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Hybrid Settings Lite

Forum Index > SC2 General
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Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-08 02:35:04
July 04 2014 23:43 GMT
#1
[image loading]


In this thread you will see different variations of Hybrid settings. Why those two presets are called Hybrid too? Well, because they have some stuff from Low and Medium settings, and in both presets you will see graphic settings combinations that you can not do through official game options. You can not have High models on low settings and you can not completely turn off shadows on mediums. In this thread I will tell you about some interesting possibilities with editing variables.txt. Thanks to AFSpeeDy and pharaphobia for Hybrid-Lows and Hybrid-Mediums.



[image loading]

  • All units and buildings are brighter than on standard low settings
  • Force Fields like on low
  • Unit models like on Medium, i.e. warping units are clearly visible
  • Creep is darker than on low and spreads with blocky-animation (like on Low)
  • Ground textures can be blurred and are not sharp, like on standard low


MEDIA

[image loading]

[image loading]

[image loading] [image loading] [image loading] [image loading]

http://www.twitch.tv/protech
http://www.twitch.tv/protech/b/544558714


INSTALLATION

  1. In game settings set all your Graphic Settings to Low.

  2. Textures - as you want, but I think, Medium is better.

  3. Close the StarCraft 2 game

  4. Find your variables.txt, located here / Documents / StarCraft II / .. and backup them, if you will want to return to old settings.

  5. Copypaste the following code to the end of your original variables.txt:

    alternateLowTextures=0
    lighting=0
    GraphicsOptionModelQuality=2
    lowqualitymodels=0
    uselowqualitymodel=0


WARNING! Every time you modify ingame settings (i.e. sound, hotkeys, etc), lighting and some settings will be reverted back to original Lows, as well as High models back to Low ones. Solution to this problem is simple - just don't touch ingame settings, don't press OK button in game settings. If you accidentally did it, just repeat the installation (just copypast these 4 lines again to the end of your variables). There is an easy solution - make variables.txt Read-only in file properties, but with this change you will need to redo all your ingame Options changes each time you relaunch the game.



[image loading]


Here are somy my ideas and facts about these this preset of Hybrid settings (of course you can customize it as you want):

1. Blob-shadows are still here. Same reason as for original Hybrid Settings - blob-shadows make some bright-looking units easier to see on some textures. Good example - probes on Habitation Station. Without blob shadows it's very hard to recognize Probes on such bright golden ground texture.

2. High unit models. They were turned from Low to High only because Warp-in unit model and building silhouettes (green terran, cyan protoss and purple zerg). it also adds acid/fire death for all the biological units. If you do not want such details - you can decide what you prefer more: better warp-models and building silhouettes or without them but with more clear deaths.

3. Smooth creep edges. On standard low Terrain settings creep edges are very sharp and sometimes it's a bit hard to clearly say where creep territory ends.

4. Textures. I think, Medium textures are the most balanced setting between clear visibility of game and some detalization. Of course you can switch back to your preferable low or Ultra textures, but for me, Low textures are very blurry and Ultra textures are unnecessary sharp and heavily detalized. So Medium textures is the best balance between nice picture and clear view.


MEDIA

[image loading] [image loading] [image loading] [image loading] [image loading] [image loading] [image loading]

http://www.twitch.tv/pharaphobia
http://www.twitch.tv/pharaphobia/b/544502852


INSTALLATION


  1. In game settings set all your Graphic Settings to Low.

  2. Textures - as you want, but I think, Medium is better.

  3. Shaders to Medium

  4. Models to High

  5. Close the StarCraft 2 game

  6. Find your variables.txt, located here / Documents / StarCraft II / .. and backup them, if you will want to return to old settings.

  7. Copypaste the following code to the end of your original variables.txt:

    creeptrans=1
    GraphicsOptionShadowQuality=0
    shadowmapsize=1

WARNING! Every time you modify ingame settings (i.e. sound, hotkeys, etc), blob-shadows will be reverted back to standard 3D shadows. Solution to this problem is simple - just don't touch ingame settings, don't press OK button in game settings. If you accidentally did it, just repeat the installation (just copypast these 3 lines again to the end of your variables). There is an easy solution - make variables.txt Read-only in file properties, but with this change you will need to redo all your ingame Options changes each time you relaunch the game.



Original Hybrid Settings 2.0 thread
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/starcraft-2/442848-hybrid-settings-20
Ketroc
Profile Joined May 2010
Canada74 Posts
July 05 2014 05:50 GMT
#2
Any reason one would use these settings over the regular hybrid settings (other than to improve performance)?
SC2 Videos: www.youtube.com/ketroc SC2 Stream: www.twitch.tv/ketroc
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
July 05 2014 09:28 GMT
#3
On July 05 2014 14:50 Ketroc wrote:
Any reason one would use these settings over the regular hybrid settings (other than to improve performance)?

• If you prefer shony effect more than the look from low or hybrid settings
• If you have troubles with standard Hybrid settings
• If you find standard Hybrid settings not comfortable for you
• If you want to have standard Medium settings but you didn't know how to remove shadows or make them look like on Lows
Jack-O
Profile Joined May 2012
Luxembourg17 Posts
July 05 2014 09:51 GMT
#4
Does this fix the eye cancer-glowing on froxtrot labs?
Warp more units!
Evire
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Norway198 Posts
July 05 2014 10:18 GMT
#5
Anyone have any idea how Minigun gets his settings?
Thalandros
Profile Blog Joined July 2012
Netherlands1151 Posts
July 05 2014 11:04 GMT
#6
On July 05 2014 18:51 Jack-O wrote:
Does this fix the eye cancer-glowing on froxtrot labs?

Pretty sure that's a problem with the map. Just use lowest settings for the least glow-in-the-dark effect for now. =P
|| ''I think we have all experienced passion that is not in any sense reasonable.'' ||
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
July 05 2014 11:11 GMT
#7
On July 05 2014 19:18 Evire wrote:
Anyone have any idea how Minigun gets his settings?

Minigun and Protech both using another set of settings which I would be interesting to see. Those are lows but with some tuning so they are bright and more clear, especially for zergs with dark creep and bright units.
Twine
Profile Joined June 2012
France246 Posts
July 05 2014 12:19 GMT
#8
Hey, I don't know if I did something wrong or what but sometimes the hybrid settings seems to go off, then I start/restart the game and it comes back. Any idea how to fix it?
Thanks for sharing it btw.
#1 Bomber fan | Jin Air best KT
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
July 05 2014 12:30 GMT
#9
On July 05 2014 21:19 Twine wrote:
Hey, I don't know if I did something wrong or what but sometimes the hybrid settings seems to go off, then I start/restart the game and it comes back. Any idea how to fix it?
Thanks for sharing it btw.

Any time you modify your ingame settings (i.e. just press OK in game Options), some parameters of Hybrid settings will revert.
Twine
Profile Joined June 2012
France246 Posts
July 05 2014 12:51 GMT
#10
Ok, thanks !
#1 Bomber fan | Jin Air best KT
AFSpeeDy
Profile Joined June 2011
126 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-05 16:13:25
July 05 2014 15:50 GMT
#11
On July 05 2014 20:11 Existor wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 05 2014 19:18 Evire wrote:
Anyone have any idea how Minigun gets his settings?

Minigun and Protech both using another set of settings which I would be interesting to see. Those are lows but with some tuning so they are bright and more clear, especially for zergs with dark creep and bright units.


1)For the look protech has:
Turn all settings except textures to low.
Then close Starcraft 2 and open variables.txt
Add Lighting=0

2)I changed additionally for high quality models:
graphicoptionmodelquality to 2
lowqualitymodels to 0
uselowqualitymodel to 0.

If you only want point 1, then you dont have to put variables.txt read only.
But if you want both points, then you have to put variables.txt read only, otherwise it will everytime, you open the options, turn the models to low.

The only issue i have is with the bricks on Overgrowth, which are plain pink. But it is only one map who has this bricks so far.

Edit: Added some screenshots: http://imgur.com/a/qnYuG
JimmyJRaynor
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada17718 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-05 15:57:39
July 05 2014 15:55 GMT
#12
On July 05 2014 08:43 Existor wrote:
WARNING! Every time you modify ingame settings (i.e. sound, hotkeys, etc), blob-shadows will be reverted back to standard 3D shadows. Solution to this problem is simple - just don't touch ingame settings, don't press OK button in game settings. If you accidentally did it, just repeat the installation (just copypast these 3 lines again to the end of your variables).


how about making Variables.txt a READ ONLY file?
that prevents accidents.

i think that is what the poster above means with his "readme only" comment.
Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"
WellCrap
Profile Joined July 2012
Sweden122 Posts
July 05 2014 16:23 GMT
#13
Are these setting more or less taxing than the regular Hybrid settings?
G9x-MiCo
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-05 17:12:24
July 05 2014 17:11 GMT
#14
On July 06 2014 00:50 AFSpeeDy wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 05 2014 20:11 Existor wrote:
On July 05 2014 19:18 Evire wrote:
Anyone have any idea how Minigun gets his settings?

Minigun and Protech both using another set of settings which I would be interesting to see. Those are lows but with some tuning so they are bright and more clear, especially for zergs with dark creep and bright units.


1)For the look protech has:
Turn all settings except textures to low.
Then close Starcraft 2 and open variables.txt
Add Lighting=0

2)I changed additionally for high quality models:
graphicoptionmodelquality to 2
lowqualitymodels to 0
uselowqualitymodel to 0.

If you only want point 1, then you dont have to put variables.txt read only.
But if you want both points, then you have to put variables.txt read only, otherwise it will everytime, you open the options, turn the models to low.

The only issue i have is with the bricks on Overgrowth, which are plain pink. But it is only one map who has this bricks so far.

Edit: Added some screenshots: http://imgur.com/a/qnYuG

Wow, good post. Thank you! Are force fields normally visible in these Low hybrids?

how about making Variables.txt a READ ONLY file?
that prevents accidents.

Then any changed options need to redo every time you launch the game

On July 06 2014 01:23 WellCrap wrote:
Are these setting more or less taxing than the regular Hybrid settings?

What you mean under taxing?
AFSpeeDy
Profile Joined June 2011
126 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-05 17:28:02
July 05 2014 17:25 GMT
#15
Added a picture with Forcefields in the galery.
The Forcefields look like the forcefields on normal low settings.
Forgot to add that i have changed for clear locking ground:
alternateLowTextures to 0
WellCrap
Profile Joined July 2012
Sweden122 Posts
July 05 2014 17:31 GMT
#16
On July 06 2014 02:11 Existor wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 06 2014 01:23 WellCrap wrote:
Are these setting more or less taxing than the regular Hybrid settings?

What you mean under taxing?

Err, the strain/load on the computer.
G9x-MiCo
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
July 05 2014 17:48 GMT
#17
On July 06 2014 02:25 AFSpeeDy wrote:
Added a picture with Forcefields in the galery.
The Forcefields look like the forcefields on normal low settings.
Forgot to add that i have changed for clear locking ground:
alternateLowTextures to 0

Well, force fields look a bit better on Hybrid lows, rather than on standard lows
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
July 06 2014 13:18 GMT
#18
On July 06 2014 02:31 WellCrap wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 06 2014 02:11 Existor wrote:
On July 06 2014 01:23 WellCrap wrote:
Are these setting more or less taxing than the regular Hybrid settings?

What you mean under taxing?

Err, the strain/load on the computer.

No, these settings do not overload PC with more stuff. Medium hybrid can raise your FPS because of no shadows, and Low-hybrids can be same as standard low settings, if not with more FPS, because no lighting
Skynx
Profile Blog Joined January 2013
Turkey7150 Posts
July 06 2014 16:44 GMT
#19
Ty for this one Existor, I was never able to make Hybrid 2.0 work fully. This one does the trick, no issues with ground going pink etc. and also way easier to set up.
"When seagulls follow the troller, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much" - King Cantona | STX 4 eva
Existor
Profile Joined July 2010
Russian Federation4295 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-07-08 02:12:26
July 08 2014 01:46 GMT
#20
Added comparsion screenshot for low hybrid (Preset 1)

+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]

[image loading]
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