This is a rather big one, even if you are not using GeDoSaTo with Dark Souls 2.
General Improvements:
- Add option to completely hide the mouse cursor
- Add option to force borderless fullscreen windowed mode
That’s right, you can now downsample in Borderless Windowed Fullscreen mode! This was a tricky one to implement, I need to make the game think that it runs both in a different mode (fullscreen) and a different resolution than it actually does, both when it uses Windows APIs and when it uses DX to query any information. This feature might therefore still be a bit buggy. Incidentally, this is also a workaround for the crash-on-alt-tab issue when downsampling. However, it breaks the Steam overlay — but you can just alt-tab to Steam instead.
DS2 Improvements:
- Fix AO issue on systems with non-4:3 resolution, also improve other effect quality for such resolutions
- Improve AO shader depth calculation
- Upgrade SMAA to the latest version (quality improvement)
- Implement stencil masking for SMAA (performance improvement)
- Include FXAA option (a few people were asking for this since they prefer it in combination with downsampling)
The SMAA performance improvement is rather significant. In one test scene, previously Ultra SMAA would move GPU usage from 70% to 86% on my system, now it’s only from 70% to 80%. In comparison, the same scene with Ultra FXAA takes 77%.
Finally, I updated the readme file to hopefully make the instructions more clear. I’ll repeat them here:
- Extract the contents of the zip to some permanent directory
- Adjust the settings in GeDoSaTo.ini and GeDoSaToKeys.ini as desired
- [optional] Add your game executable names to “whitelist.txt” in the “assets” folder (dark souls 2 is already included!)
- Run GeDoSaToTool.exe *as Administrator*
- Click “Activate” (You can also make a shortcut for “GeDoSaToTool.exe -a”)
- Select the downsampling resolution in-game if you want to use downsampling
- ENABLE IN-GAME ANTI-ALIASING in Dark Souls 2 if you want to use any effects (also, disable in-game AO if you use GeDoSaTo AO, and in-game DoF if you use GeDoSaTo DoF)
Here is the download. And as always, you can donate here to support GeDoSaTo development, both for DS2 and in general.
Update:
To reply to the VAC questions: Yes, GeDoSaTo could potentially get you banned in any online game which uses an anti-cheat system. Just like anything else which modifies the game output, such as SweetFX or SMAA injection. Or, if you take user agreements literally, even FRAPS or a Mumble overlay. If you are concerned about this, then do not use anything which at all modifies what a game is doing in multiplayer/online games.
Personally, I hope modern anti-cheat tools are smart enough to figure out whether something just improves rendering or actually modifies the game’s data (that is, real cheating), but I can make no guarantees of any kind.
Is it possible for you to add an in-game GUI? Similar to ENBs. Having the ability to tweak VSSAO2.fx and post.fx on the fly would be amazing
I generally find writing GUIs boring, so if there will be a GUI it will be done by someone else once I release the source ;). What you can do right now is alt-tab out of the game (as long as you are not downsampling), edit the files, and alt-tab in again.
In the future I’ll add a hotkey to reload the shaders, so then you can e.g. have a game in windowed mode and edit the shader right next to it and reload.
I see, it would be wonderful if you add that option! I guess we will just see the performance impact, cause with the current state, i often lose to other people while pvping because of the render lag spike. Thanks again.
Hi, I just realized that if I put a texture override, the game will lag when that particular texture loaded (ie other players shade). Is there a possible fix to this? Thank you.
The only fix for that would be to preload all the modified textures in memory, and that would be very GPU memory intensive. I could add an option for that though.
yes
“You can also make a shortcut for “GeDoSaToTool.exe -a””
A “game-agnostic” version is in your plans for the future?
Feature Request: Can we have the option to have GeDoSaTo automatically turn on when its launched? I made a batch file to load up both DS2 and GeDoSaTo but I have to close out DS2, activate it, then load it back up
nVidia Inspector
I don’t see SGSSAA as an option in the game or on GeDoSaTo, did you enable this through another app or perhaps the Nvidia control panel?
Thank you for the info.
I dont supposed you’ve tried using SGSSAA (4x or 8x) to check the performance instead of downsampling?
Thanks.
I have a EVGA GTX 770 SC downsampling from 2560×1440 to 1920×1080 and playing at a perfect 60 FPS with full strength AA, AO and basic DoF and using on average 80% GPU. If I used bokeh DoF I would get 55-60 FPS.
I tried 4K (3840×2160) downsampling and fond I would max out my GPU and get about 40 FPS. To me its not worth it if you can’t game at 60 FPS. The game looks great with no issues at the settings I described first.
I wanted to ask please,
You said you were using a GTX 770. I’d like to know which brand / model it is, and what is the performance when upsacling using 1080p x2 and x4 if possible.
The reason im asking is cause i have a single GTX 660 OC, and even 1080p 2x downsampling isnt really performing well (45-60 fps) without using SSAO and MSAA or Post Processing. With them all enabled it is about 24fps.
I’m trying to decide on an upgrade (not just for DS2, but any input would be helpful).
Thank you.
Ok, I must not remove the #..
but I try different value, and don’t see any glow effect…
Any possibility to make the bloom working in the post.fx file? I try to delete the # before “define BloomThreshold” but it crached. It will be nice to have a bloom/glow effect! It will fit very well with the atmosphere.
I should punch the “past me”, who thought that this DS2 port was pretty good and Durante’s fix wouldn’t be necessary, in the face.
Now I play this game with higher resolution, with better AA, AO and fullscreen borderless – same FPS.
Thank you!
everything works perfectly apart the Depth of field in my computer
It looks blurry at a certain distance with the basic DOF. The bokeh depth of field works ok though but that is too taxing on my computer.
i can play without it but it looks a bit “too sharp”
can i add depth of field another way? i have a nvidia gtx 470, windows 7 sp1
Are you planning on changing how the anbient lighting works? Currently that’ s the main reason why i’m using ENB.
You can use SRWE to run the game in just about any AR that will fit your desktop. It has to run in a window, but seeing as GeDoSaTo now has a borderless windowed solution, you may be able to make them work together. I haven’t tested it yet, as I’m playing with ENB, and sadly that doesn’t work with GeDoSaTo (yet).
On a Friday no less ?!?
Thank you from the bottom of my Jesus bone! – signed everyone
Same here, I’ve used both and experienced no problems. I’m not down-sampling, though, so that might be it.
Thanks a lot petert, i gonna try it to night and replace Alphe 2 (alpha 3 had AO clipping) Thanks for all
I really see a great improvement with the AO in this version. Thanks, the game look much better.
Thanks for the hide mouse option, question any way to remove letterboxing (black bars) on unsupported ratio resolutions like 16:10?
Thank you so much for the mouse hiding option ^_^ (and obviously everything else too!)
Hey, great work as always………Any word on Vista support?? I bought Vista Ultimate back in ’07 for $399.99 and this DS2 mod is the only thing pushin’ me on the edge of upgrading the OS thus far…lol.
You should update your apps manifest to require administrator
Tested with the Alpha 2 and Alpha 3 release and I had no issues whatsoever.
Well as I said, I’m not an expert. I have the crash report (I think) if it makes any difference.
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: DarkSoulsII.exe
Application Version: 1.0.2.0
Application Timestamp: 535a1185
Fault Module Name: GeDoSaTo.dll
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 5362a9b3
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000657a1
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
If that helps make a diagnosis then wonderful. After I posted the initial comment I could record but I just tried again and the same problem occurs.
I don’t think it will do, to many people are using it. Enjoy the tool. If it will do, valve will correct this. I can’t play without this tool
Thanks again, AO going better!
In case anyone hasn’t already noticed, at least in Dark Souls 2 that Nvidia’s Shadowplay and GeDoSaTo don’t seem to like each other. I’m far from a computer expert so it could be a very simple explanation but I though it was worth pointing out that attempting to manually record (possibly even save a shadow recording) while GeDoSaTo is running causes DS2 to freeze and promptly crash. A minor issue, to be sure but an issue nonetheless.
Actually, I’ve used both in combination, so this issue might depend on the individual system configuration.
Mine also freezes when enabling shadowplay recording. I am using SLI which I find gives me issues with recording.
Oh and one more thing yeah the optimizations you mentioned are awesome; at least 10% to 15% better performance than the last update.
Could these improvements be somehow ported to the original Dark Souls too?
Regards
Hi Durante, I’ve been trying GeDoSaTo with some games on Windows 8.1 w/Update and it works with DS2 and other games like Syndicate, thank you so much. Could you implement SMAA and Postprocessing effects to some/all games? I’ve been using SweetFX but it doesnt work on all games I’ve tried.
Yes, generic postprocessing/AA is on the ToDo list.
Shut up already on the VAC! Durante is not responsible for Steam and their measures, if you don’t like it don’t use it.
This upgrade works great Durante, SSAO is working fine on this update again for me and the mouse removal is a godsend.
Thanks!
To those asking about VAC, Durante responded to those questions on NeoGAF here. Basically, it probably won’t be a problem, but as with any modification on a VAC enabled game, nothing can be certain. You takes your chances.
Small question regarding GeDoSaTo: Can textures in the override folder be put into subfolders? There are texture mods coming out that replace multiple files, and it would be nice to put each mod into its own directory for ease of install/uninstall.
I have this feature on my list, yes.
I get that a VAC ban from Gabe is quite a hairy prospect, they say that he now resembles the Gonad monster from Half Life 1, but without one single report of such reprisals this seems like pure Molyneux? I have been happily using this software for quite some time with no problems*, as Durante explained in his notes the Tool intercepts the DirectX calls rather than modifying any code of DS2 itself. Seek misery and Praise the Sun!
*Finally realised I had to run both GeDoSaTo and DS2 as Administrator, not launch it from Steam. Sweet.
One question. Why do I lose performance when setting the render resolution lower than the display resolution? I used to do this with DSFix to get better performance, but now it doesn’t seem to work the same way.
Appreciate all of your hard work.
That’s curious and shouldn’t really happen. Did yo ucheck that the same effects are being applied in both modes?
I tried it with the latest release, and I do seem to get a performance gain now. Awesome. Much appreciated.
Absolute amazing work… i hope you work for a gaming company, you are needed sir!
Im curious about the VAC thing as well, but I’m honestly feeling that it won’t trigger it.
Durante, is it safe to use your gedosato with vac? Stop updating your tool and respond to all.
Holy fuck, Durante does not need to go through and answer questions that have already been answered. Do your own research. I would much rather he keeps working on the actual tool, and not answering the questions of people too retarded to do a minute of reading.
Honestly I am surprised he even bothers to release these tools for anyone. You know he does this for free and doesn’t owe you anything. Stop being so entitled.
^^^ Yes please, please can you clarify.. I used to use your amazing mod but since VAC, i’m kind of scared to use it now.
Good Job as allways!
But people are really concerned that your tool will trigger VAC.
Can you clarify?
Thank you! Your tool is just an awesome utility
thank you very much.
You’re amazing man, that windowed mode is just what I needed. Thank you.