Optimization, Performance and Improvements

This is a detailed guide with images on how to improve performance and fix bugs, in addition to applying some general improvements, the port of this game is terrible and I will help you improve it!

Introduction 📖

Hello, in this guide I will teach you how to play this amazing game in the best possible way, with just a few mods and changes made quickly and intuitively, do not be alarmed by the size of the guide or the number of steps, it is simple, I promise, after searching so much on the internet and finding complex tutorials, I decided to create a simplified and intuitive, These mods will guarantee you satisfactory performance, improved graphics, and plenty of bug fixes.

• To improve performance and fix issues and bugs, if that is your only goal, we will just follow these steps below, the rest are just optional and aesthetic improvements:

1. Fusion Fix
   
2. Various Fixes
   
3. DXVK
   
4. Increasing RAM usage
   
5. Create the commandline File

• And if you've followed the entire guide, here it is a comparison of before and after applying all the mods in the guide, greatly improving graphics, increasing performance and being much more stable, both running at their maximum setting, external link as steam limits images up to 2MB: Imgur [imgur.com]

Important Notices

• I recommend a clean install to avoid incompatibility issues, especially if you have other mods installed, uninstall the game and delete the root folder, install the game again from Steam, and install the mods from the guide, following the order, if you want to venture into installing other mods, just check compatibility with the current version of the game and patch mods, especially the Fusion Fix.

• YOU HAVE TO LOCK THE FRAMERATE AT 60, keeping the frame above 60 can cause problems in missions and strange behavior, like motorcycles skidding excessively, the Fusionfix mod adds an in-game tool to block.

• This guide is only focused on the latest version of the game, consequently popular mods like Liberty Rush and Zolika1351 are not compatible.

• Using the mods in this guide does not block achievements, only if you use codes and cheats.

• In all the tests carried out with the mods, installed individually, in pairs or in sets, I found no problems, but as each machine is different, there is no way to predict, in my tests I used Windows 11, with all drivers updated, I will not recommend graphics settings within the game as it depends on each setting.

Known Bugs

• There is a bug in the game that causes some vehicles to have no engine sound for some time, this problem is related to the traffic density setting too high, I don't know of any solution, just decreasing the density of vehicles, the default value of consoles is 30, this bug came with the Complete Edition, Rockstar will not fix it.

• There is a RARE bug that comes with the Fusion Fix mod, the model of the characters looks like rubber, a wet aspect, to this date, 26/03/2025, it has not yet been fixed, one user reported that he solved it by doing a clean install, and another user reported that turning off the reflections, solves the problem.

Sorry for my terrible English, but I sincerely hope this helps you as much as it helped me, This is my first guide, I'm not familiar with the tools yet, I'll keep the guide updated often, sorry for any mistakes.

• Updated guide and tested mods: 04/18/2025

• If you have any questions, send comments in the guide, be polite.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/12210/Grand_Theft_Auto_IV_The_Complete_Edition/

Fusion Fix

This is a mod that brings several improvements and fixes to the game, adding features and options to the menu, essential when playing GTA IV, in addition to allowing the installation of mods easily, almost the entire guide will be centered on this mod.

Note: This mod has an easter egg, between Christmas and New Year, the game activates a function automatically, it starts snowing, if you want to disable it manually, dial the number on the game phone: [phone].

• First, download the mod from the link: Github [github.com]

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and download the latest version:

• After downloading, extract the compressed file and paste the files into the game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV

Various Fixes

Various Fixes is a modification for Grand Theft Auto IV and EFLC, purpose of which is fix various kinds of bugs in game, this mod is not limited only on fixes, it also includes restoration of some things, console content, various texture improvements, etc.

• First, download the mod from the link: Github [github.com]

• After downloading, extract the compressed file, copy the update folder and paste it into the game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV\update

DXVK

DXVK is a mod that converts DirectX 8,9,10 or 11 to Vulkan, which can significantly improve the performance on modern systems, check the compatibility of your VGA with Vulkan.

Important: Installing DXVK can result in a significant improvement in performance, but it can also cause incompatibilities with some mods or specific configurations. If you are experiencing issues, try deleting the files to revert the changes, delete only the files d3d9.dll and dxgi.dll.

Common mistakes:

GTA IV FATAL ERROR: D3D Error - Please re boot your system

Common when your VGA doesn't support Vulkan

• First, download the mod from the link: Github [github.com]

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and download the latest version:

• After downloading, extract the compressed file, go to the x32 folder:

• Copy the d3d9.dll and dxgi.dll files to the game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV

Increasing RAM usage

This change will allow the game to use 4GB of RAM instead of just 2GB, unfortunately because it is a 32bit game, this is the maximum it can use.

• Still in the root folder of your game, access the PC folder:

• Open the stream file with notepad and change the values ​​manually to the same as below:

• Your file should look like this:

virtual		409600
physical	409600
virtual_optimised	409600
physical_optimised	409600

DON'T FORGET TO SAVE THE FILE AFTER EDIT

Create the Commandline File

• Still inside the root folder, create a text file and rename it to commandline

• Open the file and paste all the codes below:

-availablevidmem 8192
-nomemrestrict
-norestrictions
-reserve 1024
-forcer2vb
-forcehighqualitymirrors
-fullspecaudio
-frameLimit 1
-managed
-reservedapp 0
-highforFPS

Setting the VRAM value

In the -availablevidmem command, change the value to the amount of VRAM of your VGA, this will ensure that the game recognizes the amount of vram available on your system, for example my RTX 4060ti has 8GB of VRAM, in my case would be -availablevidmem 8192, put the correct value, but don't worry about usage, the game keeps to the average of 2-3 GB of VRAM usage!, values below:

VRAM	Value
1 GB	1024
2 GB	2048
3 GB	3072
4 GB	4096
6 GB	6144
8 GB	8192
10 GB	10240
11 GB	11264
12 GB	12288
16 GB	16384
24 GB	24576
32 GB	32768

DON'T FORGET TO SAVE THE FILE AFTER EDIT

• Your file should look like this:

• After editing and saving the file, open the game properties on Steam:

• After that, copy ALL the editor commands from the commandline file and paste it into the launch options space, located in general, This part is essential, don't forget.

DayL's Natural Timecycle

This is a time loop graphics mod that aims to make the game more natural, less dark/gray and more vibrant.

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO INSTALL THIS MOD IN CONJUNCTION WITH FUSION FIX

• First, download the mod from the link: Nexus Mod [www.nexusmods.com]

• After downloading, extract the compressed file, copy all the files from the Main files folder to the game's root folder, Make sure to replace the files:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV

• If you install the mod together with Fusion Fix, copy the GTAIV.EFLC.FusionFix.ini, file located in the ''For FusionFix users'' folder, to the plugins folder in the game's root, Make sure to replace the files:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV\plugins

Higher Resolution Miscellaneous Pack

This mod improves the resolution of several objects in the game.

• First, download the mod from the link: Nexus Mod [www.nexusmods.com]

• After downloading, extract the compressed file and place the update folder inside your game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV

Higher Resolution Vehicle Pack

This mod improves the resolution of all vehicles, includes interior and exteriors, graffiti, dirt, etc.

• First, download the mod from the link: Nexus Mod [www.nexusmods.com]

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and download the complete edition version:

• After downloading, extract the compressed file and place the update folder inside your game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV

Xbox Rain Droplets

This mod adds raindrops to your screen.

• First, download the mod from the link: Github [github.com]

• After downloading, extract the compressed file and paste it into the plugins folder, found in the game's root folder:

• Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\GTAIV\plugins

Radio Restoration

This mod restores all deleted songs in GTA IV: The Complete Edition.

• First, download the mod from the link: Github [github.com]

• After downloading, extract the compressed file, run IVCERadioRestorer.exe:

• Select all of the options below:

Tradução PT-BR

E para meus amigos conterrâneos, aqui esta uma tradução completa e atualizada do jogo, recomendo instalar a tradução após todos os mods.

Central de Traduções [www.centraldetraducoes.net.br]

Support 💜

Did you find this guide useful? Please consider a like, favorite and a reward, I would appreciate it, feel free to follow my profile or add me.

• The credits of all mods are in their respective links.

[josefgerke]

i really have this annoying problem: i play the game on my laptop and after an uncertain time the game stops and crashes. I barely can use my laptop after this, because even after closing the game he is slow and most of all it shows weird colored lines over my screen, like its broken or something. If i try to restart the game it stutters und my screen keeps getting these lines.
A whole restart of my laptop fixes this bug. then if i try to start playing again, this exact scenario happens again, but doesn´t take as long as the first time to appear.
Got an i5 11th Gen and Iris xe Graphics.
I only installed the DXVK Mod. Without the Mod the game is unplayable and i cant really test, if its the mod or the game itself.

Josef

[oficialLuke]

@filthy_frank Hello friend, I believe it's not any mod in the guide causing the stress of the board, the DXVK mods and fusion fix, makes the game more stable, but a clean reinstall should clear up the doubt, and as I explained in the guide, the game has no problems with bugs and crashes playing above 60fps, you must keep it stuck in this frame

[filthy_frank]

downloaded this a long time ago I saw that I was getting around 140-165fps at 1440p and thought it was ok and didn't need the overlay but it's only until now that I turned on my overlay and i"m seeing my cpu is hitting 80 degrees Celsius. Is there any way to cool it down?

[oficialLuke]

@Ben_Kingsley_Is_My_Father ❤️

About the reported problem, it is a bug that is in the current version of Fusionfix, very rare, some users reported it on the dev's github, it should soon be corrected, a guide user reported that turning off the game's reflections solves the problem, but loses graphic quality, we just have to wait, anyway, enjoy the game and thank you for recommending the guide!

[Ben_Kingsley_Is_My_Father]

After testing things out for the first third of the story section and side stuff, honestly your guide has breathed new life into this old masterpiece. The only glitch I get now is the rubbery look at night in cutscenes, where it looks like everyone is wet. That, however, is an amusement rather than a frustration, and a small price to pay for how flipping beautiful everything looks. For anyone reading this comment in future, I can confirm, this guide works great. Super happy, thanks for putting this together buddy!

[BRANO]

Yes i am dead serious lol.
but i have managed to resolve it. it seems that in some systems the "car textures" mod you offered can cause a rare glitch where the game views the car models as taxis, because the ram used for the cars "increases" or something...
i needed to edit some txt files by some random guide ive found on the internet and it's okay now.

[oficialLuke]

@brano What? I've never seen this bug, with the exception of the guide mods, any other installed? In the last case, a clean installation solves

[BRANO]

Ive got a glitch when all cars are taxis. any solution?

[oficialLuke]

@lebigmac Fixed, thanks for the tip!

[LeBigMac]

I believe VRAM values for 12gb is wrong. It should be 12288. So in case anyone have crashes with a 12gb video card, you may have incorrectly set the launch option as "-availablevidmem 11264" whereas it should be "-availablevidmem 12288"