I can't handle highest- what GFX settings are most important?

[SHRPidisarmu]

My rig cannot handle highest details... I can handle "HIGH" details in most settings and medium in some.

What settings have the biggest effects on image quality?

I have several questions:

1) What does post processing do? How do the different settings differ in far cry 2?
2) What does AMBIENT do? How do the different settings differ in far cry 2?
3) Terrain QUALITY? (I cannot see a difference between low and very high for some reason.
4) Vegetation quality? Not much difference between ultra, and low.... what setting do you recommend?
5) I cannot see a big difference between SHADERS on high and on ULTRA HIGH.... What is the difference?
6) Geometry detail- I keep that on high... I don't care much for uber high poly counts for models- my buddy's breasts aren't going to get any rounder methinks.


I am going to keep textures on ultra high, and resolution at native. (NON-native resolution always looks like sh*t on an LCD monitor.)


PS: Could ubisoft tweak the water shader in a patch? You could steal the water shader from FAR CRY 1 perhaps. I think it look MUCH better than the current one... not just because it looks more clear- but also because of the shore effects and the wave effects. The far cry 2 water shader reminds me of Command and Conquer RENEGADE (which was released in 2002!!!!)

See- renegade water: This is a screenshot- in game, it would have a fading/shining effect that makes it IDENTICAL to the FC2 water (minus the water reflections)
http://www.renhelp.net/Tutorials/TUT_Realistic_Water/IMAGE014.JPG

[Armored-Hoplite]

There is an article on this from Gamespot, this should help a little. Mouse over settings to see differences:


http://www.gamespot.com/features/6200616/index.html

Post Processing is not covered but in general terms it used to enhance image quality, from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_post-processing

Wish I had a more direct description for you but...

I also don't have definitive answer on ambient, but the word sugggests the quality of things like flocks of birds, leaves/things blowing around in the wind, dust clouds drifting by, etc. (which are all included in FC2)

As you said, there is little difference between high and ultra high more often than not. usually the ones that may make a difference are texture quality, shaders, and post processing. Unfortunately these will often cause a more severe hit to frame rates.

Often the difference in something like vegetation or terrain is the actual density, rather than the quality. Geometry is also another one that often adds objects, as in gamespot article, you can see that trees have vines hanging down on higher settings, but do not on lower settings. Hence, things like terrain, vegetation, and geometry may be more of a hit on your CPU and memory, rather than your GPU, whereas shaders, AA, AF, post processing, etc. are more GPU intensive. This used to be more polarized, but with so much memory on GPU's these days, the lines may be coming closer together.

Hope this helps.