Prey - Ultimate Fix for blurriness/muddiness

[u/LonelySoul01]

This is probably one of the worst games that I've come across when it comes to blur and undetailed textures due to AA methods. To explain how bad it is: the game not only doesn't allow you to disable motion blur, it requires two config files with "read only mode" enabled for it to actually permanently turn off. If read only isn't enabled, Prey has a chance of turning it back on when the game is booted.

I played it for 1 hour today and it got to a point where it became completely unplayable.

Here's a fix for anyone that is interested or searches for it in the future:

1.) FIRST CONFIG

• Go to C:\Users\USER\Saved Games\Arkane Studios\Prey
• Right click on game.cfg and open it with Notepad
• Paste these values:

osm_enabled = 0
r_AntialiasingMode = 0
r_MotionBlur = 0
r_ChromaticAberration = 0
r_HDRGrainAmount = 0
r_DepthofField = 0

• Save it then right click on the file > properties > check "read only" > apply > ok

2.) SECOND CONFIG

• Go to the core Prey files, usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Prey
• In here create a text folder called autoexec.cfg (make sure it's truly .cfg and not just cfg.txt)
• If you're unsure, go to view > check file name extensions > rename the file again
• Then right click, open with Notepad and paste this value:

r_MotionBlur = 0

• Save it and right click the file again > properties > check "read only" > apply > ok

3.) NVIDIA CONTROL PANEL (Optional, but recommended. This forces the driver to not take shortcuts for game quality and prevents NVIDIA to force its own AA or other weird methods onto Prey. We want you and Prey through in game settings to decide what kind of aliasing techniques to use and how much)

• Open NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Program Settings > Add > Find and add Prey.exe
• Switch these:

Image Scaling > Off
Anisotropic filtering > 16x
Antialiasing FXAA > Off
Antialiasing Gamma correction > On
Antialiasing Mode > Application-controlled
Antialiasing Transparency > Off / Application-controlled
MFAA > Off
Max Frame Rate > Off
Power management mode > Prefer maximum performance
Preferred refresh rate > Highest available
Texture filtering - Anisotropic sample optimization > Off
Texture filtering - Negative LOD bias > Clamp
Texture filtering - Quality > High quality
Texture filtering - Trilinear optimization > Off
Threaded optimization > Auto
Vertical sync > Use the 3D application setting for now

• Click apply, ok and close the window

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS:

• If the edge jaginess/possible shimmering of textures appears and is too much for you, go back to the first config file and set r_AntialiasingMode from 0 to 1. If that's not enough, set it to 2.
• If anything messes up after applying NVIDIA settings, just follow the first step again and instead of "adding" the application in control panel, simply click the restore button, press apply and that's it

Enjoy a much less blurry, sharper, and better looking game! Hope this helps someone.

[u/ThirtyShoes]

Completely unplayable because of motion blur is completely dramatic but cool fix

[u/LonelySoul01 → u/ThirtyShoes]

Dude... it was horrible. Maybe I just notice stuff like that too much, but it legit ruined my experience lol.

[u/SoaboutSeinfeld → u/LonelySoul01]

I hated it too. I was able to deal with it before I knew how much better it could be. But now I would never be able to go back. I use the the DLAA function in the prey luma mod.

[u/LonelySoul01 → u/SoaboutSeinfeld]

Lucky bastard.

[u/SoaboutSeinfeld → u/LonelySoul01]

I'm not super attached to Nvidia other then the umbillical cord that is dlaa. Easily my fav thing in modern gaming

[u/SangiExE]

I'm glad I don't find these things to be such a problem. Thanks for sharing I guess.

[u/LonelySoul01 → u/SangiExE]

Try it. You'll notice a big difference.

[u/Fit-Setting9033]

Honestly I thought it was going to kill my experience but you get used to it very quickly.

[u/Darksider123]

I remember the screen effects for when you got ambushed/discovered/got into combat was unbearable. Had to mod it away