The developers acted very generously (if not magnanimously) by allowing players to independently improve the quality of graphics Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, editing the game's graphics configuration file. However, this article will be useful not only for enthusiasts, but also for those who have slow The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, because the graphics can be either improved or worsened by disabling some settings and ensuring an acceptable FPS.

What is the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt graphics configuration file

This is a file in which almost all graphics parameters are registered, it is called user.settings and is stored in the “My DocumentsThe Witcher 3” folder.

Before making any changes, be sure to first adjust the graphics settings in the game itself, then make backup copy user.settings file. Open this file You can use notepad or text editor Notepad++, then calmly make changes to the values ​​that we described below.

You can record the result not just by saving the user.settings file in notepad or the Notepad ++ editor, but then selecting the “read-only” option in its properties to prevent the game itself from overriding the graphical characteristics. This will allow you to enjoy visual effects that are different from those intended by the developers.

This guide is intended for users whose computer specifications do not meet the minimum system requirements for the game. I was faced with the problem of low FPS in the game and spent a lot of time looking for a solution to this problem. There is no complete detailed guide for launching the game on weak PCs. I had to collect information from dozens of different sites and do a lot myself, through trial and error. Putting all this together we get this guide.

I’ll say right away that the tips below may not help everyone, and if you have a dinosaur at home, then the chances of a comfortable game are extremely small. However, if The Witcher 3 is at least running on your computer, then you can significantly increase the FPS in the game.

Step 0 Performance

First of all, in order to increase the performance of the game, you need to measure this very performance. The easy-to-use Fraps program is perfect for this.

In principle, everything is clear in setting up the program, but if you don’t know English at all and can’t figure out the interface, then it’s better not to change any settings. By default, the program is configured quite conveniently. Just launch Fraps, then launch the game. The yellow numbers in the corner of the screen are FPS, performance speed. Obviously, the higher the FPS, the better for us. For a comfortable game, 30 fps is enough, although, from my own experience, I know that you can play at 18-20.

TIP: I decided not to create a separate description of this simple action; first of all, update your video card drivers. Also, if your video card is from Nvidia, use the very simple and easy-to-use program GeForce Experience. It will automatically download the drivers and optimally configure the game. If after using the utility the game does not become more comfortable, then use the guide presented below.

Using the guide below, after completing each step, go into the game and check your FPS. Having reached the 30 mark, you can stop and not take any further optimization steps. Keep in mind that the further you go in the guide, the worse the graphics in the game, so find the optimal choice between graphics and performance for you.

Step 1 “Cleaning” the computer and defragmenting the hard drive

The actions in this step are not related to the game, but they will improve the performance of the computer and therefore make the game more comfortable. Delete not necessary programs, cleaning the registry and defragmenting the disk will be useful even for users of powerful computers.

You will need to download two very useful and easy-to-use programs: CCleaner And Defraggler.

I advise you to take advantage of all the features of this program. First of all, remove all programs you don’t need; to do this, in the CCleaner window, select Tools (1) and Uninstall programs (2). Then reduce the number of programs that start automatically in the Startup window (3) After that, delete all temporary files, unnecessary cache, cookies, etc. in the Cleaning window (4). Finally, fix any registry issues in the Registry window (5).

In the program window, select the disk you need if you have several (1). I advise you to defragment all disks. Then click on the Defragmentation button (2) and select the desired option. If you are doing all this for the first time, then it is better not to choose Quick Defragmentation, but to do the full one.

Step 2 Patches

The developers are also working on the game's performance, so downloading and installing the latest patch may help. However, it is worth mentioning separately about patches 1.03 and 1.04, according to players, these versions only reduced the performance of the game, so I do not recommend installing them.

Step 3 General Graphics Settings

Now you can go directly to the game. This step is also useful for users of powerful PCs. If your characteristics match the Minimum or even Recommended, but the game is terribly laggy, then disabling some particularly demanding graphics functions can significantly increase the FPS.

After entering the game, select Settings – Video Settings. The functions below are found in “General” and “Post-processing”

• NVIDIA HairWorks needs to be disabled first. This feature is supposed to make hair look more realistic, but it's not very well optimized, so only the most powerful PCs can afford it. After disabling it, the FPS will increase significantly.
• We also turn off anti-aliasing ; this function significantly affects performance, even though it is a post-processing effect.
• Plant visibility range is another feature that should be made smaller. I do not recommend setting High or Extreme quality, since in open areas this greatly reduces productivity. Based on the characteristics of the computer, set the value to medium or low.
• Shadow quality is a fairly demanding function. If after disabling the above items the game does not become comfortable, then lower the quality of the shadows.

If after disabling these 4 functions it is still impossible to play, then set all graphics settings to their minimum value.

However, on more powerful PCs, you can leave the Post-processing items turned on, with the exception of anti-aliasing (written about above), since post-processing has little effect on performance, but at the same time makes the picture more pleasant and realistic.

For comparison, two screenshots on the left are extreme graphics and post-processing settings, on the right are minimal settings:

Step 4 Frame Per Second Limit

It’s worth taking a closer look at the “Frames per second limit” setting. In order to change it, you need to select in the game Settings - Video Settings - General - Frames per second. This feature limits frames per second (fps) to 30/60/unlimited. It is logical that the best option should be “no restrictions”, but not everything is so simple. When FPS jumps in the game, slowdowns may occur; to get rid of these slowdowns, this setting is exactly what is needed. The best option would be to set this setting to “30”. But if your FPS is consistently more than 30 and close to 50-60, then set the fps limit to “60”.

This function does not affect the graphics in the game in any way, but will help get rid of slowdowns.

Step 5 Resolution

Game performance is greatly affected by resolution. You can change it by selecting Settings – Video Settings – General – Resolution in the game. You need to start from the fact that the lower the resolution, the higher the FPS in the game. Try to find the most suitable resolution for yourself. For users of weak computers, I advise you to set the lowest resolution (1024x768).

In principle, the resolution can be made even lower in the settings file, but in my opinion, it’s not worth going lower, as it won’t be pleasant to play. However, if you want, try it.

The game settings file is located C:\Users:\"username":\Documents:\The Witcher 3:\User

Open the User.settings file using Notepad, find the line “Resolution=” (without quotes) and change the value. After all this, save the changes to the file.

Step 6 Physics of clothing

By changing the physics of clothing in the game, you can significantly increase FPS. Basically, in the game this parameter is not particularly important and its disabling will not be noticeable. But again, it's up to you.

In the game folder go to bin/x64

And delete the file APEX_ClothingGPU_x64.dll. I advise you to make a copy of the file in another folder so that you can return it if necessary.

Step 7 Texture Resolution and Fog

After we have worked with the graphics settings in the game itself, in principle, the game should already run comfortably, but if the result still does not please you, then you can go deeper into the game settings through config files in the game folder and further increase performance.

In the game folder, go to \bin\config\base and open the rendering.ini file using notepad.

• In the MaxTextureSize and MaxAtlasTextureSize parameters, change 2048 to 512 (as a last resort, you can set 256);
• In the MaxCubeShadowSize and MaxSpotShadowSize parameters, change 512 to 256.

This way we will slightly reduce the texture resolution, but will greatly increase the game performance.

In the following parameters we change the values, instead of true we set false:

• AllowFog;
• AllowBloom;
• AllowAntialias;
• AllowMSAA;
• AllowVignette;
• AllowChromaticAbberation.

By doing this, we will reduce post-processing effects and disable fog, which greatly eats up performance on the Skellige Islands.

Step 8 Destruction of grass

This step will significantly increase the FPS in the game, but may spoil the impression of the game. I myself play The Witcher 3 with grass turned off, and this does not interfere with the game at all, but decide for yourself what you need more: high performance or a full-fledged world with grass.

In the game folder go to bin\shaders\speedtree\shaders_directx11

And delete the following files:

• Grass_vs.fx11obj;
• Grass_shadowcast_vs.fx11obj;
• Grass_shadowcast_ps.fx11obj;
• Grass_ps.fx11obj.

I advise you to make a copy of them in another folder so that you can return them if necessary.

After this, only decorative grass will be removed from the game, i.e. bushes with alchemical ingredients and trees are not going anywhere.

Comparison of graphics before (left) and after (right) changes:

Step 9 Texture Quality

If, after all the steps described above, you want to improve the graphics and reduce loading without losing FPS, then this step will help you. In the game, in general settings graphics there is a “Texture Quality” parameter, by setting it correctly you can slightly improve the graphics in the game. Before changing this parameter, you need to find out the amount of memory on your video card. To do this, open the “Screen Resolution” window by right-clicking on the Desktop and select “Advanced settings” in the window. There you will see your video card memory.

If the amount of memory is less than 2000 MB, then set the “Texture quality” parameter in the game to minimum. If it is 2000 MB, then set it to medium or high at your discretion. If it is more than 2000 MB, then feel free to set the quality to extreme.

Personally, with a memory capacity of 2788 MB, I play at extreme texture quality settings. The FPS did not drop at all, and the picture quality increased noticeably.

Step 10 Extreme measures

This is a very undesirable step. Use it only if all the methods described above did not produce any results, but you still want to play. After this step, the graphics in the game will become simply terrible.

Place the file user.settings to the folder C:\Users\Username\Documents\The Witcher 3

Place the folder with the replacement files base to The Witcher 3\bin\config folder

After this, your game will look like this:

Conclusion

I hope that this guide will help someone improve the performance of the game and reduce the number of brakes and lags.

The sequel to the famous Polish project “The Witcher” has been released. Owners of consoles did not have to struggle with settings - the lucky ones immediately plunged into a fantasy world. But the question of how to run The Witcher 3 on a weak PC came from many other gamers. The project acquired a huge Universe with excellent depiction. Consequently, the requirements for hardware are corresponding.

All Witcher fans, including owners of weak personal computers, wanted to play the final part of the trilogy. The network is filled with hundreds of tips on how to run The Witcher 3 on a weak PC. They are all scattered across forums and websites, which is not very convenient. This article brings together the most effective games. We hope that after reading you will understand how to run The Witcher 3 on a weak PC, and this issue will become irrelevant. So let's get started.

Performance Definition

You need to understand what performance is needed before looking for a config for The Witcher 3. Weak PCs usually cannot boast of high fps, but it is worth measuring it. Any program will do for this. You can use Fraps. It is not difficult to find it on the Internet; it is distributed free of charge.

The utility is easy to use. However, if you do not know English, you should not change additional options. To measure the frame rate, just run the program and then the game. Yellow numbers will appear in the corner of the display, which will show performance in The Witcher 3. Optimization for weak PCs is necessary if the game produces low fps. The higher the number, the better, but 30 frames per second is enough for a completely comfortable game. Some gamers manage to play at 20 without downloading the config for The Witcher 3. Weak PCs, you need to understand, will not be able to show very high performance even with perfect optimization.

Driver Update

After measuring fps, the first thing you need to do is check for updates to your video card drivers. New versions can be found on the manufacturer's website. Often these manipulations are enough to make the game process smoother. After the update, we check the growth.

If the number of frames becomes more than 30, you can stop optimization and enjoy the game. Remember, by following every advice in the guide, you will lower the graphics in The Witcher 3. Optimization for weak PCs will give results, but not huge ones, but it will reduce the beauty of the surrounding world and characters.

PC cleaning

This step is not directly related to game optimization. However, the methods presented in it will help clean your PC of junk and speed up its operation in general. Removing unnecessary programs, and the disk will not be superfluous even on powerful computers.

Installing patches

Now you need to download and install the latest patch for The Witcher 3. For weak PCs, this is a mandatory step. With each addition, the developers make changes that optimize the game. The main thing is that patches are installed in accordance with the instructions, otherwise errors may appear that are difficult to fix without reinstalling.

Graphics settings

So, let's move on to the graphics settings. This step will also be useful for owners of powerful devices. By lowering the settings, you can significantly increase the number of fps, ensuring smooth gameplay.

How to set up The Witcher 3 on a weak PC? Go to the game menu, then “Settings” and go to “Video Settings”.

• First of all, disable NVIDIA HairWorks. The function is aimed at improving the quality of the main character's hair. It is not very optimized, so it requires powerful hardware. After this, fps will increase by several values.
• Disable antialiasing.
• The visibility range of plants should be set to low or medium. In open areas, brakes often occur precisely because of this parameter.
• Reducing the quality of shadows. A very demanding function that can be set to the minimum value.

After disabling the above functions, check the fps. If it is still low, set the remaining parameters to minimum. Even at this level the game looks quite good.

FPS limit

Pay attention to the item "Limit frames per second". If you have a weak computer, you should set the value to "30". At the same time, the game will not experience sudden jumps in fps or freezes. However, if your number of frames is more than 30, it is better to set the parameter to "60". This setting will not affect the graphics of game objects in any way, but will help get rid of lags.

Changing the resolution

Resolution has a huge impact on the smoothness of the game, especially if you have a weak computer. You can change it in the general video settings. Switch between options and choose the resolution that suits you. For low-end PCs, 1024 x 768 pixels is recommended.

If desired, the resolution can be reduced further, but this will require making changes to the game files. Remember, the lower this indicator, the worse the picture quality. You can find the settings file along the path: C:\Users:\"name":\Documents:\The Witcher 3:\User. Next, open the User.settings file and make changes to the “Resolution=” line. Finally, save the document.

Removing clothing physics

Changing the physics of the hero's clothing will help increase the number of frames. This parameter does not play a decisive role, so disabling it will remain unnoticeable.

Editing game files

By this stage, we had made a good set of settings, which should have helped with the fps level. If the number of frames is still not impressive, let's move on to changing the game files.

• We change the MaxTextureSize and MaxAtlasTextureSize indicators from 2048 to 512. If necessary, set it to 256.
• We change the MaxCubeShadowSize and MaxSpotShadowSize indicators from 512 to 256.

These simple manipulations will help significantly increase fps by slightly reducing texture resolution.

The parameters below need to be changed from true to false.

• AllowChromaticAbberation.
• AllowMSAA.
• AllowBloom.
• AllowAntialias.
• AllowFog.

By doing this, we will reduce the post-processing parameters and remove the fog, which seriously loads the PC.

Removing grass

At this stage, we will remove grass from the game - this significantly increases fps, but can ruin the overall impression. Disabling the grass will not affect the process in any way.

Go to the folder bin\shaders\speedtree\shaders_directx11 and send to the trash: Grass_shadowcast_ps.fx11obj, Grass_vs.fx11obj, Grass_ps.fx11obj, Grass_shadowcast_vs.fx11obj.

Be sure to save a copy in a separate folder so that you can return it in case of mistakes.

Only grass that is unimportant for passing will be removed from the game. That is, the bushes and ingredients for alchemy will remain.

Reduced graphics

This step should be taken only if absolutely necessary. You will need to download an archive from the Internet with minimal graphics settings. Finding it won't be difficult.

Open the archive and extract the files to a convenient location. Place the user.settings file in C:\Users\Name\Documents\The Witcher 3. If necessary, agree to the replacement. Attention! Save the original file in a separate folder in advance.

Copy the The Witcher 3\bin\config folder from the archive to base and replace it.

The graphics in the game will be terrible, but the fps increase will be huge. Of course, not everyone will be able to play with these settings. You won't be able to enjoy the world around you, but you can go through the storyline.

Conclusion

That's all. We hope the above methods will help you understand how to run The Witcher 3 on a weak PC. The game deserves to be completed by every gamer, and even those who have a weak personal computer. If these measures are not enough, then the best solution would be to purchase one more capable of launching new products without problems.

NVIDIA Hairworks (improves the display of Geralt's hair and monster fur)

Performance Impact: You can set the options to “Disabled”, “Geralt Only”, “Everyone”. In combat scenes it consumes at least 12-15 fps, in the open world - at least 10 fps.

NVIDIA HBAO+ Ambient Occlusion (greatly improves appearance games)

Impact on performance: Instead of NVIDIA HBAO+, you can install SSAO or disable the option altogether. Switching from NVIDIA HBAO+ to SSAO will give you at least 4fps, completely disabling it gives another 4-5 fps.

Anti-Aliasing (improves geometry)

Impact on performance: The higher the resolution, the greater the drop in fps. Disabling it gives about 4-5 fps.

Bloom (improves lighting from some sources)

Performance Impact: Minimal impact, disabling this effect will do little to nothing.

Blur & Motion Blur (adds Blur effect)

Impact on performance: Each effect individually has very little impact. But if you disable both of them, you can get a few FPS increase in battle.

Chromatic Aberration (slightly distorts the image, optional effect)

Impact on performance: About 0.3 fps, that is, minimal. Option for your taste.

Depth of Field (affects the display of distant objects)

Impact on performance: In open spaces, the option consumes less than 2 fps, but in cities this figure can increase.

Detail Level (level of details, geometry)

Impact on performance: Oddly enough, not that big (NVIDIA assures). Details are visible at close range. If you turn it to zero, you can get 1-2 FPS in big battles.

Foliage Visibility Range (the distance after which distant objects begin to be shaded)

Performance Impact: The most expensive option in the game, it has a VERY big impact. Reducing the option from Ultra to Low gives a very large increase in FPS. It also makes you slightly myopic. This option should be used first if you want a performance boost.

Grass Density (how much grass)

Performance Impact: Visually, there is little difference between a high and a low value. Well, the performance increase is also small, a few fps.

Light Shafts (adds beautiful sun rays)

Performance impact: Minimal, don't turn it off.

Shadow Quality

Performance Impact: Visually, the difference between high, low and medium shadows is not that great. But switching from high shadows to medium (or low) gives a few fps.

Sharpen (“sharpening” the details of the picture)

Performance Impact: About 0.5 fps or less, optional.

Terrain Quality

Performance impact: Almost none in the pre-release build. The developers promise that after special patches the difference between the settings will appear; this is one of the ways to optimize the game.

Texture Quality

Impact on performance: At “Low” the game consumes about 1GB of video memory, at “High” it consumes 2GB of video memory. There is no difference between “High” and “Ultra” textures; on “Ultra” the game simply loads more textures, which reduces the likelihood of seeing texture loading, for example, when driving fast. The impact on the performance itself is insignificant, the amount of video memory on your video card is important.

Vignette (shades the corners of the screen)

Performance Impact: Minimal impact, optional.

Water Quality

Impact on performance: Very small, it is recommended to set it to “High”. The difference in the option settings is very noticeable in the open sea, but in rivers and ponds it is invisible.

Who wants to play with Nvidia's "Hair". There is a solution to improve performance. The fact is that Works uses MCAA x8 by default, which is where the performance loss actually comes from. Go to > Bin > Config > Base > Rendering.ini Look for HairWorksAALevel = 8 Change to 4, 2 or 0. Each gives an increase. At 0, of course, it looks completely useless, but at 2 fps it increased from 35-40 to 50-55, for example on the Griffin. This is for 970 and 4690.

"How to increase FPS in The Witcher 3?" - a question that haunts owners of not very powerful computers who have lost sleep and peace after the release of the cult game. This will be discussed in the article.

What is FPS anyway?

This abbreviation refers to the number of frames that the video card produces on the player’s monitor in one second. Stands for Frames per Second. It is the main performance indicator in many games. Especially where there is constant dynamics: World Of Tanks, Counter Strike or Dota. The list goes on.

That is, if the video card is already outdated, the playback of actions in the game will occur with a delay of several seconds, which can lead to a complete loss of interest in the game and the technical inability to enjoy the gameplay. It will look something like this: the player presses a key on the keyboard, and after two or three seconds an action corresponding to this key occurs on the screen. Simply put, the game will slow down.

All of the above gives an idea of ​​what FPS is. There are several ways to increase frame rates.

Where and how to increase FPS in The Witcher 3?

First of all, you need to make sure that third-party programs that may slow down your computer are disabled. If they are still enabled, it is better to disable them.

Must be installed latest versions drivers for video cards. In general, it is advisable to update all hardware drivers. There are a number of useful programs that allow you to scan your computer for outdated ones and, if necessary, update them. Recommended for installation.

Most often, the game automatically sets the settings to maximum. These should be reduced to medium or low. As a result, the graphics will be slightly worse, but the frame refresh rate will increase. To do this, you need to find the settings in the Witcher 3 game. FPS is not displayed there, but the graphics quality can be adjusted.

It is worth noting that the game itself is designed for fairly powerful computers. After its release, many thematic magazines published articles about The Witcher 3, where (for fun or for advertising) they included approximate cost building a computer on which you can fully enjoy the gameplay.

Also in the game itself it is possible to disable the Nvidia Hairworks option, which affects FPS. Of course, the setting is available to owners of the video card of the same name.

If this doesn’t help, but you have a great desire to play The Witcher 3, you’re fed up with low FPS and want to sacrifice something else, there is an option to go to the game folder (\\The Witcher 3 - Wild Hunt\bin\shaders\speedtree\ shaders_directx11), find the files responsible for the animation of grass and leaves and delete them. Typically they contain the words Leaves and Grass.

Although it’s better to just move it to the archive so that it remains until better times. After this manipulation, grass and leaves will disappear from the game. Geralt will run in bewilderment through shabby wastelands with painful, half-dead textured vegetation and hide in the shadows of trees that use a minimum number of graphics shaders.

Don't let the trees shake

Another way to increase FPS in The Witcher 3 is to go into the user.settings file:

• set the speedtree parameter to zero for all indicators;
• the last MaxVisibilityDepth indicator, which affects the drawing distance of trees, can be set to 2 or increased to 4;
• set shadows drawing to 0.2.

The indicated “dancing with a tambourine” will lead to the fact that the trees will not sway from the wind and will only be visible from close range.

Optimal frequency

How to find out FPS in The Witcher 3? The answer is simple: just like in any other game. If this indicator is not provided by options, you can use a third-party software. The most striking example is Fraps. The utility is free, so it can be found without problems.

Its work comes down to displaying the number of frames the player’s video card produces in any game. For example, when watching a movie, it gives a value from 23 to 26 frames.

The human eye cannot perceive more than 24 frames, but game performance requires a higher FPS: about 41-59 frames per second. If the video card is capable of producing such indicators, then the game will only bring pleasure.

Conclusion

With online games the situation is a little different. In this case, the FPS will directly depend on bandwidth channel, Internet signal and game server load level.

But basically such projects are aimed at the general public, who will contribute money to the game, which constitutes the main percentage of the developers’ income. If the requirements for the game increase, players will begin to leave, which will have a negative impact on the economic side of the issue.

Therefore, online games are more or less optimized and designed for computers with medium and low power. That is, for the majority. Fans of maximum settings, who are owners of powerful computers, have absolutely nothing to lose in this case.

As for the sensational saga with Geralt, the developers initially warned that the game would be designed for fairly powerful computers, which rubbed a lot of salt into the wound of the entire gaming community. Like, there is a crisis in the country, and give them powerful computers here.

Nevertheless, the fact remains. The Witcher 3 is a game that has already won the hearts of millions with its openness, fantasy, unpredictable plot, colorful graphics and dynamic world full of adventure.

Those who cannot afford to taste all the delights of the project have probably already watched a video of the game on YouTube a long time ago, armed with goodies, as if watching a great movie. It is unlikely that such a measure helped to quench the desire to play this game. Quite the contrary - she just added some wood to the fire.

All of the above manipulations, which answer the question of how to increase FPS in The Witcher 3, lead to the fact that piece by piece is “cut off” from the colorful world created by the developers in order to give the gamer the opportunity to at least somehow play. The game is not perceived fully. The author's idea is not fully conveyed to the recipient's organs of perception.

Therefore, in order to enjoy the desired game without brakes, freezes and bugs, it is still recommended to set yourself an elusive goal - purchasing a computer that fully meets system requirements project.