WATCH_DOGS2

Download the fix: https://s3.amazonaws.com/DarkStarSword/3Dfix-WATCH_DOGS2-1.6.7z

Update v1.6 (WATCH_DOGS2 v1.016.189 update)

• Re-fixed 3D targeting lines
• Re-adjusted 3D HUD
• Re-fixed reflections, etc. for WATCH_DOGS2 v1.016.189 update
• Re-enabled reflections of glass surfaces in screen space reflections (artefact causing game bug has been fixed)

Note that the old driver recommendations for SLI still stand - that is, if using SLI stick to 376.33 for a major performance boost. If that is not an option due to recent graphics cards, disable SLI in the control panel for a less impressive but still vitally important performance boost.

Driver 384.76 is known to cause a crash on launch (unrelated to the fix) - if getting a crash, downgrade to an older driver (376.33 is recommended).

Update v1.5 (WATCH_DOGS2 v1.09.154)

• Re-fixed shadows, etc. for WATCH_DOGS2 v1.09.154 update
• Fixed new rediculous shadow map size being stereoised (3DMigoto update)
• Disabled compatibility mode that was added in the 378.48 driver
• Scripted fixes applied to all (1.4GB!) shaders found in the patch.dat file, not just those seen used so far. Should fix Ansel in all circumstances along with any other shadows, reflections, etc. that might have been missing in any rare circumstances.
• Fix is now distributed as a 7z file to keep the filesize down (it would have been a 150MB zip file, compared to a 7MB 7z file. You can use 7-zip to extract it).
• Fixed road dirt decals (happened to notice they were out while taking an ultra-high convergence screen shot with the quad copter)

Update v1.4

• HUD kill switch will now also kill target lines and object highlights
• Fixed footprint decal on sand (didn't notice this was broken because it was invisible)
• Fixed road line decals hovering a few millimetres above surface
• Returned security lasers to correct depth (was caught by the heat distortion fix)
• Added spider crosshair and weapon heat guage to auto adjust list
• Disabled white light glitch fix that caused problems in at least one air vent in the final mission
• Removed artefacts in screen space reflections caused by a game bug in 1.09

Update v1.3 (WATCH_DOGS2 v1.09)

• Re-fixed reflections, etc. for WATCH_DOGS2 v1.09 update
• Fixed an issue where glass bottles would be moved to crosshair depth after flying into them with the quad copter.
• Removed leaf disable key (no further reports of leaves desynchronising, so I don't think the kill switch is necessary any more)
• Added very low convergence presets on alt+~ and ctrl+~ for ATM cameras, satellites, etc.
• Added yet another crosshair
• Fixed the "bright white glitch" at particular light volume boundaries (most notably, one of the cameras on the barge is positioned right on one of these boundaries in the Shanghaied mission)
• Fixed distant lights reflection in a blackout
• Added HUD kill switch on Ctrl+F2 for better screenshots
• Added lens grit kill switch on Ctrl+Shift+F2

Update v1.2

• Fixed several crossairs: Sniper scope, Grenade launcher, X hit indicator, red crosshairs
• Moved bullets and Police sniper laser back to 3D (was caught by a HUD adjustment)
• Fixed a few minor issues on the horizon & around sun

Update v1.1

• Fixed clipping on thick San Francisco volumetric fog
• Fixed another type of fog - should make fog 3D under all weather conditions
• Fixed more instances of 2D transparent effects in nethack vision (glass panels on the Temple of New Dawn glass & shrink wrap)
• Fixed wrong reflections on some hair
• Fixed blood decals
• Fixed brick decals floating a few millimetres above pavement with shadows falling through them.
• Added shotgun crosshair to auto adjust list
• Fixed glow of sun/moon when viewed through the thick San Francisco fog
• Fixed steam explosions

Fixed

• Flickering HUD (render target redirection to work around game + driver bug)
• Accurate Screen Space Reflections (first ever accurate SSR fix for 3D Vision!)
• Accurate Specular Highlights
• Environmental reflections
• Some 2D objects in reflections
• Lights
• Regular Shadows
• PCSS Shadows
• HFTS Shadows
• HBAO+ Normal Map Artefacts
• Decals
• Skybox
• Light flares
• Volumetric Fog
• Police Helicopter Searchlight
• Water refraction
• Added an automatic stereo crosshair
• Added an automatic/manual crosshair toggle
• Added a static HUD depth adjustment
• Added a 3D HUD depth bias
• Adjusted lens grit depth
• Synchronised leaves, grass, bushes, etc. between both eyes
• Fixed the "strange blue glitch" at light volume boundaries
• Targetting lines
• Lighting on walls in nethack vision
• Glass panels in nethack vision
• "Fake" building interiors (lights through windows render at correct depth)
• Partial fix for NVIDIA Ansel mode (see below)

Installation

1. Extract the 7z file under WATCH_DOGS2\bin (7-Zip and WinRAR can open 7z files)

2. Launch the game. The first time you run it (and again after any driver update) you will get a UAC prompt for Rundll32 to install the driver profile - choose yes.

The game has mostly been tested using the 376.33 driver. It may work on others, but if you run into problems, try that driver first. If using SLI this is NOT OPTIONAL, as more recent drivers have a MASSIVE performance regression!

Driver 384.76 is known to cause a crash on launch (unrelated to the fix) - if getting a crash, downgrade to an older driver (376.33 is recommended).

Do not set pixel density higher than 1.30 (There is a report that it breaks the sky box).

Keys

• K: Cycle between three crosshair modes: auto (enabled only when aiming), on and off.

• ~: Toggle between two convergence presets for cutscenes and gameplay.

• Alt ~: Switch to a lower convergence preset for some cutscenes

• Ctrl ~: Switch to an even lower convergence preset for ATM cameras, satellites and one or two other cases where the other convergence presets are too high.

• F2: Cycle between several preset HUD depths

• Ctrl F2: Kill HUD (for screenshots. Don't try the menu while the HUD is killed ;-)

• Ctrl Shift F2: Kill lens grit (for 3D screenshots, especially when using the 1st person camera with the scratch grit pattern)

Note about anti-cheat software

This game uses anti-cheat software that is running even while in single player.

As far as we know our 3D fixes have never triggered a ban with these type of services, but if you play with it enabled you do so at your own risk.

If you want to be on the safe side you can disable it by launching the game with the -eac_launcher option. If you are launching through UPlay you can go into the properties page for the game and use "Add launch arguments" to add this. If done correctly you will get a message when the game launches that the anti cheat software is not installed and multiplayer will be unavailable.

HUD Depth

To change the depth of the 2D HUD, edit the d3dx.ini and change the value for x and y in the [Constants] section - x sets the depth when the mouse cursor is NOT visible, and y sets it when the mouse cursor IS visible. 0 is screen depth, 1 is infinity, negative numbers pop out. You can also specify several preset values to cycle between with the F2 key by editing the [KeyHUDDepth] section.

There are also separate adjustments for 3D HUD elements in z and w. The units are convergence override values, so higher values bring the HUD closer and lower values push it deeper (0 is infinity). z sets the convergence override when the mouse cursor is hidden, and this adjustment will also have a bias applied to line it up with any 2D HUD adjustments. w sets the 3D HUD convergence override when the mouse cursor is visible, and does NOT have a bias (the idea being that when the mouse cursor is visible you want the HUD near screen depth where the mouse cursor is).

Lens Grit

The lens grit texture has been moved to depth to look better. The depth can be adjusted with y2 in the d3dx.ini, or disabled by pressing Ctrl+Shift+F2 or setting y2 = -1.

NVIDIA Ansel Mode

This is one of the games supported by NVIDIA Ansel, which allows you to position the camera, adjust the FOV, etc. and take various types of screenshots. Press Alt+F2 in game to pause the game and bring up Ansel HUD, then move the camera with WASD, Z, X and rotate by holding the left mouse button and use the HUD to adjust other controls.

The various screenshot options provided by Ansel should all work fine, but personally I find the stereo screenshot option to be lacking (no off-center projection and very little depth), but you can just use it to position the camera then take a stereo screenshot with Alt+F1 (beware the 100 screenshot limit if you aren't using my auto rename script).

To remove the Ansel HUD for better screenshots in this mode, open the d3dx.ini, search for "Ansel" and uncomment the two ShaderOverride sections. Back in game press F10 to reload the config and voila - no HUD :) Note that the various filters Ansel provides only work in one eye in this game.

Known Issues

• Fog from steam vents is falsely obscured when an object is in front of them, which can lead to be being shaded differently in each eye. This is a game bug that occurs in 2D as well.
• Police search lights clip momentarily as the camera passes through the boundary of the light cone. Probably only noticeable if you freeze the game with Ansel.
• There are a few rare spots in the game where the lighting goes bright white as the camera passes through a specific point - most of these are very small and barely noticeable, but there a camera on the barge in the Shanghaied mission that is positioned right on one of these glitches which is much more severe. The fix for these is disabled, as it causes other issues in an airvent in the final mission.
• The above mentioned airvent in the final mission still has one artefact present (caused by the "strange blue glitch" fix), but it is relatively minor (and the blue glitch was prominent throughout the whole game).

Side-by-Side / Top-and-Bottom Output Modes

This fix is bundled with the new SBS / TAB output mode support in 3DMigoto. To enable it, edit the d3dx.ini, find the [Present] section and uncomment (remove the semicolon) the line that reads:

run = CustomShader3DVision2SBS

Then, in game press F11 to cycle output modes. If using 3D TV Play, set the nvidia control panel to output checkerboard to remove the 720p limitation.

Like my Work?

Modding games takes a lot of time and effort, not to mention the work I do behind the scenes improving our tools and helping others. If you like what I do, consider supporting me on Patreon for a recurring donation or Paypal for a one off.

This mod is created with 3DMigoto (by Bo3b, Chiri & myself) and uses Flugan's assembler