Best Video Settings?

[redrider]

Support may not be the propper place for this question but I trust that it will be moved if it isnt.

Has anyone played around with the video and sound settings for this game? If I can use any of the available settings or combination of the settings what do you think is the best? I would like to try and change my settings to get the best that is possible so that I can see what is possible in the Demo? Does anyone have any suggestions? . . . . . . . . . . .Red

[TheDesert_Fox]

Keep specular map off.

S'far as I can tell it just gives everyone a white outline...

[Kingkat54]

Yea..........also watch the 'shadows'. That usually kils FPS.

I also put the corpses at tiny; dynamic lights, water and model detail at normal. I have a slower processor and vid card, so I run about mediums settings. But it runs.....:)

I set it up myself. The optimising feature just didn't look right.

[Bio_Terra]

for some reason specular map makes everything look better for me (and really kills the FPS) but id like to hear from someone in-the-know what it actually does?

I have a feeling that this game will run better in MP than SP because of all the carnage and random gun shots etc. in a confined area that happens in SP, that said the performance for me in SP is really gd, running at max textures and med/high the rest.

[Iwantcable]

I'm pretty sure specular map has something to do with a main light source (i.e. the sun).

I leave it off though, as I personally think it looks better off. Probably just preference :).

Edit: I made two pics, first is without specular mapping, second is with.
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/811/nosmyd8.png
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/4153/yessmdu5.png
Everything else was maxed, 1600x1200 with 4xAA

[TheDesert_Fox]

^^ Yeah see they just look as though an euqal light source is coming frmo all directions with it on...

[Bio_Terra]

hmm, thats weird...

[Covert_Fox]

hmm, thats weird...

The 1st pic to me looks more realistic, darker and more battle worn thats my opinion. :)

[Bio_Terra]

well here we go from COD2
http://www.tweakguides.com/COD2_6.html
it appears it controls realistic light reflection
Specular Map Resolution: This option controls the way in which objects reflect light. The available options are Low, Normal, High and Extra. An animated screenshot comparison can be seen by clicking this link: Specular.gif (639KB) - note that as the level of the specular map is increased the reflections on the car's metal roof become more detailed and realistic. The performance impact of this setting will vary depending on the age of your graphics card.

[Iwantcable]

well here we go from COD2
http://www.tweakguides.com/COD2_6.html
it appears it controls realistic light reflection

In the animation, it is obvious that turning it on makes it look much better. I think maybe when the full game comes out and we have the "high" or "extra" setting, it will have the same effect. However, at the moment it looks like it just increases brightness and adds a slight blur wherever the light hits.

[TheDesert_Fox]

Not sure if it means anything, but that guide says Specular Map Resolution, which is an option in CoD4 as well. There's also just Specular Map in CoD4, the one this thread is about. Map Resolution has low, med, high, and extra values like the guide, where as regular Spec. Map only has on off.

Maybe they're the same thing, I dunno.

[Markos]

With xfx 7950GT agp will work well for me???
Thanks

[redrider]

At this point its hard to tell but Id say it will be fine. Oh and good posts in this thread too, keep them coming. . . . . . . . .Red

[Bio_Terra]

Not sure if it means anything, but that guide says Specular Map Resolution, which is an option in CoD4 as well. There's also just Specular Map in CoD4, the one this thread is about. Map Resolution has low, med, high, and extra values like the guide, where as regular Spec. Map only has on off.


In COD4 if you look under Texture settings there is a Spec. Map resolution option with low, normal, high, extra, in addition u can turn it on or off in the main graphics bit. So the settings is the same as in COD2

In the animation, it is obvious that turning it on makes it look much better. I think maybe when the full game comes out and we have the "high" or "extra" setting, it will have the same effect. However, at the moment it looks like it just increases brightness and adds a slight blur wherever the light hits.

Which setting are you refering to? spec map res has high and extra in the texture section.

[catar]

I would wait for full game before you do any tweaking. There might be few more options in settings and it also might be better optimised . If you are running Nvidia card I read somewhere that new driver is coming out just before or shortly after release of COD 4 to fix some issues vith this card.

[Iwantcable]

In COD4 if you look under Texture settings there is a Spec. Map resolution option with low, normal, high, extra, in addition u can turn it on or off in the main graphics bit. So the settings is the same as in COD2

Which setting are you refering to? spec map res has high and extra in the texture section.
Hmm you're right. I guess we'll never get it like CoD2 then and we're just stuck with the glow.

[Bio_Terra]

I guess we'll never get it like CoD2 then and we're just stuck with the glow.

do you mean the glow around character models? Also anyone know what exactly the "glow" option does? i cant seem to see it. (the aforementioned glow is always present)

[Iwantcable]

do you mean the glow around character models? Also anyone know what exactly the "glow" option does? i cant seem to see it. (the aforementioned glow is always present)

Yes, it's kind of like a glowing reflection (caused by turning spec map on) that makes the characters seem "shiny" or if you've played Oblivion, like you have a piece of armor with a shield enchantment (whitish-yellow). I still have yet to see the effect of the "glow" option; when I turn it on or off I see no difference.

[Dual_Core]

I play it all on max settings@1440x900 75hz 2ms, with full aa/af and details the lot on max, luckily i have a xfx 8800gts xt. so it runs smooth as silk.