Fix Triplewide/Ultrawide Stretching w/Panini Projection

Ultrawide and triplewide setups will suffer from stretching at the edges of the full display. With a few additions to the Engine.ini config, we can leverage Unreal Engine's built-in Panini Projection algorithm and eliminate all of that stretching. UE's Panini projection implementation is based off a well known thesis of human/artistic perception versus rectilinear projection that is commonly used to display 3D worlds in video games.

More accurately predict distances, get a better and more accurate sense of speed, have clearer visuals through corners and bends, immerse yourself more, and ultimately, hopefully have more fun and set better times.

This in-engine feature uses a post-process to manipulate and upscale the rendered scene based on 3 variables and then displays the altered render.

Guide contains before and after screenshots, some explanation on the variables and their values, and the benefits and potential downsides.

*UPDATED VARS:* Dec 8th 2023: Using HeadCam (the one that you can move). My in-game FOV is 12. Using DLSS Quality - Sharpness 80. Panini.S adjusts the projection angle of your side monitor. Values close to 0 will be helpful for flat ultrawides. Values closer to -1 will be for enclosed rigs with monitors that go past your natural irl FOV. I use 5820x1080p res Triples. Eyes are 26" away from center monitor. Side monitors are 60º.

[/script/engine.renderersettings]
niagara.CreateShadersOnLoad=1
r.NGX.DLAA.Enable=false
r.NGX.DLSS.AutoExposure=0
r.NGX.DLSS.Reflections.TemporalAA=0
r.NGX.DLSS.DilateMotionVectors=1

[SystemSettings]
r.Upscale.Panini.D=1.0
r.Upscale.Panini.S=-0.24
r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=1.0
r.ScreenPercentage=60
r.PostProcessAAQuality=0
r.TemporalAA.Upsampling=0
r.TemporalAA.Algorithm=0
r.TemporalAA.R11G11B10History=1
r.Tonemapper.MergeWithUpscale.Mode=0
r.TemporalAACatmullRom=0
r.SecondaryScreenPercentage.GameViewport=110
r.HLOD.DistanceOverride=40000, 100000, 200000, 400000

Quick Comparisons

Fixed Position Cockpit Cam

Far Chase Cam

Stretching at the edges can be fixed, providing proper distance estimation and better visuals.

Check out this awesome video by Boosted Media to see for yourself!

Default Projection vs Panini Projection

Default Linear Projection on Triple-wide 5760x1080

Panini Projection Projection on Triple-wide 5760x1080

%APPDATA%\Local\WRC\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor --> Engine.ini
[SystemSettings]
r.Upscale.Panini.D=.67
r.Upscale.Panini.S=0
r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=0
r.Upscale.Quality=4

Panini Projection Projection on Triple-wide (Horizontal Fit to Display Res) 5760x1080

%APPDATA%\Local\WRC\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor --> Engine.ini
[SystemSettings]
r.Upscale.Panini.D=.67
r.Upscale.Panini.S=0
r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=1
r.Upscale.Quality=4

Quick Explanation of Variables

r.Upscale.Panini.D=0.00 through 1.00

Responsible for lerping rectilinear projection with cylindrical Panini projection.
The higher the value, the more horizontally "squeezed" the final result will be. 1.50 Will result in a fully compressed orthogonal cylindrical mapped result.

• r.Upscale.Panini.D=0.00

  

• r.Upscale.Panini.D=0.67

  

• r.Upscale.Panini.D=1.00

  

Recommended starting value r.Upscale.Panini.D=1

r.Upscale.Panini.S=-1.00 through 1.00

Responsible for reducing the curvature of horizontal lines. Should be considered an added tweak only if the above parameter doesn't satisfy your needs.

• If r.Upscale.Panini.S= (> 0) the horizontal lines will be hard "squeezed" resulting in fully straightened horizontals. Ideal for FoVs less than Hor160º
  

  r.Upscale.Panini.S=0.2

  
• If r.Upscale.Panini.S= (< 0) the horizontal lines will be soft "squeezed" resulting in less complete straightened horizontals. Ideal for FoVs more than Hor160º
  

  r.Upscale.Panini.S=-0.2

  

Values > 0 could be useful for angled triple wide setups.

Recommended starting value r.Upscale.Panini.S=0

r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=0.00 through 1.00

Responsible for adjusting the screen fit of the final result.

• If r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=0.00 Final result will fully fit into display vertically
  
• If r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=1.00 Final result will fully fit into display horizontally
  

Changes final displayed FoV and may require an in-game FoV slider change (increase slider value) to keep distant objects the same size.

Recommended starting value r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=1.00

r.Upscale.Quality=4

Default in UE4.27 is 3 (bi-cubic). This value of 4(13-tap lanzcos 3) may help with any aliasing or artifacts from screenfit=1.

Benefits and Shortcomings

The Good

• Fixes horizontal stretching at edge of screen.
  
• Helps accurate distance estimation.
  
• Closer to natural human perspective.
  
• Amplify the sense of speed while having proper HeadCam FoV for your setup.
  
• Immersion fixing peripheral vision.

The Bad

• Horizontal Fit to Screen will result in loss of full vertical picture.
  
• Certain game menus and cameras have different projections and final results than expected or desired. Not game breaking, but a slight annoyance.
  
• Blurry if upscaling quality is low or while using certain in-game cameras. Dependent on in-game FoV slider value.
  
• May affect performance ever so slightly, as this is post-processing.
  
• The Service Park Menu camera get really distorted. Does not impact settings, tuning adjustments, or menus.
  
• You have to edit a config file or install the one from racedept. under the same title.

[XpectoPetroleum]

@Junksick I have just discovered the same issue. It was working before but now its not since coming back to try the game after one of the recent updates! @bohoa, have you tried it recently?

[nonicK]

@Sir Trippy

I can share my settings if you like

[Sir Trippy]

how do i make it fit for 7680x1440 resolution

[TURN7RACING]

i also tried this and got nothing but a blurry mess and horrid graphics

[Junksick]

Has this been removed from the game? I've been trying to implement it again since an earlier update and for the life of me I can't seem to get it working again...

Is there any one else who WAS using this able to confirm this for me? Am I just a dumbass? Lmao

[Frey]

dont work

[BouchardM]

Hey very love the idea, but I can't setup it correctly, can you help me? I have a 27-49-27 setup in 1080p, so my UW 49 in center 3840x1080p. and both left and right monitor is 1920x1080p!!

[ГОЙДАДЫР]

how to calcilate correct fov after this fix?
As I understand it, you need to take a screenshot before the changes, and after the change increase the field of view until in the very center at the top and bottom of the image will not match the original position
all of this applies to r.Upscale.Panini.ScreenFit=1 mode

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[ruletkataburetka]

v1.9.0 - Not working. Tnx EA for Anti-Cheat...

[Injektilo*]

Is there a particular display mode I should use? I have tried to apply this fix, and nothing has changed (v1.9.0 of the game).