[SweetFX preset] Less is more - by MrPresident

[Undertanker 88]

Since "increasing" graphics has been a popular topic and many would like to push the limits of the game with their over tuned gaming PCs for this 2004-2005 MMO, I would like to share with you all something I came across a couple years ago and have used with great statisfation throughout my time on 1.12.1.

 

*Note this instructions and presets are not mine. (though I use most of them still) This does not alter game files like WoD models which is not allowed and simply allows you to enhance lighting/shading for yourself*

 

I have experienced lag with my mouse when pushing things too far when changing the settings myself, so if you get lag on your mouse, bump things down a bit back to the default .txt file.    

 

Here we go:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey all!

I recently found out about SweetFX (can't believe I haven't heard of it before). Anyways, I've been playing around with it for a week. And I thought I'd post and share my preset here! . The theme is "less is more". You won't find stuff cranked up over 9000 here .

What has been done then?

1. SMAA enabled. I tried turning stuff up and down til I found what seems to be the best settings for WoW.

2. HDR enabled. Just enough so highlights are abit stronger and shadows darker. Here I made sure not to go overboard so you get blinded in some locations (more on that regarding Vibrance) or loose detail in the shadows. Overall the game is abit too foggy and light, this takes care of that.

3. LumaSharpen enabled. This фекал is amazing and a curse at the same time! I think I did good though. I kept the sharp_clamp as low as possible and that saved the SMAA. And then upped the strength without oversharpening.

4. Vibrance enabled. With this setting I cranked down the saturation abit to counter what the HDR did. It was really obvious in Durotar in the evening. That glare!  . The game is still more colorful than without SweetFX though.

5. Dither enabled. This just lessens a liiittle bit of the banding you get from using LumaSharpen (most obvious when looking at the sky). Using dither_method 1 since it's faster than the second one, and they look the same ingame.

Download preset: SweetFX_settings.txt

 

How to install:

1. Download SweetFX.

2. Download my preset.

3. Extract SweetFX into your WoW folder.

4. Paste my preset file into your WoW folder, overwrite the one that came with SweetFX.

5. Launch WoW and turn off AA in the graphics settings (select 24 24 1x).

After that it should be working as intended! . You can try to toggle your ScrollLock key to turn the effect on/off for live review.

Screenshots:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...-h999-no/1.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K...-h999-no/2.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...-h999-no/3.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5...-h999-no/4.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...-h999-no/5.jpg

 

Notice how a lot of the gray/white wash is gone?

 

 

This program can be used for any game you have, however I recommend googling some already setup settings from other people for any game you want to apply this to for additional shading/blooming effects.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Undertanker
Fixed links

[Pottu 290]

Before anyone asks, yes, using this is 100% legit and allowed.

[Wirago 8]

Nice one. Anyone knows if this collides with the setting mentioned in the other thread? (https://forum.elysium-project.org/index.php?showtopic=23597)
I guess the settings might overlap in most points?

[Undertanker 88]

They work together.   As AA setting should be off (x 1)

[Athena 3]

Before anyone asks, yes, using this is 100% legit and allowed.

 

@Pottu,

not to stir up drama (I use SweetFX a lot), but could you elloborate why this is in fact allowed? In the end it makes the game load a custom DX9 dll, that wraps it with API calls to the corresponding Reshade lib (x32/x64). To me that sounds like a free passage to hook the Reshade lib resulting in an undetected internal hack with various options like reading the game's memory, drawing an overlay over the game etc, because the actual DLL touching the game is tagged as clean, resulting in a free passage to an internal hack. Feel free to edit my post if it is something you'd rather discuss elsewhere.

 

 

@Undertanker,

I have to say I would not be able to play with 30 FPS (or 60, or 90), so I will boot up the game when I'm back from my business trip to see what is causing this. Once I have a solution I'll update my post here.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Athena

[mrcer 8]

2. Download my preset.

 

http://imgur.com/a/567gJ

 

This is what I get when I follow your link

[Undertanker 88]

I will Fox the link when I get home, leaving work now

[Undertanker 88]

Ughhhh why can you only edit OP before people comment on it?!!!

[Undertanker 88]

Moved the file for the .txt settings:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm4vfas2xlfwj7a/SweetFX_settings.txt?dl=0

 

@Pottu can you edit the two links in my OP to this ^ link?   

 

:"Download preset: SweetFX_settings.txt"

and

"2. Download my preset."

Edited December 2, 2016 by Undertanker

[Niteshade 0]

2 out of 3 download's don't work :/

[Undertanker 88]

I can't edit the post.  I corrected it with the dropbox link in the post right above the one you commented on.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm4vfas2xlfwj7a/SweetFX_settings.txt?dl=0

[Xyf 1]

@Athena I think it's allowed because, although it runs custom code in WoW's proccess address space (the d3d9 shim), it does not actively modifies the process memory in any way.

 

Edit:

This made me think of a way to make the "so" desired updated model / texture pack to work without modified game files:

 

- create d3d9.dll shim, pass calls to real d3d9.dll

- on init, create vertex buffers/ texture for the replacement resources

- on draw calls, check signatures for used textures, replace with the update one. For models, I assume model pose and hardware skinning is used, otherwise unable to get a signature of a model. This way only replace vertex buffer. This won't work if model has more bones. Also old animations will be used ( so just the mesh is updated).

Edited December 2, 2016 by Xyf

[rikkisix 0]

Sweet FX is great honestly, Bloomers and Shaders, really make it come to life i had it on my old PC when i played on ED The night's where sometimes so dark ( If you wanted it this way) that you'd have to have the moon help you see was pretty cool. if anyone wants to up something visual this is a good bet, and it's not bannable ey

[Destron 2]

Where do I download my free epics?

[Undertanker 88]

Nice one. Anyone knows if this collides with the setting mentioned in the other thread? (https://forum.elysium-project.org/index.php?showtopic=23597)

I guess the settings might overlap in most points?

 

After testing when you follow the console command guide for "Quality", because SweetFX has to have AA off, instead of using 8 like his guide says, use 1.

 

Remember that if you make ANY changes within video settings after running the console commands, somethings go back to the ingame default max.  So you have to set it to 1 (off) using console while doing your other graphics.

[Tholren 7]

Thanks for sharing.

[Tholren 7]

Can't edit my post for some reason. Just gave it a go and it works like a charm.

[Tholren 7]

(Still can't edit my own posts, what gives?)

 

Where do I download my free epics?

 

I'm having an issue, I applied everything required for free epics but can't find them, please help me fix it, here's a screenshot I like to call "Broken Immersion, gimme epicz plz", please find the issue here, I want my epics.

 

[Hypno 0]

Subtle yet effective. I'll definitely give this a go when the server is released

[Shayss 43]

@Undertanker, what is your normal FPS with your regular settings applied compared to when you run with this?

[Undertanker 88]

@Undertanker, what is your normal FPS with your regular settings applied compared to when you run with this?

I have my card capping it at 60 fps without this on. Since I run a lot of stuff other than wow. Goes right to 30 when I enable it (scroll lock) pressed. I think Sweetfx is capped, not sure how to adjust that.

[Shayss 43]

Doesn't this make it feel a bit choppy? Also how does it fare with multiple spell effects in a raid?

Edited December 2, 2016 by Shayss

[Undertanker 88]

No. Especially when I ran the "Smoothness" console parts of the other thread.

[Undertanker 88]

I honestly can't stand when things that are supposed to be black show as grayish, and everything looks foggy. Dark areas being bright, things like that.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Undertanker

[Undertanker 88]

Actually I'm getting 60 FPS in both now, after running the smoothness part again, and relaunched.