The Oblivion Performance/Graphic Tweaking Thread

[mursaat]

Ok after talking a lot in different threads, I've decided to make a separate thread with all the tweaks/guides I've found about the game.

They improve Graphic Quality as well as Performance.

Maybe the most important thing to do is read the TweakGuides Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Tweak Guide:

http://www.tweakguides.com/Oblivion_1.html

It explains most of the things you need to know about tweaking Oblivion, has some links to PC Tweak, ATI & nVIDIA driver Tweak, Texture LOD patches, etc.
Definitely a must read. It's difficult to tell numbers in a game like Oblivion, but I can tell I passed from barely playable without AA and few grass to really enjoyable HDR + 2x Temporal AA+16x HQ AF with everything maxed in game. Can't describe it better nor give FPS numbers :D

Drivers:

nVIDIA: They released a driver that improves FPS in Oblivion, it's still beta and can be found here:
http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_winxp_2k_32bit_84.25.html

ATI: Catalyst 6.3 (CCC not necesary if you use ATI Tool / ATI Tray Tools) with the "Chuck Patch" that enables HDR+AA:
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=293
http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=21960
ATI: Catalyst 6.5 with the "Chuck Patch" HDR+AA:
http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=21960

Thanks to Turok:
- nVidia Forceware 84.43 beta
http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_winxp_2k_32bit_84.43.html

- ATi Catalyst 6.4
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=640


Some days ago I would've put here a lot of .ini configs and console commands, but they're all included (and best explained) in Tweakguides ;)


I will add some threads found in xtremesystems:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=94761 -> Great tweak for Oblivion by Kunaak
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95053 -> HDR+AA info in general, ended in Oblivion talk and inspired this thread :D by GoThr3k
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95006&highlight=oblivion -> more HDR+AA talk by Kunaak
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95277&highlight=oblivion -> Info about the "Chuck Patch" by Ubermann
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95302&highlight=oblivion -> Firingsquad Updated Perf Review by krille
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93760&highlight=oblivion -> Oblivion FPS talk by Perkam
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93980&highlight=oblivion -> Getting SLI to work properly by Zenjirou

Hope this helps a lot of us that find this game is awesome but finds it hard to play smoothly :)

If someone thinks he deserves some recongition please tell me and I'll edit this thread.

P.D. I think we should restrict this thread by only talking about graphical and performance tweak, drivers and guides or hints. Please keep the thread clean from Oblivion Mods (those not related with GQ/Perf), ATI vs. NVIDIA flaming, etc ;)

[krille]

Excellent guide bro! :toast:

Question 1: How is 2xTemporal AA vs 4xNon-Temporal AA vs 4xTemporal AA performance wise and image quality wise?

Question 2: How is 16xHQ AF vs 8xHQ AF performance wise and image quality wise?

[mursaat]

Excellent guide bro! :toast:

Question 1: How is 2xTemporal AA vs 4xNon-Temporal AA vs 4xTemporal AA performance wise and image quality wise?

Question 2: How is 16xHQ AF vs 8xHQ AF performance wise and image quality wise?Thanks! :)

I will do some "benchs" tonight, and I'll do some with 1600x1200 too, with my new 19" CRT received today :woot: Will post "screenshot" FPS, it is making a savegame in a city/open space and checking with all the options.

[krille]

Ahhh! Good thinking. Congrats on the CRT, hope it's a real pleasure! Does it support 1920x1200 widescreen resolution as well? It'd be interesting to see those benchies as well, if at all possible. Just keep in mind that a few seconds after load could mean sprites have moved or completely disappeared etc.

[Codeman05]

Thanks for the info, I'll have to give a few of these a try when I get off work

[Turok]

Where you mention the drivers, add the following:

- nVidia Forceware 84.43 beta
http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_winxp_2k_32bit_84.43.html

- ATi Catalyst 6.4
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=640

[mursaat]

Thanks Turok, edited first post. BTW do the Cat 6.4 include the Chuck Patch? Anyway already downloaded will check for myself, and do those benchs

[Turok]

Thanks Turok, edited first post. BTW do the Cat 6.4 include the Chuck Patch? Anyway already downloaded will check for myself, and do those benchs

I dont know. I havent used the Cat 6.4 and I dont know what the Chunk Patch is, and I dont have a x1900xtx and Oblivion. I will, tho ;) (hopefully :P )
All I know about Cat 6.4 is that its optimized for Oblivion and it gives a huge boost in performance + it lets you do AA+HDR even with AF on without affecting performance too much.

[Duplicity]

Very nice!

[J-Mag]

I dont know. I havent used the Cat 6.4 and I dont know what the Chunk Patch is,

Truffle Shuffle!

[krille]

Ok I just tested HDR+AA in Oblivion, and it sure looks a whole lot better. :D

[catsarecute]

Ok here is my problem.I can't enable hdr with aa( i've tried with 6.3,6.4,6.5beta)any clue???
thx
ps:my gpu is 1800xt

[wildcard]

Here's a good tweak on another thread:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=94761

[mursaat]

I've updated first post with Cat6.5+Chuck Patch.

Sorry to leave this a bit unnatended, but with the XS downtimes and internet acting weird at work, I've lost a lot of Subscribed Thread Updates :slap: Here's a good tweak on another thread:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=94761Thanks! but it's already included :p: