• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 20:02
CET 02:02
KST 10:02
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups C & D Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups A & B Preview2TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners12Intel X Team Liquid Seoul event: Showmatches and Meet the Pros10
Community News
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced14[BSL21] Ro.16 Group Stage (C->B->A->D)4Weekly Cups (Nov 17-23): Solar, MaxPax, Clem win3RSL Season 3: RO16 results & RO8 bracket13Weekly Cups (Nov 10-16): Reynor, Solar lead Zerg surge2
StarCraft 2
General
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced Information Request Regarding Chinese Ladder SC: Evo Complete - Ranked Ladder OPEN ALPHA When will we find out if there are more tournament Weekly Cups (Nov 17-23): Solar, MaxPax, Clem win
Tourneys
$5,000+ WardiTV 2025 Championship Constellation Cup - Main Event - Stellar Fest RSL Revival: Season 3 Tenacious Turtle Tussle [Alpha Pro Series] Nice vs Cure
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 502 Negative Reinforcement Mutation # 501 Price of Progress Mutation # 500 Fright night Mutation # 499 Chilling Adaptation
Brood War
General
FlaSh's Valkyrie Copium BW General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ A cwal.gg Extension - Easily keep track of anyone Which season is the best in ASL?
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL21] RO16 Group B - Sunday 21:00 CET [BSL21] RO16 Group C - Saturday 21:00 CET Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Game Theory for Starcraft How to stay on top of macro? Current Meta PvZ map balance
Other Games
General Games
Should offensive tower rushing be viable in RTS games? Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread The Perfect Game Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread The Big Programming Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Artificial Intelligence Thread
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion 2024 - 2026 Football Thread NBA General Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Where to ask questions and add stream? The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Esports Earnings: Bigger Pri…
TrAiDoS
Thanks for the RSL
Hildegard
Saturation point
Uldridge
DnB/metal remix FFO Mick Go…
ImbaTosS
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1218 users

Variable.txt forcefield settings?

Forum Index > Tech Support
Post a Reply
dbddbddb
Profile Joined April 2010
Singapore969 Posts
September 22 2010 12:49 GMT
#1
I currently play on low shader settings, dont intend to switch to medium.
However, doing so causes the visibility of forcefields to become much less obvious as seen from the pictures.

low
[image loading]

med
[image loading]

I was wondering if it was possible to edit the variable.txt file in the starcraft 2 folder located in my documents to improve the way the graphics of spells such as forcefields are rendered?
Welmu
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
Finland3295 Posts
September 22 2010 13:00 GMT
#2
I would be intrested in gettin "medium" forcefields as well =/
Progamertwitter.com/welmu1 | twitch.com/Welmu1
theSAiNT
Profile Joined July 2009
United States726 Posts
September 22 2010 13:24 GMT
#3
This would certainly be useful if it was possible. The forcefields on low are nigh on invisible.
butter
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States785 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-09-22 15:47:57
September 22 2010 15:08 GMT
#4
As suggested in this thread from beta Disadvantages with low graphics and demonstrated in Best graphics settings, the relevant settings are

      simplifiedCloaking=0
      simplifiedShaders=0

With Shaders set to Low and the above change made to Variables.txt, the result looks like this:
[image loading]

For comparison, plain Low shaders setting:
[image loading]

And Medium shaders:
[image loading]

(In the screenshots above, all other settings are on lowest, except Textures and Models on High)


Edit: I should point out that it works with low-detail models as well.

Here's simplifiedShaders=0 with both Textures and Models set to Low:
[image loading]
TL should have a minigame where you have to destroy some rocks before you can make a new post – DentalFloss
dbddbddb
Profile Joined April 2010
Singapore969 Posts
September 22 2010 15:34 GMT
#5
thank you so much very helpful
NrG.NeverExpo
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Canada2114 Posts
September 22 2010 18:05 GMT
#6
I've always felt for this exact reason that playing on low had a slight disadvantage. It was like i couldn't quite make out where the FF started and where it stopped, so it was hard to place them.

I have a question though, will this compromise any other visual aspects of the game? What else will change with the editing of the Variables file?
TwitteR: @NeverExpo follow me, i'll follow back :)
Drium
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States888 Posts
September 22 2010 18:08 GMT
#7
On September 23 2010 00:08 butterbrain wrote:
+ Show Spoiler +
As suggested in this thread from beta Disadvantages with low graphics and demonstrated in Best graphics settings, the relevant settings are

      simplifiedCloaking=0
      simplifiedShaders=0

With Shaders set to Low and the above change made to Variables.txt, the result looks like this:
[image loading]

For comparison, plain Low shaders setting:
[image loading]

And Medium shaders:
[image loading]

(In the screenshots above, all other settings are on lowest, except Textures and Models on High)


Edit: I should point out that it works with low-detail models as well.

Here's simplifiedShaders=0 with both Textures and Models set to Low:
[image loading]

I love you
KwanROLLLLLLLED
TheGiftedApe
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States1243 Posts
September 22 2010 19:24 GMT
#8
butterbrain for the win
xO-Gaming.com || [xO]TheGiftedApe.364 || xO-Gaming Manager.
crazeman
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
664 Posts
September 22 2010 19:38 GMT
#9
On September 23 2010 03:05 NrG.NeverExpo wrote:
I've always felt for this exact reason that playing on low had a slight disadvantage. It was like i couldn't quite make out where the FF started and where it stopped, so it was hard to place them.

I have a question though, will this compromise any other visual aspects of the game? What else will change with the editing of the Variables file?


It's actually similar with shadows. You can actually completely disable shadows in the variables.txt but it's not available from the settings menu. Even on the lowest possible settings (from the menus) there will still be shadows under the units. I thought this was because blizzard didn't want people on the lowest settings to be at a disadvantage since you can see flying unit's shadows just outside of your vision range sometimes.
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 7h 59m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
PiGStarcraft477
elazer 257
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 4070
Artosis 814
Bale 12
Dota 2
syndereN805
Other Games
summit1g19257
Grubby3912
Maynarde113
Mew2King96
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick2188
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 20 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH105
• Hupsaiya 62
• davetesta41
• IndyKCrew
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• sooper7s
• intothetv
• Kozan
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• mYiSmile122
• Pr0nogo 9
• RayReign 8
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• masondota22300
• Ler60
League of Legends
• Doublelift5676
Other Games
• Scarra1266
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
7h 59m
Wardi Open
10h 59m
Monday Night Weeklies
15h 59m
StarCraft2.fi
15h 59m
Replay Cast
22h 59m
Wardi Open
1d 10h
StarCraft2.fi
1d 15h
PiGosaur Monday
1d 23h
Wardi Open
2 days
StarCraft2.fi
2 days
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
2 days
The PondCast
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
Korean StarCraft League
5 days
CranKy Ducklings
5 days
SC Evo League
5 days
BSL 21
5 days
Sziky vs OyAji
Gypsy vs eOnzErG
Sparkling Tuna Cup
6 days
BSL 21
6 days
Bonyth vs StRyKeR
Tarson vs Dandy
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-11-28
RSL Revival: Season 3
Eternal Conflict S1

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
YSL S2
BSL Season 21
CSCL: Masked Kings S3
Slon Tour Season 2
META Madness #9
Light HT
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2

Upcoming

BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
RSL Offline Finals
WardiTV 2025
Kuram Kup
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026: Closed Qualifier
eXTREMESLAND 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.