[Guide] Fix for some 6GB laptop GPUs | Lighting Bug / Copper NPCs

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THIS MOD IS NO LONGER NECESSARY. THE DEVELOPERS HAVE FIXED THE LIGHTING ISSUE IN PATCH 2. OPTIMIZATION IS STILL BAD THOUGH. THE CUSTOM CONFIG SETTINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST ARE STILL USEFUL.

Uninstalling the mod

To uninstall the mod, simply delete dxgi.dll and nvngx.ini from the game folder. You may also delete OptiScaler.log

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IMPORTANT: This guide will not work for all laptop models. If your laptop does not have a MUX switch or no display output ports that are directly wired to your GPU, then this will not work for you. Please read everything carefully before attempting :)

NOTE: At the bottom of this post are some additional instructions for specific laptop models by users in this thread who get it working on their setup. I have also added a section with tips shared by users for better performance.

Introduction

The laptop variants of the 6GB NVIDIA GPUs seem to have slightly less than 6GB of actual VRAM. In-game my 3060 reports having 5996MB of VRAM. For the forced ray tracing to work, this does not seem to be enough.

This can be resolved by spoofing the reported VRAM to 6GB (6144MB).

We'll use OptiScaler v0.7.0-pre72 for this.

If you are reading this at a later time then you should be able to just use the latest stable release of OptiScaler from Github.

This guide works on both the Steam version and the Game Pass version.

Installation

Download Link: https://mega.nz/file/js4kQaDR#-IlxJTzD_zSvJgFbg1mAg3I9TAlo5hI2vx5G6bZLulQ

1. Set your laptop to dGPU (Dedicated GPU) mode. This seems to be required as you'll get a black screen while launching the game otherwise. The instructions for how to do this will vary based on your laptop brand. So consult the manual. Usually you'll be able to do this in the BIOS or through an application from your laptop brand. If your laptop doesn't have a MUX switch (ability to switch to dGPU mode) check the Additional Instructions section below.

2. Download the archive from the link above and extract the files in your root game directory. (That's where TheGreatCircle.exe is)

3. Launch the game.

4. To verify that the mod is working, enable Performance Monitor and set it to Medium. You should see the reported VRAM is now 6144MB. If you get a black screen with game audio or if your game crashes with some error, check out Additional Instructions below.

5. The game will be HEAVILY VRAM starved on our laptops. You will have to lower your graphics settings. Use the follow settings as a baseline. You can try to improve upon them if your laptop can manage it.
* Resolution: 1920x1080
* Overall Graphics Quality: Low
* Upscaling: Native TAA
* Resolution Scaling: Off

Credits

All credit for this mod go to the developer, cdozdil on Github.
Also thanks to Polter. From one of his posts I got the idea to ask cdozdil to add Vulkan VRAM spoofing to OptiScaler.
And thanks to some people here who helped test, without whom I wouldn't have know about the issues in Hybrid GPU mode.

Additional Instructions

"Failed to allocate video memory error" if using driver version 566.36
Multiple users reported they had success by rolling back their driver from 566.36 to 566.14.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ☆ エンチャントレス ☆:

I fixed it. Revert your driver to 566.14 latest driver is faulty

DISCLAIMER: Do not attempt this if you are inexperienced. Make a full system backup first and know how to restore that backup if necessary. Use a reputable guide. If you still wish to proceed, look up "Display Driver Uninstaller" on your search engine.

Black screen with game audio
If you're getting a black screen with game audio, then you didn't manage to put your GPU into dGPU mode. For those laptops that don't have a MUX switch, you may yet be able to get around this by using an external monitor, if your display out port is wired directly to the NVIDIA GPU. (Could be HDMI, or USB-C or Mini Display Port)

Ursprünglich geschrieben von silversurfa:

on MSHybrid systems, the nvidia card is only routed throught the integrated video card when using the internal laptop display.
If we connect to external monitors/TVs via HDMI it uses the nvidia card only and directly - which is kinda the same as setting the MUX switch to dGPU with an internal display.

If all your laptop's display output ports go through the iGPU, try this method and please report your results :)

Ursprünglich geschrieben von MutantNinja:

Guys for people using an external monitor I found out an easy hack. Just download any screen sharing app in your phone and laptop. I’m using spacedesk. Cast your screen on your mobile phone and run the game. When the entry logos show up just change the casting to pc screen only. Works like a charm. This app can be installed in both ios and android. Earlier I was plugging my laptop to my tv and then doing the same thing and playing on laptop screen but I figure that is also not required.

HP Victus & HP Omen (and maybe other models too)

Ursprünglich geschrieben von UncleBogdan:

I was able to figure out the problem, now everything works fine on HP Victus
I don't know which of these helped, but I did the following:
1) In the Nvidia control panel, I selected the option - auto-select as the preferred processor
2) Then I went to Windows settings => System => Display => Graphics => Change default graphics settings. 3) I enabled the options: Hardware-accelerated graphics processor scheduling, Optimization for games in windowed mode.
4) In the "Custom settings for applications" section => I added a shortcut with the game. In the parameters of the added shortcut, I selected the option: "Allow Windows to decide"
Sorry for my English, I use a different system language.

Asus TUF A15 RTX 3060 2021 (and maybe other models too)
External monitor over USB-C port works to bypass the black screen issue, over the HDMI port does not. The HDMI port seems to be wired to the iGPU but the USB-C port is directly wired to NVIDIA GPU.

Improving Performance

Enable Resizable BAR
In addition to using the graphics settings in step 5 of the guide, you can further improve performance by enabling Resizable BAR using nvidiaProfileInspector.
1. Open the Indiana Jones And The Great Circle profile
2. In section 5, put rBAR - Feature to Enabled
3. Put rBAR - Size Limit to 0x000000004 (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Disable DLSS
If your FPS outright tanks to unplayable levels, make sure DLSS is disabled in favor of Native TAA with Resolution Scaling off, then restart your game. For some reason, if you launch the game with DLSS enabled, and the VRAM exceeds how much the laptop has, the game becomes truly unplayable. It is okay to turn on DLSS again after loading into the game.

Enable Low Latency Mode

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Teodorik:

If you are experiencing the FPS drop, I found out something that works really well in my case and hopefully it will help you too, until the devs release a fix.

I turned the 'Low latency mode' (from the Nvidia app) to Ultra for this game.

Custom config settings
At the expense of some visual fidelity, these local config settings can reduce the game's VRAM usage. On my system these have drastically reduced the poor frame times in the second part of the game. (Gizeh)

These settings are located in %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\MachineGames\TheGreatCircle\base\TheGreatCircleConfig.local

is_poolSize "1024"                              // default 1536
r_accelerationStructurePoolSize "200"           // default 300
r_hairManagerSimulatedParticlesPoolSize "20"    // default 40
r_hairMaxStrandsPerModel "16384"                // default 32768
r_terrainPhysicalCacheSize "5120"               // default 7168

These defaults are the low preset defaults.

The hair related settings have reduced spikes for me when up close to multiple enemies.

I also have the in-game FPS Limit set to 60. The consistency feels better to me than having it fluctuate in the 90s-100s.

For those interested to tinker further, the setting that controls the VRAM spoof is in nvngx.ini and is called VulkanVRAM

[Swamp Fox]

That's hilarious if it works. Such bad programming.

[Polter]

I can confirm, as many others, that It works indeed. Setting most graphical options in low with DLSS active in 1440p I get stable 60fps. Quite happy!

[MutantNinja]

I tried everything in my acer predator but couldnt get rid of the black screen. But connecting to my tv with an hdmi port works perfectly. Most settings turned to ultra-supreme except texture pool, shadows and hair quality and I get 45-55fps in Vatican. No issues whatsoever till now. Played around 2 hours in Vatican and restarted game multiple times to check if any issues pop up. So far so good. Would love it if I could play without connecting the tv but it is what it is for now and I’m super happy. Thanks to all who have been invested in this since day 1 of release cheers.

[Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria]

Failed to allocate video memory
Total allocated: 6109.573 Mib

Unfortunately it gave me this error ((

[Mozek]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria:

Failed to allocate video memory
Total allocated: 6109.573 Mib

Unfortunately it gave me this error ((

install previous drivers for your card if you have nvidia

[Polter]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria:

Failed to allocate video memory
Total allocated: 6109.573 Mib

Unfortunately it gave me this error ((

Try what Mozek said, downgrade drivers to the version pointed in the instructions by the OP. The VRam Spoof get you something like 6144 Mb VRam. You should get that too.

[󠀡󠀡]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Polter:

OMG! Thank you so much for this! You are my hero Mr. Concerto

Haha you know my name! A netizen of culture :D

[Swamp Fox]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von 󠀡󠀡:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Polter:

OMG! Thank you so much for this! You are my hero Mr. Concerto

Haha you know my name! A netizen of culture :D

I can't believe he missed the chance to say Domo arigato Mr. Concerto

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Ursprünglich geschrieben von aceybray:

i reinstalled older NVIDIA driver 566.14, when i restarted my laptop gave black screen trying to login even though i heard the windows startup sound, had to restore my system win 11 3060rtx, HP Omen

For anybody trying, please make backups before rolling back drivers

OMG my heart hurts reading this. Sorry to hear this happened.

Anyone else trying to roll back drivers, make the backups! And know how to restore them!
But if you end up with a black screen, don't just instantly wipe your computer. Boot it into Safe Mode with Networking and then fix whatever went wrong by using DDU and reinstalling your GPU driver.

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Ursprünglich geschrieben von Chief™:

I'm getting a black screen on startup, I hear audio but the screen is just black...

Hey Chief, which laptop model do you have? A black screen indicates that you haven't managed to put your laptop into dGPU mode. If your laptop is unable to do this (no MUX switch) then you may yet try to use an external monitor. I have updated the OP with instructions regarding this.

[OokiCookie]

Works for me on my 3060 mobile
Thank you!

[ArcRain]

Lenovo legion R9000P 2021, dgpu mode + 566.14 driver, it works.
Thank for saving my weekend game time.

[Reverb_25]

Thankyou so much. this worked!

[Teodorik]

Hey, guys.

If you are experiencing the FPS drop, I found out something that works really well in my case and hopefully it will help you too, until the devs release a fix.

I turned the 'Low latency mode' (from the Nvidia app) to Ultra for this game.

/ Tested on Nvidia 3060 GTX 6 gb GPU /

I've tested it for almost an hour and the FPS didn't drop below 50.
Good luck!

[WhiteStone]

I have a HP Victus, I made it work with an external monitor. I tried Nvidia settings and windows settings but those didn't work. Everything seems fine now thank you.