With work from ethan, Rattensuppe (FSR 4.1.1 and ML frame generation) and Nick (the new launcher). Low-VRAM profile by fixdag and bashiku.
Updating: press Update in the launcher, or unpack the zip over your install. Your saves, settings and mods are kept. The new launcher backs up your saves automatically before every start.
Performance and VRAM
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GPU layer back to 1.8.2's. The 1.9 graphics update is reverted, which fixes:
- stretched polygons and "exploding" models;
- texture stalls on 6–8 GB cards;
- black screens entering the Hunter's Dream.
The frame generation memory leak fix and the out-of-VRAM retry are kept.
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Less VRAM used:
- the 512 MB reserve only applies on NVIDIA;
- idle staging memory is freed (about 240 MB);
- copy buffers are sized to the image;
- object motion is off below 6 GB.
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Low-VRAM profile for 4 GB cards (Advanced → Low-VRAM profile: Auto / On / Off). It turns on by itself on cards with 4.5 GB or less: a bigger texture budget, a smaller scene at 1080p with an upscaler, and fewer helper threads on 4-core CPUs.
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Integrated GPUs: textures go in shared memory.
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Audio crackling on 6-core CPUs fixed (higher audio thread priority).
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Direct mouse camera: no more FPS drops while moving the mouse on some PCs.
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Shader cache: a cache made by another version of the port is no longer loaded by mistake, which could crash the game. Your first start after updating rebuilds the cache, so expect a little stutter at first.
New graphics options (Rattensuppe)
- FSR 4.1.1 (experimental), two ways:
- Vulkan (fsr4vk, included);
- AMD DX12 (AMD cards).
- AMD ML frame generation 4.0.1 (experimental): RX 9000, Windows 11, 2× SDR. Only offered on supported PCs.
- Motion-vector cache (experimental): may improve FSR performance, uses some extra VRAM.
Gameplay
- Rebirth at the Doll: for 5 Insight, go back to your origin's stats and level, then buy your old levels back without Blood Echoes. Optional, on by default.
- Language is back in the title screen's System menu.
- Modified eboot.bin (e.g. a 60 FPS patch already applied): the patches that still fit are applied, so ultrawide keeps working.
- Live resolution Auto keeps working above 1080p with depth of field on.
- The game still starts if the debug menu's fonts are missing.
Controls
- Controller rebinding: click a slot, press a button.
- Button prompts follow your rebinding on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch layouts, including PlayStation symbols the game has no picture of.
- Lock-on target switching with the mouse, Dark Souls III style.
New launcher (Nick)
- New look, with a simple view and an expert view.
- First-start setup guide.
- "Your goal" picks graphics settings for your PC: Smooth, Balanced or Quiet. The resolution can still be changed in the simple view.
- Saves page:
- your characters with level, weapons, beaten bosses and play time;
- automatic backups before every start;
- restore a single character;
- import from shadPS4, Awaken's port and bbhost.
- "You play with: Controller | Keyboard and mouse" on the Play page, the Controls page and in the setup guide. Keyboard and mouse turns the mouse camera on and sets up the Dark Souls III layout (asking first if you changed keys yourself).
- Controls page shows the settings for what you play with, including a controller test with a picture of your controller.
- Gameplay page: the game's text and voice language, intro skip, mute, and the gameplay tweaks (Japanese button layout, Quit to Desktop, Rebirth, camera options), all in the simple view.
- Launcher customization page: the launcher's language and look, what it does while you play, and shortcuts.
- New icon: the emblem from the launcher.
- Help page: checks your install and saves a report for support.
- Game tests: measure performance, compare settings with screenshots, stability runs. The Cathedral Ward benchmark is a scenario there (Advanced → Benchmark for bug reports), with texture cache and VRAM details for bug reports.
- Search (Ctrl+F) for any setting.
- Any output resolution, a choice of game monitor, and DLC status.
- When the game starts: keep the launcher open, minimize it or close it. Optionally open it again when the game closes, and minimize to the system tray.
- Settings changed in the in-game menu are kept: the launcher no longer writes its older values over them.
- Mouse look can be turned off again after using the Dark Souls III layout, and mouse settings changed after saving key bindings are no longer lost.
- Respec a character (Cheats page).
- Every text in all 12 languages.
Known issues
- "SignalFence: Unreachable code" crash at startup still happens occasionally.
- ML frame generation and FSR 4.1.1 DX12 have only been tested on AMD RX 9000 cards.
- The field of view setting is now only in the in-game menu (Insert or L3+R3).