With the release of Patch 1 for Dragon’s Dogma 2, players can now dive into a gaming experience that blends stunning visuals with optimized performance like never before. This update brings forth a refined set of graphics settings, meticulously crafted to strike the perfect balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay.
Prepare to immerse yourself in a world where every detail is brought to life in breathtaking clarity, all while ensuring seamless performance with the choice of the right settings. These graphics tweaks in the Dragon’s Dogma saga will ensure that you take full advantage of the new update.
Best PC Graphics Settings For Dragon’s Dogma 2
Graphics Configuration Update:
UPDATE 1: The initial patch for PC introduced a significant enhancement to the bundled Nvidia DLSS plugin, resulting in notably improved image quality when activated. If your GPU supports it, I highly recommend enabling it in “Quality” mode for optimal results.
This is Our Setup
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
Memory: 32GB DDR4 running at 3600MHz
The game is installed on an SSD.
If your PC configuration is similar, these settings should strike a good balance between visual clarity and smooth gameplay. Performance typically maintains a solid 60 frames per second (fps) except in densely populated areas, where occasional drops to around 40fps are unavoidable. It’s worth noting that the game isn’t well-optimized, and CPU bottlenecking tends to occur when numerous NPCs are present, even on high-end systems.
Without further delay, here are the settings I recommend:
Suggested Best Graphics Options:
Display Settings:
- Display Mode: Full Screen
- Screen Resolution: 3840×2160 for high-end GPUs, 2560×1440 for mid-range, and 1920×1080 for lower-tier cards.
- Refresh Rate: Match your display’s maximum refresh rate, typically at least 60Hz.
- FPS Cap: Cap at 60 FPS to mitigate inconsistency issues beyond this threshold.
- Vertical Synchronization (V-Sync): Disable in-game and manage through GPU settings for reduced input lag.
Key Graphic Settings:
- Dynamic Resolution: Off if Nvidia RTX 2000 series or higher with DLSS Quality enabled. Use DLSS Quality mode for sharper native resolution output. Alternatively, leave Dynamic Resolution off and opt for either FSR3 or DLSS Quality for similar performance gains. Avoid using Dynamic Resolution simultaneously with FSR3 or DLSS Quality to prevent significant degradation in image quality.
- FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 (FSR3): Disable or enable Quality if DLSS is unavailable and Dynamic Resolution is off. It may also help address shimmering shadows and grass when Anti-Aliasing is disabled.
- DLSS Super Resolution: Opt for Quality setting on Nvidia RTX 2000 series or newer cards for improved upscaling quality and substantial FPS boost. This option can also mitigate shimmering shadows and grass in the absence of Anti-Aliasing.
Recommended Settings based on GPU:
- Nvidia RTX 2000 series or higher: Set display resolution to 1440p or 4K (for 3080 or better), disable Dynamic Resolution and enable DLSS Quality.
- AMD Card: Consider enabling Dynamic Resolution or FSR Quality, but avoid using both simultaneously due to potential image quality deterioration.
Additional Graphic Settings:
- DLSS Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: Enable along with DLSS for reduced input lag.
- Upscale Sharpness: Max out for enhanced clarity.
- Rendering Mode: Progressive
- Image Quality: Maximize for improved visual fidelity.
- Ray Tracing: Enable if using DLSS or FSR3 with Nvidia 30xx series card or equivalent or better.
- Ambient Occlusion: Use SDFAO; consider SSAO for extra performance gains.
- Anti-Aliasing: TAA if FSR3 or DLSS is not in use; otherwise, disable.
- Screen Space Reflections: Enable for improved outdoor FPS, disable for better water visuals.
- Mesh Quality: Maximize
- Texture Filtering: High Aniso x16
- Texture Quality: Adjust based on VRAM availability.
- Grass/Tree Quality: Set to High for minimal performance impact.
- Resource-Intense Effects Quality: High; disable only as a last resort.
- Shadow Quality: High; consider Low for increased performance.
- Shadow Cache: Enable
- Contact Shadows: Enable
- Motion Blur: Personal preference.
- Bloom: Personal preference; minimal performance impact.
- Depth of Field: Personal preference; minimal performance impact.
- Lens Flare: Enable; minimal performance impact.
- Lens Distortion: Disable
- Subsurface Scattering: Enable for improved skin appearance.
- Motion Quality: High
Performance Optimization Tips:
- Turn off “Data Processing for the Purpose of Analysis” in Network settings.
- Set DD2.exe in Task Manager to High Priority for a potential performance boost (needs to be done each time the game runs).
Recommended Brightness Settings:
Brightness Settings
The RE Engine employs a somewhat unconventional approach to brightness settings, both in SDR and HDR modes. While HDR may offer a better visual experience when properly configured, it can be hit or miss on many PC and monitor/TV setups. Here are some recommended settings for both HDR and SDR modes:
- Max Brightness: Adjust all the way to the right.
- Min Brightness: Move all the way to the left. (This step is skipped in HDR mode.)
- Final Brightness Setting: Two clicks to the left from the middle/default setting.
If HDR cannot be activated in-game, access the Windows HDR settings and enable it before launching the game.
Note: These settings may cause some highlights to blow out and black levels to crush on non-dynamic monitors. However, this is considered a preferable choice to the default washed-out and low-contrast appearance of the RE Engine on default settings.
Additional Notes:
Understanding Graphics Settings:
The game utilizes the RE Engine, which handles brightness settings uniquely in both SDR and HDR modes. HDR can offer superior visuals when configured correctly, but its effectiveness varies depending on your PC and monitor/TV setup. For the best experience, activate HDR in the Windows settings before launching the game. Adjust max brightness all the way to the right, min brightness all the way to the left (skipped in HDR mode), and the final brightness setting two clicks to the left from the middle/default setting.
Anti-Aliasing and Shimmering:
Anti-aliasing (AA) is crucial for eliminating grass and shadow shimmering. Options include TAA, DLSS, and FSR3. Experiment with different AA settings based on your GPU capabilities and personal preferences. Beware of potential issues with ghosting in FSR3.
GPU Settings vs. In-Game Settings:
Some players advocate for adjusting anti-aliasing settings through GPU control panels for better results. However, forcing certain AA options like FXAA can lead to visual glitches. Consider using upscaling options (FSR3 or DLSS) with built-in AA or enabling TAA for smoother visuals despite some loss of distant texture detail.
Performance Optimization Tips:
Adjusting motion quality and film grain settings can impact visual smoothness. Setting the game’s priority to high in the task manager may improve stability and FPS. Keep an eye on CPU temperatures, especially during intense moments, to prevent crashes. Consider disabling screen space reflections to boost FPS and reduce heat generation. For users experiencing crashes or blurry visuals, updating drivers and verifying game files can help troubleshoot issues.
User-Specific Recommendations:
Users with high-end setups may benefit from higher resolutions and quality settings, while those with lower-end systems should prioritize performance. Experiment with different settings and resolutions to find the optimal balance for your system. ReShade can be an alternative for enhancing visual fidelity beyond in-game settings. Updating DLL files and clearing the shader cache can significantly improve performance for certain GPUs.
Conclusion:
Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers a rich gaming experience, but finding the perfect graphics settings requires some experimentation. By following this guide and incorporating community insights, you can achieve the ideal balance between stunning visuals and smooth performance tailored to your system. Happy gaming!
Last Updated on April 6, 2024
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