dawn/TWEAKS.md

Tweaks

This file lists some configuration file tweaks, performance tweaks, visual tweaks, and the likes of making your game run better.

Performance tweaks

Please keep in mind that the minimal specifications also apply for Linux. Do not expect a performance gain compared to Windows native.

As of game version 3.2.0, it is recommended to apply the secondary patch to noticeably lower the CPU usage. Please check Issue #195 and the script source for details.

bash "/path/to/dawn/GAMEVER/patch_anti_logincrash.sh"

DXVK

Check whether the latest DXVK version is installed in your WINEPREFIX:

• Use default WINEDEBUG (no -all!) and check the (terminal) output
• output_log.txt (what?) should mention DXVK

Setup instructions: TROUBLESHOOTING.md

Esync

Esync will sometimes work faster than Fsync on some specific game/machine combinations (see here).

Please note that the official Wine builds do not come with Esync support. One of the following builds is required:

Lutris:

• Select game -> Configure -> Runner options -> "Enable Esync"
• See also: Official tutorial

Proton:

• Enabled by default when running from the Steam library

wine-staging or custom build:

• Add export WINEESYNC=1 to your script prior to launching the game

If you have access to the terminal output (or logs), look out for esync: up and running. mentions to confirm that it's working.

AMD GPU performance tweaks

This section is about reducing choppy framerates on amdgpu + radv. According to Issue #321 the GPU might not boost the clocks properly.

Note: This also affects other games and might be fixed in future driver updates.

• Hardware configuration (amdgpu driver specific)
  • Note: The kernel settings are not persistent and will reset on reboot.
  • For details: amdgpu kernel documentation
  • echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/class/drm/card0/device/pp_power_profile_mode
    • Improves performance on adaptive sync displays
  • echo high | sudo tee /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_dpm_force_performance_level
    • Might not be needed any more for recent driver versions.
  • For gamemode users:
    1. Edit the configuration file.
    2. Add the line amd_performance_level=high to the [gpu] configuration section.
• Game settings
  • Render Resolution: 1.0
  • Shadow Quality: Low
  • Volumetric Fog: Off
  • V-Sync: On (avoids tearing)

For Arch Linux: Steam installs the dependencies amdvlk and lib32-amdvlk by default. This might cause performance or game startup issues in general. To use RADV (provided by Mesa), uninstall both libraries. Run a Vulkan verification test after rebooting.

• For details, see Vulkan, Arch Wiki

GPU bottleneck improvements

• Stutter and low FPS on GPUs with <= 2 GB VRAM
  • For monitoring: nvidia-smi/nvtop (nVIDIA), radeontop (AMD), corectrl (AMD)
  • Use a DXVK 1.X.X version, 1.9.4 or newer (memory management improvements)
  • In-game setting: Change "Render Resolution" to 0.8 or lower
    • This setting changes the texture resolution, resulting in less VRAM usage
  • Disable Anti-Aliasing (less blur)
  • Close zfgamebrowser.exe to free approx. 60 MB (after DXVK 1.9.4)
• In-game setting: Disable "Volumetric Fog". Introduces more lag than what's worth it
• In-game setting: Lower "Shadow Quality". May improve the frame rates
• Create a file named dxvk.conf where GenshinImpact.exe resides. Example options for vsync-less (mailbox mode), tearing-free, low latency gameplay:

# Change to 3 for triple buffering (improves performance at the cost of latency)
dxgi.numBackBuffers = 2
dxgi.syncInterval = 0
dxgi.tearFree = True
# More performance
d3d11.constantBufferRangeCheck = False
d3d11.relaxedBarriers = True
d3d11.invariantPosition = False
d3d11.zeroWorkgroupMemory = False

Also the environment variable DXVK_ASYNC=1 might help to reduce stutters. This feature is not available by default and requires a special DXVK patch.

FSR - FidelityFX Super Resolution

FSR is an image upscaler which can improve game performance. See AMD website for details.

The following two sections each describe a method to get FSR running.

FSR with Gamescope

Links for reference:

• gamescope project site
• LinuxReviews testing report

Caveats:

• Requires a native window (no virtual desktop)
• At the time of writing, it requires recent driver packages.
  • Pleas refer to the project site for details
• Causes input lag and mouse cursor behaviour is not ideal
• Package not present in some distributions' repositories

To benefit from improvements in newer Wine/Proton versions, gamescope is designed as a long-term solution.

General features:

• Graphic environment independent
• Custom upscaling / downscaling of any game running inside of it
• UI integration in some game launchers, such as Lutris

Command line example:

# General syntax
gamescope -w <game_visible_width> -h <game_visible_height> -W <final_window_width> -H <final_window_height> -U -f -- <command>
# Example for upscaling 1080p -> 1440p
gamescope -w 1920 -h 1080  -W 2560 -H 1440 -U -f -- wine cmd /c launcher.bat -window-mode exclusive

• Notes
  • -f means Gamescope window will be fullscreen at startup. You want that for Variable Refresh Rate (Free/G/Sync).
  • Super + F can be used to switch between Fullscreen/Window for Gamescope output.
  • Once windowed, Gamescope output can be resized but blackbars may appear
  • Please refer to the project site for further tweaking

FSR bundled with Wine

Caveats:

• Requires a native window (no virtual desktop)
• Resolution changes must be done in windowed mode or by command line arguments
  • Use Alt+Enter to switch between windowed and fullscreen

Wine builds known to embed the feature at this moment are:

• proton-ge-custom
• wine-ge-custom
• Kron4ek's Wine builds
  • Supported versions to be checked.

Required command line arguments:

• Append -window-mode exclusive after launcher.bat
  • Example: ??? cmd /c launcher.bat -window-mode exclusive

Configuration via environment variables: (example values are the default)

• WINE_FULLSCREEN_FSR=1 -> enables FSR
• WINE_FULLSCREEN_FSR_MODE=balanced
  • One of ultra, quality, balanced or performance
• WINE_FULLSCREEN_FSR_STRENGTH=2 -> values from 0 (sharp) to 5 (blurry)
• Instructions:
  • Steam: adjust the Target box. Example: FOO=1 BAR=1 cmd.exe
  • Lutris: add rows to Configuration -> System options -> Environment variables

Checking whether FSR is enabled:

1. Specify the environment variable WINEDEBUG=trace+fshack.
2. The line trace:fshack:fs_hack_is_fsr is_fsr: TRUE must appear in the Wine output.

Loading times

This is an optimization for installations on a slow drive. You may make Linux' file caching to RAM more aggressive in order reduce loading times for repetitive actions.

1. Open /etc/sysctl.conf with an editor like nano with sudo.
2. Add the line vm.vfs_cache_pressure = 10. Save and exit.
3. Run sudo sysctl -p to reload the kernel configuration.

Visual tweaks

Benchmark

• Set the environment variable DXVK_HUD to fps,frametimes
• For a fancier display, try MangoHud instead.

Post Processing using vkBasalt

vkBasalt offers cool shaders and re-shade-like features.

1. Disable in-game antialiasing
2. Create a file named vkBasalt.conf in the directory where GenshinImpact.exe resides.
3. Relevant information and examples:
   • Detailed descriptions: official vkBasalt.conf
   • Presets by notahuman: Releases page
   • Other user-provided presets: static/