Large Framerate Boost w/ Practically No Image Quality Loss

[Spinelli]

Trying to run rFactor 2 with maxed-out graphics settings but just can't do it? Try the following:

These settings (especially #2, #3, and #4) are "golden" and have transformed my gaming experience. They do not change the visual quality - to me - from fully maxed-out graphics settings, yet really boost my framerates, and therefore the overall experience, so much! Thanks to these settings, I can keep everything else absolutely maxed-out.

1. Anti Aliasing (Nvidia) - 8xCSAA instead of 4xAA / 16xCSAA instead of 8xAA - Slightly better performance AND image quality. If setting from the Nvidia Control Panel or Nvidia Inspector, then make sure to also set "antialiasing mode" to "override application settings" instead of "application controlled", and make sure the antialiasing in the rF2 configure screen is set to "None". If using AA from rF2 itself, then I believe Lvl 2 = 4xAA, Lvl 3 = 8xCSAA, Lvl 4 = 8xAA, and Lvl 5 = 16xCSAA, but don't quote me on that, plus, it may be different with different GPUs (780 Ti, here).

2. Shadows - "High" (4/5) - Visually speaking, you will hardly notice a difference between this setting and "Max". I don't notice it, I would need to do side by side comparisons to notice, but you sure do get better framerates (especially overall consistency around the track).

3. Shadow Blur - "Fast" (2/4) - Of course not as nice as "Quality" (lvl 4/4), but it also helps very nice with framerate and is hardly noticeable when you're actually playing (unless you play from an exterior cam eg. chase cam). Oddly enough, Fast (2/4) actually looks slightly better than "Optimized" (3/4) according to previous tests (from a build or 2 back).

4. Anisotropic Filtering - "8x" (6/7) - You almost certainly will not notice a visual quality difference between 8x and 16x (you will with 4x, though), and you also will most likely not get a framerate improvement when lapping on your own, but testing shows good framerate imrpovements when multiple cars are on screen (especially at the start, during the first couple laps, lots of cars on screen at once during a replay, etc.).

Those settings are the difference between my framerate dropping and stuttering to as low as 45 fps/eye (total 90 fps - I use Nvidia 3D Vision 2), and having them at 60 fps/eye (total 120 fps). Maybe some rare drops to 58 fps/eye (116 total) or something, but hardly. That's a pretty massive gain for 3 settings that literally make no image quality difference to me, at all - and that's while using triple screens w/ multiview!


If you still want to raise your framerates without lowering any in-game graphics then you have 2 more options (I recommend to everyone to do #5, regardless!).

5. Pre-Rendered Frames - "1" - In the Nvidia Control Panel (or Nvidia Inspector, I recommend Inspector since it has more adjustments and settings) select your rF2 profile, then change the setting (don't forget to hit Apply/Save/O.K.). Apart from gained fps in rF2, this will also decrease input lag for most users

6. In Nvidia Inspector set the following (I believe you can only adjust two of the following in the standard Nvidia Control Panel, however it may give the same result - fps-wise - but I'm not 100% certain, so I use Nvidia Inspector just to be safe):
- Texture filtering - Anisotropic filter optimization: ON
- Texture filtering - Anisotropic sample optimization: ON
- Texture filtering - Quality: HIGH PERFORMANCE
- Texture filtering - Trilinear optimization: ON


Still want more framerates while hardly affecting image quality?

7. Circuit Detail - "High" - May achieve a higher and more consistent framerate around the track or at specific points around the track where you may be experiencing framerate drops. You may notice some far-away trackside objects not showing anymore, but it is a very small amount of stuff, and usually far off into the distance rather than actual track-side stuff. It is a very, very small image quality decrease for the amount of potential framerate increase it may bring on certain PCs and certain tracks.

8. Opponent Detail - "Medium" or "High" - May improve framerates when racing against other opponents, including possible large framerate improvements when racing against many opponents.


These improvements will give you a very, very nice boost in rFactor 2 framerates without hardly affecting the image quality at all.

Thanks for supporting rFactor 2 and ISI (Image Space Incorporated)! Happy racing!


Here's an example of great results

Gave me a nice boost, just the 3 settings.
from 45 to 58-60 at the start
from 70 to 88-90 during the race.
Noting that the previous (40 & 70) was with my card overclocked, the 58-60 & 88-90 is with my card underclocked as low as possible.

(I believe the three settings being referred to are #2, #3, and #4)
source -->http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.p...ad-of-tripples?p=324489&viewfull=1#post324489

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

@Spinelli , Some things to check for you.


If you ever had changed something in the nvidia control panel in the past. Your graphic bugs might be still present.

But if you are happy with the rF2 at the moment you don't need to do this.

- Set your nvidia control panel for rFactor 2 to default !!! It messes with the Config.ini and cache !!!
- Clean up your "UserData/log/CBash" and "UserData/log/shader" folder
- Remove the player.json and config.ini (cut/past to desktop to keep a back-up)
- launche rF2 it will create a new clean config.ini and player.json.
- set your graphic settings again: only use settings available in rF2.


Quote from Thuttle (ISI Dev)

Starting from a clean installation, with a clean player/config file, the best way to proceed with graphics settings is to JUST use ingame settings, pushing on high AA levels and anisotropic filtering x8 or x16 (and of course good track/car quality settings)...and that without overriding anything via inspector and/or CCP.

(Also HDR must be ON if you want a proper modern lighting.)

This way you can load the game and check how it looks. If you see trees are looking properly (no alpha jaggies) and texture are sharp enough to see details into it (aniso texture filtering), you can decide to be happy (and stop tweaking)...or start experimenting extra settings, outside the game.

But this is the time where you can mess with profiles and configs, so you have to check every single step, and every single click you are doing with CCPs and inspectors, to see how things are working. May happen a CCP/Inspector change is going to mess the config.ini and cache... and you can't just roll back from those settings, without cleaning up that file (aka generating a brand new one). Same for the Players.JSON and Transparency AA, or xpaa, using False to make wrong trees looking better and then making correct trees looking wrong.

Still, the easy way to make the game looking at best, is to go easy peasy, with standard ingame settings. This is where you are working inside our choices, instead playing with a very big mix of variables we can't control.

 

[Spinelli]

Ya I read that but I think he's just saying that so that most people don't end up messing anything up by mistake. It's so much safer to just tell everyone to leave everything at default and do everything from the game. Tons of people use AA from the GPU control panel (or Inspector) rather than in-game, it's never done anything wrong unless you're doing something wrong (for eg. using CSAA modes on Maxwell based GPUs since they don't support CSAA anymore.)

In terms of the CBash and shader folder, as well as the player file and controller file, I completely agree. I always delete all that every build so that the new build can load any new shaders or whatever. Same with the controller file and player file. Sometimes new lines/features are added (and sometimes others are removed), and if you don't start a new one, then you won't see those changes when you open up the text file.

In terms of enabling transparency AA multisampling from the GPU control panel simultaneously with the RF2 transparency AA (set to "true" in the player file). I did many tests and setting both gives a slight visual improvement compared to having only one or the other set, and it didn't create any issues/anomalies nor did it affect framerates.

 

[jimortality]

Ya I read that but I think he's just saying that so that most people don't end up messing anything up by mistake. It's so much safer to just tell everyone to leave everything at default and do everything from the game. Tons of people use AA from the GPU control panel (or Inspector) rather than in-game, it's never done anything wrong unless you're doing something wrong (for eg. using CSAA modes on Maxwell based GPUs since they don't support CSAA anymore.)

In terms of the CBash and shader folder, as well as the player file and controller file, I completely agree. I always delete all that every build so that the new build can load any new shaders or whatever. Same with the controller file and player file. Sometimes new lines/features are added (and sometimes others are removed), and if you don't start a new one, then you won't see those changes when you open up the text file.

In terms of enabling transparency AA multisampling from the GPU control panel simultaneously with the RF2 transparency AA (set to "true" in the player file). I did many tests and setting both gives a slight visual improvement compared to having only one or the other set, and it didn't create any issues/anomalies nor did it affect framerates.

Is my GTX 770 maxwell based?

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

Aslong as you know what your doing.

But it's hard for the devs to "believe" the bug reports if they don't know if it's with the default settings or settings have been tweaked.

Even if you revert back to default settings there might be still things changed that causes issues.

Same thing with plugins. ("alt-tab" bug)

 

[Spinelli]

Nope, the GTX 770 along with the (in order of performance) 760, 780, Titan, 780 Ti, Titan Black, and Titan Z are all Kepler based.

The only 700 series cards that are Maxwell based are 745, 750, and 750 Ti.

 

[Rikki88]

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[JoelGL]

FWIW here are my settings (GTX 970)

Have you tried DSR and lumasharpen in sweetfx? I save much more FPS than with 4xSGSS.

 

[Spinelli]

4x MSAA + 4X SGSSAA is some of the highest, most demanding AA around. You almost certainly don't need MFAA on top of that... Give it a shot.

 

[Rikki88]

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[Rikki88]

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[JoelGL]

I tried DSR in pCars and figured it too demanding even for a 970. I'll definitely give it a go in rf2. What DSR multiplier setting do you use?

I use 1.78x DSR w/ Sweerfx/Reshade in PCars, and get above 60fps with 32-car grid. Same settings w/ rF2.

 

[Spinelli]

Haha yeah I hear you. I actually run both 8x in older games like GSCE, Race 07 and get a solid 60fps.

Nice, but is the MFAA necessary on top of the 4x MSAA + 4x SGSSAA? Does it make a difference?

Also, MFAA is supposed to be a replacement/alternative to MSAA. I don't think using both simultaneously does anything other than place more demand for no reason. That's just from the research I read though.

 

[Rikki88]

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[Denis Betty]

having shadows on means I get to see the fence and railings going with me around the track and it's very off putting.

I get this Jim and it drives me nuts. Have you found a solution, other than turning shadows off?

 

[Emery]

I tried all shadow & track detail settings with latest release to see if it is any better. No luck.

FWIW, I've also noticed the same, though softer, effect in pCars videos.