Graphics settings

[DEATHLOK]

A question that's not build-related.

I built a PC in 2012.

• Windows 7 64-bit
• Intel i7-950
• 12 Gb RAM
• GTX 780 with 3 Gb VRAM
• SAMSUNG S23A300B 23" 5ms Full HD LED BackLight LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 DCR 1,000,000:1 (1,000:1)

Warframe did not pose a problem when it was introduced, but it has been updated considerably. I know it's more demanding than it was a few years ago. Still, I wonder if I shouldn't have these settings higher, which are at the default values, as far as I know:

Geometry Detail • Medium
Particle System Quality • Medium
Shadow Quality • High
Texture Memory • Medium
Anisotropic Filtering • 4x
Trilinear Filtering • Default
Antialiasing • SMAA (Medium)

I don't know how conservative these are. I'm not interested in getting the highest frame rates possible—I want the game to look as nice as it can while running at a smooth frame rate. And 30 FPS is not a smooth frame rate for games.

I wonder if the particles aren't too course. To my eyes, there are times when the bloom and particle effects are so heavy that I can't even tell what's going on. I can be shooting into a white glowing cloud, just trying to make numbers appear in the distance. And then there are times, such as Earth, when I'm surprised at how dated the graphics look—like an older DX9 title from the early 00's. The first example bothers me less than the second.

[EDIT] I changed Particle System Quality alone, setting it to high. HUGE difference. This game makes tremendous use of particles, so much so that this single setting makes a spectacular difference. So many effects that were crude and "thick" before are much finer, less obscuring. I notice no loss in performance. If anything, it makes the game easier to play.

I know my monitor is dated. In January, I built a PC for one of the kids with a 2K ASUS IPS monitor that makes my screen look like an Etch A Scetch.

If anyone knows this side of the game inside and out, I'd love to hear your opinion.

Edited June 2, 2016 by DEATHLOK

[Dobermann92]

You can run the game with every setting maxed out over 60fps. I have a GTX950m which is worse than your video card and I get 60fps constantly with all of my settings maxed out.

[Shreiko]

Turn off Adaptive Exposure and the bad lighting and sharpness woes disappear.

[DEATHLOK]

I did max those few settings. Made an enormous difference. I had no idea how detailed the game was, and it's been years at this point. And it runs as well as before, if not better.

Would look better at 2K.

Turning off Adaptive Exposure appears to disable the bloom effects. Is that correct?