A compendium of tweaks and fixes for the PC version

[andersonblue]

No problem, I hope I could be of help in the end! It was my mistake for linking the 0.18.5 version in the OP - it apparently got pulled by the ReShade creator in the meantime, probably because it was causing these very issues.

The text overlay should be displayed for a few seconds when the game boots up and the intro screens are shown. It can be quite easy to miss if you don't look for it, or try to spam the spacebar to get into the menu quicker. Are you sure you are not seeing it at all?

Sorry, it comes up now, I had to rename 'reshade.fx' to 'd3d11.dll.fx', but the problem is now that when the game loads there is text in the top left of screen saying 'no effect found' when I have put the settings in the SweetFX folder in the game directory. Any ideas? Something to do with changing that file name? Thanks for helping me

 

[Verrenus]

Sorry, it comes up now, I had to rename 'reshade.fx' to 'd3d11.dll.fx', but the problem is now that when the game loads there is text in the top left of screen saying 'no effect found' when I have put the settings in the SweetFX folder in the game directory. Any ideas? Something to do with changing that file name? Thanks for helping me

Yup, that's the problem. "Reshade.fx" should never be renamed.

At this point, I would recommend deleting everything SweetFX-related from your "x64" folder and then re-running "ReShade Setup.exe" on "witcher3.exe". After that, simply copy/paste K-putt's downloaded preset into the newly created "...\x64\SweetFX" folder, delete the default "SweetFX_settings" file from that folder and rename K-putt's preset as "SweetFX_settings".

Everything should work fine after that!

 

[andersonblue]

I tried, getting the same thing as earlier (crash on startup). This is the log file:

22/05/2015 16:31:39:622 [05764] | INFO | Initializing Crosire's ReShade version '0.18.4.850' built on '2015-05-13 10:47:39' loaded from "E:\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\dxgi.dll" to "E:\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\witcher3.exe" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:641 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\d3d8.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:641 [05764] | INFO | > Delayed.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:641 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\d3d9.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:641 [05764] | INFO | > Libraries loaded.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:642 [05764] | INFO | > Found 9 match(es). Installing ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | > Installed 9 hook(s).
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\d3d10.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | > Delayed.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\d3d10_1.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | > Delayed.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\d3d11.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:685 [05764] | INFO | > Libraries loaded.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:686 [05764] | INFO | > Found 2 match(es). Installing ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | > Installed 2 hook(s).
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\dxgi.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | > Delayed.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\opengl32.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | > Delayed.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\user32.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:696 [05764] | INFO | > Libraries loaded.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:707 [05764] | INFO | > Found 4 match(es). Installing ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:726 [05764] | INFO | > Installed 4 hook(s).
22/05/2015 16:31:39:726 [05764] | INFO | Registering hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\ws2_32.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:726 [05764] | INFO | > Libraries loaded.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:728 [05764] | INFO | > Found 8 match(es). Installing ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:766 [05764] | INFO | > Installed 8 hook(s).
22/05/2015 16:31:39:766 [05764] | INFO | Initialized.
22/05/2015 16:31:39:953 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'CreateDXGIFactory({7B7166EC-21C7-44AE-B21A-C9AE321AE369}, 000000000205E958)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:953 [05764] | INFO | Installing delayed hooks for "C:\Windows\system32\dxgi.dll" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:954 [05764] | INFO | > Found 2 match(es). Installing ...
22/05/2015 16:31:39:954 [05764] | INFO | > Installed 2 hook(s).
22/05/2015 16:31:43:981 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'CreateDXGIFactory({7B7166EC-21C7-44AE-B21A-C9AE321AE369}, 000000000205F3D8)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:43:998 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'RegisterClassExW(000000000205F3C0)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:43:998 [05764] | INFO | > Adding 'CS_OWNDC' window class style flag to 'W2ViewportClass'.
22/05/2015 16:31:44:002 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'D3D11CreateDevice(0000000000000000, 1, 0000000000000000, 0, 0000000000000000, 0, 7, 0000000002057A50, 0000000002057A70, 0000000002057A58)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:002 [05764] | INFO | > Passing on to 'D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain':
22/05/2015 16:31:44:002 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'D3D11CreateDeviceAndSwapChain(0000000000000000, 1, 0000000000000000, 0, 0000000000000000, 0, 7, 0000000000000000, 0000000000000000, 0000000002057A50, 0000000002057A70, 0000000002057A58)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:002 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'CreateDXGIFactory1({7B7166EC-21C7-44AE-B21A-C9AE321AE369}, 0000000002056D98)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:213 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'IDXGIFactory::CreateSwapChain(00000000B7B2F080, 0000000074A97890, 000000000205F380, 000000000205F368)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:217 [05764] | INFO | Recreated effect environment on runtime 00000000C5D30F90.
22/05/2015 16:31:44:217 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'IDXGISwapChain::SetFullscreenState(00000000C5AE7610, FALSE, 0000000000000000)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:464 [03936] | INFO | Loading effect from "E:\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\ReShade.fx" ...
22/05/2015 16:31:44:480 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'IDXGISwapChain::SetFullscreenState(00000000C5AE7610, TRUE, 00000000C643D3B0)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:45:175 [05764] | INFO | Redirecting 'IDXGISwapChain::ResizeBuffers(00000000C5AE7610, 1, 1920, 1080, 28, 0x2)' ...
22/05/2015 16:31:45:219 [05764] | INFO | Recreated effect environment on runtime 00000000C5D30F90.
22/05/2015 16:31:45:346 [03936] | INFO | Loading effect from "E:\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\ReShade.fx" ...

Don't worry if you're not sure, I can live without it but would be nice to play the game with sweetfx.

 

[sloakz]

Anybody else getting frame skipping with the AMD Catalyst 15.4.1 Beta drivers? I have a steady 30/40 frames after some fine tuning (with help from this fantastic thread ) But seem to get skipping, I remember it happening in W2 as well.

 

[althrian]

Is it possible to get rid of the tips displayed on the loading screen?

 

[ForangFarosh]

DX 12 ... Mantle ...

One thing I know for sure, running on windows 10 with AMD 15.200.1023.3 with a R9 290 All maxed (even those tweaks with .ini such as foliage beyond mortal PC as said from some err ... reviewers, I tend to stay polite) and reshade = Zero problems and a nice framerate.

I should be scared by those benchmark giving a R9 290 twice less the score of a 980 ... hahaha. Marketing when you hold people.

Well, no need to say I'm not using my GPU with a wrong CPU, Motherboard, Ram and bios settings. That is were the story of console vs PC begins ...

 

[IMRicko]

So based from all the sweetFX presets released so far, which one is your favorite?

 

[Verrenus]

I tried, getting the same thing as earlier (crash on startup). Don't worry if you're not sure, I can live without it but would be nice to play the game with sweetfx.

I am really sorry to hear that nothing helped you run the game with SweetFX.

Apart from making absolutely sure that all of the previous SweetFX files were deleted before the new installation, I've got one last thing that you should know:

K-putt's presets do not like being edited via regular Notepad, only Notepad++. This means that if you by any chance tried to edit his preset in any way before, it will 100% lead to SweetFX crashing.

If all else fails, I suggest you ask K-putt directly on his Witcher 3 preset page, since he is far, far more knowledgeable on the subject than I am.

Best of luck and please report back with your results once you find the time!

Is it possible to get rid of the tips displayed on the loading screen?

Once we get our hands on the new REDkit, sure thing! Until then, I'm not sure that's possible at all...

DX 12 ... Mantle ... One thing I know for sure, running on windows 10 with AMD 15.200.1023.3 with a R9 290 All maxed (even those tweaks with .ini such as foliage beyond mortal PC as said from some err ... reviewers, I tend to stay polite) and reshade = Zero problems and a nice framerate. I should be scared by those benchmark giving a R9 290 twice less the score of a 980 ... hahaha. Marketing when you hold people. Well, no need to say I'm not using my GPU with a wrong CPU, Motherboard, Ram and bios settings. That is were the story of console vs PC begins ...

I am really happy to hear you're have such a great time with The Witcher 3, my friend!

Problem is, a lot of other people are encountering crashes and poor performance and would give anything for this sort of stability, so you should count yourself very lucky indeed.

That being said, there is clearly a problem with NVIDIA's Kepler cards (i.e. 600-700 series) when running this game. They shouldn't trail this far behind Maxwell models (i.e. 900 series) and a great deal of people are beyond upset about it. I could count myself among them, but I've found a performance/visual fidelity sweet spot last night and I'm having a blast playing the game, so I don't mind all that too much!

So based from all the sweetFX presets released so far, which one is your favorite?

The presets do seem to have multiplied in the last few days, haven't they? )

However, my favourites are K-putt'e Config 1.2, SS V1.1 and lighting tweak 1.02.

 

[Enclose]

Hey Verrenus what u think about this preset ? http://sfx.thelazy.net/games/preset/3712/

 

[Gyrael]

Has anybody figured out how to turn off floating NPC names and/or damage numbers yet? I made a thread about it but it got buried pretty quick ;_;

Still having no luck with this : /

 

[althrian]

Thanks @Verrenus for the answer and all your work here!

Another thing which comes to my mind: Has anyone of you found an option somewhere to get socalled "fog of war" (at least in the game Cossacks it was called this way^^) on the maps?
I looked at the map(s) and recognized that there are open. The contract boards are already displayed =/ I like the way it was in Witcher 1 and 2 where you had to walk over the map and with this you opened all the ways and buildings on the map.

 

[web-head91]

greetings fellow PC users, i've found something very interresting that i just had to share it with you guys. it seems that someone with a barely decent laptop (i5-4200M CPU @ 2.50 GHz (3.0 boost), 4GB RAM,GPU GT740M ) managed to make the game work @1366*768 and 30 fps
[video=youtube;nnIO_h-ONpo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnIO_h-ONpo[/video]

he also published the configuration he made, which made him get over 7 fps improvement (check the comments section on youtube):

[Hidden] HasSetup=true
uiVerticalFrameScale=1
uiHorizontalFrameScale=1
[Localization]
SpeechLanguage=EN
TextLanguage=EN [Viewport]
VSync=false
Resolution="1280x768"
FullScreenMode=2
VSyncThreshold=0
OutputMonitor=-1
[Budget]
cvMaxAllowedLightsShadowTime=0 cvMaxAllowedApexDestroTickedTime=0.2
cvMaxAllowedGrass=7000
cvMaxAllowedDecalsDynamic=5
cvMaxAllowedDynMeshes=104857600 cvMaxAllowedChunksSkinnedTime=2.5 cvMaxAllowedTrianglesSkinned=100000
cvMaxAllowedDecalsSSTime=0.1
cvMaxAllowedLightsShadow=1
TerrainTileMipDataBudget=100
cvMaxAllowedApexTicked=60
cvMaxAllowedActiveEnvProbesTime=0.1 cvMaxAllowedStatTextures=314572800
cvMaxAllowedSpeedTree=2000
cvMaxAllowedLightsNonShadowsTime=0.2 cvMaxAllowedSpeedTreeTime=2.2
cvMaxAllowedChunksStatic=1500
cvMaxAllowedTrianglesStatic=500000
cvMaxAllowedHiresChunks=25
cvMaxAllowedDecalsDynamicTime=0.5 cvMaxAllowedLightsNonShadows=40
cvMaxAllowedChunksStaticTime=1.5
cvMaxAllowedChunksSkinned=400
cvMaxAllowedApexDestroTicked=20
cvMaxAllowedStatMeshes=209715200
TerrainTileMinTimeout=2
cvMaxAllowedHiresChunksTime=0.2
cvMaxAllowedApexTickedTime=0.5 cvMaxAllowedCharTextures=209715200 cvMaxAllowedParticlesCountTime=0.2
cvMaxAllowedParticlesCount=600
cvMaxAllowedGrassTime=1.5
TerrainTileTimeout=10
OcclusionQueryAdditionalMemory=5
TerrainTileLoadingTimeout=5
cvMaxAllowedDecalsSS=160
[Audio]
SoundVolume=80
VoiceoversVolume=80
MusicVolume=80
MasterVolume=80
Subtitles=true
[LoadingScreen/TCR]
ShowProgress=true
[Game]
DoNotPauseWhileStopped=false
[PostProcess]
AllowChromaticAberration=false
MotionBlurPositionTreshold=0.05
AllowVignette=false
AllowBloom=false
MotionBlurRotationTreshold=0
AllowShafts=false
AllowMotionBlur=false
AllowSharpen=false
AllowAntialias=false
AllowDOF=false
SSAOSolution=0
AllowBlur=false
[Input]
PadVibrationEnabled=true
KeyboardCooldownSpeed=0.1
InvertCameraXOnMouse=false
InvertCameraYOnMouse=false
CameraAutoRotX=true
InvertCameraX=false
UIMouseSensitivity=1 CameraAutoRotY=true
RightStickCameraSensitivity=1 InvertCameraY=false RightStickAimSensitivity=1
MouseSensitivity=1
[Gameplay] Difficulty=2
[LevelOfDetail]
SwarmHideDistance=150
DecalsHideDistance=15
DimmerHideDistance=40
DynamicDecalsHideDistance=20
StripeHideDistance=60
[General]
ConfigVersion=1
[LoadingScreen/Editor]
Disabled=false
[LoadingOverlay/TCR]
FadeOutCooldownExtraTime=1
FadeInSpinnerTime=1
NoninteractiveSpinnerTime=3
FadeOutSpinnerTime=1
NoninteractiveEndCooldown=1
[Visuals]
InventoryBgColorScaleB=0.036
InventoryFixedLuminance=0.25
InventoryBgColorScaleG=0.034
MovieFramerate=30 GammaValue=1
InventoryBgColorScaleR=0.02
[Rendering]
GrassDensity=700
DecalsSpawnDistanceCutoff=10
TextureStreamingHeadsDistanceLimit=10 TextureStreamingCharacterDistanceLimit=50 CascadeShadowFadeTreshold=2
CascadeShadowDistanceScale2=1
TextureStreamingDistanceLimit=20000
MaxCascadeCount=3
TextureMemoryBudget=300
CascadeShadowDistanceScale3=1
MeshLODDistanceScale=1
MaxSpotShadowSize=256
ScaleformTextureUnstreamDelay=2.5
DecalsChance=1
TerrainReadAheadDistance=200
AtlasTextureDownscale=1
HairWorksLevel=0
TerrainScreenSpaceErrorThreshold=4
MaxTerrainShadowAtlasCount=2
MaxCubeShadowSize=256 DetailTextureDownscale=1
TextureDownscale=1
TextureInFlightCountBudget=12
TerrainErrorMetricMultiplier=30
CascadeShadowDistanceScale0=1
MeshRenderingDistanceScale=1
CascadeShadowDistanceScale1=1
[Input/Gestures]
EnableSwipe=true
EnablePan=true
EnableGestures=true
EnablePinch=true
[LoadingScreen]
FadeInTime=3
SkipShowWithAnyKey=true
GameRevealTime=3
SkipHideDelay=3
SkipInputDelay=0.25
FadeOutTime=1.5
SkipAutoshow=false
[Engine]
LimitFPS=30
[Rendering/SpeedTree]
GrassGenerationEfficiency=0.080
GrassDistanceScale=0.4
FoliageDistanceScale=0.5
FoliageShadowDistanceScale=5
GrassRingSize=4194304
[Save]
ShowCompatWarning=true
[Kinect]
Kinect=true
[Foliage]
MaxVisibilityDepth=6

also, it seems that some mods have made their appearance nexusmods, which is nothing spectacular, but a good sign nonetheless.
http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/?

 

[militafatal]

I've encountered one bug so far,even thou I completed dirty letter quest its still showing up as incomplete.I also have to say i'm surprised crossfire (7950) is working for me without a amd patch getting 60 fps all setting on high except foliage,post processing everything off except aa,vignetting,light shafts,and ao.Im hoping amd patch will take my crossfire in ultra territory close to 60 fps.
Edit:Nvidia hairworks off

 

[Analikital]

Here is something really useful i found, and it's really easy to use! http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/12/? this is made by TheMelekTaus

 

[Medy89]

I noticed a difference when loggin in a dialouge option between console & pc ... when I choose a dialouge option and log it in (on pc) , there is a small delay until the conversation actually starts ... on consoles geralt start to speak instantly without delay .... ... I first thought it might have something to do with me playing on max settings , but I also saw it on youtube videos & tried lower settings for myself , which didnt change anything ...

Was this mentioned anywhere before ? This delay is kinda annoying ;( ...

 

[Verrenus]

Hey Verrenus what u think about this preset ? http://sfx.thelazy.net/games/preset/3712/

I think it looks great in its own way, but it's a bit too different from the base game's visuals! Still, it seems this preset is receiving constant updates, so maybe I'll give it a try later myself?

Still having no luck with this : /

It's a shame, I know, but I'm sure that someone will soon make a mod for it and many other features that are still missing! Don't worry too much about it, the game only launched a few days ago, after all!

Thanks @Verrenus for the answer and all your work here!

Another thing which comes to my mind: Has anyone of you found an option somewhere to get socalled "fog of war" (at least in the game Cossacks it was called this way^^) on the maps?
I looked at the map(s) and recognized that there are open. The contract boards are already displayed =/ I like the way it was in Witcher 1 and 2 where you had to walk over the map and with this you opened all the ways and buildings on the map.

Thank you very much for your kind words and appreciation, my friend! It's my pleasure to help you guys in making the most out of your game and I'm really glad to see that my initiative was so beneficial to other PC witchers such as myself!

About the fog of war, it is true that I myself find it a bit jarring - shouldn't we have had to explore the entire maps, instead of them being already revealed to us? It certainly takes away from the wonder of exploration for me, but I guess it does make sense that there would already be maps for these area available in-game. No need to reinvent the wheel, I guess.

greetings fellow PC users, i've found something very interresting that i just had to share it with you guys. it seems that someone with a barely decent laptop (i5-4200M CPU @ 2.50 GHz (3.0 boost), 4GB RAM,GPU GT740M ) managed to make the game work @1366*768 and 30 fps
[video=youtube;nnIO_h-ONpo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnIO_h-ONpo[/video]

he also published the configuration he made, which made him get over 7 fps improvement (check the comments section on youtube):

also, it seems that some mods have made their appearance nexusmods, which is nothing spectacular, but a good sign nonetheless.
http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/?

Thank you very much for the heads-up, web-head! I'm sure that many quality mods will be released in the near future, especially after the new REDkit is launched. I cannot wait to see what people come up with!

Here is something really useful i found, and it's really easy to use! http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/12/? this is made by TheMelekTaus

Thank you very much for the link, Analikital! I'm sure it will help others struggling to get a grasp of how to edit their settings in more detail, as well as enabling SweetFX!

I noticed a difference when loggin in a dialouge option between console & pc ... when I choose a dialouge option and log it in (on pc) , there is a small delay until the conversation actually starts ... on consoles geralt start to speak instantly without delay .... ... I first thought it might have something to do with me playing on max settings , but I also saw it on youtube videos & tried lower settings for myself , which didnt change anything ...

Was this mentioned anywhere before ? This delay is kinda annoying ;( ...

I actually haven't noticed that before, but I would definitely like to have an option to disable the action log completely. For me, it's a very "gamey" element that hinders me from being fully immersed in the game world! :thumbdown:

 

[etsubmariner13]

Hi Verrenus,

I own a EVGA GTX 980 SC ACX 2.0 and the game runs with everything on Ultra at 1080p with stablest 60 youve ever seen! If you turn on HairWorks I get stable 55. ONLY when i get next to geralts head and the only thing you see is his hair, then the frames drop to something about 35 fps. still playable though.

btw card stays quiet, super smooth, and its not overclocked. at least not by me best card i ever had, but not low priced at all

I wish mine worked. Or rather, I wish the game worked. My constant crashing and errors made me put this game back on the shelf for now. I play a ton of games, all on ultra, a not a jot of problem. After patch 1.03, however, the game seizes up my machine and only a hard reboot gets me back.

 

[althrian]

Thank you very much for your kind words and appreciation, my friend! It's my pleasure to help you guys in making the most out of your game and I'm really glad to see that my initiative was so beneficial to other PC witchers such as myself!

About the fog of war, it is true that I myself find it a bit jarring - shouldn't we have had to explore the entire maps, instead of them being already revealed to us? It certainly takes away from the wonder of exploration for me, but I guess it does make sense that there would already be maps for these area available in-game. No need to reinvent the wheel, I guess.

I wonder if this is a bug or a feature @Marcin Momot @TheEvilChris?

 

[tahirahmed]

Btw I don't know if this is posted, I saw mention of DDU in the first post but that's about regular driver installation.

If anyone is having random driver crashes after Nvidia driver update through Geforce Experience then consider uninstalling the entire driver using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), restart and then do a fresh install of latest drivers. This fixed driver crashes for me.

 

[rikj1984]

Use this registry entry so you don't have to set the priority every time you launch the game:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\witcher3.exe\PerfOptions] “CpuPriorityClass”=dword:00000003

I'm not sure if something is wrong with that syntax, but running that .reg file only added up to the perf options folder for me. It did not actually add the CprPriorityClass value in the folder. I had to navigate to the folder and manually add it.