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How-to: Adjust PD2 to low-end PCs

By prrg

You have a HD Graphics am I right? You have 4 GB of ram but miserable GHz, right?
Well time to get your game running at stable 30 fps.

Award

Created by

prrg
Offline

Category: Modding or Configuration, Walkthroughs

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

3 Mar, 2015 @ 2:54pm

8 Nov, 2021 @ 11:02am

8,966	Unique Visitors
162	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Graphical Settings

renderer_settings.xml

Modding

Comments

Graphical Settings

Obvious but try setting your graphical settings as low as possible in-game. Set every option in Advanced as low as possible and see how it plays. Playing at 800x600 resolution is also recommended.

renderer_settings.xml

The game saves the in-game settings on an archive in AppData called renderer_settings.xml
There you can change the settings more in-depth. Just go to AppData/Local/PAYDAY 2, and replace the <render_settings> section in the file with this one:

<render_settings> <variable name="max_anisotropy" value="0"/> <variable name="texture_quality_default" value="very_low"/> <variable name="shadow_quality_default" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_managed_backdrop" value="false"/> <variable name="dynamic_lights" value="disabled"/> <variable name="shadow_quality" value="disabled"/> <variable name="effect_quality" value="disabled"/> <variable name="environment_detail" value="0"/> <variable name="post_effect_quality" value="disabled"/> <variable name="shadow_map_size" value="0"/> <variable name="anti_aliasing" value="0"/> <variable name="texture_quality_backdrop" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_buildings" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_buildings_bump" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_buildings_low" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_characters" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_default" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_effects" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_ground" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_ground_bump" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_gui" value=""/> <variable name="texture_quality_lightmaps" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_no_lod" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_plants" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_player_vehicles" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_props" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_props_bump" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_props_high" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_silhouettes" value="very low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_sky" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_vehicles" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_weapons" value="very_low"/> <variable name="texture_quality_weapons_third" value="very_low"/> </render_settings>

Notably, leaving "dynamic_lights" disabled will make the game lighting bug out and everything will look very bright. If you dislike this effect, change that setting to "enabled".

You can also change the resolution in this file, including resolutions not included in the game menu. Some players play the game on 640x480 resolution using this. Personally I find that to be a bit too much, but you do you.

Modding

When all else fails, it's time to resort to modding. There are plenty of mods that make the game lighter on your resources and some of them are basically mandatory for low-end computers.

mod_overrides

These mods replace assets in the game for smaller-sized ones. Place them in your assets/mod_overrides folder in the game files (create a mod_overrides folder if there isn't one already there!).

LemonCat Macro Packs by LemonCat: essentially a super-low texture mod. You can pick and choose which of these you can tolerate for the best performance, or just use them all. Personally I use the Plants, Roads and Smoke ones. (Main[modworkshop.net], Smoke[modworkshop.net], Vault Light[modworkshop.net], Murky Station[modworkshop.net], Boiling Point[modworkshop.net])
Compressed Enemies by RainbowFishcakes: in the same vein as the Macro Packs. Super-low textures for specific enemies in-game which might give you trouble. Personally don't use any of these, but some people might want them. (Medic[modworkshop.net], Russians[modworkshop.net], Zeals[modworkshop.net])
Map Optimizations by 'Some Furry': compresses the textures of specific in-game maps to use less memory. Highly recommended as some of these maps can be unplayable even in computers that run most maps well. There's basically no downsides to using this especially if you don't play with a particularly high texture quality. (Hell's Island[modworkshop.net], White House[modworkshop.net], San Martin Bank[modworkshop.net])
Winter Suit FPS Optimization by Jarey: compresses the Winter Suit in-game to use less memory. Much like the map optimizations there's basically no downsides to using this. (Download[modworkshop.net])

BLT

These mods directly modify the game's code. To use them you need to install these base mods first:

SuperBLT: The main hook, installation guide on the download page. (Download[superblt.znix.xyz])
BeardLib: Library mod, simply place in the mods folder in the game files after successfully installing SuperBLT. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Simple Mod Updater: Mod updater for TdlQ's mods and others. Place in the mods folder. (Download[pd2mods.z77.fr])

After that all of these mods can be installed by placing them in your mods folder:

Lower Shadow Map Mod by Luffy: A classic. Must install for anyone with low-end PC looking for a FPS boost. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Remove Shadows FPS Boost by t_pose: Removes shadows and a few other things. Results in the same glitchy ultrabright effect of disabling dynamic_lights, so only use if you're comfortable with that effect! (Download[modworkshop.net])
No Post-Processing by Dr_Newbie: Does what it says on the tin. Removes post-processing effects from the game. (Download[modworkshop.net])
No Prints by Sora: Removes debug functions that are not used by players. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Low Violence Mode by test1: Removes ALL CORPSES from the game. Enemies will simply disappear. Also removes other small items. Only install if you're okay with this effect. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Performance Friendly Effects by Jarey: Decreases the amount of particles in specific effects. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Celer by TdlQ: Improves frame rate by adding more portals and occluders to the game. (Download[pd2mods.z77.fr])
Map-Based Optimizations by RedFlame: Does the same thing as Celer, but for even more maps. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Clear Texture Cache by TdlQ: Frees unused memory resources when a heist is loaded. (Download[pd2mods.z77.fr])
Full Speed Swarm by TdlQ: Optimizes task throughput of the cops in-game while also effectively removing the task limit. Should not have a meaningful impact on FPS, but if it does it also allows you to decrease the task limit as much as you want.(Download[pd2mods.z77.fr])
Iter by TdlQ: Improves navigation for all NPCs and fixes several bugs. (Download[pd2mods.z77.fr])
The Fixes by andole: General bug fix mod for the game. (Download[modworkshop.net])
Performance Comes First by andole: Optimizes CPU usage when below a set frame rate. (Download[modworkshop.net])

50 Comments

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 OGuiBlindao  21 Mar, 2024 @ 10:40am

How do these graphics look, just out of curiosity?

Dan 16 Aug, 2023 @ 6:26am

I love you

richwho 19 Aug, 2021 @ 9:05pm

gracias

Miss dingle hat 29 Jun, 2021 @ 7:32pm

thanks soilder your doing gods work

trail 23 Mar, 2021 @ 12:25pm

Tysm My game doesn't run like a powerpoint now.

cate 25 Aug, 2018 @ 5:10am

Slim: Mate, this helps massively. You`re high.
who cares: Not sure if theres a fix around the dark shadows (by this I assume you mean when some sections are either dark af or the lighting is "broken") apart from upping the quality to low (in bold coz low looks amazing for me)

dipshit 11 Jan, 2018 @ 2:18am

*I turned on

dipshit 11 Jan, 2018 @ 2:18am

@weeb I tried to turn on dynamic lights but it has a really small effect on the annoying dark shadows. Anyone know how to fix this?

Slimothy 17 Dec, 2017 @ 8:45am

I just have to say that this is eventually not going to help much. As the game is getitng more and more unoptimized, it's tripled in requirement over it's lifetime.

prrg [author] 16 Dec, 2017 @ 8:36pm

Try setting dynamic_lights to true on your renderer_settings file. Beware though, perfomance drop.

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