I DID IT. JC4 Apex Engine Graphic and Config Exploits by yours truly. Could use a hand testing.

[Everything Heavy]

I got it in my head that maybe, forcing the engine to activate hidden graphics options via the config json would be just as easy as it is on the creation engine, but there isn't a running list of every setting the engine might be capable of recognizing just lying around, so I made copies of all the config files from three other games that use the Apex engine, threw them all into a master list an deleted all the duplicates. Voila.

More testing than I want to do alone.

Backed up the two key jsons in Documents\Square Enix\Just Cause 4\LocalData (local_settings.json and startup_settings.json) in case I really screwed something up, opened the original startup_settings.json and overwrote everything in there with
this:

{
"GraphicsTextureQuality": 3,
"DisplayWindowType": 1,
"DisplayFullscreenWidth": 2560,
"DisplayFullscreenHeight": 1440,
"DisplayWindowedWidth": 2560,
"DisplayWindowedHeight": 1440,
"DisplayRefreshRate": 143,
"DisplayVSync": 0,
"DisplayGamma": 50,
}

Alter it as you need to, obviously. I think RefreshRate might have to be set to 0 to be unlimited. If it doesn't work, try the alternative version in the list below instead, or try just inputting the refresh rate you want as the value. Haven't messed with it too much yet. One of them should eventually do the job.

When you're done, save the file and set it to Read Only so the game can't change it on you as you load in. Open the local_settings.json located in the same directory. Add ONE SETTING FROM THE LIST PER TEST RUN, change its value as you see fit. Save local_settings.json and set it to Read only as well.

Start your game.

DO NOT ACCESS THE IN-GAME GRAPHICS OPTIONS MENU AT ANY POINT. IT WILL REVERT YOUR SETTINGS BACK TO STOCK IN REAL TIME. Setting it to Read Only stops the game from altering the settings while you load in, nothing more. The json file won't change even if you screw this up though, so don't freak out if it happens.

Thus far, when placed in the local_settings.json one at a time cumulatievely, these have either done something noticable or simply allowed the game to start unimpeded. Both are wins, imo:

"GraphicsHeatHaze": 1,
"GraphicsFurQuality": 3,
"GraphicsTerrainTessellation": 1,
"GraphicsVolumeFogQuality": 3,
"GraphicsAOITQuality": 3

Fur is hair, btw, so if you want really pretty hair, that's your jam. It's shiny, nice and bounces like Geralt's. One of them definitely increases the quality and intensity of all the different kinds of smoke, likely VolumeFog. Haven't been to the desert to check out HeatHaze yet. Beyond that, idk. The ocean seems better for some reason, but the lakes are still terrible. You'll likely figure out what they all do long before I ever do.

Enjoy, this took longer than I wanted it to.

"GraphicsDecals": 1,
"GraphicsLandscapeDebris": 1,
"GraphicsPointLightSpecular": 2,
"GraphicsSoftParticles": 1,
"GraphicsDynamicShadows": 3,
"GraphicsTerrainTessellation": 3,
"GraphicsTerrainParallax": 1,
"GraphicsWaterDetail": 3,
"GraphicsHeatHaze": 1,
"GraphicsHQUpscale": 1,
"GraphicsHQDOF": 1,
"GraphicsBloom": 1,
"GraphicsFurQuality": 3,
"GraphicsVolumeFogQuality": 3,
"GraphicsAOITQuality": 0

(POSSIBLY UNSTABLE, BUT I WANT TO TEST THEM SO BAD)
"GraphicsGodrays" : 1,
"GraphicsFoliage" : 3,
"GraphicsDynamicLights": 3,
"GraphicsDrawDistance": 3,
"GraphicsParticles": 1,

(POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO "DisplayRefreshRate" IN OTHER JSON)
"DisplayRefreshRate": 143,

"DisplayFloatingButtons": 1,
"DisplayHUDOpacity": 100,
"DisplayDxAdapter": -1,
"DisplayFullscreen": 1,
"MouseInvertAimingX": 0,
"MouseInvertAimingY": 0,
"MouseSensitivityPitch": 35,
"MouseSensitivityYaw": 45,
"MouseVibrationStrength": 100,
"AlternateGamepadKeymap": 0,

"GameFOV": 60,

Oh, and PS, they definitely nerfed the graphics because the engine couldn't handle them. That's all it is. You'll see what I mean as you test this stuff. Mad Max is the only game using Apex that had an .ini config file. It's also the only one that runs like a ♥♥♥♥♥ up Kenyan. Time to ditch the Apex coding, Avalanche. I get why you'll never give us Dev Tools now.

[SMEGMA OVERDOSE]

I know it is too soon, but did you find a way to improve AA or inland water?

[BurningTofu]

1440p? I have 5760x1080.

[austincherry]

This shows promise, respect for putting all of this together.

[Skidlord Jones]

Originally posted by BurningTofu:

1440p? I have 5760x1080.

Change the res, then? It's not rocket science.

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by cessni:

I know it is too soon, but did you find a way to improve AA or inland water?

I found a bunch of code that probably does a whole host of different things we would have never have seen otherwise. I added just a few of them and things were definitely happening. For all I know, some of this stuff might fix the game entirely.

No idea. It's too much to have tested by myself as of yet.

Was hoping someone would give me a hand since I did the bulk of the heavy lifting. My video cards are ready to be updated anyway. You lot would likely be better suited do the testing.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1587319187

I tried a few out and they work. I'm just tired.

Originally posted by SoulWarrior:

Good work, now I think we should fix this game

Forget about developers, if they released the game in such a mess do you really think they will fix it? i dont

PC gaming modding for the win

Originally posted by austincherry:

This shows promise, respect for putting all of this together.

And thank you, everyone. Really, this is for you folks more than anything. Have at it. Try them out. Spread the word. Give them to anyone who wants them. I modded for free for years.

It's nice to feel like people are enjoying my work again.

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by cessni:

I know it is too soon, but did you find a way to improve AA or inland water?

Oh, and AA can be forced through Nvidia control panel. I'm sorry, I'm a little out of it:

Shut off all in game AA settings.

Go to: Nvidia Control Panel / Program Settings Tab
Select Just Cause 4 (justcause4.exe)

Antialiasing - FXAA = On
Antialiasing - Gamma correction = On
Antialiasing - Mode = Override any application setting
Antialiasing - Setting = Maxed (or whatever your rig can handle)
Antialiasing - Transparency = Multisample (has been fine so far)
Power management mode = Prefer Maximum Performance
Preferred Refresh Rate = Highest Available

For N64-tier Texture Fix:
Ansiotropic Filtering = Maxed
Texture Filtering - Ansiotropic Sample Optimization = Off
Texture Filtering - Negative LOD Bias = Clamp
Texture Filtering - Quality = High Quality
Texture Filtering - Trillinear Optimization = On

[SMEGMA OVERDOSE]

Thanks but FXAA does little to help. MSAA does not work, so I'm confused as to why you say to set Antialiasing - Setting = Maxed (or whatever your rig can handle)

So far forcing the anisotropic filtering makes the biggest change.

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by cessni:

Thanks but FXAA does little to help. So far forcing the anisotropic filtering makes the biggest change.

Well, you know, in game graphics menu AA might have only been sh*tting the bed because of an issue with the menus. You might try activating them through the local_settings.json directly and then saving it as Read Only. It works with nonsense from completely different games. Might be worth a try.

[SMEGMA OVERDOSE]

Originally posted by Marbles:

Originally posted by cessni:

Thanks but FXAA does little to help. So far forcing the anisotropic filtering makes the biggest change.

Well, you know, in game graphics menu AA might have only been sh*tting the bed because of an issue with the menus. You might try activating them through the local_settings.json directly and then saving it as Read Only. It works with nonsense from completely different games. Might be worth a try.

What is the name of that setting? Sorry to insist. I know you're tired.

[BurningTofu]

there's no such file local_settings.json in the folder

[SMEGMA OVERDOSE]

Originally posted by SoulWarrior:

Now we can make ultra config with fixed AA, fixed LOD, ultra quality water, all without using the buggy ingame menu

It's happening

I'm not so sure.

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by BurningTofu:

there's no such file local_settings.json in the folder

Look under Users\Whatever your user name is\My Documents\Square Enix\Just Cause 4\Local Data

The whatever your user name is folder being different for everyone, obviously.

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by SoulWarrior:

Now we can make ultra config with fixed AA, fixed LOD, ultra quality water, all without using the buggy ingame menu

It's happening

Yeah, I don't know about all of that. You have to understand, they nerfed this game because the engine couldn't handle what they were stacking on it. I don't even know what most of that is going to do, tbh. I just know it works in other games on the same engine.

Yeah, I probably opened the door to some possible upgrades, but everything you add will have a cost.

(nothing ever happens, btw)

[Everything Heavy]

Originally posted by cessni:

Originally posted by Marbles:

Well, you know, in game graphics menu AA might have only been sh*tting the bed because of an issue with the menus. You might try activating them through the local_settings.json directly and then saving it as Read Only. It works with nonsense from completely different games. Might be worth a try.

What is the name of that setting? Sorry to insist. I know you're tired.

Its ok.
"GraphicsAA": 0,

And these are the rest of the Vanilla Graphics options.
"GraphicsMotionBlur": 0,
"GraphicsAniso": 0,
"GraphicsLodFactor": 3,
"GraphicsShadowsQuality": 3,
"GraphicsPostEffects": 1,
"GraphicsWaterDetail": 3,
"GraphicsShadowsResolution": 1,
"GraphicsSSAO": 1,
"GraphicsEdgeFade": 1,
"GraphicsGI": 1,
"GraphicsSSReflection": 1,
"GraphicsBokehDOF": 1,
"GraphicsWaterTesselation": 1,

[SMEGMA OVERDOSE]

No local_settings.json in that folder.