Support NeoGAF

[subversus]

Question: How does this game fare on a dual core? Thinking of buying a GTX 580 next week and I'm wondering if that alone will complement my E6420 @ 3.2GHz enough for some max-settings witchering. Otherwise, I'll just wait until I have the money set aside for the entire upgrade presuming my 5750 doesn't conk out.

I'd wait, the game pushes GPU and CPU. Also your cpu won't be able to max out 580, you'll get lower framerates than expected in other games too.

 

[Q8D3vil]

some time i have missing sound problem (loading will solve it) but anyway to make it go away completely, its pretty annoying right now.

 

[subversus]

I'm a bit confused. You say that the first config in your post was smoother for some people, but doesn't it have ubersampling on?

I have an OCed 6950 with 6970 shaders. Which one should i use?

Take the maxed out config but turn everyhing one except motion blur and ubersampling. Cinematic DOF looks great in cutscenes and it will run good on your machine.

 

[JaseC]

I'd wait, the game pushes GPU and CPU. Also your cpu won't be able to max out 580, you'll get lower framerates than expected in other games too.

Fair enough. Cheers. Yeah, I realise the GTX 580 would be limited, but even so it'd be a marked improvement over the lowly 5750.

 

[toastyToast]

I'll be content when they get the responsive right because even now it's a guessing game of whether or not I pull my sword out/cast a sign/throw a bomb.

Also Geralt doing that spinny multi hit sword thing in the middle of a group, sure it does nice damage but I always eat something while doing it. It's especially frustrating when I basically have to nudge someone to kill them and he keeps doing it over and over and I get knocked out of the air multiple times.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Fair enough. Cheers. Yeah, I realise the GTX 580 would be limited, but even so it'd be a marked improvement over the lowly 5750.

I wouldn't bother with a GTX 580. A Radeon 6950 2 GB flashed to a 6970 is half the price with like 90% of the performance. Then you'll have plenty left over for a CPU upgrade.

 

[alysonwheel]

Question: How does this game fare on a dual core? Thinking of buying a GTX 580 next week and I'm wondering if that alone will complement my E6420 @ 3.2GHz enough for some max-settings witchering. Otherwise, I'll just wait until I have the money set aside for the entire upgrade presuming my 5750 doesn't conk out.

I'm running it on an e7200 @ 3.16ghz, with 4gb ram and a GTX560 (non-Ti). It runs well enough -- most of the time it stays comfortably in the 30-40 range when outdoors, and only when it's streaming in new areas or displaying an absolute arseload of characters at once does it dip down to 25 or so.

Sure, you won't get 60fps unless you like pointing the camera at the floor, but I've just hit chapter three (and I took the apparently more computer-intensive path in chapter two) and it's never become unplayable. If you're upgrading anyway I say go for it.

I actually threw the 560 into this thing specifically to play this game, with the idea that if it didn't run well enough I could match it up with a new CPU/motherboard/etc afterwards. So far I'm happy, and the 560 is a pretty strong GPU so I'm going to wait to sling in a quad core until the end of the year. My settings are pretty much ultra with no uber or motion blur, and the dangling objects limit turned on and decals on medium because they're apparently CPU-dependent settings.

 

[Refreshment.01]

Since updating to 1.2, now sometimes the game crashes to the desktop when I save. Also, I never had the save game memory size problem from the first game show up here until I updated to 1.2.

And what's this 3GB switch?

What's your specs and operative system?

To the people using patch 1.2, any new problems or performance drops?

 

[subversus]

I haven't noticed any new problems and drops. The game feels a bit more responsive, that's all.

 

[Red]

how can i increase the draw distance detail? i see stuff popping up like few paces infront of me, its annoying.

I would like to know this too. Right now I have MeshDistanceScale=1.2. Is this the right command for draw distance?

 

[Refreshment.01]

I would like to know this too. Right now I have MeshDistanceScale=1.2. Is this the right command for draw distance?

Yes, try setting to 2.0, of course you need a good card. Im asuming you are running on ultra, so your values are 1.2 for mesh and 1.0 for foliage. The other one is "FoliageDistanceScale" set it to 1.6 or 1.8. And please post if you see any difference, comparisons screens would be great..

I haven't noticed any new problems and drops. The game feels a bit more responsive, that's all.

Cool, don't want to fuck up anything with a patch, one can't be sure enough.

I am not seeing the FoliageDistance option in my user config.

Copy and place it in your config. After you save the user.ini set it to read only in properties. If you use the launcher to enter the game a good advice is to not touch the audio/video option ever again, because it overwrites the "user.ini" contents if you don't have UAC active. So from know on do manual alterations to the video options using the user.ini.

Please remember to post impressions or comparison shots if you can, cause i can't see the differences myself.

 

[Red]

Yes, try setting to 2.0, of course you need a good card. The other one is FoliageDistanceScale set it to 1.6 or 1.8. And please post if you see any difference..

I am not seeing the FoliageDistance option in my user config.

 

[Aurarian]

I am not seeing the FoliageDistance option in my user config.

You have to add it yourself in the config.

 

[Kyaw]

[Rendering]
TextureDownscale=0
AtlasTextureDownscale=0
DetailTextureDownscale=0
MaxTextureSize=2048
MaxAtlasTextureSize=4096
TextureMemoryBudget=1000
TextureTimeBudget=10
MaxCubeShadowSize=2048
MaxCubeShadowCount=4
MaxSpotShadowSize=2048
MaxSpotShadowCount=4
FoliageDistanceScale=1.6
MeshDistanceScale=2.2
CharacterLodGameplayDownscale=0
AllowBloom=0
AllowShafts=1
AllowAntialias=1
AllowBlur=0
AllowDOF=1
AllowDecals=1.0
AllowVignette=1
AllowSharpen=1
AllowRain=1
AllowSSAO=1
AllowMotionBlur=0
AllowScatterDOF=0
AllowCutsceneDOF=0
DanglesLimiter=0
ShadowQuality=3
ShadowedLights=3
Fullscreen=1
VSync=1
UberSampling=0


Here is my config, it should be fine for people with 6950/70 or 570.
The DOF and motionblur stuff is just my personal preference. Turn them on if you wish.

Make sure to make the user.ini file read-only.

 

[Refreshment.01]

Config

@Kyaw, Hey man you've being messing with user.ini stuff some time now.How did you noticed any differences?

 

[Gunpriest]

It seems to me patch 1.2 has intensified the gamepad bug. I'm at my second playthrough and my controls get fucked a lot lately. I even screwed up a savegame. I saved with the bug active and restarted the game. Instead of getting normal controls back, Geralt just wouldnt move, no matter if i switched to keyboard of gamepad controls in the menu. It's just so frustrating, especially in the first act, that i have to take a hit from an enemy to be able to fight back again. Usually that is a death sentence, even with potions active. Getting raped by a group of nekkers and endregas multiple timed because of that bug just makes me want to quit the second playthrough

 

[Narag]

It seems to me patch 1.2 has intensified the gamepad bug. I'm at my second playthrough and my controls get fucked a lot lately. I even screwed up a savegame. I saved with the bug active and restarted the game. Instead of getting normal controls back, Geralt just wouldnt move, no matter if i switched to keyboard of gamepad controls in the menu. It's just so frustrating, especially in the first act, that i have to take a hit from an enemy to be able to fight back again. Usually that is a death sentence, even with potions active. Getting raped by a group of nekkers and endregas multiple timed because of that bug just makes me want to quit the second playthrough

That total loss of control bug happened to me and was reproducible via cutscene dialogue of all things. Aggravating and it stalled my playthrough.

 

[Kyaw]

@Kyaw, Hey man you've being messing with user.ini stuff some time now.How did you noticed any differences?

I actually haven't much... ><
I just copied the ones from Boobphysics and changed it to my preferences.

Motionblur is bad unless you have really smooth framerates. (60fps)
SSAO is important for this game, it really creates a sense of depth and it gives the objects a soft feel to them. Eye candy stuff and it does affect the framerates by quite a bit.

CutsceneDOF, ScatterDOF and Blur effects are pretty GPU intensive, i go down under 30fps using these. Especially in the prologue. Well i haven't played the other bits with them on.

Vsync doesn't do much as far as i can tell. :/

 

[Refreshment.01]

I actually haven't much... ><
I just copied the ones from Boobphysics and changed it to my preferences.

Motionblur is bad unless you have really smooth framerates. (60fps)
SSAO is important for this game, it really creates a sense of depth and it gives the objects a soft feel to them. Eye candy stuff and it does affect the framerates by quite a bit.

CutsceneDOF, ScatterDOF and Blur effects are pretty GPU intensive, i go down under 30fps using these. Especially in the prologue. Well i haven't played the other bits with them on.

Vsync doesn't do much as far as i can tell. :/

Im sorry, i should have been more specific. I was talking about meshdistancescale and foliage distancescale. I wante to know if one can notice any difference beyond the "far" option in the menu with sets the mesh var to 1.2. Haven't seen any comparisons that offer any prove of what it does when setting it beyond 1.2.

That total loss of control bug happened to me and was reproducible via cutscene dialogue of all things. Aggravating and it stalled my playthrough.

So you get fucked if you save with the "no reponse" bug active? What happens if you load the previous save?

 

[Kyaw]

Nah i haven't messed much with the view distance stuff. I just took boobphysic's high end settings and just ran with it. No problems with it.

I'll make some comparison shots in a bit at the Kaedwani camp.

 

[subversus]

if "lost control" bug is the one when you can't control mouse you should get hit by somebody. Hasn't been happening to me at all lately.

 

[Red]

What's the difference between blur and motion blur in the config?

Please remember to post impressions or comparison shots if you can, cause i can't see the differences myself.

It's tough to compare, but it seems there is a difference. Getting a drop in frame rate (not very significant), and noticing much less pop in. But it's not like a gallery of screenshot comparisons would be revelatory. If there is a specific place you'd like me to compare, let me know.

I am at the beginning of chapter 2 (Steam says I have been playing for 23 hours). I have a lot of saves (3 GB), so anywhere up to chapter 2 I should be able to provide examples for.

Here is my screenshot gallery on Steam. Not the highest quality pics, but it's easy to have them organized this way.

 

[Refreshment.01]

What's the difference between blur and motion blur in the config?

It's tough to compare, but it seems there is a difference. Getting a drop in frame rate (not very significant), and noticing much less pop in. But it's not like a gallery of screenshot comparisons would be revelatory. If there is a specific place you'd like me to compare, let me know.

I am at the beginning of chapter 2 (Steam says I have been playing for 23 hours). I have a lot of saves (3 GB), so anywhere up to chapter 2 I should be able to provide examples for.

Blur, its more or less like a radial blur, i think its activated for example in an explosion or when Geralt performs a strong swing. Motion Blur is a camera based blur, impressions of users so far say that it looks better when you have a smooth frame rates since it appears to fuse continuos frames when rotating the camera. Sadly there's no OBMB in this game

For comparisons:
Thanks for posting impressions Crunched.

Maybe in Flotsam at the fisher village? When you start going into the woods the characters fishing in opposite side, at the beach, tend to dissappear from view and the place geometry gets covered in fog, i know its both an ambient and ocluding effect, but maybe it pushes the vision distance farther with higher values of "meshdistancescale".

 

[Kyaw]

Some comparisons between Foliagedistancescale= 1.2 vs 1.6

Open them in tabs:

Example 1: 1.2--- 1.6
Example 2: 1.2--- 1.6

Now, Meshdistancescale= 1.2 vs 2.2

1.2
2.2

You can definitely see the difference between 1.2 and 2.2 Meshdistancescale. Look at the detail in the bushes in front of Geralt.

 

[Refreshment.01]

Some comparisons between Foliagedistancescale= 1.2 vs 1.6

Open them in tabs:

Example 1: 1.2--- 1.6
Example 2: 1.2--- 1.6

Now, Meshdistancescale= 1.2 vs 2.2

1.2
2.2

You can definitely see the difference between 1.2 and 2.2 Meshdistancescale. Look at the detail in the bushes in front of Geralt.

Thanks Kyaw, you receive "the witcher's thread man of the day award (MOTDA)".

I can see a difference with the mesh scale, but i don't know if it looks better or worse going from 1.2-2.2, lol

The foliage one is just, swooooosh! over my head! can't separate the mule from the horse's ass.

Edit: Most of the difference in 1.2 - 2.2 comparison seem to come from the different lighting values. IIRC, CDProjekt at this chapter wanted to convey how the clouds occlude the sun light at some times, so the ligthing can change even in the same place and at the same time of the day. My edit came a minute later and we ended talking about the same thing 8D

Woooo, thanks man!

The Foilagedistancescale was really hard to tell. (actually i dont see anything different)

One awesome thing about TheREDengine is that it has cloud shadows!

Not only that. Shadow intensity from characters adjust acordingly to the light conditions. When the cloud ocludes the sun, Geralt shadow gets subdued. Look for it the next time.

 

[Kyaw]

Woooo, thanks man!

The Foilagedistancescale was really hard to tell. (actually i dont see anything different)

One awesome thing about TheREDengine is that it has cloud shadows!

 

[mileS]

why would you have normal DOF on and CutsceneDOF off Kyaw? They are pretty much the same in terms of performance so if CutsceneDOF is bringing your frames down normal DOF should be bringing them down by a similar amount. They don't stack over each other or anything if thats what you're wondering. I know its all personal preference but I find that a little strange.

Foliagedistancescale makes a huge difference but its hard to come across in screenshots. If your PC can handle ultra settings with decent frames its worth it to have Meshdistancescale=2.2 and Foliagedistancescale 1.6. There is still pop-in considering how the games engine works with streaming but there is a HUGE difference with both of those settings. I would have taken screens for you Refreshment.01 but i'm lazy and I've been messing with the options in the user.ini for such a long time that i'm getting tired.

 

[Rufus]

why would you have normal DOF on and CutsceneDOF off Kyaw? [...] I know its all personal preference but I find that a little strange.

You answered your own question, I think. I'd turn it off even if I could run the game with all the bells and whistles. Same with motion blur, unless it looks a lot better at higher frame rates.

 

[JaseC]

I'm running it on an e7200 @ 3.16ghz, with 4gb ram and a GTX560 (non-Ti). It runs well enough -- most of the time it stays comfortably in the 30-40 range when outdoors, and only when it's streaming in new areas or displaying an absolute arseload of characters at once does it dip down to 25 or so.

Sure, you won't get 60fps unless you like pointing the camera at the floor, but I've just hit chapter three (and I took the apparently more computer-intensive path in chapter two) and it's never become unplayable. If you're upgrading anyway I say go for it.

I actually threw the 560 into this thing specifically to play this game, with the idea that if it didn't run well enough I could match it up with a new CPU/motherboard/etc afterwards. So far I'm happy, and the 560 is a pretty strong GPU so I'm going to wait to sling in a quad core until the end of the year. My settings are pretty much ultra with no uber or motion blur, and the dangling objects limit turned on and decals on medium because they're apparently CPU-dependent settings.

Interesting! 30~40fps+ is fine. I'd guess that the original runs at around the same on my current PC, anyway, and I haven't taken issue with that in the 60+ hours I've put into it in the past week-and-a-half or so. Thanks!

 

[Akkad]

I hope the next patch fixes the bug where the gamepad STOPS RESPONDING FOR NO FUCKING REASON AT ALL!

 

[Kyaw]

why would you have normal DOF on and CutsceneDOF off Kyaw? They are pretty much the same in terms of performance so if CutsceneDOF is bringing your frames down normal DOF should be bringing them down by a similar amount. They don't stack over each other or anything if thats what you're wondering. I know its all personal preference but I find that a little strange.

I wanted the DOF in the environments like the trees in the background in Flotsam forest but not in the cutscenes.

 

[mileS]

I wanted the DOF in the environments like the trees in the background in Flotsam forest but not in the cutscenes.

Alright cool. I see where you're coming from there. I didn't know if you had cutsceneDOF mixed up with the scatterDOF thats more demanding. I really like the way gameplay DOF looks outside as well.

 

[Kyaw]

Is scatterDOF cutscenes only btw?

 

[Truant]

When does the patch hit Steam users?

 

[mileS]

Is scatterDOF cutscenes only btw?

Yup. It's "Cinematic DOF" quite demanding on the GPU, its only worth having on if you have a monster rig apparently. I haven't tested it myself but I assume its not worth the performance hit I'll get from it.

 

[MickeyKnox]

Is scatterDOF cutscenes only btw?

And conversations.

 

[Kyaw]

Ah i think i know what that is. I had it on when i first booted up the game. The dragon scenes with heavy blurring made my fps go down to teens.

 

[subversus]

I have 6950 2 gigs and Phenom II X4 2.8 and I had only two noticeable drops in cutscenes - one at the very beginning of the game (was like 25 fps, lasted about 10 secs) and one on the

Spoiler

Eternal Battlefield

(lasted about 5 secs). I don't think that my rig is monster, but that depends on what you consider "monster".

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I've got a Nvidia 240 and a AMD 5000 with 3GB RAM. Am I shit out of luck here?

 

[mileS]

I have 6950 2 gigs and Phenom II X4 2.8 and I had only two noticeable drops in cutscenes - one at the very beginning of the game (was like 25 fps, lasted about 10 secs) and one on the

Spoiler

Eternal Battlefield

(lasted about 5 secs). I don't think that my rig is monster, but that depends on what you consider "monster".

From the readme

"Cinematic depth of field: provides movie-like depth of field in cutscenes and dialogue sequences. Extremely detailed but demands significant power. Should only be enabled on machines equipped with top-end graphics cards.

It's something I would have turned on if I got 60 FPS constant but my frames are usually 40-50 on average. Just with the normal cutscene DOF the frames would go down in the 30's for some conversations so I can only imagine what its like with cinematic DOF.

 

[Kyaw]

I've got a Nvidia 240 and a AMD 5000 with 3GB RAM. Am I shit out of luck here?

Low to medium with low resolution.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Low to medium with low resolution.

Is it possible for me to get 30 frames?

 

[Kyaw]

Try it. Maybe on everything low and low resolution, you might get better frames than 30fps.

 

[subversus]

Try it. Maybe on everything low and low resolution, you might get better frames than 30fps.

how can he try it in a legal way if there's no demo or benchmark?

 

[alysonwheel]

Interesting! 30~40fps+ is fine. I'd guess that the original runs at around the same on my current PC, anyway, and I haven't taken issue with that in the 60+ hours I've put into it in the past week-and-a-half or so. Thanks!

PM me if you can't get it running smoothly and I'll send you my config. Should also note I'm running at 1680x1050 rather than 1080p or anything, but that shouldn't make a difference seeing as I'm CPU-limited.

 

[Kyaw]

how can he try it in a legal way if there's no demo or benchmark?

I assumed he had the game for some reason... ><

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Naw, I'll just wait for a demo. I usually don't play anything over 1080p rez anyways.

 

[Narag]

So you get fucked if you save with the "no reponse" bug active? What happens if you load the previous save?

Earlier saves were fine.

 

[chickdigger802]

hmmm might just be me but after updating to the most recent Nvidia drivers of last week and 1.2, it seems the performance took a hit

 

[C2Q]

Wow just installed this last night. Damn this game is more demanding than crysis 1. It also doesn't help that I'm playing on a (gaming) laptop. Everything at low at 1080p and i get 20 fps on average. Then i turn up textures LOD decals and some other misc stuff and the fps doesn't even budge, still at 20 fps.
The only thing that made a significant difference is resolution. Going down to 1280x920 gave me 30-32 fps on medium settings and on 1920x1080 low, medium are both the same. What gives?

I'm on patch 1.1 and crysis 1 performed better than this lol.
Here are my specs

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU Q 720 @ 1.60GHz
Memory: 6077MB
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M
Video Memory: 1024MB