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How to push the best visuals out of TF2 without mods (also mostly applicable to CS:GO)

PlayStation 2

Pushing a clean presentation in TF2 (or CSGO, or any Source engine game) isn't a daunting task, actually. And it's not necessarily hard to get nice looking visuals either. It's also not hard to strike a good balance. Here, I'll be going over some settings and what you should push.

 

First thing's first: anti-aliasing.



By default, Team Fortress 2 uses MSAA. Of course, this is how it looks without anti-aliasing.

s1hGr.png

However, an option to use (at least on an AMD card, it's probably usable on Nvidia cards too) is using the option of supersampling AA. This option is in Radeon Settings.

s1hM0.png

This can give a far cleaner presentation than MSAA, even at 2x settings.

s1hMB.png

This is the SS option at 2x.

s1hQ8.png

And this is it at 4x.

 

How does it stack up compared to MSAA?

Here it is at 2x MSAA, below.

s1icY.png

And here's 4x MSAA.

s1ib5.png

 

Notice how this corner below looks significantly better using supersampling.

s1ieC.png 4x SS

s1iiz.png 4x MS

 

However, other things, like distant texture detail, looks a bit crisper under MSAA.

s1imB.png SS

s1inw.png MS

 

Here it's mainly a matter a choice if you like a softer but cleaner image vs. a crisper but slightly more aliased image.

 

Next, let's get onto shadows.



Shadows aren't hard to talk about here.

s1iKK.png

Here's low above.

s1iJ7.png

Here's medium.

s1iCJ.png

And here's high.

 

High and medium look very similar here, with medium being at a slightly lower resolution.

 

Here it is in another area.

s1iNv.png

Low, above.

s1iOC.png

Medium.s1iQX.png

High.

 

The settings don't affect baked shadows.

You'd be hard pressed to notice any real difference between medium and high here in action.

 

Texture quality. Hooray.



Low.

s1j1y.png

Medium.

s1j05.png

High.

s1iYj.png

Very high.

s1iWw.png

Very high just adds higher quality non-texture maps. It's not a big step up from high. Low to medium and medium to high is very noticeable here. Look at the Soldier's sleeve in particular.

 

If you're running a resolution like 1600x900 to anything like 2560x1440, I'd highly recommend using supersampling, high textures, and medium shadows, as high shadows (depending on what you're doing) and very high textures don't serve much purpose.

 

However, if you're running a low resolution like 1360x768 or a very high resolution like 3840x2160, I would actually recommend pushing multisampling AA actually, as at a lower resolution, SS tends to look relatively blurry and at a very high resolution, there's not much reason to push a supersampling technique when multisampling provides very satisfying results while not unnecessarily blurring details out for no reason at that point.

 

Note that this final section is applicable to TF2 only: If you wish to use a mod, I'd highly recommend using the Source Filmmaker viewmodels. They do provide significantly more detailed viewmodels, as they have higher geometry detail and texture detail. CS:GO likely has an equivalent but I don't know to be honest if it does.

 

Hopefully this helped you out.

-Dan Castellaneta

Check out my guide on how to scan cover art here!

Local asshole and 6th generation console enthusiast.

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CS GO is a highly competetive game and most people play on some low res stuff to their advantage

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Just now, huilun02 said:

You can easily run them both with DSR/VSR and automatically looks better.

DSR (and VSR) basically function as supersampling. I detailed how SS can affect the game's presentation in my anti-aliasing section.

 

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

CS GO is a highly competetive game and most people play on some low res stuff to their advantage

It's a very dubious advantage. Of course you don't wanna run supersampling playing in a more competitive environment, but it's a very nice option to use taking some nice screenshots of skins.

1 minute ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

There are TF2 mods? Interesting...

There's a big ass modding community outside of the Workshop, actually.

Check out my guide on how to scan cover art here!

Local asshole and 6th generation console enthusiast.

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Just now, Dan Castellaneta said:

DSR (and VSR) basically function as supersampling. I detailed how SS can affect the game's presentation in my anti-aliasing section.

 

It's a very dubious advantage. Of course you don't wanna run supersampling playing in a more competitive environment, but it's a very nice option to use taking some nice screenshots of skins.

There's a big ass modding community outside of the Workshop, actually.

Agreed. Skins are a really nice adavantage. 

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Just now, huilun02 said:

Supersampling offers more than just AA. It increases texture resolution visual detail as well. I've had enough experience modding GTA4 to know. Its a good way to make old games look significantly better on modern systems. 

Yes, it can. And if you're taking screenshots using DSR or VSR, it's a blessing. But if that's not what your goal is, the game itself can usually coming out looking blurrier for not much reasoning.

Check out my guide on how to scan cover art here!

Local asshole and 6th generation console enthusiast.

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