Post specs and graphics settings for best performance and/or quality

[Zur]

I'm starting this topic because I was given a low spec ATI 7000 card for a month or so until I get a replacement 9600 Pro (*sigh* miss that card already...). Here's the best settings I've come up with so far :

Hardware
=======
Athlon XP 2500+ (@3000+)
Asus A7N8x Deluxe
1 GB RAM
ATI 7000

Software
=======
Windows 2000 Pro
DirectX 9.0b
ATI Catalyst 6.14.10.6430 (24/02/2004)
Nforce Windows 2000 Unified Driver 4.24 (May 10, 2004)

Windows graphics settings
====================

OpenGL default settings

Anisotropic Filtering - Application Preference
Anti-aliasing - Application preference

Texture preference - Quality
Mipmap Detail Level - High Quality
Wait for Vertical Sync - Default off

UT graphics settings & renderer
========================
[WinDrv.WindowsClient]
WindowedViewportX=640
WindowedViewportY=480
WindowedColorBits=32
FullscreenViewportX=800
FullscreenViewportY=600
FullscreenColorBits=32
Brightness=1.000000
MipFactor=1.000000
UseDirectDraw=True
UseJoystick=False
CaptureMouse=True
StartupFullscreen=True
CurvedSurfaces=False
LowDetailTextures=False
ScreenFlashes=True
NoLighting=False
SlowVideoBuffering=True
DeadZoneXYZ=True
DeadZoneRUV=False
InvertVertical=False
ScaleXYZ=1000.000000
ScaleRUV=2000.000000
MinDesiredFrameRate=70.000000
Decals=False
NoDynamicLights=True
UseDirectInput=False
ParticleDensity=0
NoFractalAnim=False
SkinDetail=High
TextureDetail=High

Chris Dohnal's Enhanced Opengl Renderer v2.6 - http://cwdohnal.home.mindspring.com/utglr/

[OpenGLDrv.OpenGLRenderDevice]
AAFilterHint=0
AlwaysMipmap=True
AutoGenerateMipmaps=True
ColorizeDetailTextures=False
Coronas=True
DetailTextures=True
DynamicTexIdRecycleLevel=100
GammaCorrectScreenshots=False
GammaOffset=5.000000
GammaOffsetBlue=0.000000
GammaOffsetGreen=0.000000
GammaOffsetRed=0.000000
HighDetailActors=True
LODBias=0.000000
MaskedTextureHack=True
MaxAnisotropy=0
MaxLogTextureSize=8
MaxLogUOverV=8
MaxLogVOverU=8
MaxTMUnits=0
MinLogTextureSize=0
NumAASamples=2
NoFiltering=False
OneXBlending=True
RefreshRate=70
RequestHighResolutionZ=True
ShareLists=True
SinglePassDetail=True
ShinySurfaces=True
SwapInterval=0
TeXT1ToDXT3=False
TruFormMinVertices=0
TruFormTessellation=3
Use4444Textures=False
UseAA=False
UseAlphaPalette=True
UseBGRATextures=True
UseCVA=True
UseDetailAlpha=True
UseFilterSGIS=False
UseMultiDrawArrays=True
UseMultiTexture=True
UsePalette=True
UsePrecache=False
UseS3TC=True
UseSSE=2
UseTexIdPool=True
UseTexPool=True
UseTNT=False
UseTrilinear=False
UseTruForm=False
UseVertexProgram=False
UseVertexSpecular=True
UseZTrick=True
VolumetricLighting=False
FrameRateLimit=70
TexDXT1ToDXT3=False
BufferClippedActorTris=True
DetailClipping=False
DescFlags=0
Description=

Cityintro benchmark
===============
Hit tab for quick console, type 'open cityintro' and let it run twice at least. Results can be seen in the console.

Pass 1 : 5037 frames rendered in 76.77 seconds. Min 40.48 Max 73.14 Avg 65.60 fps.
Pass 2 : 5521 frames rendered in 84.97 seconds. Min 41.83 Max 73.07 Avg 64.97 fps.
Pass 3 : 5494 frames rendered in 84.97 seconds. Min 41.79 Max 73.14 Avg 64.65 fps.

P.S: Might add in BIOS settings later.

 

[Rob]

Unreal Tournament Tweaking
Unreal Tournament Tweak

 

[Zur]

Thanks for those links. Since I'm in the mood to mess around with various settings, I'll see what tweaks actually make a difference. Here's a series of alternative renderers for those who wish to experiment.

 

[Zur]

And for those who are slightly nostalgic and were playing UT when 3dfx boards were around, give this glide wrapper a go.

http://home.t-online.de/home/zsack/glide_wrapper/index.html

 

[FieldMedic]

For the demo stats , i think a stress demo with a lot of bots , lots of effects etc... should be a lot better than the UT intro to really see the results of tweaks.

I read somewhere, a long time ago that
SlowVideoBuffering=True should be only used for very old cards , and that SlowVideoBuffering=False should give more performances.

Computer specs.
Win ME
Pentium4 1,5ghz
192mo
GF2 MX/MX400 64mo
(using driver 12.41 WHQL)

Here are my "best possible quality settings" for UT, of course no high performance will be gained from those, but it looks really good

Result of the city intro timedemo with those settings
test 1 : 4114 frames rendered in 85,72 seconds. Min 24,52 Max 101,00 Avg 47,96 fps.
test 2 : 4133 frames rendered in 85,66 seconds. Min 23,77 Max 100,51 Avg 48,24 fps

[WinDrv.WindowsClient]
WindowedViewportX=640
WindowedViewportY=480
WindowedColorBits=32
FullscreenViewportX=1024
FullscreenViewportY=768
FullscreenColorBits=32
Brightness=0.500000
MipFactor=1.000000
UseDirectDraw=True
UseJoystick=False
CaptureMouse=True
StartupFullscreen=True
CurvedSurfaces=True
LowDetailTextures=False
ScreenFlashes=False
NoLighting=False
SlowVideoBuffering=False
DeadZoneXYZ=True
DeadZoneRUV=False
InvertVertical=False
ScaleXYZ=1000.000000
ScaleRUV=2000.000000
MinDesiredFrameRate=30.000000
Decals=True
NoDynamicLights=False
UseDirectInput=False
ParticleDensity=0
NoFractalAnim=False
SkinDetail=High
TextureDetail=High

And, using this enhanced driver version 2.6 , here are my tweaked OpenGL settings.
Notice that i do not enable on purpose AntiAliasing , as my poor GF2 will explode or Truform as it is an ATI only feature.

[OpenGLDrv.OpenGLRenderDevice]
Translucency=True
VolumetricLighting=True
ShinySurfaces=True
Coronas=True
HighDetailActors=True
DetailTextures=True
TruFormMinVertices=0
TruFormTessellation=3
UseTruForm=False
AAFilterHint=0
NumAASamples=0
UseAA=False
RequestHighResolutionZ=True
MaskedTextureHack=True
FrameRateLimit=0
SwapInterval=1
UseVertexProgram=False
UseCVA=False
UseMultiDrawArrays=False
TexDXT1ToDXT3=True
DynamicTexIdRecycleLevel=100
UseTexPool=True
UseTexIdPool=True
UseSSE=2
BufferClippedActorTris=False
SinglePassDetail=False
ColorizeDetailTextures=False
DetailClipping=False
UseDetailAlpha=False
RefreshRate=0
MaxTMUnits=0
NoFiltering=False
MaxAnisotropy=2
UseTNT=False
Use4444Textures=False
UseS3TC=True
UseAlphaPalette=True
AutoGenerateMipmaps=False
UseTrilinear=True
UsePrecache=False
AlwaysMipmap=False
ShareLists=False
UsePalette=True
UseMultiTexture=True
UseBGRATextures=True
UseZTrick=False
MaxLogTextureSize=8
MinLogTextureSize=0
MaxLogVOverU=8
MaxLogUOverV=8
OneXBlending=False
GammaCorrectScreenshots=False
GammaOffsetBlue=0.000000
GammaOffsetGreen=0.000000
GammaOffsetRed=0.000000
GammaOffset=0.000000
LODBias=-1.500000
DescFlags=0
Description=

 

[FieldMedic]

And here is my "casual gaming" settings

Result of the city intro timedemo with those settings
test 1 : 5249 frames rendered in 85,72 seconds. Min 37,85 Max 106,76 Avg 61,23 fps.
test 2 : 5201 frames rendered in 85,66 seconds. Min 35,27 Max 106,69 Avg 60,71 fps.

[WinDrv.WindowsClient]
WindowedViewportX=640
WindowedViewportY=480
WindowedColorBits=32
FullscreenViewportX=800
FullscreenViewportY=600
FullscreenColorBits=32
Brightness=0.500000
MipFactor=1.000000
UseDirectDraw=True
UseJoystick=False
CaptureMouse=True
StartupFullscreen=True
CurvedSurfaces=False
LowDetailTextures=True
ScreenFlashes=False
NoLighting=False
SlowVideoBuffering=False
DeadZoneXYZ=True
DeadZoneRUV=False
InvertVertical=False
ScaleXYZ=1000.000000
ScaleRUV=2000.000000
MinDesiredFrameRate=40.000000
Decals=True
NoDynamicLights=False
UseDirectInput=False
ParticleDensity=0
NoFractalAnim=True
SkinDetail=High
TextureDetail=High

And the OpenGL section

[OpenGLDrv.OpenGLRenderDevice]
Translucency=True
VolumetricLighting=True
ShinySurfaces=True
Coronas=False
HighDetailActors=True
DetailTextures=True
TruFormMinVertices=0
TruFormTessellation=3
UseTruForm=False
AAFilterHint=0
NumAASamples=0
UseAA=False
RequestHighResolutionZ=True
MaskedTextureHack=True
FrameRateLimit=0
SwapInterval=1
UseVertexProgram=False
UseCVA=False
UseMultiDrawArrays=False
TexDXT1ToDXT3=False
DynamicTexIdRecycleLevel=100
UseTexPool=True
UseTexIdPool=True
UseSSE=2
BufferClippedActorTris=False
SinglePassDetail=False
ColorizeDetailTextures=False
DetailClipping=False
UseDetailAlpha=False
RefreshRate=0
MaxTMUnits=0
NoFiltering=False
MaxAnisotropy=1
UseTNT=False
Use4444Textures=False
UseS3TC=True
UseAlphaPalette=True
AutoGenerateMipmaps=False
UseTrilinear=False
UsePrecache=False
AlwaysMipmap=False
ShareLists=False
UsePalette=True
UseMultiTexture=True
UseBGRATextures=True
UseZTrick=False
MaxLogTextureSize=8
MinLogTextureSize=0
MaxLogVOverU=8
MaxLogUOverV=8
OneXBlending=False
GammaCorrectScreenshots=False
GammaOffsetBlue=0.000000
GammaOffsetGreen=0.000000
GammaOffsetRed=0.000000
GammaOffset=0.000000
LODBias=0.000000
DescFlags=0
Description=

 

[Zur]

For the demo stats , i think a stress demo with a lot of bots , lots of effects etc... should be a lot better than the UT intro to really see the results of tweaks.

The UT Intro is a good test for how smooth UT playing but, yes, it's not such a good test for frame rates. What sort of demo should I make ? A couple of godlike bots using rocket launchers in DM-Morbeus][ ?

 

[FieldMedic]

The intro demo would have been good if it stopped before the black screen with the 2D Unreal Tournament coming, zooming and rotating.
That final scene (and it begins with just the black screen popping up) unfortunately gives a very lot more FPS than you should really have ingame, that why i don't consider it a good demo.

A -stress timedemo- would have been a map with complex architecture , lots of bots, lots of special effects used by the map.

A good normal timedemo would have been a normal sized map + normal amount of bots and the player moving , dodging jumping everywhere , without staying in place.

As an example, quake 3, if you have tried it, has a good normal timedemo (not a stress demo).

 

[Zur]

Which of the standard maps do you think has the most complex architecture and effects ? It'd have to be standard because bundling a custom map with a demo is a bit on the excessive side.

 

[FieldMedic]

In the case of a stress timedemo, i would personnally choose CTF-EpicBoy with maximum bots (i don't remember if it is a default stock map or an official Epic bonus pack stock map) .
The external area of CTF-EpicBoy is challenging for the framerate.
And as it is not a big map, you are very often in that external area, with very lot of bots firing their weapons everywhere around.
On all the stock maps , i think this one should be a good stress demo for this reason.
Of course 100% speed and Turbo mode for most fast pacing action to hit more the framerate.