The Optiscaler team has once again outdone themselves. It seems that every time I complete an article detailing a new feature of Optiscaler, they release an update packed with even more capabilities. Whether this is a personal endeavor to keep me perpetually busy or a reaction to AMD’s ongoing hesitance to satisfy community requests, particularly regarding the official release of INT8 FSR4, is unclear. What matters is that they continue to provide outstanding updates, and I’m here to keep you informed about them.
Optiscaler: Bridging the Gap Where AMD Falls Short
This latest update is a game-changer. The Optiscaler team has finally tackled one of the most significant barriers faced by FSR 4: its incompatibility with Vulkan. Since its inception nearly a year ago, FSR 4 has been unavailable on the Vulkan platform due to certain undisclosed technical limitations. The community, understandably frustrated, has endured almost a year of stagnation—no updates, no clear plans from AMD to adapt FSR 4 for Vulkan games, and silence regarding the INT8 version. This has been a critical sore spot for many users.
How did Optiscaler manage to achieve this breakthrough? While specifics are still under wraps, it’s evident that the fundamental technical challenges restricting FSR 4 from working with Vulkan remain unresolved. Instead, Optiscaler has implemented a “compatibility path, ”allowing access without overcoming the root limitations. I’ll provide further details as they become available.
Getting Started with Optiscaler Installation
Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s delve into the installation process. You will need the following resources:
- OptiScaler v0.9.0-pre10 Test Build (or a newer version)
- OptiPatcher
To secure the most recent version of Optipatcher, navigate to the “Rolling Releases”section on the right side of the repository.
Next, download the file named “Optipatcher.asi”and ignore the source code files.
The latest test build of Optiscaler can be obtained from their Discord server, linked here. In this guide, we’ll focus on installing it for Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, which is available exclusively for Vulkan. I am utilizing the Game Pass edition, but the installation process will vary only in the location of the game executable. Detailed instructions can be found in my comprehensive Optiscaler installation tutorial.
To find the game executable, navigate to your library, expand the hamburger menu, and proceed to Manage > Files > Browse. This will direct you to the XboxGames folder where Game Pass games are stored.
Within the XboxGames folder, locate the directory for the game you want to modify, which in this case is Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. Note that other games may have less intuitive folder names; for example, Death Stranding Director’s Cut can be found in a folder labeled DSDC. Fortunately, the executable is easily accessible in the next folder named “Content.”In our case, it is located within a file called TheGreatCircle.exe—another stroke of luck for us.
After finding the executable, the rest of the process is straightforward. Extract the contents of the Optiscaler folder and place everything into the game folder.
Create a new folder inside the game executable directory called “plugins”and transfer Optipatcher.asi into this folder. Although using Optipatcher is technically not essential for making FSR 4 compatible with Vulkan, it is highly recommended due to its efficiency and seamless integration compared to older methods, which can be cumbersome. Additionally, using Optipatcher is often necessary as the installation script may get stuck on the final step without it.
The next stage involves running the installation script. In the game executable directory, locate and execute the “setup_windows.bat”file. If prompted with an “Open File – Security Warning, ”simply ignore it and select the run option.
You’ll need to provide the following inputs, hitting enter after each one:
- 2 (to select winmm.dll)
- 2 (for AMD/Intel)
- 2 (no spoofing)
- n (to skip updating Optipatcher)
Upon completion, press Enter to exit the script. Congratulations! Optiscaler is now installed, and you’re ready to configure it in-game.
In-Game Configuration
To configure your settings, access the Video options within the game and choose your preferred upscaler: FSR or DLSS. This choice only configures the upscaling inputs received by the Optiscaler pipeline; you can derive an FSR 4 output from either option. Generally, selecting DLSS yields superior quality, though it may demonstrate instability in certain titles. Your mileage may vary.
Once you’ve made your selection, jump into gameplay and press the Insert key—this invokes Optiscaler’s menu by default.
Click on the XeSS option in the Upscalers section at the top left. This will reveal a drop-down menu featuring several choices.
Select “FSR 3. X w/Dx12, ”and then click on Change Upscaler. This action activates the interoperability layer for the upscaling pipeline with Vulkan.
Your setup is now finished! This should trigger FSR 4 upscaling automatically, as depicted below.
For an optimized experience with FSR Redstone frame generation, be sure to check out our detailed article.
Performance Testing
To gauge the performance differences between FSR 4 on DX12 and Vulkan, let’s examine Red Dead Redemption 2. This title is particularly well-suited for Optiscaler’s FSR 4 Vulkan implementation for multiple reasons. Notably, the anti-aliasing in this game is typically subpar, yielding a soft and blurry output reminiscent of lacking Temporal Anti-Aliasing. However, even though FSR 4 is feasible on DX12, this scenario isn’t ideal either, as users have reported stutter and frame time inconsistencies in specific areas—issues that Vulkan has been shown to bypass. Therefore, the optimal configuration for experiences in RDR2, particularly on a 9070XT, would be to leverage FSR 4 with the Vulkan API for the finest image output and the most fluid gameplay.
Utilizing RDR2 for performance analysis aligns with the focus of our discussion, as I’ll also illustrate how to set up Optiscaler for this game. The process is somewhat more intricate compared to other titles, primarily due to complications arising from Rockstar’s launcher with OptiPatcher. Let’s get started from the top, focusing on how to find the game installation directory.
Navigate to the game’s page in your library. Click the gear icon (indicated below), select Manage (2) > Browse Local Files (3).
Copy over the Optiscaler files you’ve downloaded, create a folder titled “plugins, ”and insert OptiPatcher. However, here’s a specific step you’ll need to take for RDR2. According to developer TheRazerMD, Rockstar’s game launcher can disrupt OptiPatcher, leading to a failure in spoofing DLSS inputs. If you proceed with the rest of the setup as usual (specifically, running windows_setup.bat), you may be unpleasantly surprised if the game fails to launch correctly. Fortunately, there’s a remedy: Ultimate ASI Loader. This tool helps ensure that plugins load correctly. You can download it here; simply download “dinput8.dll, ”extract it, and copy this.dll file into the RDR2 folder. Afterwards, you can continue with the Optiscaler installation via the setup script (windows_setup.bat) as previously detailed. In-game setup remains unchanged—just ensure you’re using DLSS inputs instead of FSR2.
For performance testing, I am utilizing Ultra settings at 4K resolution with FSR 4 set to Quality. Below are the specifications of my test system:
- i7 13700k
- 32GB DDR5 7200
- RX 9070XT Mercury
- 2x 1TB SN850X
- Liquid Freezer II 420MM
- Seasonic Focus GX 1000W
In a brief loop through Saint Denis, the DX12 mode averaged 88 FPS, which was about 10% quicker than Vulkan’s 80 FPS. Nonetheless, DX12 exhibited noticeable stuttering, whereas the Vulkan experience remained completely smooth, a distinction highlighted in the following frametime graphs.
Conclusion: Embracing the Optiscaler Advantage
Some readers might question the significance of FSR 4 on Vulkan, especially considering the scarcity of new AAA titles locked to this platform. With recent examples like Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, it seems limited. However, I acknowledge the argument; the obligation to utilize a mod for efficient upscaling is frustrating and unnecessary. It’s been nearly a year devoid of any communication from AMD about resolutions to these challenges. Users shouldn’t have to resort to modifications for an essential feature like upscaling, given its potential significance for RDNA 4 chipsets.
On a hopeful note, if you’re willing to invest some time in modding, Optiscaler empowers you to experience your favorite Vulkan-exclusive games with FSR 4 capabilities. Although there may be a slight performance hit, it remains insignificant enough to appreciate this feature’s benefits. In fact, I posit that Optiscaler is a must-have for anyone looking to optimize their experience in RDR2 with an RDNA 3 graphics card or newer. The enhancements in image quality provided by FSR 4, coupled with Vulkan compatibility, create a compelling argument for its use. Someday, perhaps, AMD will address these needs, and the necessity for Optiscaler will diminish. Until then, it seems I’ll continue to churn out articles on this mod.
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