Universal GTA 4 shader patch (U4SP for short) aka ALTERNATIVE GRAPHICS TWEAK.
Note from GTAGarage: Your Antivirus software may claim this mod is malware. This information is false, and caused by poor research on the part of your Antivirus software.
Description:
This is universal rage_postfx.fxc shader patch.
Within every new patch, Rockstar brings new rage_postfx.fxc file with some tweaks and fixes, so keeping
outdated rage_postfx.fxc isnt good idea and could lead to gfx glitches and corruption.
This universal patch could disable Near, Middle and Far distance blur to suit your tastes and in same
time it will preserve all new changes made by Rockstar.
So if you are using that "Ultimate Graphics Tweak" with outdated rage_postfx.fxc, you really should get
rid of it and use this patch instead.
If Rockstar will ever release new patch, just make sure that rage_postfx.fxc was updated by rockstar's
official patch, then just run Universal GTA 4 shader patch again.
You may ask:
"How the hell this going to work with any new file, what if offset will change or something?"
i did few separate versions of patch, one version with fixed offset, and another one with heuristic
search of values that should be patched. In normal case you should use fixed offset version, but if it
will fails to patch, just run heuristic version.
U4SP vs UGT:
You may ask me:
"Why do i need to use this, when i have Ultimate Graphics Tweak, whats the difference?"
And i can tell you the difference:
1) Multiplayer:
To make this thing clear from begining - this is one of the most important difference comparing to
"Ultimate Graphics Tweak", you can play multiplayer with no problems, with no additional tools, and
without any magic tricks you used to do with UGT.
Magic is already inside this patch, and this magic is simple - you dont need modded visualeffects.dat
to have all waht Ultimate Graphics tweak promice to give you, its all in shader;-)
2) Always new shader:
Many users of UGT, inlcuding its so-called "Author" (who in fact isnt author of it), dont even realise
that outdated shader produced in january 2009 that they use, do not include all the fixes and optimisation
that rockstar did in next patches and could be source of many problems they have with game (including
performance and graphical problems). When i recommended bartekxyz to call for original modder of shader
to performe same modification on new shader that was included in patch, he just ignored that and said
not true thing that there is no difference. There is a difference, latest rage_postfx.fxc includes
14590 new bytes, which are mostly new shader instructions.
So answer of bartekxyz was just an excuse for his not so big knowledge or Laziness, or even both of them.
But hey, now he could use my patch to create and finaly put updated shader, or he even can pack my
patch inside (i just hope he would not cut parts of my readme about him) ;-) (Read more about this in
"EXTRA NOTES" bellow)
3) Simple and fast usage:
You are old lazzy ex-programmer or ex-hardcore gamer? Or just noob? Or no one of them, but just a man
who care about his time and just dont want to waste it on many unecessary things?
It doesnt matter who you are, in any case you will find U4SP aka AGT more comfortable than UGT.
Bacause all you need to do just perform 2 clicks
1st to run Patcher, 2nd to press on "Patch" button and enjoy result. Should i mention all that many
uncomfortable steps you need to do to install UGT and make it works for you? Nah i dont want even waste
time on this ;-)
4) Not so many unrealistic blur and no bullsh*t at all:
Blur blur blur, its everywhere in UGT, if someone shoot you - boom blur, someone hit your car - boom blur
again, you just driving at 20 km\h and see that motion blur... this isnt looks good if you have taste.
Well actually that unrealistic extra motion blur is all what bartecxyz realy did, just a 6 lines inside
visualsettings.dat... all the rest was done by Klanly and Belinda who wasnt even properly credited and was
left withour reward, when bartekxyz recieved one (Read more about this in "EXTRA NOTES" bellow) for what
klanly and belinda did.
Smooth Shadows, motion blur, depth of field, and all that bartekxyz present as results of "his" tweak,
are all actually was in game, and Klanly + Belinda just found the way how to separate them in shader and
disable one by one, and they produced that shader, that did all what you can find in description of
"Ultimate graphic tweak"... and just look at credid description for Klanly in credits:
"For a solution on how to separate static blur from DOF and MB."
and compare it to description of tweak
"Ultimate Graphics Tweak is a little modification which allow you to enable improved post processing effects
like Motion Blur and Depth Of Field.
It also smoothens dotted shadows and jaggy edges while keeping whole game sharp and clean. As a result game
feels like a movie, and is visibly smoother even at low frame rates (15-25FPS)."
Oh, wow, Belinda didnt took his credit? Actualy he did that 3 versions of shader and finished what knaly
started, so why the heck he have no credit at all?
Aint this is bullsh*t?
I think that fair description that bartekxyz should type should be like this:
"Klanly - for discovery of methid which allow you to enable improved post processing effects
like Motion Blur and Depth Of Field with smooth shadows and edges while keeping whole game sharp and clean.
As a result game feels like a movie, and is visibly smoother even at low frame rates (15-25FPS).
"Belinda - for extra research, and for 3 shaders he created that makes all tweaks possible"
"Ultimate Graphics Tweak is a tinny 6 lines in config which gives you just more intensive motion blur when
you use real graphics tweak created by klanly and belinda".
Thats looks justly and aint bullsh*ting anyone;-)
Use real product, not advertised dummy.
5) You can combine both:
If you didnt understood a word or you just weirdo, you can use patched rage_postfx.fxc with visualsettings.dat
from UGT, but in this case you will lose multiplayer, and most of advantages of Alternative Graphics Tweak.
Anyway, UGT never have had updated shader, so you should use this AGT, just to update shader for UGT usage.
Usage:
Look at file content_tree.png to understand idea of folder hierarchy first.
There are 12 versions of patch total, they are separated 1st by type of implementation:
1) Brute - these versions would patch any required bytes without checking if those bytes already patched
or mismatch
2) Smart - these versions would patch required bytes only in case if bytes wasnt patched and match
to default patern (original raga_postfx.fxc produced by rockstar)
2nd they are separated by type of detection of bytes that needs to be patched:
1) offset - these versions would patch bytes only located at fixed offset
2) heuristic - these versions would perform autosearch of location of required bytes
3rd they are separate by type of blur (it could be enabled by pressing P button or by setting
Definition off at graphics settings) that this patch would remove[*]:
1) Near - only near aka full screen blur would be removed, this makes picture sharp at close distance
just as Blur never was turned on, but in same time medium blur (that makes shadows and trees smoother
and adds some minor pseudo-antialiasing effect on medium distance objects) and far blur (that makes
Depth of Field [DOF] effect on far distance objects) will remain.
This is recommended version.
2) Near+Medium - both near and medium blurs would be removed, but far blur aka DOF will stay.
3) Near+Medium+Far - all static blur would be removede, only motion blur remain.
In normal case i recommend you to use Smart offset, if it fails then Smart heuristic version.
If both of these fails or will give no visible result (this could happen in theory), than try brute heuristic
version.
If you already patched Shader and want to re-patch it to implement different tweak, than i recommend you
to use Brute offset one, it will override any current values, but keep in mind that this will work right
only if Smart Offset patch didn failed before, if it failed before and you was only able to patch with
Smart heuristic version, this mean that offset was changed, and use of brute offset version could damage file.
But dont worry too much, patch creates backup, if backup already present, than it will not override old backup
with new one.
Extra notes:
Patch created by Voodooman (v00d00m4n).
Thx to Klanly for his discovery that made this patch possible, also thx to Belinda for his additional
reasearch that cleaned out Klanly's discovery. All credits should go to them.
Shame on bartekxyz who used klanly's discovery (that did almost whole trick) and used it in cheap
"Ultimate Graphics Tweak" to rise his fame and catch thx that realy was deserved by Klanly and Belinda.
UGT is really just a minor tweak of intensivity of blur (too much motion blur to be honest), its not
even work without shader modded by Belinda (who wasnt even credited by bartekxyz), and shader inside UGT
is pretty outdated, still that old modded shader that belinda did in Jan 2009
(prove link).
However if you will use just patched rage_postfx.fxc instead of not so Ultimate Graphics Tweak you would
be able to play MP with no problems, if you will use modded visualSettings.dat from UGT, than game will
probably not let you play online.
Bartekxyz coundt even mod rage_postfx.fxc
(prove link)
and still uses outdated file that belinda did and belives that there is no difference. So why do he have
GTAF Award and Knanly and Belinda not? It not fair!
I did this patch and these notes not for fame, but for justice!
Nothing personal against bartekxyz (he is a nice guy, if you could forget for a second that "all fame
should go to me" behavior, and his ignorance about my old recomendation to update shader with help of
belinda, since he couldnt do it himself) just a justice business.
Its really unfair when someone use someone else as parasite and get all the fame instead of original
author.
Vote for klanly an belinda to get reward for that discovery!
History:
v0.9b
-initial public release
Thanks:
To you for reading this text.
To Klanly and Belinda for everything mentioned above.
To bartekxyz for his behavior that forced me to do this patch ;-) |
Because you are, saying that the Ultimate Graphics Tweak, is "bad" "outdated" and "stupid" and I'm pretty sure you just stole his work, edited it then added it in to an .exe to make it look like yours, I'm giving this mod 1 star ! To all the guys, This works 100% Just use smart offset, if it fails or you can't see difference, use smart heuristic, it freakin' removed DoF(Depth Of Field) in the game. This has no virus, 100% clean.
Well to be honest, this is teh best graphic mod for GTA IV.
MY PC SPECSExxon commented over 13 years ago: Hmms, my antivirus also says it's a virus.
I trust my antivirus as it as always been 'loyal' and has already protected me against 5 virusses . . My Avast internet security says the rar file got a Malware in it I just tested my patch with patch 1.0.6.0 (which is also TLAD and BOGT DLC compatible)
Offset versions do not work, Smart Heuristic versions of patch works like charm!
So i can claim that no update required yet, my patch is 100% compatible with latest GTA 4 patch and DLC (since they share same shader and most of other files).
But i dont have DLC myself, so there is a little chance that DLC may have separate shader folder, in this case target DLC file needs to be copied to gta4 default shader folder, after this it could be patched. Don forget to copy patched rage post fx shader back to dlc shader folder (if it exist).
In case if you have stand alone episodes you may need to do a little registry tweak:
look for this key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARERockstar GamesGrand Theft Auto IV
and this subkey
InstallFolder
if it not exist create it and change its value to path of your Episodes installation.
After just run any patch from directory
0.9betasmartheuristic SubGumn commented over 13 years ago: Works GREAT with GTAIV, and it looks awesome too! Very nicely done!
Is there support for this and EFLC? I'm planning on getting the CD version soon. As about virus or trojans, this is false positive, many sh*ty antiviruses just add few bytes of signature of trojans and viruses which are usualy patcked with popular exe packers, but instead of real unique signature, those dumb bums usuaully adding signature of packers.
And as result - whole range of different safe software which is just packed triggerening false alarms in cheap antiviruses, when real viruses usualy gets not detected by that crap antiviruses, coz real viruses usually scramble packer signatures and have more unique pattern.
More info here http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=436606&view=findpost&p=1059713361
I suggest you to delete that sh*t antivir and install better one or no one at all (u may not believe me but i never have had any viruses without damn antiviruses, just follow "regulat safety protocol" and you will be fine without antivirus) http://www.youtube.com/user/marea123a universal gta4 shader patch v0.9b god mods P1ch3 commented over 14 years ago: Each time I extract your .exe my Anti Virus AVG is Going Crazy and found some Horse Trojan in your Release. LODIS I replied you here
http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=436606&view=findpost&p=1059708378
but there you didnt explained that well about your problem. So here extra details for yo case:
This patch not designed for multiply installations of game (as well as game not designed for multi installs in on OS), but in that case you can temporary disable path to your gta 4 in registry
run Regedit.exe (as Administrator)
Go here
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARERockstar GamesGrand Theft Auto IV
Temporary renam value
InstallFolder
to something else, like
_InstallFolder_
After this patch will not detect directory of gta and will promt you for manual selection of directory for every of 6 files that should be patched just as i explained in thread at gtaforums
after you will patch one game folder, restart patch and patch 2nd game folder, when you will finish, dont forget to rename
_InstallFolder_
back to
InstallFolder
Another way - just patch 1 game, and copy 6 patched rage_postfx.fxc to all the resf o install folder you have, this sound more simple then 1st method, but registry method is faster) View All Comments | Add Comment |