Settings for ATI/AMD/Radeon users to maybe hopefully get a better experience

[KitsuneRisu]

Dec 15 EDIT: Added information (thanks mistcrawler)
Dec 17 EDIT: Changed ATI to AMD to help others sleep better at night.

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Hello.

I've been messing around with settings and noted that there was no definitive settings posted on this board for ATI AMD users. The closest I've come was on this thread but it wasn't complete for ATI AMD users.

After a lot of tinkering and testing, I've come up with the settings that work best for my rig. Here are my specs:

Intel Core i7-860 2.8GHz 8MB LGA1156
Sapphire HD7970 3GB OC
8 gb RAM
Windows 7 64 bit

It is a fairly old PC, of many years, and is not the best, but with my settings, I can run FFXIII-2 fairly well, getting smooth framerates out of battle (even in rain and other weather effects) and reguarly smooth frames (40 - 60) in battles.

It only slows down for me during heavy effects bombardment (let's say everyone uses a -ga spell at the same time), during menu transitions for a split second (negligible) or during very specific boss battles (doesn't slow down during the Tower Boss fight but does a lot during the original Mutant Flan boss, for example) but otherwise is is a much more playable state than Vanilla out of the box.

Or should I say, Vanille out of the cry-

No.

Let's not.

I am writing this with the hope that it will help someone. If it works for you, great. I'm happy. If it doesn't, then I'm sorry, but please don't post replies saying how terrible the game is and how it doesn't work and how I don't know anything. I'll save you the trouble. I'm not an expert. I DON'T know anything. But I found something that works for me and I'm just doing this hoping it will help someone else. And that's what friendship is all about. I love you. Nobrony. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Anyway. Here's the step by step.

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IN YOUR AMD CATALYST CONTROL PANEL

1. Open AMD Catalyst Control Panel.
   I am currently using version 14.301.1001-140915a-176154C. Thanks for the brevity, ATI.
   
   
2. Go to the GAMING tab and then the 3D Applications Setting sub-tab.
   Gently stroke it lovingly with your mouse cursor and whisper sweet nothings into its ear.
   
   
3. On the right, hit ADD and then find the program 'ffxii2img.exe' in your steam folder.
   The exact folder will be \Steam\SteamApps\common\FINAL FANTASY XIII-2\alba_data\prog\win\bin
   
   
4. Add that beast and on the right, start tinkering with the settings. Here's what you want.
   
   [Anti-Aliasing]
   Anti-Aliasing Mode - Use application settings (yep)
   Anti-Aliasing Samples - Use application settings
   Filter - Standard
   Anti-Aliasing Method - Multisampling
   Morphological Filtersing - Off
   
   [Texture Filtering]
   Anisotropic Filtering Mode - Override application settings
   Anisotropic Filtering Level - 16x (for some reason, the higher the better)
   Texture Filtering Quality - High quality
   Surface Format Optimization - On
   
   [Frame Rate Control]
   Wait for Vertical Refresh - Always on (because I hate tearing)
   OpenGL Triple Buffering - On (Because 3 bufferings > 2 unbufferings. uh huh.)
   
   [Tessellation]
   Tessellation Mode - AMD optimized
   Maximum Tessellation Level - AMD optimized
   
   
5. Now save that bad boy and close your panel.

But wait! We're not done. We have to pop open the game itself, and in the settings of the game, let's go fiddle with some sticks. Here's the settings for THAT.

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IN TEH FEENAL FANTASU EX WAN WAN WAN DESH TEU GEM

[Screen Settings] -
Whatever you want (I play in windowed)

[Resolution] -
Also whatever (I use 1280 x 720. Why? Becuase I like to watch porn in the borders. Peripheral vision FTW.)

[Controller Settings] -
This is the MOST IMPORTANT SETTING! You won't believe that actually changing it will cause a DRAMATIC improv--

Nah, I'm jerkin' it. Whatever you want. I personally use A: confirm even though I'm Asian because of RAPID GLOBALIZATION. It's a thing, folks. Lern yr sociolrogy.

[Shadow Resolution] - (Edited; thanks to mistcrawler for tip)
4096 x 4096. Now. This is the thing. I used to play it on middle ground, but I've done a bit more testing since, and found that the game for some reason runs better at a higher shadow resolution as well. Normally, in other games, turning shadows down actually makes up for a lot better performance. In this case, it is the reverse because of EVIL GREMLINS.

My recommendation is to start at 4096 x 4096 and then work your way down if your computer can't handle it. Why not 8192? Well.

My game locked up and cried in a corner when I tried to play on 8192 x 8192. During my testing on this setting, my graphics card actually decided to go 'f*** this, I'm going home', and went home. I had to reboot my system. I have also read a few comments here and there how 8192 makes other games run terribly sluggishly. So if you can, set this on 4096 and watch those battles fly.

[Anti-ailising MSAA] -
16x. I don't know why, but the higher this is, the better the game runs for me. So I stuck it on 16x and never looked back. #YOLO.

[Steam Overlay] -
I should mention that I have this OFF for this game specifically. To do this, right click the game in your library list, and then go to the properties thingies and there's this check box to turn it off ARGH TOO MUCH go figure this out for yourself, it's not that hard.

=====================================================

EXTRA LITTLE OTHERS

[RadeonPro] -
(Thanks to mistcrawler)
Mistcrawler, one of our alert little bubbles here, has informed me that if one wishes, one could download the RADEONPRO tool (which is a 3rd party thingiemabob) and put a setting called FLIP QUEUE SIZE to 1. I personally have not tried this, but when all else fails, this might help! So give this a shot!

=====================================================

Holy crap! We're done! Now launch the game, and see how it plays. For everyone's convenience, I'm going to write out a couple of pre-set replies to various responses that I'm intending to get despite my caveat up there. So if you're one of these people, then go ahead and post, but understand that I've ALREADY REPLIED TO YOU.

Response: OMG It works! Thank you!
Reply: No problem, dude. Glad to be of help, and I hope this was as good for you as it was for me. Call me next week, aight?

Response: This doesn't work! You're full of doggie poo poo! I hate you!
Reply: I know, right? I wrote this entire thing just to troll you personally AND YOU FELL FOR IT HAHAHAHA loser. Now how about you go and figure out a fix yourself and then post it, and then make the world a better place instead of just female dogging?

Response: I gave it a shot, it didn't work for me, but thank you anyway.
Reply: Thank YOU for being polite. I actually appreciate negative feedback, not useless rude ones. There's a small difference, and for some reason the world doesn't distinguish between the two on the internets. I'm sorry it didn't work, and I hope you find a way to enjoy this game eventually. Keep trying!

Reesponse: You don't know anything about what you're talking about. This is all rubbish and bad advice.
Reply: This is 100% true. Again, I reiterate that I'm only posting what worked for ME. I don't claim to know how compoopers work too goods, and I don't know what made YOURS work (or not). I'm just seeing if this configuration will help others run their games better. I don't know about what Aliases are and why there are anti versions. I'm too caught up in Reverse Flash appearing on my shows to care about Anti Aliases. So yeah, I'm not technical. But THIS WORKS. If someone wants to explain it, go ahead. Just don't hope to get the technical details from me.

Response: Your post is too long winded and full of jokes.
Reply: So's your mom.

Okay! Have a good day! Goodbye! And hope this works for ya! =D

[KitsuneRisu]

Początkowo opublikowane przez GAMER221993:

Why people still call this ATI? It's AMD now

I dunno. Why do people still call you GAMER221993? It's IHAVENOTHINGUSEFULTOADD now.

[GAMER221993]

Początkowo opublikowane przez KitsuneRisu:

Początkowo opublikowane przez GAMER221993:

Why people still call this ATI? It's AMD now

I dunno. Why do people still call you GAMER221993? It's IHAVENOTHINGUSEFULTOADD now. :Deer:

It was as useful as your post and jokes.

[BadLootSensei]

They will indeed help FFXIII as well, as they run off the same engine, pretty much. It's a slightly modified one. Now, if this will help with Lightning Returns or not, that's another question as the LR engine is even MORE modified with different calls and stuff. By right it should, since they used the Nova Fatalis whatever nonsense engine to power all three games, which is an engine they developed specifically for console platforms, which is why it's a mess on PC. (Not that they can't do anything about it; it's just a cost VS returns thing. Lightning.... returns. Hahaha.)

But yes. Apply these to FFXIII as well, and it will help.

Well then, didn`t had time to test it, but hope it works. Thanks man, good guy!

[BadLootSensei]

Well, tested it and ... it helped, but just a little bit. Average 60-FPS-time in Field got up a little bit, but still capped at 30fps in battles and some heavy slowdowns (battle) and framedrops (field) sometimes. Still, thanks for this guide!

[Mist of Majora]

Hmmm that's def interesting Kitsune - that's indeed the right app, but I never realized it was a 3rd party app. I first heard about it through a link on AMD (I'll take Gamer22's advice this post and not refer to it as ATI lol)'s site, so I've always assumed it was developed by them. I'd be surprised if it was a 3rd party working on his own due to how well it always works with CCC (it's been around for years already), not to mention the simlarities in coding. But whatever, a bug free upgrade to Catalyst Center is always welcome to me :)

And there's actually a tab in RadeonPro that allows you to always set the priority, as well as disabling Windows Aero which can help in some cases (like this game). It's pretty useful haha

[kuroneko]

by the God! this setting work much for me. now i got 60fps in-battle and 25fps while walking around. it was 10-15 fps before

i'm using RADEON 8570, latest driver

[KitsuneRisu]

Początkowo opublikowane przez mistcrawler:

Hmmm that's def interesting Kitsune - that's indeed the right app, but I never realized it was a 3rd party app. I first heard about it through a link on AMD (I'll take Gamer22's advice this post and not refer to it as ATI lol)'s site, so I've always assumed it was developed by them. I'd be surprised if it was a 3rd party working on his own due to how well it always works with CCC (it's been around for years already), not to mention the simlarities in coding. But whatever, a bug free upgrade to Catalyst Center is always welcome to me :)

And there's actually a tab in RadeonPro that allows you to always set the priority, as well as disabling Windows Aero which can help in some cases (like this game). It's pretty useful haha

Actually those settings can also be found hidden away in windows. RadeonPro allows access to a lot of these settings very conveniently, and it also allows users to access settings on their cards that are otherwise hidden away from the regular control panel. And yeah, there are useful things. If you have any extra fiddles or settings on that that seem to work for you, by all means add them and I'll edit the original post.

[Beria]

Ok, I could say that with this configuration the game works better than before. At least some stuttering has been reduced and fps is more stable and playable.

Many thanx!!

[sammykneen]

Unfortunately CCC's Triple buffering doesn't work as it is for OpenGL games, since FFXIII-2 is Direct X you have to use Radeonpro.

[NuhUh]

Anti-Aliasing, Textures, and the horrible Post Processing are my issues and why my game play is so slow and lags.

Under my Catalyst Omega Control Panel,
Anti-Aliasing

* Anti-Aliasing Mode: Enhance Application Settings

* Anti-Aliasing Samples: Enhance Application Settings

* Anita-Aliasing Method: Multisampling


Texture Filtering

* Anisotropic Filtering Mode: Override Application Settings

* Anisotropic Filtering level: 2x

* Texturing Filtering Quality: Performance

These setting gave me a better, playable version. From what I found, just turning off Application Setting and allowing my AMD graphics card to adjust the AA and texture has made the game playable for me.

I personally believe AA is my main issue. I occasionally turn AA completely OFF:

* Anti-Aliasing Mode: Override Application Settings

* Anti-Aliasing Samples: None

But in doing so, Serah looks awful but the game runs very fast. So if you're not ok with Serah looking like a Drag queen, I suggest 2x, 4x, 8x, etc under Anti-Aliasing Samples to fix the problem and give some fps back.

[Random]

Haha that was fun to read :D

[TyanmirRise]

Początkowo opublikowane przez NuhUh:

Anti-Aliasing, Textures, and the horrible Post Processing are my issues and why my game play is so slow and lags.

Under my Catalyst Omega Control Panel,
Anti-Aliasing

* Anti-Aliasing Mode: Enhance Application Settings

* Anti-Aliasing Samples: Enhance Application Settings

* Anita-Aliasing Method: Multisampling


Texture Filtering

* Anisotropic Filtering Mode: Override Application Settings

* Anisotropic Filtering level: 2x

* Texturing Filtering Quality: Performance

These setting gave me a better, playable version. From what I found, just turning off Application Setting and allowing my AMD graphics card to adjust the AA and texture has made the game playable for me.

I personally believe AA is my main issue. I occasionally turn AA completely OFF:

* Anti-Aliasing Mode: Override Application Settings

* Anti-Aliasing Samples: None

But in doing so, Serah looks awful but the game runs very fast. So if you're not ok with Serah looking like a Drag queen, I suggest 2x, 4x, 8x, etc under Anti-Aliasing Samples to fix the problem and give some fps back.

Overriding Texture Filtering you say? I think I'm going to use some of your suggestions. I generally leave "Triple Buffering" ON by default just in case an application decides to go all Vsync on me. I think this may work out just fine. (More like really hoping to get a great experience during battle)

[ESPR]

DUDE! YOU'RE MY HERO!!! THIS WORKED LIKE A CHARM : D all cutscenes hold 60 FPS, while gameplay itself holds 55-60 FPS : D

[AK]

please let me know if anyone can make it 5x-60 FPS at Academia 500 af

[Mist of Majora]

**Just a suggestion for those that are still reading this and to those that have yet to post:

I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would be appreciative if you list what exactly DID work for you. After all, lets pass on the knoweldge to our fellow gamers!!!!**