How to run in DX 8 mode

[Udders]

A few people have commented to me recently that they get alot of graphics lag in game and so I have suggested that they run the game in directx 8 mode instead of directx 9 which is the games default setting.

The game will look a little different especially ubered people ( they arnt all shiny ) but for the most part its the same and for those with older graphics cards it will definitely help out alot.

For example I have an old p4 with a nvidia 5600 and I dont have any issues with graphic lag at all.

So here is how you do it.....

1 ) Start steam
2 ) Goto the My Games tab
3 ) Right click on Team Fortress 2 and from the menu that pops up pick properties
4 ) Click Set Launch Options
5 ) In the box that pops up enter -dxlevel 80 ( remember to include the minus sign )
6 ) Click Ok
7 ) Start Team Fortress 2

Once the game has started you will notice that all your graphics settings have returned to their default values. Go through them and set them as you want them again but chances are you wont know what you want to change until you get ingame and see what kind of performance you get.

Now this is the important step......

8 ) Once you have closed Team Fortress 2 you need to remove the -dxlevel 80 from the launch options. If you do not take it away , every time you start TF2 again it will change your graphics settings back to the default again.
So.....

9 ) Right click Team Fortress 2 again in your My Games tab and pick properties.
10 ) Click launch options
11 ) Delete the -dxlevel 80
12 ) Click ok
13 ) And your done.

Every time you start TF2 from that point on you will be running the game in directx 8 mode and it will remember your settings.
Enjoy you less graphic laggy games.

Please note though , if you ever upgrade your graphics card you will have to force it back to directx level 9 mode by repeating these steps but instead of -dxlevel 80 you use -dxlevel 90

Hope this helps some of you out.

[The Verge]

I think I had mine set to this when I first started playing... I went over my friends house and I played and saw that the Ubers were shiny and I was like OMFG

Then I bought a better graphics card.

[NightLinks]

Good stuff udders,

The same instructions apply to counter-strike:source if people are having video lag then lowering your dx to dx8 will help.

[Drake]

im pretty sure this wont work if your running on vista because vista doesn't support DX 8 at all

[Cloudsgirl]

Thanks so much Udders, I will try this at home when I get a chance.

I don't mind if Ubers arn't shiny, I just don't like my pictures all distorted >.<

[Moron]

thanks udders ill try that on my crappy card



EDIT:

yeah didnt work =(

[Cloudsgirl]

Hey, I think it actually worked! I'm not laggin anymore

Thanks again Udders

[Udders]

Originally Posted by Drake

im pretty sure this wont work if your running on vista because vista doesn't support DX 8 at all

Yup works on Vista , I have had to set my tf2 on my vista machine to dx 8 mode as even though its a duel core and can handle the game ok , the graphics card ( as its a damn laptop ) is only capable of running software dx9 and lags bad graphically.

Putting it in dx 8 even on vista made it run sweet .

Originally Posted by Cloudsgirl

Hey, I think it actually worked! I'm not laggin anymore

Thanks again Udders

Glad it helped you out

[StabMasterArson]

worked wonders over here on vista, thanks uddders