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Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition > Guides > arsCynic's Guides
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Optimal performance and graphics: Unreal Tournament
By arsCynic
Unreal Tournament (UT) is awesome, but due to the discontinuation of official support, its default graphic drivers aren't updated. This means the game does not perform optimally fresh out of the box. Fortunately, UT has dedicated and passionate community members. Members who have put time and effort into programming new graphical drivers. This guide compiles the updates that you need in order to enjoy a smooth gaming experience.
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Created by
arsCynic
Online
Category: Modding or Configuration, Multiplayer
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
24 Oct, 2017 @ 1:15am
24 Mar, 2024 @ 3:42am
6,497 Unique Visitors
110 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
TL;DR 
Old TL;DR 
Older TL;DR 
Sources 
More information 
Comments
TL;DR
  1. Install Unreal Tournament.
  2. Install the latest patch (https://github.com/OldUnreal/UnrealTournamentPatches/releases) in the proper directory, e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Unreal Tournament
  3. Try the different renderers to see which one works best for you, e.g., OpenGL vs. Direct3D 9

If none of these renderers by default perform optimally, try the config of one of my old tutorials below.

Good luck, have fun.

--
PS Play Bunnytrack at UTBT[utbt.net].
Old TL;DR
Edit: 30/10/2021, using Windows 10.

TL;DR when using integrated graphics (onboard GPU).
  1. Install UT99 with Steam, and install every dependency if it ask you to.
  2. Install patch v469b: https://ut99.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14127&sid=56893e54b1650ac9218f22a39ff74152
  3. Select OpenGL Support as the driver.
  4. UT should run perfectly.

TL;DR when using a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA).
  1. Install UT99 with Steam, and install every dependency if it ask you to.
  2. Install patch v469b: https://ut99.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14127&sid=56893e54b1650ac9218f22a39ff74152
  3. Select Direct3D 9 Support as the driver.
  4. Add to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Unreal Tournament\System\UnrealTournament.ini:

    [D3D9Drv.D3D9RenderDevice]
    AlphaToCoverage=True
    Anisotropy=8
    Antialiasing=4
    AutoFOV=True
    BumpMapping=False
    CacheStaticMaps=True
    ClassicLighting=True
    ColorizeDetailTextures=False
    Coronas=False
    DescFlags=0
    Description=GeForce GTX670
    DetailClipping=False
    DetailMax=2
    DetailTextures=True
    DynamicTexIdRecycleLevel=100
    FPSLimit=144
    FrameRateLimit=144
    GammaCorrectScreenshots=False
    GammaOffset=0.000000
    GammaOffsetBlue=0.000000
    GammaOffsetGreen=0.000000
    GammaOffsetRed=0.000000
    HighDetailActors=True
    LODBias=-1
    MaskedTextureHack=True
    MaxAnisotropy=16
    MaxLogTextureSize=8
    MaxTMUnits=0
    MinLogTextureSize=0
    NoAATiles=True
    NoFiltering=False
    NumAASamples=4
    OneXBlending=False
    ParallaxOcclusionMapping=False
    Precache=True
    RefreshRate=144
    SceneNodeHack=True
    ScreenFlashes=False
    ShinySurfaces=True
    simulateMultipassTexturing=False
    SinglePassDetail=False
    SinglePassFog=True
    SmoothMaskedTextures=False
    SwapInterval=0
    TexDXT1ToDXT3=False
    unlimitedViewDistance=False
    Use16BitTextures=False
    Use565Textures=False
    UseAA=True
    UseFragmentProgram=True
    UseMultiTexture=True
    UsePrecache=True
    UsePureDevice=True
    UseS3TC=True
    UseSoftwareVertexProcessing=False
    UseSSE=True
    UseSSE2=True
    UseTexIdPool=True
    UseTexPool=True
    UseTrilinear=True
    UseTripleBuffering=True
    VolumetricLighting=True
    VSync=False
    ZRangeHack=True
  5. Right click on your desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D settings:
  6. UT should run perfectly.

Older TL;DR
Old TL;DR, using Windows 7.
  1. Download and install DirectX: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35
  2. Download and install VS2010 runtimes: http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/6/D/C6D0FD4E-9E53-4897-9B91-836EBA2AACD3/vcredist_x86.exe
  3. Download: http://bunnytrack.net/assets/utd3d9r13.zip, http://bunnytrack.net/assets/d3d10drv-v29.zip
  4. Extract, copy these files from the UnrealTournament map located in the .zip.

  5. Paste those files into D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Unreal Tournament\System


    Start the game > options > preferences > video > video driver > change > select D3D 9

  6. Open D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Unreal Tournament\System\UnrealTournament.ini with Notepad

  7. Adjust:
    [Engine.Engine]
    GameRenderDevice=D3D9Drv.D3D9RenderDevice

    [Engine.GameEngine]
    CacheSizeMegs=16

  8. Do #4 in the previous list.
  9. If the server does not support D3D10 v29, download v28: http://bunnytrack.net/assets/d3d10drv-v28.zip instead.
Sources
I did not discover or create any of these updates and tweaks. I'm merely combining information already written by others. However, that information is quite obscure if you do not know where to look. That especially rings true for newcomers. Therefore this guide with a clickbaity, yet accurate title.

UTBT: https://utbt.net
Dizzy: http://bunnytrack.net/tips
Raynor: Unreal Tournament Audio & Visuals Tweaking Guide[ut99.org]
Xiphan: Direct3D 10 Renderer for Unreal Tournament
Mark Cranness: In case of mouse problems[donewmouseaccel.blogspot.be]

I strongly suggest reading through those pages. Even if this simple guide did the trick.
More information
Go back to the sources and read those websites if you still experience slowness, glitchy behavior, unusually low FPS. You might need to further tweak your .ini file (i.e. disabling AA, adjusting FPS, etc.), or change your graphics driver to OpenGL or an older D3D version, or simply install some Microsoft drivers. The truth is out there.

20 Comments
< >
härjaren 12 Jan @ 2:11pm 
Awesome!
pandafresh 17 May, 2024 @ 8:56pm 
thank you!
vee-kay 3 Apr, 2024 @ 10:53am 
@ChA1NsAw: Nice informative useful guide, thanks!
vee-kay 3 Apr, 2024 @ 10:53am 
@gnasty: Refer to this thread if UT99 plays too fast on new PC:
https://forums.beyondunreal.com/threads/quick-guide-for-ut99-for-users-on-fast-computers.182843/
vee-kay 3 Apr, 2024 @ 10:52am 
@ahanley67: If the DX11 Renderer doesn't help, then try the enhanced OpenGL Renderer:
https://www.moddb.com/games/unreal-tournament/addons/enhanced-opengl-drivers-r37
https://www.cwdohnal.com/utglr/
arsCynic  [author] 24 Mar, 2024 @ 3:26am 
@ahanley67, I forgot to update the tutorial to the new patch source: https://github.com/OldUnreal/UnrealTournamentPatches (https://github.com/OldUnreal/UnrealTournamentPatches/releases) .

Run the OldUnreal-UTPatch469d-Windows.exe file, select the proper directory (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Unreal Tournament) and install the patch. Then try again.
Handles97 23 Mar, 2024 @ 3:31pm 
Hi, I cant seem to get this to work, if I use the Direct3D with the list options for NVIDIA, it lags and is unplayable but if I use the OpenGL Support it runs way too fast, Its like running the game on 600 game speed (I've tried lowering the game speed right down to 60 and it doesn't change anything). so I'm kind of stuck between two different versions of unplayable at the moment, I have windows 11, so I'm unsure if its because there may not be an update for that yet. Anyone have any fixes for this?

Thank you!
Espionage724 6 Feb, 2023 @ 5:30pm 
This is a good guide! I use the unofficial patch mentioned, but I use a Vulkan renderer instead, and also have like 4GB of Extreme textures from some site :p
arsCynic  [author] 13 Jan, 2022 @ 2:47pm 
Thanks for taking the time informing us @gnasty.
hot dog beginner 8 Jan, 2022 @ 8:22pm 
I managed to fix it alt-tabbing out and back into the game, mouse was acting kind of funny in game and switched it to Raw Input and now I don't need to alt-tab when loading up the game and works flawlessly now :praisesun: