Console Ray Tracing settings
Updates the ray tracing settings on PC to the same configuration found on PS5 or Xbox Series S – depending on the user’s choice – increasing frame rate while using Ray Tracing.
This mod updates the Medium Ray Tracing preset on PC to use PS5 or Xbox Series S ray tracing settings. These settings have been extracted from the patch.dat file which includes a folder path:
> engine > settings > defaultrenderconfig.xml
The ‘medium’ Ray Tracing preset on PC was swapped out for:
Xbox Series S settings found here:
<quality id=”pc_1″
Enable=”1″
QualityLevelIndex=”4″
RoughnessThreshold0=”0.0625″
RoughnessThreshold1=”0.075″
UseCompressedFormat=”1″
StaticInstancesBvhRadius=”96″
DynamicInstancesBvhRadius=”32″
ClustersBvhRadius=”96″
BuildingsBvhRadius=”96″
TerrainBvhRadius=”96″
RoadsBvhRadius=”96″
VegetationBvhRadius=”96″
ParticlesBvhRadius=”32″
BoundingRadiusThreshold=”0.25″
EnableWaterTiles=”1″
EnableParticles=”0″
EnableProjectedDecals=”0″
LitterAndGrassRadiusRatio=”0.25″
AlphaTestedGrassRadiusRatio=”0.4″
GrassDensity=”0.6″
RoadDecalsSizeThreshold=”1.3″
DecalsAllowAnyNbrQuadsOfQuads=”0″
RoadDecalsMaxNbrQuads=”4″
DisableTeethGeom=”1″
AngularSizeThreshold=”2.0″
LightMaxNeighborCellCount=”4″
MaxProcessedLightCountPerFrame=”2048″
DenoiserType=”1″
CheckerboardMode=”2″
NrdEnableBicubicFiltering=”0″
RayLengthMin=”2.0″
RayLengthMax=”96.0″
RayLengthDecay=”20.0″
SSRStepRate=”20″
SSRMaxSteps=”32″
TraceResolutionX=”1280″
TraceResolutionY=”720″
PS5 settings here:
<quality id=”pc_1″
Enable=”1″
QualityLevelIndex=”4″
RoughnessThreshold0=”0.0625″
RoughnessThreshold1=”0.075″
UseCompressedFormat=”1″
StaticInstancesBvhRadius=”96″
DynamicInstancesBvhRadius=”32″
ClustersBvhRadius=”96″
BuildingsBvhRadius=”96″
TerrainBvhRadius=”96″
RoadsBvhRadius=”96″
VegetationBvhRadius=”96″
ParticlesBvhRadius=”32″
BoundingRadiusThreshold=”0.25″
EnableWaterTiles=”1″
EnableParticles=”0″
EnableProjectedDecals=”1″
LitterAndGrassRadiusRatio=”0.25″
AlphaTestedGrassRadiusRatio=”0.4″
GrassDensity=”0.6″
RoadDecalsSizeThreshold=”1.3″
DecalsAllowAnyNbrQuadsOfQuads=”0″
RoadDecalsMaxNbrQuads=”4″
DisableTeethGeom=”1″
AngularSizeThreshold=”2.0″
LightMaxNeighborCellCount=”4″
MaxProcessedLightCountPerFrame=”2048″
DenoiserType=”1″
CheckerboardMode=”2″
NrdEnableBicubicFiltering=”0″
RayLengthMin=”2.0″
RayLengthMax=”96.0″
RayLengthDecay=”10.0″
SSRStepRate=”20″
SSRMaxSteps=”32″
TraceResolutionX=”1920″
TraceResolutionY=”1080″
This file replaces a patch file: patch_english.dat & patch_english.fat – the reason for this is because these files are significantly smaller than the main patch file which has grown considerably since the release of Watch Dogs Legion and includes all the DLC data since the game’s release. By using this mod you’ll effectively remove voiceover from the DLC – if you’d prefer you can rename the files for one of the other languages supported in the DLC and it will only overwrite the language file you replace with these files (bare in mind I haven’t done testing of this)
Why use the Xbox Series S config?
As the lowest specc’ed console with Ray tracing enabled, this offers a lower than medium preset for PC users, and allows us with medium/low performing GPUs to still apply ray tracing and enjoy the improved reflective qualities it offers. May the GPU gods eventually lower the prices of the higher performing GPUs.
Why use the PS5 config?
There are lower ‘roughness’ cutoff rates than the medium preset on PC and this can offer some nominal performance uplifts. I’ve found the Xbox Series S config to be generally faster on a RTX 2060 though, so if in doubt use that one.
Why not offer Xbox Series X ray tracing configs?
I might do this in due course if there’s general interest in the mod.
Why is the performance still iffy?
Because the game is seriously unoptimised – just enabling ray tracing hits the GPU hard and the loading / caching mechanics built into the watch dog engine is pretty dire. Expect frame drops when driving around even with this mod.
Thank You’s
A big thanks goes to ‘digital foundry’ for covering the original settings across the consoles. This galvanised me to attempt the mod in the first place.
Additional thanks go to the members of XeNTax game research forum for the tools, as well as advice from the members including, but not limited to:
superdemus
Combragamer