¶ Guide to Improve FPS in TERA
¶ Introduction
TERA uses the 32-bit Engine 3.0, which significantly limits performance optimization. Although we can't perform miracles, it is possible to adjust various engine parameters to improve game performance.
WARNING:
We strongly recommend that you save a backup copy of the original files before making any changes.
We are not responsible for issues arising from modifications made to the files or the MODS used in the TERA game client.
¶ Graphic API Options
- DX9 (TERA's Default): Performance is generally poor and does not fully utilize the graphics card.
- Vulkan (DXVK): Offers better performance, utilizing the GPU at 100% most of the time. The Vulkan installation is explained at the end of this guide.
¶ Basic Configuration Adjustments
For parameters not found in the files, you can add them, but first, make sure you are in the correct file.
-
Locate and Edit the Configuration Files
- Engine > Config > BaseInput.ini
bEnableMouseSmoothing=false - S1Game > Config > S1Input.ini
bEnableMouseSmoothing=false - S1Game > Config > DefaultEngine.ini
[Engine.GameEngine] bSmoothFrameRate=FALSE MinSmoothedFrameRate=32 MaxSmoothedFrameRate=300 - S1Game > Config > S1Engine.ini
[Engine.ISVHacks] bInitializeShadersOnDemand=True DisableATITextureFilterOptimizationChecks=True UseMinimalNVIDIADriverShaderOptimization=False PumpWindowMessagesWhenRenderThreadStalled=False bClearAnimSetLinkupCachesMap=False [Engine.GameEngine] bSmoothFrameRate=FALSE MinSmoothedFrameRate=32 MaxSmoothedFrameRate=300 CacheSizeMegs=4096 bClearAnimSetLinkupCachesOnLoadMap=False bClearAnimSetLinkupCachesMap=False [Core.System] MaxObjectsNotConsideredByGC=0 SizeOfPermanentObjectPool=0 StaleCacheDays=1 MaxStaleCacheSize=400 MaxOverallCacheSize=1200 PackageSizeSoftLimit=2800 AsyncIOBandwidthLimit=0 [Engine.Client] MinDesiredFrameRate=80 MaxDesiredFrame=200 [TextureStreaming] PoolSize=8000 MemoryMargin=30 MemoryLoss=0 MinTextureResidentMipCount=14 TextureFileCacheBulkDataAlignment=4096 HysteresisLimit=30 DropMipLevelsLimit=4 StopIncreasingLimit=20 StopStreamingLimit=12 MinFudgeFactor=0.5 FudgeFactorIncreaseRateOfChange=0.5 FudgeFactorDecreaseRateOfChange=-0.4 MinRequestedMipsToConsider=11 MinTimeToGuaranteeMinMipCount=0 MaxTimeToGuaranteeMinMipCount=0 UseTextureFileCache=TRUE AllowStreamingLightmaps=False HistoryDepth=50 [DevOptions.Shaders] AutoReloadChangedShaders=True bAllowDistributedShaderCompile=True bAllowMultiThreadedShaderCompile=True ThreadedShaderCompileThreshold=8 NumUnusedShaderCompilingThreads=0 [MemoryPools] FLightPrimitiveInteractionInitialBlockSize=4096 FModShadowPrimitiveInteractionInitialBlockSize=4096 [SystemSettings] bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=True HighPrecisionGBuffers=True GTSyncType=1 OneFrameGPULag=False OneFrameThreadLag=True FinishCurrentFrame=True [AppCompat] CompatLevelComposite=5 CompatLevelCPU=5 CompatLevelGPU=4 CPUNumLogicalProcessors=16 - Engine > Config > BaseEngine.ini
- For parameters not found in the files, you can add them, but first, make sure you are in the correct file.
- Engine > Config > BaseInput.ini
-
Memory Usage Adjustment
- Use an application that allows TERA to use more memory (up to 4 GB).
- Download the 4GB Patch Application
- Extract the file, run
4gb_patch.exe, and select the TERA executable (Binaries > TERA.exe).
- Use an application that allows TERA to use more memory (up to 4 GB).
¶ Adjustments for Better Graphic Quality
- S1Game > Config > S1Engine.ini
[Engine.Engine] TerrainMaterialMaxTextureCount=32 TerrainTessellationCheckCount=24 TerrainTessellationCheckBorder=4.0 TerrainTessellationCheckDistance=0 TessellationAdaptivePixelsPerTriangle=900.000000 bForceStaticTerrain=True MaxPixelShaderAdditiveComplexityCount=900 MaxPixelShaderOpaqueComplexityCount=128 MaxVertexShaderComplexityCount=128 bUseBackgroundLevelStreaming=False AllowShadowVolumes=TRUE MinTextureDensity=55.0 IdealTextureDensity=55.0 MaxTextureDensity=55.0 bUseFlareOuts=TRUE bCombineSimilarMappings=True ImageReflectionTextureSize=4096 bUseNormalMapsForSimpleLightMaps=TRUE [SystemSettings] bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=True HighPrecisionGBuffers=True GTSyncType=1 OneFrameGPULag=False OneFrameThreadLag=True FinishCurrentFrame=False AllowImageReflections=True EnableHighPolyChars=True AllowRadialBlur=True StaticDecals=True DynamicDecals=True DynamicLights=True DynamicShadows=True LightEnvironmentShadows=True CompositeDynamicLights=False DirectionalLightmaps=True MotionBlur=True DepthOfField=True AmbientOcclusion=True Bloom=True UseHighQualityBloom=True Distortion=True AllowDistortionAndColorInSameMaterial=True DropParticleDistortion=False SpeedTreeLeaves=True SpeedTreeFronds=True OnlyStreamInTextures=True LensFlares=True FogVolumes=True FloatingPointRenderTargets=True UseVsync=False UpscaleScreenPercentage=True AllowD3D10=False SkeletalMeshLODBias=-1 ParticleLODBias=-1 DetailMode=3 ShadowFilterQualityBias=-1 MaxAnisotropy=32 MaxMultisamples=1 MinShadowResolution=4096 MaxShadowResolution=4096 ShadowFadeResolution=0 ShadowFadeExponent=2.200000 MaxWholeSceneDominantShadowResolution=4096 ScreenPercentage=100.000000 SceneCaptureStreamingMultiplier=1.000000 FoliageDrawRadiusMultiplier=1.050000 ShadowTexelsPerPixel=2.0 EnableLightEnvSHLights=True bEnableVSMShadows=True bEnableBranchingPCFShadows=False bAllowBetterModulatedShadows=True AllowSubsurfaceScattering=True bEnableForegroundShadowsOnWorld=True bEnableForegroundSelfShadowing=True bEnablePSSMShadows=True FlareOuts=True ShadowFilterRadius=2.0 ShadowDepthBias=0.012000 ShadowVolumeLightRadiusThreshold=1000.000000 ShadowVolumePrimitiveScreenSpacePercentageThreshold=0.150000 bAllowFracturedDamage=True bAllowWholeSceneDominantShadows=True NumFracturedPartsScale=1.000000 FractureDirectSpawnChanceScale=1.000000 FractureRadialSpawnChanceScale=1.000000 FractureCullDistanceScale=1.000000 FXAA=False bAllowPostprocessMLAA=True bAllowTemporalAA=False SpeedTreeBranches=True SpeedTreeBillboards=True bAllowLightShafts=True AllowD3D11=True SpeedTreeLeafQuality=2 SpeedTreeLeafShadows=True SpeedTreeLeafWind=True bUseHDRDisplayOutput=True HDRDisplayOutputNits=1000 bCombineSimilarMappings=True ImageReflectionTextureSize=4096 bUseNormalMapsForSimpleLightMaps=TRUE
¶ Adjustments for Better Performance (Low Textures)
- S1Game > Config > S1Engine.ini
[Engine.Engine] TerrainMaterialMaxTextureCount=8 TerrainTessellationCheckCount=6 TerrainTessellationCheckBorder=2 TerrainTessellationCheckDistance=1028.0 TessellationAdaptivePixelsPerTriangle=900.000000 bForceStaticTerrain=False MaxPixelShaderAdditiveComplexityCount=900 MaxPixelShaderOpaqueComplexityCount=128 MaxVertexShaderComplexityCount=128 bUseBackgroundLevel Streaming=False AllowShadowVolumes=FALSE MinTextureDensity=0.0 IdealTextureDensity=6.5 MaxTextureDensity=25.0 bUseFlareOuts=FALSE bCombineSimilarMappings=False ImageReflectionTextureSize=128 bUseNormalMapsForSimpleLightMaps=FALSE [SystemSettings] bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=True HighPrecisionGBuffers=False GTSyncType=1 OneFrameGPULag=False OneFrameThreadLag=True FinishCurrentFrame=False AllowImageReflections=False EnableHighPolyChars=False AllowRadialBlur=False StaticDecals=False DynamicDecals=False DynamicLights=False DynamicShadows=False LightEnvironmentShadows=False CompositeDynamicLights=True DirectionalLightmaps=True MotionBlur=False DepthOfField=False AmbientOcclusion=False Bloom=False UseHighQualityBloom=False Distortion=False AllowDistortionAndColorInSameMaterial=False DropParticleDistortion=True SpeedTreeLeaves=False SpeedTreeFronds=False OnlyStreamInTextures=True LensFlares=False FogVolumes=False FloatingPointRenderTargets=False UseVsync=False UpscaleScreenPercentage=True AllowD3D10=False SkeletalMeshLODBias=2 ParticleLODBias=10 DetailMode=1 ShadowFilterQualityBias=2 MaxAnisotropy=4 MaxMultisamples=1 MinShadowResolution=0 MaxShadowResolution=512 ShadowFadeResolution=128 ShadowFadeExponent=2.200000 MaxWholeSceneDominantShadowResolution=128 ScreenPercentage=100.000000 SceneCaptureStreamingMultiplier=1.000000 FoliageDrawRadiusMultiplier=1.050000 ShadowTexelsPerPixel=2.0 EnableLightEnvSHLights=False bEnableVSMShadows=False bEnableBranchingPCFShadows=False bAllowBetterModulatedShadows=False AllowSubsurfaceScattering=False bEnableForegroundShadowsOnWorld=False bEnableForegroundSelfShadowing=False bEnablePSSMShadows=False FlareOuts=False ShadowFilterRadius=2.0 ShadowDepthBias=0.012000 ShadowVolumeLightRadiusThreshold=1000.000000 ShadowVolumePrimitiveScreenSpacePercentageThreshold=0.150000 bAllowFracturedDamage=True bAllowWholeSceneDominantShadows=False NumFracturedPartsScale=1.000000 FractureDirectSpawnChanceScale=1.000000 FractureRadialSpawnChanceScale=1.000000 FractureCullDistanceScale=1.000000 FXAA=False bAllowPostprocessMLAA=False bAllowTemporalAA=False SpeedTreeBranches=False SpeedTreeBillboards=False bAllowLightShafts=False AllowD3D11=False SpeedTreeLeafQuality=0 SpeedTreeLeafShadows=False SpeedTreeLeafWind=False bUseHDRDisplayOutput=False HDRDisplayOutputNits=1000 bCombineSimilarMappings=False ImageReflectionTextureSize=0 bUseNormalMapsForSimpleLightMaps=FALSE
¶ Using Vulkan as the Graphic API
- Download Vulkan (DXVK)
- Vulkan Installation
- Extract and install by clicking on
setup.exe. - Open the executable
WoJ_DXVK_Manager.exe. - Click "Add Game" and select the TERA executable (
Binaries > TERA.exe). - Keep TERA's path checked in the application and open the game as usual.
- Extract and install by clicking on
¶ Final Considerations
After making the changes, remember to set the files as "Read-only" to prevent TERA from resetting the configurations. Check the "Read-only" box in the properties of each modified file.
- A special thanks to Wolfank for the help!