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Introduction
Some of you may be familiar with the comprehensive variables.txt thread by Xatpi and hybrid graphics settings by Existor. Before patch 1.5.3 we used to be able to manipulate the variables.txt file to create more customized settings. When 1.5.3 came out many people, including me, thought that customizing graphics through the text file was over and dealt with the graphics we didn't want so we could have the graphics we did want. I am here to say that this idea is no longer entirely true! It isn't true that Sc2 will deny all our changes to the text file. It will only deny certain changes. My hypothesis is that the variables.txt file works on a particular set of rules that are slightly less restrictive than the ones present in the Sc2 UI. The goal of this project is to figure out those rules and apply them to create better graphics settings. Below I will post the rules I have discovered so far and add rules that are posted as well as sections for particular set-ups for goals.
Proven Rules
Independent Variables:
frameratecap=60 (In-game FPS limit)
frameratecapGlue=30 (FPS limit for the battle.net user interface)
bitrate=16 (32 is default)
Dependent Variables:
GraphicsOptionOverallQualityVer7[15]>4 for:
GraphicsOptionModelQuality>0
GraphicsOptionModelQuality>0 for:
useLowqualitymodels=0
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1 and
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1 for:
shadows=1
shadows=1 for:
simplifiedCloaking=0
simplifiedShaders=0
GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail>0 for:
cheapquadselection=0
particlelod=1
ribbonlod=1
splatlod=1
treadlod=1
Identical Variables: (must be the same)
lowqualitymodels=useLowqualitymodels
simplifiedCloaking=simplifiedShaders
Competitive Setup
The goal of this setup is to eliminate all unnecessary elements and maximize simplicity without sacrificing elements that impact actual gameplay.
Ideal Setup
- Everything on Low
- +unique warp-in models (high models)
- +accurate pylon power fields (high models)
- +clear widow mine craters (medium shaders, simplifiedCloaking=0?)
- +clear force fields (medium shaders, simplifiedCloaking=0?)
- +clear enemy cloaked units (medium shaders, simplifiedCloaking=0?)
Current Solution
- Everything on Low
- Add or change the following:
bakeTerrainLighting=0
globalhdr=1
glossmaps=1
GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail=1
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=1
GraphicsOptionOverallQualityVer7[15]=5
GraphicsOptionPortraits=2
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
hdr8bit=1
lighting=0
lightingLevel=2
lightingregionmapterrain=1
localhdr=1
lowqualitymodels=0
normalmap=1
particlelod=1
pixellight=1
preBlendedCreep=0
shadows=1
simplifiedCloaking=0
simplifiedShaders=0
spec=1
textureBasedFOW=1
use20shaders=0
useLowqualitymodels=0
Current Issues
- High Models eliminates effect shown on nexus when warping in a mothership core
- GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail=1 and
particlelod=1
bring this effect back, but at the cost of adding additional effects that are unnecessary. It's better than effects to medium straight up, but not as good as we'd like it.
Lowest Possible Setup
- Everything on Low
- Vsync and AA off
- Reduced Violence On
- Sound Quality to Low
- Reverb Off
- Reduce Mouse Lag Off
- Health Bars set to Damaged
- GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
- bitdepth=16
- frameratecap=70
- frameratecapglue=30
- hdr=0
- lighting=0
- mipbias=0
- shadows=0
- Teen=1
Any other way to get the settings lower? The Goal is for people with older computers to be able to play.
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Interesting. But once Blizz finds out about this, isn't there a possibility they'll patch it again?
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They may. However that hasn't stopped us from implementing rapid fire and multiple alternates, so I don't see why it should stop us from doing this. Also they aren't against text editing graphics as a whole. They even suggest players do so to get the old "low" settings for better performance.
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i don't see very simple thing as changing bitdepth=32 to 16 in any of these quides. gives small fps boost to low end computers and doesn't effect game really in any significant way. atleast i haven't noticed
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To enable High Models with Low Shaders, use the following:
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=2
useLowqualitymodels=0
/* This manually sets models to high, despite your shaders, and will let you see warp-in animations, pylon power field, and a few other important things. */
If you use low shaders I'd also recommend setting shadowmapsize=256 (from 512), it can help performance and improve visibility by making blob shadows a little less distinct
ActiBlizzard's retarded employee(s) pointlessly and erroneously made it so high models are set to low whenever you use Low shaders. Meaning they 'blocked' the most visible/readable graphics combination possible. It was a mistake on their part, and changing this yourself isn't some hack or revealing forbidden graphics. If they 'correct' anything it shouldn't be blocking ideal variables.txt setups, it should be fixing their flawed programming that didn't allow these setups in the first place.
Jak, something I've wondered but never tried is whether the individual Effects variables could be toggled (treadlod, etc)? Many have said cloaked units are a bit easier to see with Effects on ultra. But the tread, weather effects, and weapons lasers n shit makes Med+ effects unbearable to me. Ends up making it harder to see clumps of units and what's going on in a battle.
Also, are you aware your name is Malazan in origin?
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My name is Malazan in origin?? Hit me up with dat link if so!
treadlod etc can be set individually as long as GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail>0
same with the other effects (99% sure).
I tested the cloaked units with ultra effects and did not see a difference, however that was a long time ago. It should be re-investigated for sure.
Shadowmap size can be set to 1 to eliminate the shadows, it's great for visibility and I'd imagine it helps with performance as well.
I thought you can do high models/low shaders with:
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=1
useLowqualitymodels=0
is there a difference?
Someone mentioned bitdepth to me before, does it work independent of the other settings?
can it go any lower?
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On January 20 2014 11:53 JaKaTaK wrote:
Someone mentioned bitdepth to me before, does it work independent of the other settings?
can it go any lower?
i have tried it on medium and low shaders it works on both. what i know it seems to work independent and i have not tried lower.
tried bitdepth=8 don't seem to be that different from 16.
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cool. I'll definitely do some testing on it 
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Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm
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On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm
Serious? I've definitely heard of people playing with everything on low besides whatever graphic setting affects cloak, makes them much easier to see.
Also, overall settings on low is easier on your eyes in my opinion, it makes the graphics much smoother without random moving details like blades of grass, tiny rocks, waves of water, etc.
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On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm
Its not. What about people with bad pc's ??
even with everything low i got less then 30fps for team games
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Russian Federation367 Posts
On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm
Try to play about 5-8 hours without low graphics. Your eyes would burn after 1-2 months.
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
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On January 20 2014 18:33 LuckyGnomTV wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm Try to play about 5-8 hours without low graphics. Your eyes would burn after 1-2 months.
That's just silly. Most Koreans play on Medium+ settings. Sure, some people might prefer Low settings but one is not necessarily better than the other.
I personally dislike the Pylon Power Field (causes FPS drops and is inaccurate) so I play on Medium but disabled the Pylon Power Field. To do this, set Models to Low in settings, but in variables.txt set useLowqualitymodels to 0.
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Is there a possibility to do enable phsysics with low settings nowadays?
im refering to this post:
On May 17 2013 21:33 Psychobabas wrote:
You are not getting physics because you have low shaders. Low shaders also do not allow for death animations, splat effects etc as they automatically keep low models.
However, if you want all the gore and splats and death animation etc with LOW shaders there is a way:
1. First of all, go to your graphics options and set your preferred options. I suppose you want low shaders, which will automatically make the models low. You will probably also want medium effects or higher but that's up to you. Now exit the game.
2. Go to your documents folders and find Starcraft 2. Open the variables.txt file.
3. change the following (notice the bold numbers)
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=2
lowqualitymodels=0
useLowqualitymodels=0
4. Save and close the file.
5. Right click on the variables.txt file and go to properties. Tick the "read-only" box.
This step is done so the game doesnt reset the settings. Without making it read-only, SC2 will always replace high models with low models.
PS: Any time you want to change the graphics settings you will have to untick the read-only box. SC2 will never be able to override it unless you untick.
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On January 20 2014 18:29 sDaLi wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm even with everything low i got less then 30fps for team games
Then stop playing on your Calculator...
User was temp banned for this post.
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On January 20 2014 20:38 CrankOut wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2014 18:29 sDaLi wrote:On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm even with everything low i got less then 30fps for team games Then stop playing on your Calculator...
wow you are open-minded. I cant afford to buy an expensiv Calculator and end of the discussion between us.
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There is no
"hdr=1 change to 0"
anymore. Does that line get added? and if so do you have to change all the other hdr settings?
EDIT: Tried
Medium Shaders
Medium Shadows
High Models
shadowmapsize=1 (this eliminates the shadows that come automatically with Medium Shaders)
last night in some 4s. I hate medium effects so I just deal with not having the moco animation for the time being. The workers gathering minerals were not smooth at all! added in,
bitdepth=16
worked like a fucking charm. People definitely should know about this one, esp if your PC is sub-par for Sc2 (i feel like most are).
edit: I think that shadowmapsize=1 hurts performance. Worth it for my set up though.
Anyone else have some understanding of what rules the Variables.txt file works on?
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
On January 21 2014 00:14 JaKaTaK wrote:There is no "hdr=1 change to 0" anymore. Does that line get added? and if so do you have to change all the other hdr settings? EDIT: Tried Medium Shaders Medium Shadows High Models shadowmapsize=1 (this eliminates the shadows that come automatically with Medium Shaders) last night in some 4s. I hate medium effects so I just deal with not having the moco animation for the time being. The workers gathering minerals were not smooth at all! added in, bitdepth=16 worked like a fucking charm. People definitely should know about this one, esp if your PC is sub-par for Sc2 (i feel like most are). edit: I think that shadowmapsize=1 hurts performance. Worth it for my set up though. Anyone else have some understanding of what rules the Variables.txt file works on?
Except hdr options, other can still be edited. The main difference is low terrain (creep without animation) and medium or higher with creep with animation.
Also other thing still works is creep smooth edge. When terrain is on Low, creep automatically removes that smoothed edge, and it becomes sharp (and creep loses animation). You can also bring back creep smooth border and keep it without animation.
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Is there a gameplay advantage for having smooth edge creep?
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
On January 21 2014 04:13 JaKaTaK wrote:
Is there a gameplay advantage for having smooth edge creep?
Probably just better aesthetic part? Nothing much different.
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frameratecap=60 (In-game FPS limit)
frameratecapGlue=30 (FPS limit for the battle.net user interface)
still work. It has been said that higher end graphics cards can overheat without this. is this true?
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On January 23 2014 00:47 JaKaTaK wrote:
frameratecap=60 (In-game FPS limit)
frameratecapGlue=30 (FPS limit for the battle.net user interface)
still work. It has been said that higher end graphics cards can overheat without this. is this true?
If your graphics card overheats then it's not really the game's fault. Limiting your FPS can lead to lower power consumption and temperatures, but also limits input rate (usually not noticable for most people, but it's there) and there are also monitors out there with more than 60Hz.
I'm also not sure why you would want to set color depth to 16bit. You would have to show me a really significant advantage to justify that. Theoretically it could improve cloak visibility if you have really low color depth, but I don't think 16bit is going to do anything.
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bitdepth=16 improves performance without much loss in visuals. Its more of an option for those with weaker computers than anything else.
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I miss having low shaders, simplifiedCloaking=0 and simplifiedShaders=0. I don't understand why Blizzard had to ruin that for everyone. I can play on Extreme without lag, but I liked that old WoL setup better..
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Found a new dependency:
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
for
shadows=1
shadows=1
for
simplifiedCloaking=0
and
simplifiedShaders=0
Also:
lowqualitymodels=0
and
useLowqualitymodels=0
must be the same.
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On January 30 2014 02:19 JaKaTaK wrote:
shadows=1
for
simplifiedCloaking=0
and
simplifiedShaders=0
So if I go pick low settings in-game, get into variables.txt and enter Shadows=1 then simplifiedcloaking/shaders 0 it will stick and work like it did in the past? As it is right now simplifiedcloaking/shaders gets reset when i tried in the past since the patch.
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You need to set everything to low
Then:
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
shadows=1
simplifiedCloaking=0
simplifiedShaders=0
It isn't as good as before, but it's the closest we've been in a while.
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Why do you advise to decrease FPS? Isn't the goal to increase it?
Also, why don't you set the file to read-only to avoid dependencies?
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Wait what? I advise to increase FPS. I must have misspoke.
I don't think setting it to read only works. Haven't tried in a while so things may have changed.
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On January 30 2014 04:18 JaKaTaK wrote:
Wait what? I advise to increase FPS. I must have misspoke.
I don't think setting it to read only works. Haven't tried in a while so things may have changed.
You've shown:
frameratecap=60 (In-game FPS limit)
frameratecapGlue=30 (FPS limit for the battle.net user interface)
That certainly is a limit on FPS. Isn't it better to leave FPS the way it is?
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On January 30 2014 07:30 darkness wrote:Show nested quote +On January 30 2014 04:18 JaKaTaK wrote:
Wait what? I advise to increase FPS. I must have misspoke.
I don't think setting it to read only works. Haven't tried in a while so things may have changed. You've shown:
frameratecap=60 (In-game FPS limit)
frameratecapGlue=30 (FPS limit for the battle.net user interface)
That certainly is a limit on FPS. Isn't it better to leave FPS the way it is?
Most people have monitors which have a 60hz refresh rate. Having it higher than 60 won't do anything besides increase power consumption and possibly heat. Having the menu set to 30 fps again, doesn't really matter since it won't affect performance. If you have a 120 hz monitor it may be worth it to keep it higher, but that affects an small number of posters.
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New Competitive Settings. Very similar to the old Hybrid Settings from Existor. He and I are working on it together.
Current Solution
- Everything on Low
- Add or change the following:
bakeTerrainLighting=0
globalhdr=1
glossmaps=1
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=1
GraphicsOptionOverallQualityVer7[15]=5
GraphicsOptionPortraits=1
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
hdr8bit=1
lighting=0
lightingLevel=2
lightingregionmapterrain=1
localhdr=1
lowqualitymodels=0
normalmap=1
pixellight=1
preBlendedCreep=0
shadows=1
simplifiedCloaking=0
simplifiedShaders=0
spec=1
textureBasedFOW=1
use20shaders=0
useLowqualitymodels=0
Current Issues
- High Models eliminates effect shown on nexus when warping in a mothership core
- Medium Effects brings back the above effect but adds unnecessary elements on warping in units, minerals, and other things.
edit: particallod determines the moco animation on the nexus. The best solution I have is to add:
GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail=1
particlelod=1
Unfortunately this obscures some things. Most noticeably the distinct units warping in. Overall though if we're making the best competitive setup this is it so far. We're avoiding splat effects, ribbon effects, tread effects, and something called:
cheapquadselection
If anyone could help find out what that does, I'd appreciate it.
Current list:
Everything to low
bakeTerrainLighting=0
globalhdr=1
glossmaps=1
GraphicsOptionEffectsDetail=1
GraphicsOptionModelQuality=1
GraphicsOptionOverallQualityVer7[15]=5
GraphicsOptionPortraits=2
GraphicsOptionShaderDetail=1
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
hdr8bit=1
lighting=0
lightingLevel=2
lightingregionmapterrain=1
localhdr=1
lowqualitymodels=0
normalmap=1
particlelod=1
pixellight=1
preBlendedCreep=0
shadows=1
simplifiedCloaking=0
simplifiedShaders=0
spec=1
textureBasedFOW=1
use20shaders=0
useLowqualitymodels=0
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thank you two for your work you put in.
Already playing SC with Hybrid Graphics.
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We're improving it even more! Existor is coming out with a baller post soon
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Im playing on a laptop that is power messed and i need to run on low gfx for any play. Why do you have options like globalhdr=1 and shadows and shaders on 1? Seems like this would lag it out a lot more. Also i do not see a "lighting=X" option in the Variables.txt file located in my documents/starcraft 2
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lighting=0 is something you have to add yourself. Are you looking for lowest possible settings or hybrid?
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On February 08 2014 06:38 JaKaTaK wrote:
lighting=0 is something you have to add yourself. Are you looking for lowest possible settings or hybrid?
I was totally confused. Was looking for lowest settings.
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Everything on Low
Vsync and AA off
Reduced Violence On
Sound Quality to Low
Reverb Off
Reduce Mouse Lag Off
Health Bars set to Damaged
GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=1
bitdepth=16
frameratecap=70
frameratecapglue=30
hdr=0
lighting=0
mipbias=0
shadows=0
Teen=1
This is the lowest possible setup we have right now
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/a2kCULo.jpg)
Still getting this problem, no matter which setting I tweak from the ones you've suggested. Any ideas?
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Try High Shaders, It worked for someone else.
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That won't break the point of the hybrid settings, though?
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
On February 08 2014 09:00 KrazyTrumpet wrote:
That won't break the point of the hybrid settings, though?
The main point of hybrid settings is lighting=0, which turns everything into non-glossy/shiny tone and turns off shadows. Plus minimized medium settings.
If you want to have Ultra settings without shiny effect, just apply Ultra and then add lighting=0 to your variables
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hm, ok ill give it a look-see, thanks!
edit: damnit, now the ground is purple lol
edit2: deleting cache stuff fixed it, all good now.
PS: which setting should I tweak to at least get some basic shadows back? I like the much cleaner look, but no shadows at all is creeping me out a bit o_O
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On February 08 2014 08:32 KrazyTrumpet wrote:Still getting this problem, no matter which setting I tweak from the ones you've suggested. Any ideas?
try running the unit preloader
worked for me
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
And try to disable altrnatelowtextures
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why would you lower your bitrate?
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It helps for weaker computers and it doesn't have a huge visual effect on gameplay.
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Russian Federation4295 Posts
On February 09 2014 04:16 JaKaTaK wrote:
It helps for weaker computers and it doesn't have a huge visual effect on gameplay.
But for some users it causes some problems. So it depends on PC. So experiment with it
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United Kingdom20285 Posts
On January 20 2014 18:29 sDaLi wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2014 18:09 CrankOut wrote:
Thats just stupid. Perfect is everything on High or Ultra. Only newbies lower the details. You don't play better because you lower the details /facepalm Its not. What about people with bad pc's ?? even with everything low i got less then 30fps for team games
That's mostly due to CPU though, and AFAIK there's nothing you can do to improve this if you have physics off, reflections off, effects low already - you can literally use low or ultra shaders and get the same FPS unless you have a bad GPU
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On February 09 2014 04:16 JaKaTaK wrote:
It helps for weaker computers and it doesn't have a huge visual effect on gameplay.
I don't think it helps even for weaker computers, makes no sense. unless you have a 16 bit processor but in this case it wouldn't run starcraft anyway lol
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players have reported higher FPS. I know people irl who have benefited from this setting as well as those who have reported online.
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On February 09 2014 05:35 JaKaTaK wrote:
players have reported higher FPS. I know people irl who have benefited from this setting as well as those who have reported online.
then its probably the bitrate of the communication between the Video Card and the Northbridge, not the processor like I thought. that would make sense to me.
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On February 09 2014 05:47 ilbh wrote:Show nested quote +On February 09 2014 05:35 JaKaTaK wrote:
players have reported higher FPS. I know people irl who have benefited from this setting as well as those who have reported online. then its probably the bitrate of the communication between the Video Card and the Northbridge, not the processor like I thought. that would make sense to me.
you understand bitrate changes colors from 32bit to 16bit colors?
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On February 09 2014 05:58 sotaporo wrote:Show nested quote +On February 09 2014 05:47 ilbh wrote:On February 09 2014 05:35 JaKaTaK wrote:
players have reported higher FPS. I know people irl who have benefited from this setting as well as those who have reported online. then its probably the bitrate of the communication between the Video Card and the Northbridge, not the processor like I thought. that would make sense to me. you understand bitrate changes colors from 32bit to 16bit colors?
so its not what I thought, cause even if it was the video card bitrate it would make no sense to me, tbh lol
then yeah, this is less information going throu the processor and video card
thanks for clearing this up
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EPT
