Ultimate Graphics Configuration File 2026

Back in 2017 there were certain limitations. 

There's no need for either low quality details, or ugly fog to cover them anymore!This preset comes from a process I started over 5 years ago, using a very hands-on approach: changing a value in the file, launching the game, taking a screenshot, comparing it to the previous one, repeating line by line.

Dozens of iterations were needed to understand what each engine parameter did, along with cross-referencing with other Nexus Mod ELEX presets.

I'm revisiting the file with hardware far superior to what I had back then, so many of the caps that made sense no longer apply.

The goal of this revision isn't simply "higher = better," but to remove the artificial caps that the game imposes by default, even in its Ultra preset, where a modern GPU can handle it without any real cost to the framerate.

INSTALLATIONSimply extract the file and replace the original ConfigDefault.xml located at \Games\ELEX\data\ini

- I also uploaded the original ConfigDefault.xml (from ELEX (v1. 0. 2981. 0 Build 427388) in case you need a backup.

- This file is 100% compatible with any ELEX mod

CHANGELOG What's modified and what does it do?

## 1. (<Debug>`)

TestMode: true → false

LogFilterLevel: normal → error

LoggingVerbosity: 5 → 1

The original file had the engine's internal test mode enabled with logging at the highest possible level (5). This is a development build configuration, not for an end user—it involves constant disk writes and logging overhead on every frame. Disabling `TestMode` and lowering the verbosity to just errors (`1` / `error`) eliminates this overhead without affecting the visuals. It's the only change on this list that's a pure gain with no downsides.

## 2. (`<Shadows>`)

Global Quality: High → Ultra

TerrainShadowMapCount:        4      → 5

DetailShadowMapViewRange: 20000 → 30000

DetailShadowMapSize:          2048 → 4096

TerrainShadowMapSize:        1024 → 4096

DetailShadowMapSplitFactor:  0. 08 → 0. 1

DetailShadowMapCount:        4      → 5

TerrainShadowMapMaxDistance:  800000 → 1200000

PerspectiveShadows:          false → true

CachedShadowMapWidth/Height:  8192→ 4096

SSAOQuality: 3

This is the core of the shadow change:

- `DetailShadowMapSize` 2048→4096 and `TerrainShadowMapSize` 1024→4096: quadruples/doubles the shadow texture resolution for both detail objects and terrain. This results in much sharper shadow edges, especially noticeable on vegetation and mid-range structures—where the original showed visible "steps" at the shadow edge.

````` - `TerrainShadowMapMaxDistance` 800000→1200000 and `DetailShadowMapViewRange` 20000→30000: Shadows no longer "appear out of nowhere" near the camera and are generated at a much greater distance. This is one of the most noticeable changes while playing: less shadow pop-in on the horizon.

- `TerrainShadowMapCount`/`DetailShadowMapCount` 4→5 and `DetailShadowMapSplitFactor` 0. 08→0. 1: An additional cascade in the shadow mapping and a slightly different distribution between cascades, which reduces shadow aliasing in the transition between the near and far cascades.

- `PerspectiveShadows` false→true: Enables perspective shadow projection instead of pure orthographic shadows for the nearest cascade — significantly improves the effective shadow resolution on the character and immediate objects.

- `CachedShadowMapWidth/Height` 8192→4096: This is the only deliberate reduction in the entire block, and it's intentional for efficiency, not due to hardware limitations. The cached shadow map (the one covering large, static areas of the world) doesn't need the same resolution as the dynamic detail shadow map — 8192 in the cache makes a virtually imperceptible difference on screen compared to 4096, but it doubles VRAM and memory bandwidth consumption . Lowering it here frees up space to invest in the increases above (or maybe a reshade preset? wink wink) at no net cost.

## 3.  (`<Fog>`) — Intentional change

Global Quality: High → Ultra

<Ultra Depth="4" SizeFactor="1" MaxViewRange="55000. 0f" ExpDistributionBias="128"/>

ELEX's volumetric fog system, in its default setting, applies a dense, long-range fog that produces a very pronounced whi