HL2 - 9800 Best Settings

Judicael · Nov 22, 2004, 05:43 AM

I think a lot of us are trying to individually tweak our drivers, and what we should have is a forum where everyone (with the same gfx) can get together and share what works best for them and talk about card specific problems. So, i decided to create some seperate threads. Also any HL2 specific cvars which you use should be included.

Alright people go.

FA_Loki · Nov 22, 2004, 12:37 PM

HL2 in game settings:
Res:1240x768
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Model Detail: High
Texture detail: High
Water Detail: High
Shadow detail:High
Antilaising:None
Filtering mode: Trilinear
Shader detail: High
Wait for v-sync: disabled

Radeon 9800 Pro using 4.11 drivers stock speeds
SmartGart: AGP 8x with fast writes off
D3D settings:Balanced, no custom settings
Rad Linker installed but no settings are tweaked(don't have a video cooler yet)
Secondary display adapter disabled

Dell Deminsion 8300
CPU:P4 3 gig 800 FSB 512KB L2 cache with HT
Dell 875P Motherboard, Bios version A05
2 gig of DDR 400 ECC ram
Maxtor 120gig 7200 RPM hard drive

I decided not to try the 4.12 drivers since some people are having problems with them and the 4.11's are working just fine for me. The only thing that happens in the game is the stuttering right after a level is done loading. I went to device manager and uninstalled my Audigy 2 Platnium sound card and rebooted and loaded the drivers on the cd and the stuttering stopped.

rushko · Nov 22, 2004, 03:29 PM

Res:1240x768
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Model Detail: High
Texture detail: High
Water Detail: High
Shadow detail:High
Antilaising:4x
Filtering mode: Trilinear
Shader detail: High
Wait for v-sync: disabled

cats 4.11, downloadin 4.12b ATM
no stuterin durin gameplay, only after loadin next level

mkk · Nov 22, 2004, 04:52 PM

AthlonXP 2600+, R9800pro stock clock, Catalyst 4.12b and no graphics issues.
FOV 90 (requires sv_cheats 1) <- a definite must
1024x768
All game video settings per "recommended" except:
Anisotropic 4x (looks helluva lot better than basic trilinear, no matter what recent Anandtech HL2 articles say)
AntiAliasing 2x (some AA is very much needed at low-medium resolutions as the game has so much fine details that will otherwise lead to heavy aliasing)
shadows - low. (I tend to lower shadow detail since my system usually seem to suffer especially from game shadows, but haven't looked too hard to see if I really need to in this game)

Chikitta · Nov 22, 2004, 09:34 PM

Res:1240x768
Aspect: 4:3
Model Detail: High
Texture detail: High
Water Detail: High
Shadow detail:High
Antilaising:4x
Filtering mode: AF 4x
Shader detail: High
V-sync: Disabled

XP 3200+, 1024mb HyperX DDR400 , Hercules 9800 Pro flashed to XT - 430, 380 at the moment.

Running DNA 3.3.4.12b with the HL2 install... don't hurt me!

Sargentwhitey · Nov 23, 2004, 12:16 AM

mine is at 1280x1024
Model Detail: High
Texture Detail: High
Water Detail: Low (makes almost no difference at all graphics wise... )
Shadow Detail: High
Trilinear Filtering as well

SurrendeR · Nov 23, 2004, 09:46 AM

Res:1152x864 @85Hz
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Model Detail: High
Texture detail: High
Water Detail: High
Shadow detail:High
Antilaising:None
Filtering mode: AF 16×
Shader detail: High
Wait for v-sync: disabled

AMD Athlon XP2200+ @2400+
Syntax ECS VIA KT400

2× Apacer 256MB 333MHz CL2
Saphire ATi Radeon 9800 Non Pro 325/290 @ PRO 400/340
80GB/8MB Maxtor 7200rpm

daseth · Nov 23, 2004, 10:00 AM

why do all of u guys have vsync off? don't u get the scanning image effect? or do all of u have 100Hz+ monitor refresh rates? At 85Hz i get scanning effect so i have vsync on.
1024x768
all on high except texture quality (medium), aa 4x,af 2x
9800se Xpertvision modded, 410/350, home made cooler. Barton 2500+@2200MHz 2x256ddr400

stoliD · Nov 23, 2004, 02:52 PM

i run at 1280x1024 all maxed out antlaising: 4x, vsyn off
runs like a charm... using the latest omegas...

p4 3ghz ht
9800pro 380(core)//365(mem) stock cooling
1gig ddr

NeoTribal · Nov 23, 2004, 03:15 PM

1024x768
everything high
reflect world
AA:4x
AF:8x
Vsync:ON (I hate tearing!! my refresh is at 85hz...)

Read sig for specs... (9800pro: 420.75core, 380.25mem)

(Edit, almost forgot, using Cat 4.12's)

MaRa-23 · Nov 27, 2004, 11:57 PM

If only HL2 would support triple buffering, v-sync sucks otherwise and the fps gets divided.

Nov 22, 2004, 05:43 AM	#1
Judicael DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 43 Rep Power: 0	HL2 - 9800 Best Settings I think a lot of us are trying to individually tweak our drivers, and what we should have is a forum where everyone (with the same gfx) can get together and share what works best for them and talk about card specific problems. So, i decided to create some seperate threads. Also any HL2 specific cvars which you use should be included. Alright people go. __________________ PC SPECS: CPU: 2.6 ghz \| RAM: 764 \| GFX: 9700 AIW \| AUDIO: Audigy 2 \| DRIVES: misc 80 and 120 gb \| MISC: \| SPEAKERS: Klipsch 5.1 Ultra \| PDA: Palm T3 \| MONITOR: 19'' CRT @ 16oox12oo \| ext NEC 3500a \|

Nov 22, 2004, 03:29 PM	#3
rushko DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Serbia Posts: 54 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Res:1240x768 Aspect ratio: 4:3 Model Detail: High Texture detail: High Water Detail: High Shadow detail:High Antilaising:4x Filtering mode: Trilinear Shader detail: High Wait for v-sync: disabled cats 4.11, downloadin 4.12b ATM no stuterin durin gameplay, only after loadin next level __________________ Last edited by rushko; Nov 23, 2004 at 05:09 PM. Reason: forgot to show signature

Nov 22, 2004, 09:34 PM	#5
Chikitta DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Holy land of farmers, UK Posts: 36 Rep Power: 0	Res:1240x768 Aspect: 4:3 Model Detail: High Texture detail: High Water Detail: High Shadow detail:High Antilaising:4x Filtering mode: AF 4x Shader detail: High V-sync: Disabled XP 3200+, 1024mb HyperX DDR400 , Hercules 9800 Pro flashed to XT - 430, 380 at the moment. Running DNA 3.3.4.12b with the HL2 install... don't hurt me! __________________ Chikitta AMD Athlon XP 3200+ @ 2.3GHz 216 FSB [color=red]::[/color] Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe [color=red]::[/color] Hercules 9800 XT @ 435/770 [color=red]::[/color] 1gb Kingston HyperX PC3500 @ 2.0-2-2-11, 2.7V

Nov 23, 2004, 12:16 AM	#6
Sargentwhitey Has a JOB.. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 1,473 Rep Power: 0	mine is at 1280x1024 Model Detail: High Texture Detail: High Water Detail: Low (makes almost no difference at all graphics wise... ) Shadow Detail: High Trilinear Filtering as well __________________ Mobile:Intel Celeron M 1.5GHz, 40GB WD, 1GB PC24000, Intel Mediocre Graphics 2, SB Audigy 2 Notebook

Nov 23, 2004, 03:15 PM	#10
NeoTribal 1" Lobes! =D Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 187 Rep Power: 0	1024x768 everything high reflect world AA:4x AF:8x Vsync:ON (I hate tearing!! my refresh is at 85hz...) Read sig for specs... (9800pro: 420.75core, 380.25mem) (Edit, almost forgot, using Cat 4.12's) __________________ To the Dark Tower Childe Roland went...

Nov 22, 2004, 12:37 PM	#2
FA_Loki DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	HL2 in game settings: Res:1240x768 Aspect ratio: 4:3 Model Detail: High Texture detail: High Water Detail: High Shadow detail:High Antilaising:None Filtering mode: Trilinear Shader detail: High Wait for v-sync: disabled Radeon 9800 Pro using 4.11 drivers stock speeds SmartGart: AGP 8x with fast writes off D3D settings:Balanced, no custom settings Rad Linker installed but no settings are tweaked(don't have a video cooler yet) Secondary display adapter disabled Dell Deminsion 8300 CPU:P4 3 gig 800 FSB 512KB L2 cache with HT Dell 875P Motherboard, Bios version A05 2 gig of DDR 400 ECC ram Maxtor 120gig 7200 RPM hard drive I decided not to try the 4.12 drivers since some people are having problems with them and the 4.11's are working just fine for me. The only thing that happens in the game is the stuttering right after a level is done loading. I went to device manager and uninstalled my Audigy 2 Platnium sound card and rebooted and loaded the drivers on the cd and the stuttering stopped.

Nov 22, 2004, 04:52 PM	#4
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,481 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	AthlonXP 2600+, R9800pro stock clock, Catalyst 4.12b and no graphics issues. FOV 90 (requires sv_cheats 1) <- a definite must 1024x768 All game video settings per "recommended" except: Anisotropic 4x (looks helluva lot better than basic trilinear, no matter what recent Anandtech HL2 articles say) AntiAliasing 2x (some AA is very much needed at low-medium resolutions as the game has so much fine details that will otherwise lead to heavy aliasing) shadows - low. (I tend to lower shadow detail since my system usually seem to suffer especially from game shadows, but haven't looked too hard to see if I really need to in this game)

Nov 23, 2004, 09:46 AM	#7
SurrendeR DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	Res:1152x864 @85Hz Aspect ratio: 4:3 Model Detail: High Texture detail: High Water Detail: High Shadow detail:High Antilaising:None Filtering mode: AF 16× Shader detail: High Wait for v-sync: disabled AMD Athlon XP2200+ @2400+ Syntax ECS VIA KT400 2× Apacer 256MB 333MHz CL2 Saphire ATi Radeon 9800 Non Pro 325/290 @ PRO 400/340 80GB/8MB Maxtor 7200rpm

Nov 23, 2004, 10:00 AM	#8
daseth DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	why do all of u guys have vsync off? don't u get the scanning image effect? or do all of u have 100Hz+ monitor refresh rates? At 85Hz i get scanning effect so i have vsync on. 1024x768 all on high except texture quality (medium), aa 4x,af 2x 9800se Xpertvision modded, 410/350, home made cooler. Barton 2500+@2200MHz 2x256ddr400

Nov 23, 2004, 02:52 PM	#9
stoliD DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 17 Rep Power: 0	i run at 1280x1024 all maxed out antlaising: 4x, vsyn off runs like a charm... using the latest omegas... p4 3ghz ht 9800pro 380(core)//365(mem) stock cooling 1gig ddr

Nov 27, 2004, 11:57 PM	#11
MaRa-23 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	If only HL2 would support triple buffering, v-sync sucks otherwise and the fps gets divided. __________________ GET SOME!