Advanced Anti-Stutter Config For S.T.A.L.K.E.R. [Even More Optimizations]

Despite having quite a machine [Ryzen 7950X / 64Gb / Optane 5800X / 3090Ti],
Stalker is notoriously known to stutter due to it’s old and heavily modified
engine with it’s substantional dependence on a single thread performance.
Here is a list of tweaks, which i came up during long AI conversations.

■ OGSE_CONFIG.LTX

[alife]
	ai_distance 140
	switch_distance 130
	objects_per_update 5
	max_hear_dist 100

The most important tweaks, that effects NPC processing in a very positive way
OGSR is based around OGSE so settings are located in ogse_config.ltx

■ USER.LTX

r2_wait_sleep 0
r2_sync 0
r__cache_shaders 1
r__detail_radius 81
r__detail_density 0.38
r__detail_scale 0.64
r__detail_shadows 0
r__no_scale_on_fade 0
r__geometry_lod 3
r2_rain_drops 0
r2_visor_refl 0
r2_ssao st_opt_off 
r2_sun_near 38
r2_sun_far 64
r2_sun_near_border 1
r2_sun_depth_far_bias -0.00015
r2_sun_quality st_opt_high
r2_shadow_filter 0
r2_sun_tsm 0
r2_volumetric_lights 1
r2_soft_particles 1
r2_exp_dont_clip_flags 1
ph_iterations 18
r_smap_size 2048
r_sslr_enable 0
g_dof_zoom 1
r_mt_rain 1
r_mt_sun 1
r_mt_particles 1
r_mt_lights 1
r_mt_texload 1 [or 0]

Various subtle render tweaks that are improving performance, and do not affect visual quality so much

■ CONFIG LOCATIONS

Showcasing my personal alteration for convenient game play.
Tweaks allow you to carry more, run back and forth less frequently and cover large distances faster.
Above mentioned modifications remove all irksomeness and annoyance and bring the pure joy to the game play.

Max weight ► 224kg
Run speed ► 20% faster
Stamina ► 20% more

X:\STALKER\OGSRmod\gamedata\config\creatures\actor.ltx
X:\STALKER\OGSRmod\gamedata\config\tuning\ogse_config.ltx
X:\STALKER\OGSRmod\gamedata\config\tuning\ogse_version.ltx
X:\STALKER\OGSRmod\_appdata_\user.ltx 

RUN ► actor.ltx
run_coef = 2.2 ;2.1
sprint_koef = 2.64 ;2.6
run_back_coef = 2.16
walk_back_coef = 0.96
air_control_param = 0.1
walk_accel = 20

WEIGHT ► actor.ltx
max_walk_weight = 224

WEIGHT ► ogse_config.ltx
max_item_mass = 224
max_walk_weight = 224

STAMINA ► actor.ltx
stand_power = -0.006
walk_power = 0.000008
walk_weight_power = 0.00004
overweight_walk_k = 5
accel_k = 3
sprint_k = 75

■ VIDEO DRIVER

• power management: [prefer maximum performance]
• shader cache on [unlimited]
• threaded optimization [ON] or [OFF], your mileage may vary
• max frame rate [60fps]
• max pre-rendered frames [Ultra]

■ IN GAME SETTINGS

VERTICAL SYNC: [OFF]

■ CPU AFFINITY

Last, but definitely not least!

Set CPU affinity to 3 cores on the first CCD.
2,4,6 (Do not select core 0, and leave it to the operating system).
For assigning CPU affinity i recommend to use [ProcessLasso] .

Also note that if you delete user.ltx the game will recreate it upon next launch,
information for those who want to start from scratch.

So the most important part of the article is that stutters can’t be fixed fully, due to the nature of Stalker engine.
But at least, we applied every possible tweak to improve performance without sacrificing visual quality.

---