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The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt: Official Thread

KazeoHin said:
So big question, does the new 'high' look better than the old 'ultra'? If so I might try it on that on my measly 3080
Click to expand...
It does, updated assets, way bigger draw distance.
One of the reasons RT hits so hard in this is because of the amount of foilage creating shadows.
 
So even with a 3080 ti, I am no where near able to maintain 60 fps at just 1440p with max settings and DLSS on Quality. That makes this game more demanding than Cyberpunk. 2077. I even disabled RT shadows but that made no real fps difference.

And DLSS leaves trails on the windmill blades even on quality setting.
 
Not sure why, but after a bit when I first tried the game with RT, it TANKED FPS, I'm talking down to single digits. After that I saved and reset the game I was able to walk around Touissant at a mostly playable framerate.
At one point I was just thinking "Huh, wonder why my framerate tanked so damn much, RT can't be making that much of a difference" so I turned it off, and holy fuck did I not realize how much of a difference it made when it comes to environments feeling natural.

I previously played Witcher 3 with all sorts of 4k texture, reshade and LOD mods so the difference in visuals between this update and my previous playthrough wasn't TOO pronounced, but overall the visuals are a hell of a lot better. The performance is also probably about 25% what I had before.
 
zandor said:
Anyone know how to get an FPS display in the new RT version? The usual Steam FPS display doesn't seem to work. I dunno, install FRAPs? Game feels really clunky so far, but I don't know if it's a performance issue or if it's just that this might be the first 3rd person game I've played since Witcher 2. Lowered graphics and it still feels clunky, but I'm still wondering if there's a "some of both" factor in there.
Click to expand...
Push the windows key on your keyboard, and hit G at the same time. Click the FPS graph at the bottom of the task monitor/performance monitor window pop up., and push the tack icon to lock it in place.
 
I installed new AMD chipset drivers and it definitely made the game playable. It seems to be running at high FPS but when traveling on horse and loading a new area it hitches like a mofo.
Anyone fix this crap?
 
KickAssCop said:
I installed new AMD chipset drivers and it definitely made the game playable. It seems to be running at high FPS but when traveling on horse and loading a new area it hitches like a mofo.
Anyone fix this crap?
Click to expand...
The hitching seems like shader comp to me. As it goes away after the first time in an area.
 
Another performance factor is that TW3 1.62 did not have a global illumination system running.
TW3 4.0 has RTXGI running.
That upgrade alone on a game engine will impact performance a lot.
 
Just listing the 4.0 patcth notes for PC as this will answer a lot of question about "What have changed?" in regards to the added computational load:

PC and Next-Gen Exclusives​

  • Added ray traced global illumination and ambient occlusion.
  • Additionally, PC players with compatible hardware have an additional option to turn on ray traced reflections and shadows.
  • Added various mods and mod-inspired content to the game to improve visuals and overall game quality. We’ve included some community-made favorites in addition to our own modifications in areas such as environment and cutscene improvements, realistic pavements, and many decoration upgrades.
  • Community-made and community-inspired mods include:
    • The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project by HalkHogan
    • HD Monsters Reworked by Denroth
    • Immersive Real-time Cutscenes by teiji25
    • Nitpicker's Patch by chuckcash
    • World Map Fixes by Terg500
  • Upscaled texture to 4K for various characters, including Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Ciri, Eredin and more.
  • All main characters, including Geralt, now cast high-resolution self-shadowing even outside cutscenes. Additionally, hair clipping through armor as well as some other armor-clipping issues have been fixed.
  • Environmental improvements:
    • Added a new weather type – "Gray Sky"
    • Updated sky textures
    • Vegetation and water improvements
    • Various mesh improvements
    • Improved some select VFX
    • Updated global environmental lighting
  • Added AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution (FSR) 2.1
  • Added photo mode, allowing players to take stunning pictures within the world of The Witcher 3.
  • Added the option to pause the game during cutscenes.
  • Added an alternative camera option that's closer to the player's character and that reacts more dynamically to combat and movement. You can find this new setting in Options → Gameplay under Exploration, Combat, and Horseback Camera Distance.

PC-Specifc​

  • Added “ULTRA+” graphical settings on PC, which significantly increases the visual fidelity of the game. The graphical settings available on ULTRA+ affect:
    • Number of background characters
    • Shadow quality
    • Grass density
    • Texture quality
    • Foliage visibility range
    • Terrain quality
    • Water quality
    • Detail level
  • Added DLSS 3 support. Available only on compatible hardware.
 
I'm getting 70-90 fps early in the game with the 4090. Every setting turned up to the max including RT. DLSS Quality only and no DLSS 3 Frame Generation. I haven't run into any major issues. Just the occasional stutter or hitch.

I have to say, the update made the game look absolutely stunning.
Screenshot_20221216_061940.png



Screenshot_20221216_063922.png
 
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Nytegard said:
So does anyone know if the console versions now have the NPC population the PC version had? It use to be the towns were empty in comparison, but with stronger hardware, I wonder if they now match up.
Click to expand...
I fired it up on my Series X with my last save, which coincidentally was in Novigrad. The crowd density definitely feels like it's on par with the PC version, now. Ray tracing mode is a miserable experience on the console. It feels like it's running 20 FPS in Novigrad. It doesn't even feel like 30 FPS outside the city.
Captain Newmackwa said:
I'm getting 70-90 fps early in the game with the 4090. Every setting turned up to the max including RT. DLSS Quality only and no DLSS 3 Frame Generation. I haven't run into any major issues. Just the occasional stutter or hitch.

I have to say, the update made the game look absolutely stunning.
View attachment 534662


View attachment 534661
Click to expand...
Early game is easy on the hardware. The extra LOD seen in the top screenshot is pretty great.
 
zandor said:
Anyone know how to get an FPS display in the new RT version? The usual Steam FPS display doesn't seem to work. I dunno, install FRAPs? Game feels really clunky so far, but I don't know if it's a performance issue or if it's just that this might be the first 3rd person game I've played since Witcher 2. Lowered graphics and it still feels clunky, but I'm still wondering if there's a "some of both" factor in there.
Click to expand...
I saw this on one of my discords and it seems to work.
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server\Profiles and open the Config file as a Admin with notepad, and just paste these 2 lines:
[RendererDirect3D12]
D3D11on12=0
Then save.
If you can't save because of Admin rights, right click the Config file, choose "properties", then click the security-tab then click on the Users (DESKTOP random numbers\Users) and click the edit-button and put allow on all checkboxes. That should do the trick.

Another way that also works is to go to the drive where your Steam Common files are. Open The Witcher 3/bin/x64_dx12 and move these 2 files to a new folder or delete them.

d3d11on12.dll
dxil.dll
and restart the game.
I have not seen a single person say it didn't work or that it fucked up their game, so...yeah. GL!
 
CAD4466HK said:
I saw this on one of my discords and it seems to work.
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server\Profiles and open the Config file as a Admin with notepad, and just paste these 2 lines:
[RendererDirect3D12]
D3D11on12=0
Then save.
If you can't save because of Admin rights, right click the Config file, choose "properties", then click the security-tab then click on the Users (DESKTOP random numbers\Users) and click the edit-button and put allow on all checkboxes. That should do the trick.

Another way that also works is to go to the drive where your Steam Common files are. Open The Witcher 3/bin/x64_dx12 and move these 2 files to a new folder or delete them.

d3d11on12.dll
dxil.dll
and restart the game.
I have not seen a single person say it didn't work or that it fucked up their game, so...yeah. GL!
Click to expand...
Didn't Microsoft write a blog or tech post saying explicitly to NOT use D3D11on12 in real-time 3D rendering?
 
Armenius said:
Didn't Microsoft write a blog or tech post saying explicitly to NOT use D3D11on12 in real-time 3D rendering?
Click to expand...
I have no clue about that, but CDPR fucked up by using the translation layer for DX11 for translating concept elements from DX11 to DX12.
Or so I heard anyway...
 
GSDragoon said:
So they needed DX12 for ray tracing and used D3D11On12? lol
Click to expand...
Could explain why the performance drop from turning on ray tracing is 70+% in this game when it is typically 40-50%. I wonder if they're just using it for the menus, though, but nothing breaks if you delete the DLL file or if you turn it off in the config as far as I can tell.
 
Armenius said:
Could explain why the performance drop from turning on ray tracing is 70+% in this game when it is typically 40-50%. I wonder if they're just using it for the menus, though, but nothing breaks if you delete the DLL file or if you turn it off in the config as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...
Does not using the dll give an fps increase though?
 
GSDragoon said:
IIRC, it will just load the dll from system32 instead.
Click to expand...
Of course, thanks.
It begs the question, what actually happens if the dll isnt present anywhere.
Will it error out and fail, use a fallback or just have missing elements ... or still function fine regardless?
 
For me the game is running fine unless I toggle RT on and then it’s instant CTDT. I’ll probably play it some more anyway without it since firing back up has been fun.

6800xt gpu for reference.
 
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TheHig said:
For me the game is running fine unless I toggle RT on and then it’s instant CTDT. I’ll probably play it some more anyway without it since firing back up has been fun.

6800xt gpu for reference.
Click to expand...
On the newest AMD driver?
 
Anyone see the haze or slightly blurry film in mid to far distance in daytime clear weather? Edit - never mind, it looks like TAAU or DLSS removes most of it.
 
Last edited:
I'm sorry but I just think this update is a joke. It runs like complete garbage while still looking very outdated in many ways. Metro Exodus Enhanced makes Witcher 3 look like a cartoon while also getting well over twice the frame rate.
 
Archaea said:
No
Click to expand...
What are you saying no about? We know what the actual performance is in Witcher 3 now and we know what the performance is in Metro Exodus enhanced. You are beyond delusional if you think Witcher 3 is even remotely close to the same visual level of Metro Exodus enhanced. So to you it sounds perfectly logical for a game that looks way way worse to literally run at half the frame rate?
 
jobert said:
What are you saying no about? We know what the actual performance is in Witcher 3 now and we know what the performance is in Metro Exodus enhanced. You are beyond delusional if you think Witcher 3 is even remotely close to the same visual level of Metro Exodus enhanced. So to you it sounds perfectly logical for a game that looks way way worse to literally run at half the frame rate?
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting this game is super-duper optimized. However, I would generally say there is way more going on as a whole in Witcher 3 compared to Metro Exodus. Sure, Metro Exodus generally has better graphics, but it's a far simpler game.

I'd love to see Ubisoft put raytracing into AC Valhalla, because that game has a far grander scale than either with way more going on, and would look fantastic with raytracing while likely running better.
 
Mchart said:
I'm not suggesting this game is super-duper optimized. However, I would generally say there is way more going on as a whole in Witcher 3 compared to Metro Exodus. Sure, Metro Exodus generally has better graphics, but it's a far simpler game.

I'd love to see Ubisoft put raytracing into AC Valhalla, because that game has a far grander scale than either with way more going on, and would look fantastic with raytracing while likely running better.
Click to expand...
I'm talking about Metro Exodus Enhanced which which certainly is not a more simple game when it comes to graphics features and levels of ray tracing.
 
Last edited:
Mchart said:
Yes, so am I.
Click to expand...
How could that game possibly be simpler from a graphics and Ray tracing standpoint? It has Ray tracing even built in and requires a ray tracing card just to run it not to mention it is a much much newer game that makes The Witcher 3 look laughable in comparison in every regard.
 
jobert said:
How could that game possibly be simpler from a graphics and Ray tracing standpoint? It has Ray tracing even built in and requires a ray tracing card just to run it not to mention it is a much much newer game that makes The Witcher 3 look laughable in comparison in every regard.
Click to expand...
You’re just looking at the graphics, there is way more complexity to the game that eats up more CPU in Witcher 3.
 
Mchart said:
You’re just looking at the graphics, there is way more complexity to the game that eats up more CPU in Witcher 3.
Click to expand...
My frame rate is typically 100% GPU limited in The Witcher 3.

EDIT: I am seeing more cpu limited areas now where I am not even able to maintain 60 fps and gpu usage drops.
 
Last edited:
jobert said:
My frame rate is typically 100% GPU limited in The Witcher 3.
Click to expand...
There is more going on in Witcher 3 than there is in Metro, the only zone that comes close is the desert area and that drops foilage to keep FPS up.

Also you seem to not understand that the FOV is dramatically larger in a 3rd person game than a first person game. Try cranking the fov up in metro till you can see ~50% of your surroundings and see how your frame rate handles it.
 
Aireoth said:
There is more going on in Witcher 3 than there is in Metro, the only zone that comes close is the desert area and that drops foilage to keep FPS up.

Also you seem to not understand that the FOV is dramatically larger in a 3rd person game than a first person game. Try cranking the fov up in metro till you can see ~50% of your surroundings and see how your frame rate handles it.
Click to expand...
I really doubt the field of view makes all that much difference but I'll certainly check it out when I get home later tonight. And I still think that Metro Exodus Enhanced has a lot more modern graphics being rendered and just as good of ray tracing effects from what I understand so I'm still not getting the massive performance difference. Hell Witcher 3 still has shit that changes LOD and pops in nearly right in front of you.
 
jobert said:
I really doubt the field of view makes all that much difference but I'll certainly check it out when I get home later tonight. And I still think that Metro Exodus Enhanced has a lot more modern graphics being rendered and just as good of ray tracing effects from what I understand so I'm still not getting the massive performance difference. Hell Witcher 3 still has shit that changes LOD and pops in nearly right in front of you.
Click to expand...
Metro EE does to, that's not really something any of these games does different. Only difference is that there is just a lot more shit going on in Witcher 3.
 
jobert said:
I really doubt the field of view makes all that much difference but I'll certainly check it out when I get home later tonight. And I still think that Metro Exodus Enhanced has a lot more modern graphics being rendered and just as good of ray tracing effects from what I understand so I'm still not getting the massive performance difference. Hell Witcher 3 still has shit that changes LOD and pops in nearly right in front of you.
Click to expand...
lol, someone has never touched the fov slider and watched their fps numbers.
 
Aireoth said:
lol, someone has never touched the fov slider and watched their fps numbers.
Click to expand...
I've moved the fov slider in plenty of games and never noticed any meaningful difference but like I said I'll look a little closer when I get home from work. I probably never noticed before because I had plenty of headroom at the settings I was using with vsync enabled so my actual frame rate didn't change.
 
CAD4466HK said:
I saw this on one of my discords and it seems to work.
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server\Profiles and open the Config file as a Admin with notepad, and just paste these 2 lines:
[RendererDirect3D12]
D3D11on12=0
Then save.
If you can't save because of Admin rights, right click the Config file, choose "properties", then click the security-tab then click on the Users (DESKTOP random numbers\Users) and click the edit-button and put allow on all checkboxes. That should do the trick.

Another way that also works is to go to the drive where your Steam Common files are. Open The Witcher 3/bin/x64_dx12 and move these 2 files to a new folder or delete them.

d3d11on12.dll
dxil.dll
and restart the game.
I have not seen a single person say it didn't work or that it fucked up their game, so...yeah. GL!
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'll give it a try. Might try fraps first though. I'm just looking for some sort of actual performance readout. Not sure what I can get away with settings wise with a 3090 running at 4k. 60fps should be fine, pretty sure my 10th gen i9 can handle that. I rarely play 3rd person games and they always feel clunky for at least a few days when I start playing one. Tuning the old FPS vs. looks balance is way easier when I have some numbers.
 
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