp.

BrightnessCore and Pro

Brighter or darker picture, in steps of light (EV). The same value as Exposure on the Colour tab.

ShadowsProNeeds physically based lighting

How much sky light reaches the places the sun does not: higher gives brighter, more colourful shadows. The same value as Shadow fill on the Light tab.

ColourCore and Pro

How colourful the picture is. The mark leaves the colour as the preset made it. The same value as Saturation on the Colour tab.

WarmthCore and Pro

Warmer, golden light to the right, cooler and bluer to the left. The same value as Temp on the Colour tab.

Motion blurProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR

Blur from your own speed, as a camera sees the road rush past. All the way left turns it off. It only shows while you drive, so a still picture cannot show it.

SharpnessCore and Pro

Sharper detail after DLSS, DLAA or FSR. All the way left is off, the mark is AMD's maximum, all the way right twice as strong.

Sharpen edgesCore and Pro

Sharpens only contours, not fine texture: no shimmer on grass, gravel or asphalt grain.

Sharpness with frame generationCore and ProDirectX 12

Used instead of Sharpness while frame generation runs. All the way left is steadiest: sharpened fine detail can flicker between real and generated frames.

How the world is lit: the sun, the sky light in the shadows, reflections and haze.

Lighting methodPro

The light model under the preset. Every method keeps its own lighting and colour values. D draws the game's own lighting.

Physically based lightingCore and ProAfter a restart

Deep Light lights the world itself: sun, sky and reflections that behave like real light on each material. Starts with the game.

PBR strengthCore and Pro

How much of the new lighting you see, from the game's lighting on the left to all of it on the right.

Sun intensityCore and Pro

Strength of direct sunlight.

Sky lightCore and Pro

Strength of the soft light that comes from the whole sky.

ReflectionsCore and Pro

How strongly surfaces reflect the sky.

Roughness biasPro

Rougher, more matte surfaces to the right; glossier to the left.

Shadow fillPro

More sky light where the sun does not reach: brighter, more colourful shadows. All the way left is physical.

Ground reflectionsPro

A stronger sky reflection on surfaces that face up (roads, pavements, roofs) in dry weather. All the way left is physical.

Wet sun glintPro

Extra sun highlight on wet surfaces, following the game's rain. All the way left is physical.

Albedo brightnessPro

Brighter surfaces (roads, buildings, vehicles) without a brighter sky. The mark is physical.

Albedo saturationPro

Richer surface colour under sun and sky light, without touching grey.

Sky light directionPro

How much the sky light comes from the bright part of the sky. Lower is flatter, like the game's ambient light. All the way right is physical.

Sun occlusionPro

Darker contact areas in sunlight too: at kerbs, walls and under objects. All the way left is physical.

Ambient occlusion depthPro

Deeper shade in creases and corners; open surfaces keep their light. All the way left is the game's.

Shadow edge sharpnessPro

Crisper edges on sun shadows. All the way left is the game's.

Aerial hazePro

Distant scenery fades into the colour of the sky, as it does through real air. All the way left is off.

Haze distancePro

How far away the haze builds up.

Apply the game light valuesPro

Uses the values below on the game's own light. Off leaves the game's light as it ships.

AO strengthPro

Strength of the game's ambient shading in corners and under objects.

DirectionalPro

How much that shading follows the direction of the light.

Floor (darkest)Pro

The darkest that shading may get. All the way left keeps the game's.

Ambient lightPro

The game's overall ambient light.

Ambient directionPro

How much the ambient light comes from one side.

Game reflectionsPro

Strength of the game's own reflections.

Contact shadowsCore and ProNeeds physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

Fine shadows where things meet: wheels on the road, kerbs, posts, mirrors.

Shadow strengthCore and ProComing in 1.1.0

How dark a contact shadow is.

Shadow lengthCore and ProComing in 1.1.0

How far from a surface an object still darkens it.

Ambient occlusionCore and ProComing in 1.1.0

Darker creases and corners in the sky light.

Occlusion radiusCore and ProComing in 1.1.0

How wide that darkening reaches.

The colour grade and the tone curve: what a photographer does to a raw photo, done live while you drive.

Colour gradeCore and Pro

Turns the whole colour grade below on or off.

TempCore and Pro

White balance. Higher is warmer, more golden; lower is cooler, more blue.

Tint (R G B)Pro

Fine white-balance gains for red, green and blue on top of Temp. On the marks it changes nothing.

ExposureCore and Pro

Brighter or darker, in steps of light. Brightness on Home moves it too.

SaturationCore and Pro

More or less colour everywhere. Colour on Home moves it too.

ContrastCore and Pro

Distance between the dark and the bright parts.

VibranceCore and Pro

More colour where colour is weak, leaving strong colours alone.

Colour boostPro

More saturation where a colour is already strong; grey stays grey. All the way left is off.

Highlight desaturationPro

Bright colours, above all the sky, lose some saturation: a hazier, more photographic sky. All the way left is off.

ShadowsCore and Pro

Lifts or deepens the dark tones.

HighlightsCore and Pro

Brings back or pushes the bright tones.

BlacksCore and Pro

Where black starts: right lifts it to a soft grey, left makes it deeper.

WhitesCore and Pro

Where white starts.

Pre-exposurePro

Exposure before the tone curve: brighter mid tones while the sky keeps its detail.

Pre-contrastPro

Contrast before the tone curve.

Dynamic contrastPro

Local contrast: shapes and depth stand out without a harsher picture overall.

Night exposureCore and Pro

Brighter or darker nights only. Try it on the night scene.

Dark nightsCore and Pro

How much of the daytime brightening fades out at night. All the way right keeps nights dark; all the way left gives nights the day's lift.

Daylight desaturationPro

Colour taken out in full daylight, none at night: softens ETS2's very saturated textures.

Filmic tonemapPro

A film-like curve for the brightest parts: highlights roll off softly instead of burning to white.

ContrastPro

The curve's contrast.

Mid greyPro

How bright the middle tones come out.

Shoulder startPro

Where the soft roll-off of the bright tones begins.

WhitePro

How much brighter than mid grey a light must be to reach pure white.

ToePro

The shape of the darkest tones.

Hue in highlightsPro

Left: bright colours fade to white like film. Right: colours keep their hue up to white.

Game exposurePro

The game's own exposure, before Deep Light's grade.

Game saturationPro

The game's own saturation.

Game warmthPro

The game's own colour warmth.

Trees, grass, the ground and water.

Foliage thicknessPro

All the way right is the game's foliage; to the left it thins tree crowns, hedges and grass, down to bare branches. A late-autumn look.

Foliage quality (full at distance, soft edges)ProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR

Keeps distant trees full and smooths the edges of leaves.

Leaves: sky lightProNeeds physically based lighting

Sky light on tree leaves: right of the mark, foliage reads brighter and softer.

Leaves: sun specularProNeeds physically based lighting

Sun glare on tree leaves: left of the mark, less shiny foliage.

Leaves: sun occlusionProNeeds physically based lighting

Less direct sun on leaves deep inside a crown: darker, deeper trees. All the way left is physical.

Subsurface scattering (leaves)ProNeeds physically based lighting

Sunlight shines through leaves from behind, as it does through real ones.

SSS strengthPro

How much light comes through.

SSS leaf thicknessPro

Thicker leaves let less sunlight through.

Light through crownsPro

How much light reaches through a whole tree crown.

Terrain reliefPro

Relief in grass and soil, so the ground catches a low sun. All the way left is the game's flat ground.

Terrain detailPro

Fine grain on the ground, fading with distance.

WaterProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Rivers and lakes with living waves and the sun's glittering path on them.

WavesProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Waves in several directions on top of the game's ripple.

Wind gustsProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Gusts that roughen patches of water and leave others calm.

Sun pathProDirectX 12Needs physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

The sun's glittering trail on the water.

Sun path sharpnessProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Low: a broad soft path. High: a tight sparkling one.

Sky glintsProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

The sky glinting on wave crests, also without sun.

Rain ripplesProDirectX 12Needs physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

Rings from raindrops on the water while it rains.

Shore foamProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Foam lapping where the water meets the shore.

Colour by depthProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Clear shallows that show the bed, green-blue deeper water.

Water tintProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Pulls the water's own colour towards the hue below; its reflection stays.

Water hueProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

The water's colour around the colour wheel: muddy brown, green-blue or blue.

Show water depthProDirectX 12Coming in 1.1.0

Colours the water by depth for a moment: red shallow, yellow up to 2 m, blue deep.

Asphalt, kerbs and paving: relief, grain, colour, wear and the wet look.

Road reliefPro

Surface relief of the asphalt, so it catches the light. All the way left is the game's flat road.

Road detailPro

Fine grain the game's road textures do not have.

Asphalt neutralPro

Grey asphalt instead of the game's yellow cast; lane paint keeps its colour.

Asphalt warmthPro

Warmer or cooler, bluish asphalt.

Asphalt saturationPro

More or less colour in the asphalt; all the way left is grey.

Asphalt brightnessPro

Lighter or darker asphalt; near the left end it turns black, and at the very end the sheen goes too. Lane paint keeps its colour.

Asphalt huePro

Turns the asphalt's colour around the colour wheel.

Asphalt tintPro

Paints the asphalt the colour Asphalt hue picks.

Road roughnessPro

Rougher or smoother dry asphalt.

Cracks and patchesPro

Worn asphalt: cracks that hold water in the rain, and darker patches of fresh asphalt. All the way left is the game's road.

Wet roadsPro

Auto follows the game's rain.

PuddlesPro

Puddles in the dips while the road is wet.

Rain ripplesPro

Animated drops in the puddles while it rains.

Sidewalk warmthPro

Warmer or cooler kerbs, dark paving and park soil.

Sidewalk saturationPro

More or less colour in kerbs and paving; all the way left is grey.

Sidewalk brightnessPro

Lighter or darker kerbs and paving; all the way left is black.

Sidewalk huePro

Turns the paving colour around the colour wheel.

Sidewalk tintPro

Paints kerbs and paving the colour Sidewalk hue picks.

Your cab, the paint, dirt, headlights and the reflections on vehicles.

Cabin lightingCore and ProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR

Its own brightness and colour for the inside of your cab, so it is not lost in the dark against a bright day outside.

Cabin brightnessCore and Pro

How bright the inside of the cab is.

Cabin warmthCore and Pro

Warmer or cooler light in the cab.

Cabin saturationCore and Pro

More or less colour in the cab.

Cabin reflectionsProNeeds physically based lighting

How much the dashboard and trims reflect.

Cab SSAOPro

Soft shade in the corners and folds of the cab.

Cab distance (m)Pro

How far from the camera the cab shading reaches.

Cab radiusPro

How wide the shade spreads.

Cab strengthPro

How dark the shade gets.

Clear coatPro

A glossy lacquer layer: brighter reflections at grazing angles and a sharp sun highlight.

Metallic flakesPro

Fine sparkle in the sun on painted panels, fading with distance.

DirtProNeeds physically based lighting

Road dust on vehicles. Off keeps the amounts below for later.

Dirt on bodyPro

Road dust on the lower body of every truck, trailer and car.

Dirt on wheelsPro

Dust and mud around the wheel arches and the lowest panels.

Headlight colourProNeeds physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

The colour of headlights on the road and in the beams: warm halogen, white xenon, cool LED or blue-white LED Matrix.

Traffic tooProComing in 1.1.0

Off: only your truck's headlights change colour. On: every vehicle's.

VehiclesProNeeds Reflections on the Effects tabComing in 1.1.0

The world reflected in the paint of trucks, trailers and cars.

GlassProDirectX 12Needs physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

The world reflected in vehicle windows.

What lights up the air and mirrors the world: reflections, sun rays, the sky and light beams.

ReflectionsProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSRComing in 1.1.0

Wet roads and puddles mirror what is around them: trees, vehicles, bridges and lights at night.

StrengthProComing in 1.1.0

How strong the reflections are.

Distance (m)ProComing in 1.1.0

How far away a reflected object can be.

Sun raysProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR, physically based lighting

Rays of light through trees, under bridges and past buildings while you drive towards the sun.

StrengthPro

How bright the rays are.

LengthPro

How far a ray reaches towards you.

Lens flarePro

The glow and ghosts a camera lens makes when you look into the sun.

Real skyProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR, physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

A brighter daytime sky that turns whitish towards the horizon, a glow around the sun and more detail in the clouds, as in real photos.

BrightnessProComing in 1.1.0

How bright the sky is by day.

Horizon glowProComing in 1.1.0

Extra brightness towards the horizon.

Horizon hazeProComing in 1.1.0

A whiter horizon, as through real air.

Magenta fixProComing in 1.1.0

Takes the pink cast out of the game's sky.

Sun glowProComing in 1.1.0

A brighter sky around the sun.

Cloud detailProComing in 1.1.0

More shape and contrast in the clouds.

Light beamsProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR, physically based lightingComing in 1.1.0

Headlights, street lights and lamps light up the air: beams you see from the side, at night and in fog.

Street lightsProComing in 1.1.0

Beams of street lights, lamps and signs.

HeadlightsProComing in 1.1.0

Beams of vehicle headlights, yours and the traffic's.

By dayProComing in 1.1.0

How much of the beams stays in daylight: on the left only at dusk and night, on the right all day.

Air densityProComing in 1.1.0

How thick the air is: higher reads like mist or fog.

Shading in corners, the game's own anti-aliasing, sharpening and motion blur.

Replace the game SSAO shader (restart)ProAfter a restart

A better version of the game's ambient shading in corners and under objects, without its blotches far away.

SSAO radiusPro

How wide the corner shading spreads.

SSAO max radiusPro

The widest it may spread on screen.

SSAO extra stepsPro

More samples: smoother shading, a little slower.

SSAO thicknessPro

How thick objects are taken to be. All the way left keeps the game's.

TAA clarityPro

With the game's own TAA: a clearer, less smeared picture in motion.

TAA sharpenPro

With the game's own TAA: its built-in sharpening.

SharpeningCore and Pro

Sharper detail after DLSS, DLAA or FSR. All the way left is off, the mark is AMD's maximum, all the way right twice as strong. Also on Home, under Image.

Sharpen edges onlyCore and Pro

Sharpens only contours (buildings, poles, vehicles), not fine texture: no shimmer on grass, gravel or asphalt grain.

Motion blurProNeeds DLAA, DLSS or FSR

Blur from your own speed and from moving vehicles, as a camera sees it.

StrengthPro

How long the blur trails are.

QualityPro

Smoother blur at a small cost in frame time.

Anti-aliasing, upscaling and frame generation: sharpness and frame rate.

Anti-aliasingCore and Pro

Game TAA keeps the game's own. Native AA renders at your screen size and smooths it with DLAA or FSR. Upscaling renders smaller (the game's Scaling: about 67% Quality, 58% Balanced, 50% Performance) and DLSS or FSR brings it up to your screen: more FPS.

UpscalerCore and Pro

Auto picks DLSS on NVIDIA RTX cards and FSR on every other card. FSR needs DirectX 12.

DLSS presetCore and Pro

Which DLSS model runs. K (DLSS 4) is the steadiest in ETS2; DLSS 4.5 can flicker on fine detail.

Object motion vectors (moving vehicles, wheels)Core and Pro

Tells DLSS or FSR how each moving vehicle and wheel moves, so they stay sharp with no trails.

Texture detail (restart)Core and ProAfter a restart

Sharper textures with DLAA, DLSS or FSR: the game picks finer texture levels and the upscaler keeps them steady.

Load frame generation at game startProDirectX 12After a restart

DLSS frame generation on RTX 40 and 50 cards, FSR frame generation on every other card. Read when the game starts.

Frame generationProDirectX 12

Adds generated frames between the rendered ones: a much higher frame rate on screen.

MultiplierProDirectX 12

How many frames on screen per rendered frame, up to 6x with DLSS. Dynamic fills your display's refresh rate. FSR frame generation is 2x.

Target FPS (0 = refresh rate)ProDirectX 12

With Dynamic: the frame rate to aim for, and a cap. 0 is your display's refresh rate.

HUD-less colour (keeps the HUD sharp)ProDirectX 12

Keeps the HUD out of the generated frames, so it stays sharp. Experimental.