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Client-side/Multiplayer(Server) FPS Improvement Guide

By Lady Alcina Dimitrescu

This Guide has some of the Up-to-date FPS boosting mods and configurations.

Award

Created by

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu
Offline

Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

17 Sep, 2023 @ 3:09am

21 Mar @ 8:40am

785	Unique Visitors
56	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Introduction

Misconceptions and wrong suggestions (Also bad launch commands)

FPS boosting mods (Recommended for both Multiplayer/Singleplayer)

Extra

More unused commands and configs (All of them)

Comments

Introduction

This Guide is specifically made for improving performance in Garry's Mod. A little warning: Improving FPS cannot be achieved without changing how the game looks. There are going to be some bugs and visual changes. In exchange, you'll get more FPS.

Misconceptions and wrong suggestions (Also bad launch commands)

Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when trying to improve their FPS:

Command

Explanation

-nod3d9ex

This disables extensions that improve resource management, speed up alt-tabs, and improve memory usage. Using this directly lowers your fps and alt tab speed.

-threads

Allowing more threads in any Source game is never a good idea. Allowing more than 3 cores (the max cores the game can use even with Multicore rendering) actually makes the game slower. It is not recommended to use it. You need a CPU with multiple cores to use it anyway.

-high

This command makes Garry's Mod the number 1 priority in Task Manager, so your CPU works more on the game and doesn't care about background programs. This can result in FPS drops. It is not recommended for low-end computers.

-noprocessheap

This was a workaround for a bug that only happened for a short time in CS:GO, and it decreases performance.

List of commands and why they're not working:

Commands such as "-windowed", "fullscreen", "-w, -h": These are already configurable in-game. Putting these commands into the console actually lowers your FPS and makes Alt-tabbing harder.
The reason for that, whenever you alt tab, your computer resizes your screen to the number you wrote to your launch options. And since resizing the screen is a demanding procces it makes alttabbing slower.

-dxlevel 81/80/90/95/100 Do not use it. It makes the game buggier, causes major visual bugs, and doesn't even do that much. Do not use it, especially if you have a good GPU.

Let your system decides what to use.

Do not use random launch commands or console commands you come across , especially without checking if they're still usable or not. Some of them might significantly decrease your FPS.

FPS boosting mods (Recommended for both Multiplayer/Singleplayer)

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3105962404

Performant Render

Improves your FPS when there are a lot of NPCs and props around. The objects you're not looking at will not be rendered.

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https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2816159652

Performance Mod

It gives the most noticeable FPS enhancement. Though it enables MANY features that normally disabled in Default Garry's Mod for compability issues. This mod enables multicore rendering/tasks for a lot of things. Also improves the Multiplayer gameplay by making the server more responsive.

❗❗❗A little headsup to everyone who wants to use this mod❗❗❗
You should have a decent CPU, you need at least 4 cores . If you have something like Intel Pentium with 2 or 3 cores you will probably see more FPS drops.
Like I said this mod Enables Multicore tasks and rendering which means your CPU will be used more.
It's a very good mod Increases FPS without any visual sacrifice.

It's like a FPS booster for semi-decent PC's.
However you can just download it and test it yourself. It might improve your FPS despite having a bad pc.

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https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2717005362

GodSentTools GPU Saver

Not really an FPS booster. It simply disables the rendering when you alt-tab, so you can mind your own business while Garry's Mod is still open in the background. It's more of a (Quality of Life) mod.

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https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2925774481

FPS Saving Fog

This is a REALLY good mod, even if you have a good or bad PC. It increases FPS by hiding the props or entities behind the fog (Entity Culling). Objects behind that fog will not be rendered. It works flawlessly on big maps and might provide a really good FPS boost no matter if you have low or high end pc.

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https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1762151370

Improved FPS Booster

One of the best FPS-increasing mod I have come across. Not only because it works, but it also has so many configurations. I cannot recommend this mod enough.

Extra

Mods are really good at increasing FPS. However, there is more to it.

This extra part is going to explain a few things about your settings and how to optimize them for your OWN PC. These are specific and tied to your PC specs, rather than providing a global FPS boost with mods or commands. You have to do your own work from now on.

In-game Graphic Settings and How to Configure Them

Graphic Option

What they do

Texture/Model Quality

Texture and Model quality are all about VRAM (GPU RAM). Basically, if you have a GPU with more than 2 gigs of RAM, you can safely increase these options. If you have an onboard GPU (GPU that is tied to your CPU) or 1 gig of VRAM or less, It is recommended not to increase texture or model quality.

Shader Detail

It completely depends on your GPU. If you have a low-end GPU or an onboard GPU, set this to low. If you have a decent GPU (like GTX series), you can set it to high without any problem.

Shadow Detail

This is a global FPS-eating monster. Set it to low unless you have a good GPU. I recommend Medium with (GT series or equivalent).

Color Correction

Unless you have a bad GPU, enable it. It doesn't have THAT MUCH impact, but it still might decrease your FPS. Close it only if it's necessary.

Anti-aliasing (MSAA)

DO NOT use it, even if you have a good GPU and CPU. Unless you have a really big monitor and a good GPU and CPU to keep up with it, disable it. There is absolutely no reason to use it. It might decrease your FPS by up to 50% depends on the situation.

Texture Filtering

It is completely safe to use no matter your GPU. It does not decrease your FPS and it actually makes your game look a bit prettier without a performance cost. However it still can cause some minor FPS drop.

Vertical Sync

Keep it disabled (unless you know what you're doing). Also use third party applications to limit FPS on Source games like Rivatuner. Because Source games doesn't have the best FPS limiters.

Multicore CPU

Let your PC handle that. If you have like 2 or 3 cores, it will probably set it to disabled.

HDR/Bloom

Eats FPS, but in exchange, you'll get better visuals on certain maps with HDR support (which some of the maps require HDR to be enabled). Don't use it unless you have a decent enough GPU.

Side Note: Limiting FPS might decrease the load times. And unlimited FPS can lower your input lag. Type "fps_max 0" to console if you want to remove FPS limit.
BE SURE THAT YOUR PC CAN'T GET MORE THAN 300 FPS.

More unused commands and configs (All of them)

Bad launch options remove them from your launch options

-nocrashdialog
+exec autoexec : autoexec.cfg is already run on startup, there is no need to run it again
+exec config : config.cfg is already run on startup, there is no need to run it again
-exec : doesn’t exist, perhaps you meant +exec?
-nod3d9ex
-threads (Even VALVe recommends you should disable it)
-high
-reuse
-NOPROCESSHEAP
-nodns
-nowatchdog
-disable_d3d9_hacks
-limitvsconst
+map_background

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Unused launch options

Commands

What they do

-noipx

does not exist and never existed in Source

-heapsize

does not exist. It never really worked in Source and was removed in an old update

-+mat_dxlevel

ignored in favor of the -dxlevel launch option, which will properly set configuration files for your DXLevel selection

-USEALLAVAILABLECORES

this is a launch option for Unreal Engine games like Fortnite. It goes without saying that it will not work in Source, and anyone recommending you this launch option likely has no idea what’s going on.

-nomansky

yes, there are legitimately people who think for some reason any launch option with “no” in front of it will boost performance, so much so that they don’t notice that this commonly copied around launch option is named after an unrelated game.

--no_texture_steal

not sure who is stealing your textures, but unfortunately this launch option can’t stop them

------------------------------------

Thanks to Mastercomfig for providing all these commands and how they work.

Here is a link to their website: https://mastercomfig.com

14 Comments

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Chinese Street Cat 8 Feb @ 7:05am

this was one of the best guides
now i dont have to pray to god my pc doesnt crash and wait a minimum of 60 seconds when i alt + tab

Jill Sandwich 5 Jan @ 5:24pm

another thing

VPhysics Jolt

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu [author] 19 Oct, 2023 @ 1:16am

Alrighty, I fixed it.

Sh1N0Suk3 16 Oct, 2023 @ 9:07pm

Performance mod and Server & Client Optimization use the same server optimization.

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu [author] 16 Oct, 2023 @ 6:42am

Your welcome. Thanks for making the addon

I added Server & Client Optimization mod for people who likes to play on Multiplayer.
Thanks for the headsup tho.

Sh1N0Suk3 16 Oct, 2023 @ 6:35am

I'm going to say that Server & Client Optimization | FPS Boost does the same thing as Performance Mod but Performance Mod is more advanced.

Sh1N0Suk3 16 Oct, 2023 @ 6:33am

Here's the heart-warming award and like!

Sh1N0Suk3 16 Oct, 2023 @ 6:32am

Thank you so much for adding my addon to your guide. This makes me so happy!

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu [author] 15 Oct, 2023 @ 7:34am

Also I highly recommend you to use "Improved FPS Booster"
It's like an in-game autoconfig, allows you to adjust the several FPS eating things.
Your settings will be saved and you can always reset everything back to it's original state.

Thats the reason I said i cannot recommend this mod enough on the description.

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu [author] 15 Oct, 2023 @ 7:32am

There are no special configs or autoconfig you can use in Garry's Mod.

Garry's Mod is more stable and up-to-date compare to other Source games.
It is optimizied and doesn't need any special Launch command or auto config.
You can only adjust or change the existing commands.

Disabling or lowering things like:

Props
Effects
Lights

Can lead to serious bugs, crashes and can mess up some maps and mods.
However you may lower their amount, which you can do it while opening a server.

To gain extra FPS, you need to lower the resolution and quality of these things.
Which you can already do from the Garry's Mod Graphic Options.
Downloading random autoconfigs is also a really bad option.

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