K2 STEAM Graphics DOWNGRADED??

[Jorak Uln 458]

Hi, 

coming from the GOG Version  i installed the K2 Steam Version today for the first time and i was shocked! 

Instead of having hi-res crisp 2k/4k textures everything looked a bit blurry like an upscaled low-res render, but thats not all! All shiny cubemap surfaces are gone! Like there are no CM being applied...

Is there any workaround to fix that and enable Cubemap + hi-res again? (Graphics settings are on max already)

I really hope this issue can be solved and i  you guys can help me out on that.

[MotleyNerd 8]

Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but in my experience (and based on what several others have reported), the Steam version has many issues like this with graphical mods. In fact, mods that modify lightsaber models and textures do not work, and using the Holowan Duplisaber Beta will crash your game in some modules. Not only that, but the Steam version is generally unstable and plagued with performance bugs anyway, but using large mod-builds, even at it's most stable, causes constant loading and crashing errors, often seemingly out of nowhere. It also becomes more unstable the longer you play it. My most recent build, while fully functional up until an issue rose up with the Dustil Restoration and M4-78 that made Dustil never appear and then removed the dialog option with T3 that unlocks M4-78, the game would crash so often and with so little reason or warning that I started saving after almost every encounter and interaction, as well as restarting the game at least every hour.

Even with only RCM installed, Steam has a funny habit of going for anywhere between 2-4 hours of gameplay before it skips over all voice lines in a dialog, and sometimes crashes. The Steam version is absolutely inferior, and I would recommend sticking with GoG, or even going to a Disk version (if you have one, can find one, or even use one). I recently purchased the GoG version, and I'm going to be switching over to it now after this latest experience. It simply is not worth the aneurysms it's bound to strat causing me if I continue to try and mess with it. The Steam version is responsible for having made it impossible for me to finish the game or even reach the Rebuilt Jedi Enclave scene for years, and this is my all-time favorite game.

In the words of Darth Sion: I am glad to leave this place... at last.

[Vabulletizer 10]

44 minutes ago, MotleyNerd said:

Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but in my experience (and based on what several others have reported), the Steam version has many issues like this with graphical mods. In fact, mods that modify lightsaber models and textures do not work, and using the Holowan Duplisaber Beta will crash your game in some modules. Not only that, but the Steam version is generally unstable and plagued with performance bugs anyway, but using large mod-builds, even at it's most stable, causes constant loading and crashing errors, often seemingly out of nowhere. It also becomes more unstable the longer you play it. My most recent build, while fully functional up until an issue rose up with the Dustil Restoration and M4-78 that made Dustil never appear and then removed the dialog option with T3 that unlocks M4-78, the game would crash so often and with so little reason or warning that I started saving after almost every encounter and interaction, as well as restarting the game at least every hour.

Even with only RCM installed, Steam has a funny habit of going for anywhere between 2-4 hours of gameplay before it skips over all voice lines in a dialog, and sometimes crashes. The Steam version is absolutely inferior, and I would recommend sticking with GoG, or even going to a Disk version (if you have one, can find one, or even use one). I recently purchased the GoG version, and I'm going to be switching over to it now after this latest experience. It simply is not worth the aneurysms it's bound to strat causing me if I continue to try and mess with it. The Steam version is responsible for having made it impossible for me to finish the game or even reach the Rebuilt Jedi Enclave scene for years, and this is my all-time favorite game.

In the words of Darth Sion: I am glad to leave this place... at last.

Apparently I was very lucky, I used an assembly of mods weighing 25 gigabytes(tslrcm and m4-78 include), and in 200 hours there were no crashes, yes, there is a problem with lightsabers handles and skipping dialogues during a long game session, the fog is also broken, but it seems that 2 out of 3 of these problems are can be solved.

[MotleyNerd 8]

6 minutes ago, Vabulletizer said:

Apparently I was very lucky, I used an assembly of mods weighing 25 gigabytes(tslrcm and m4-78 include), and in 200 hours there were no crashes, yes, there is a problem with lightsabers handles and skipping dialogues during a long game session, the fog is also broken, but it seems that 2 out of 3 of these problems are can be solved.

How many total mods you have installed? Cuz that could also play a role in it.

I may have installed a combined total of 142 files, be they mods, bug fixes, or patches.

[Vabulletizer 10]

18 minutes ago, MotleyNerd said:

How many total mods you have installed? Cuz that could also play a role in it.

I may have installed a combined total of 142 files, be they mods, bug fixes, or patches.

Ultimate character and world overhaul, most of darthparametric's, JC's and sithholocron's mods, all hq ingame icons and portraits, all wepons, some armor replacers, improved ai, thematic sith lords, partyswap, canonical mandalore, darth sapiens nihilus and visas, hq skyboxes, backdrops, loadscreens and cockpits, party under wear, to be honest, it's a long time to list everything. These are mainly textures and others graphics things, if we talk about fixes, then I was guided by the topic on reddit.

[Jorak Uln 458]

23 minutes ago, MotleyNerd said:

How many total mods you have installed? Cuz that could also play a role in it.

I may have installed a combined total of 142 files, be they mods, bug fixes, or patches.

Thanks for the feedback. To ensure there are no mod intererences etc. i tested the features mentioned above with a clean  installation. And the issues are definitely due to Steam Version - with a clean install of my GOG K2 everything worked as intended.

34 minutes ago, Vabulletizer said:

Apparently I was very lucky, I used an assembly of mods weighing 25 gigabytes(tslrcm and m4-78 include), and in 200 hours there were no crashes, yes, there is a problem with lightsabers handles and skipping dialogues during a long game session, the fog is also broken, but it seems that 2 out of 3 of these problems are can be solved.

Funny, but when i first started Steam K2, i thought - wow, its even supporting 3440x1440 resolution, and the new UI looks so nice and the game's running really smooth...

Its just deception - like a beautiful fruit infested with maggots...

For s.o. who  wants to play vanilla TSL without any cosmetic mods, then its fine to use it, but it will break any sophisticated visual mod and blur out all high resolution textures to look much worse.  Since i own both versions now, i have the direct comparison and i only can encourage you to stay away from Steam & switch over to GOG -> its a night and day difference. 

 

[Vabulletizer 10]

@Jorak Uln My main library of games is on steam, and I'm already used to playing on a gamepad in 4k ... Btw, if I'm not mistaken, in steam has  ability to use old version of the game by using legacypc in the beta version settings.

[MotleyNerd 8]

2 minutes ago, Jorak Uln said:

Its just deception - like a beautiful fruit infested with maggots...

 

Based on a lot of experiences, this seems to be a lot of Steam in a nutshell. They have some good stuff, but they mostly suck, and when it sucks, it does it with a screaming vengeance.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman 40]

Steam seems to be a trainwreck of ineptitude propped up by bloated market share.

[Jorak Uln 458]

1 minute ago, Vabulletizer said:

@Jorak Uln My main library of games is on steam, and I'm already used to playing on a gamepad in 4k ...

i also have quite some games on steam, and i understand its seems comfortable - but believe me, the 2160p resolution is not native 4k - its downscaled even if the menu says otherwise. 

Btw, its possible to get native 4k at GOG without issues - just use "Flawless Widescreen" and change the resolution in the .ini as well. 

[Vabulletizer 10]

@Jorak Uln In which location will difference in graphics between Gog and Steam versions be better visible?

[Jorak Uln 458]

33 minutes ago, Vabulletizer said:

@Jorak Uln In which location will difference in graphics between Gog and Steam versions be better visible?

Basically in the whole game - every planet.  The tricky thing is, in vanilla game you dont realize the difference, but it becomes obvious, when you are using quality texture Overhauls. 

For example, as you know, im using very high res Textures for rocks, floors etc - all the super crisp details on the surfaces are gone/blurry, also subtle shiny metallic textures are completely matte & dull looking. Lastly, bright lights in dark areas for high contrast are not displayed/ pitch black.

[Samriel 12]

Did you try to configure the resolution in the options menu? Perhaps somehow it was set to very low.

That said as some already said above GOG is likely the best bet to have the best experience.

I wonder how Steam ended up messing so hard...

[1Leonard 134]

Can we get some comparison screenshots?

Now I'm curious!

[Jorak Uln 458]

6 hours ago, Samriel said:

Did you try to configure the resolution in the options menu? Perhaps somehow it was set to very low.

That said as some already said above GOG is likely the best bet to have the best experience.

I wonder how Steam ended up messing so hard...

No everytjing was set to max at 3440x1440p.

5 hours ago, 1Leonard said:

Can we get some comparison screenshots?

Now I'm curious!

Yeah, here you go: 

all Steam settings to max: no other mods, reshade etc. installed BOTH Versions are set to 3440x1440p:

(im using the Steam K2 Version from 2020 & Gog ver. from 2020)

Steam  floor completely dull:

Gog  shimmering floor as it should be: 

Steam  Door:

Gog  Door - crisp, high resolution:

Steam Door close-up, blurry:

Gog Door close-up, crisp:

Steam Medic room:

Gog medic room: 

Steam Wall - dull, blurry:

Gog Wall:

Steam panel - look, how blurry the  displays are - though much more obvious  ingame:

Gog Panel: even from further distance displays look crisp:

 

As you see, the differences are huge! Even more obvious when ingame.

 

[Vabulletizer 10]

I made a small comparison of leagacy pc version with aspyre version, I don't see much difference in the quality of textures, but, I noticed that in the legacy version, lighting interacts with surfaces in a different way. May be gog version have more differences.

[Jorak Uln 458]

29 minutes ago, Vabulletizer said:

I made a small comparison of leagacy pc version with aspyre version, I don't see much difference in the quality of textures, but, I noticed that in the legacy version, lighting interacts with surfaces in a different way. May be gog version have more differences.

I dont know the legacy / aspyre version - are they both steam? But the Gog V. is the best one i know currently & bugfree, too.  

[Vabulletizer 10]

24 minutes ago, Jorak Uln said:

I dont know the legacy / aspyre version - are they both steam? But the Gog V. is the best one i know currently & bugfree, too.  

Both, >steam library, right click on tsl, properties, beta versions - legacypc, its cancel aspyre patch and restore "classic" version.

[LoneWanderer 103]

2 hours ago, Jorak Uln said:

Steam  floor completely dull:

2 hours ago, Jorak Uln said:

Steam panel - look, how blurry the  displays are - though much more obvious  ingame:

Could there be the same root of the problems with textures and lightsaber models hilts? If I remember correctly, the steam version crashes if the vertex buffer line in the .ini file looks like "Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1". So, in steam version, there are no spaces between the words: "DisableVertexBufferObjects=1", but this leads to problems with some textures.

Or maybe this is related to fog bug introduced in Aspyr patch? Fog and Speed Blur Fix for the 2016 TSL patch

 

[Jorak Uln 458]

49 minutes ago, LoneWanderer said:

Could there be the same root of the problems with textures and lightsaber models hilts? If I remember correctly, the steam version crashes if the vertex buffer line in the .ini file looks like "Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1". So, in steam version, there are no spaces between the words: "DisableVertexBufferObjects=1", but this leads to problems with some textures.

Or maybe this is related to fog bug introduced in Aspyr patch? Fog and Speed Blur Fix for the 2016 TSL patch

 

tried that Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1 as well as disabling it. Also set the resolution in the ini manually. Both did not change anything. 

I know that "fog bug" fix already, tried that as well.

You know, its not only the fact, that reflections (=cubemaps) are not displayed in full resolution, the worst issue is they are often not displayed at all or at a very narrow angle - e.g. when you turn a bit to the side, they disappear and the texture looks completely dull. 

At those reflective spots it appears that the resolution is like  2 times lower.

It almost seems that the engine has been crippled with too many restrictions, that are not fixable by simple ini tweaks and such.

 

[ilego1 1]

On 1/25/2021 at 10:32 AM, Jorak Uln said:

No everytjing was set to max at 3440x1440p.

Yeah, here you go: 

all Steam settings to max: no other mods, reshade etc. installed BOTH Versions are set to 3440x1440p:

(im using the Steam K2 Version from 2020 & Gog ver. from 2020)

Steam  floor completely dull:

Gog  shimmering floor as it should be: 

Steam  Door:

Gog  Door - crisp, high resolution:

Steam Door close-up, blurry:

Gog Door close-up, crisp:

Steam Medic room:

Gog medic room: 

Steam Wall - dull, blurry:

Gog Wall:

Steam panel - look, how blurry the  displays are - though much more obvious  ingame:

Gog Panel: even from further distance displays look crisp:

 

As you see, the differences are huge! Even more obvious when ingame.

 

@Jorak Uln I didn’t notice that much of a difference but I will say I do have the disk version as well (since I am doing this right after beating standard version on mobile) I thank everyone for warning me of the issues regarding steam workshop textures. So once I beat the game (first time playing TSLRCM; third time playing total) on steam I will switch to purely disk version. My only remaining question is if I have a mod that makes it so I can romance the handmaiden but does it via a .dlg file (no TSL Patcher) is it possible to merge the two dialogue files or If I delete the .dlg file from TSLRCM would that cause issues?

[Jorak Uln 458]

18 hours ago, ilego1 said:

@Jorak Uln I didn’t notice that much of a difference but I will say I do have the disk version as well (since I am doing this right after beating standard version on mobile) I thank everyone for warning me of the issues regarding steam workshop textures. So once I beat the game (first time playing TSLRCM; third time playing total) on steam I will switch to purely disk version. My only remaining question is if I have a mod that makes it so I can romance the handmaiden but does it via a .dlg file (no TSL Patcher) is it possible to merge the two dialogue files or If I delete the .dlg file from TSLRCM would that cause issues?

Not much difference? Have you opened them in full size & wait until they loaded completely? In motion /ingame, the effect is even more prominent.  And the issues i meant were not regarding Steam Workshop but Steam Kotor 2 itself. So if you already own the Disk Version- why not just install it instead? The only tool you need to get the proper Screen resolution afterwards is "Flawless Widescreen". 

Works for both games.