Changelog

All notable changes to these presets will be documented in this file.

[4.1.5] - 2025-08-03

Refined Photo Mode - First Person and Photo Mode - Third Person presets to align them more closely with the visual philosophy of the newer Photo Mode - Ultra preset.
- Adjusted color grading and bloom settings for a more balanced and cinematic look, reducing harsh highlights and improving color harmony.
- Tweaked ambient occlusion parameters to provide softer, more natural-looking contact shadows and depth.
- These changes enhance visual quality while maintaining the original performance profile and the distinct Depth of Field characteristics of each preset.

Added a new pixel hash to ReshadeEffectShaderToggler.ini to prevent effects from rendering on top of ally/enemy nameplates and health bars, improving UI clarity during combat.

Overhauled the Photo Mode - Ultra preset to fix shadow rendering artifacts and create a more natural, balanced visual presentation. Key adjustments include:
- Revised shadow and ambient occlusion settings for softer, more realistic depth.
- Tweaked color grading and bloom to reduce harshness and improve overall harmony.
- Rebalanced sharpening and denoising for enhanced clarity without introducing artifacts.

Added new screenshots to the README.md to showcase the updated visuals of the Photo Mode - Ultra preset.

Added two new pixel hashes to ReshadeEffectShaderToggler.ini to ensure that effect packages no longer render on top of NPC speech bubbles. This minor update further improves UI clarity during gameplay.

Updated pSSDOFadeEnd to 0.350000 and pSSDOFadeStart to 0.100000 for PPFX_SSDO.fx in all presets. This adjustment ensures that shadows rendered by SSDO gradually fade closer to the player’s character than before, resulting in more natural shadow transitions.

REST (ReshadeEffectShaderToggler) is now required for all presets. This add-on ensures that ReShade effects no longer affect the Guild Wars 2 UI.
REST can be downloaded from https://github.com/4lex4nder/ReshadeEffectShaderToggler.
Updated the installation instructions and required effect packages/add-ons list in the README to include REST and copying your working ReshadeEffectShaderToggler.ini into the Guild Wars 2 folder.
With this change, all effect packages used by the presets will no longer affect the UI, providing a cleaner and more immersive experience.

Introduced Always On - Medium and Always On - Low presets, each available in DOF (Depth of Field) and No DOF variants.
These new presets are designed to expand accessibility for users with lower-spec hardware, those seeking higher FPS, or anyone preferring a more minimal ReShade experience.
Performance:
- Always On - Medium: Offers approximately 10-20 more FPS compared to Always On - High.
- Always On - Low: Offers approximately 20-40 more FPS compared to Always On - High.
All Always On presets now cover a wider range of hardware and performance needs, making them suitable for both high-end and lower-end systems, as well as users prioritizing smooth gameplay.

Released Photo Mode - Ultra: a major overhaul and next-generation upgrade to the First Person photo preset, designed for maximum visual fidelity and screenshot artistry.

Cinematic Visuals: Ultra delivers a painterly, dreamlike look with soft, diffused lighting, pronounced god rays, and lush, harmonious color grading. Volumetric fog and advanced bloom effects create a magical, ethereal atmosphere perfect for fantasy screenshots.
Atmosphere & Depth: The new effect stack enhances depth and immersion, with subtle haze and light scattering that make environments feel alive and three-dimensional.
Technique Overhaul: Ultra introduces a revised and expanded set of effects, including new cinematic shading, advanced bloom layers, volumetric fog, reflective bump mapping, and multiple anti-aliasing methods. Several older effects were removed or replaced for a cleaner, more modern look.
Sharpening & Noise: Sharpening and denoising are carefully balanced for clarity without harshness, with new sharpening methods and reduced noise for a cleaner, more photographic image.
Artistic Focus: Every frame is tuned for screenshot artistry—colors are vivid but balanced, details are crisp without harshness, and the overall presentation is clean and free of distracting artifacts.

Performance: Ultra is more demanding than previous presets and is intended for high-end screenshots and showcase moments, not regular gameplay. For everyday use, continue to use the Always On or standard Photo Mode presets.

Created EFFECTS.md with a comprehensive breakdown of all effect packages and shaders used in the presets. Includes purpose, key settings, and tips for tweaking visuals or performance.

Expanded and clarified the “FOV & Camera Tips” section in README.md with more detailed advice on camera controls, composition, and screenshot techniques.
Updated hardware recommendations and performance notes in README.md for both Photo Mode and Always On presets.

Renamed the existing Standard - First Person Photos and Standard - Third Person Photos presets to Photo Mode - First Person and Photo Mode - Third Person for clarity.
Introduced a new set: Always On presets. The first release includes High spec variants:
- Always On - High - DOF (Depth of Field enabled)
- Always On - High - No DOF (Depth of Field disabled)
Always On presets are designed for high performance (60+ FPS) on modern hardware:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13700HX or AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 7600M
- RAM: 16 GB DDR5
- Storage: SSD with 10+ GB free
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Performance Target: 1080p @ 60+ FPS with all effects enabled
User testing on a system with Intel i7-8700K, 32GB RAM, and RTX 2080 Ti reported:
- Without DOF: 90-75 FPS
- With DOF: 80-60 FPS
Always On presets deliver roughly double the FPS of the Photo Mode presets, making them ideal for everyday gameplay with high visual fidelity.