FPS Increase

How to make the game actually playable

Introduction

Darktide is a pretty fun game, but the fun is lessened when at most I can play in like 20 FPS, and the in-game options are pretty limited. How to lower the graphics even more? Edit the config file!

Locating the config file

You can find the detailed game config in the AppData/Roaming/Fatshark/Darktide/ directory, in the user_settings.config file. The easiest way to access it is by typing "%appdata%" in the address bar of the file explorer and pressing enter.

Editing the config file

Now that you've found the file, open it with any text editor, even the Notepad is more than enough.
Inside, you'll find a ton of settings that are not shown in-game, and you can edit them to your liking. Be careful, though, setting something to invalid values might make the game unplayable, so it's best if you make a copy of the file.

Note: you might need to make the file read-only after you're done, it gets reset for some.
After you're done editing, save the file, and:
Right-click on the file, press Properties, and on the bottom of the General tab mark the Read-only checkbox. Simple as that, you're done!

My config file

After release the settings get reset for people every launch, you have to make the file read only.

Here are the settings that I use, didn't find any major problems with them and they made the game actually playable:

adapter_index = 0
aspect_ratio = -1
borderless_fullscreen = false
detected_user_settings = {
	adapter_index = 0
	borderless_fullscreen = false
	fullscreen = true
	fullscreen_output = 0
	language_id = "en"
	master_render_settings = {
		anti_aliasing_solution = 0
		dlss = 0
		dlss_g = 0
		dlss_master = "off"
		fsr = 0
		fsr2 = 0
		graphics_quality = "low"
		nv_reflex_low_latency = 2
		ray_tracing_quality = "off"
	}
	max_worker_threads = 1
	screen_mode = "fullscreen"
	screen_resolution = [
		1280
		720
	]
	vsync = false
}
fullscreen = true
fullscreen_output = 0
gamma = 1
gore_settings = {
	attack_ragdolls_enabled = false
	blood_decals_enabled = false
	gibbing_enabled = false
	minion_wounds_enabled = false
}
language_id = "en"
master_render_settings = {
	ambient_occlusion_quality = "off"
	anti_aliasing_solution = 0
	dlss = 0
	dlss_g = 0
	dlss_master = "off"
	dof_quality = "off"
	fsr = 0
	fsr2 = 0
	graphics_quality = "custom"
	lens_flare_quality = "off"
	light_quality = "off"
	nv_reflex_framerate_cap = 1
	nv_reflex_low_latency = 2
	ray_tracing_quality = "off"
	ssr_quality = "off"
	volumetric_fog_quality = "off"
}
max_worker_threads = 1
performance_settings = {
	decal_lifetime = 1
	max_blood_decals = 1
	max_impact_decals = 1
	max_ragdolls = 1
}
render_settings = {
	ao_enabled = false
	baked_ddgi = false
	bloom_enabled = false
	cacao_downsampled = false
	cacao_quality = 0
	decals_enabled = true
	display_noise_enabled = false
	dlss_enabled = false
	dlss_g_enabled = false
	dof_enabled = false
	dof_high_quality = false
	dxr = false
	fsr2_enabled = false
	fsr_enabled = false
	fsr_quality = 0
	fxaa_enabled = false
	gamma = 2.2
	hdr_rgb_format = "R11G11B10F"
	jitter_enabled = false
	lens_flares_enabled = false
	lens_quality_color_fringe_enabled = false
	lens_quality_distortion_enabled = false
	lens_quality_enabled = false
	light_shafts_enabled = false
	local_lights_max_dynamic_shadow_distance = 0
	local_lights_max_non_shadow_casting_distance = 0
	local_lights_max_static_shadow_distance = 0
	local_lights_shadow_atlas_size = [
		8
		8
	]
	local_lights_shadow_map_filter_quality = "off"
	local_lights_shadows_enabled = false
	lod_object_multiplier = 0.5
	lod_scatter_density = 0
	motion_blur_enabled = false
	nv_framerate_cap = 60
	nv_low_latency_boost = true
	nv_low_latency_markers = true
	nv_low_latency_mode = true
	nv_reflex_framerate_cap = 1
	nv_reflex_low_latency = 2
	outline_enabled = true
	particles_capacity_multiplier = 1
	particles_simulation_lod = 0
	rough_transparency_enabled = false
	rt_checkerboard_reflections = false
	rt_light_quality = "off"
	rt_mixed_reflections = false
	rt_particle_reflections_enabled = false
	rt_reflections_enabled = false
	rt_shadow_ray_multiplier = 0
	rt_transparent_reflections_enabled = false
	rtxgi_enabled = false
	rtxgi_scale = 0
	sharpen_enabled = false
	skin_material_enabled = false
	ssr_enabled = false
	ssr_high_quality = false
	static_sun_shadow_map_size = [
		8
		8
	]
	static_sun_shadows = false
	sun_flare_enabled = false
	sun_shadow_map_filter_quality = "low"
	sun_shadow_map_size = [
		2
		2
	]
	sun_shadows = false
	taa_enabled = false
	ui_bloom_enabled = false
	upscaling_enabled = false
	upscaling_mode = "none"
	upscaling_quality = "off"
	vertical_fov = 67
	volumetric_data_size = [
		10
		8
		12
	]
	volumetric_extrapolation_high_quality = false
	volumetric_extrapolation_volumetric_shadows = false
	volumetric_lighting_local_lights = false
	volumetric_reprojection_amount = 0
	volumetric_volumes_enabled = false
	world_interaction_size = [
		128
		128
	]
	world_space_motion_vectors = false
}
screen_mode = "fullscreen"
screen_resolution = [
	1280
	720
]
sound = {
}
sound_settings = {
}
threads = {
}
version = 1
vsync = false
process_priority = "high"

It defaults to 720p fullscreen, with pretty much all of the important stuff lowered all the way down. Should give way better frames than the lowest setting in-game.

Notable settings

Everyone's machine is different, so what you want will also differ from what I did. These are some of the settings you might want to change:

Change display type and resolution:

borderless_fullscreen = true/false
fullscreen = true/false
(enable one, disable the other)
...
screen_resolution = [
    x (screen width)
    y (screen height)
]
(fullscreen only)

Worker threads, depending on your CPU:

max_worker_threads = x

Changing visibility of scars on your character:

decals_enabled = true/false

Changing the LOD:

lod_object_multiplier = x
(x can be any number, even something like 0.1 will work. 1 is the default value, going below will cause objects to pop in but it gives good performance. DO NOT SET TO 0, LEST YOU UNLEASH THE ALL CONSUMING VOID UPON THYSELF)

Changing the framerate cap:

nv_framerate_cap = x
(x can be anything, set to 0 if you want no frame limit)

If you feel like I should add some other setting to this list, leave it in the comments.

Bugs

Bugs found with these settings:
- Machine hacking interface may bug out, investigating the cause. If encountered, let a teammate finish the hack. Might be a bug with the game itself, unrelated to settings.

End

That's all! Once you've edited the file, just save it and you should quickly see the effects. Hopefully I was able to help someone with this guide.
Thanks for reading!

Special thanks

Felixinius - https://steamcommunity.com/id/tiofelix
A lot of very useful suggestions, and additional settings I didn't think of. A savior of the Imperium.

[chill]

flickering is caused by setting "rtxgi_scale = " to 0, I have it on 0.1 (from default 0.5) but up it more if its still too flickery

[dag]

stuff in the guide should still work, but again, it's been a bit an i don't play the game as much right now. try fucking with the settings and find what works for you, but generally lowering the resolution is the first thing you wanna do

[Infected Animal]

@Felixinius @dag are you guys considering doing a updated guide for the current patch 17? Would really appreciate it

[Lmao]

map shadow flicker white and dark repeat fast, anyway to fix that ??

[Felixinius]

@Alex It probably still is, there might be some small differences because they add new options all the time, but the current one should work, yes.

[Alexo]

and how do you have the nvidia settings?

[Alexo]

Is this still useable or ?

[Felixinius]

Imgur album of the XIII memory leak fix, as I promised, to help ya on the guide.
https://imgur.com/a/k5iOzfp

[Felixinius]

Oh and credit Janfon1 because some of the new CFG stuff were discovered by him.
https://steamcommunity.com/id/godsplitterpl

[Felixinius]

Also, NEW thinkering that FIXED THE MEMORY LEAK for me and some friends! Tested in both Win 10 and 11:

1) Open start menu and put "exploit" on the search bar;

2) Click on "Exploit Protection" or the equivalent in your local language;

3) On the screen that pops up, click on "Program settings";

4) Click "Add Program to Customize" -> "Choose exact file path";

5) Go to Darktide game folder and enter the "binaries" folder and point Darktide.exe;
(DO NOT POINT "start_protected_game". THAT'S NOT IT)

6) A window with some settings will pop up. Scroll down to find "Control Flow Guard (CFG)"

7) Check "Override system settings" and then tick the option to OFF.

8) That's it. Press Apply and you're good to go. No need to restart windows or steam but if you have the game or the launcher open you need to restart the game.

This fix was found by my friend XIII, be sure to credit him:
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197960291079/