Quick answer
Use Steam requirements first, then tune for stable frame rate and visibility. Treat every settings recommendation as a starting point until Early Access performance is tested on real hardware.
Practical settings order
- Confirm your PC meets Steam minimum or recommended specs.
- Lower effects and other non-visibility-heavy options before changing shadows or foliage.
- Use recording settings that preserve 1080p 60 FPS only if your GPU headroom allows it.
- Compare Low and Potato shadows in the same scene before choosing the lowest preset.
- Recheck after patches.
What to tune first
| Goal | First adjustment |
|---|---|
| Stable FPS | Lower effects and other non-visibility-heavy options before changing shadows or foliage. |
| Better visibility | Reduce settings that add visual noise, then check whether enemies remain readable in woods and urban areas. |
| Recording gameplay | Keep the game stable first; recording quality should not cost the fight. |
| Competitive clarity | Favor consistent frame pacing without removing shadows or cover cues that affect whether players can be seen. |
| Troubleshooting after patches | Re-test one setting group at a time instead of changing everything at once. |
Do Potato shadows create an advantage?
August Closed Beta comparisons reported that Potato shadows removed shadows that remained present on Low, especially around windows and cover. Because that can change player visibility, do not treat shadows as a free performance slider.
Use Graphics fairness to compare Low and Potato in the current build. If the visibility difference still appears, Low is the safer starting point when your PC can sustain it.
Recording advice
For guide footage, stable 1080p is usually more useful than a higher-resolution recording with stutter. Use a short test clip in a busy fight, check audio, inspect text readability, and only then record a full session.
Settings advice scope
A useful settings page should focus on stable FPS, visibility, recording quality, and hardware notes. Universal FPS presets and benchmark tables need hands-on build testing.
Sources
- WARDOGS on Steam for current minimum and recommended PC requirements.
- Potato shadows should be removed for fairness for the Closed Beta shadow comparison.