Half-Life 1: Ray Traced [Vulkan]

3D Vision fix for Half-Life 1: Ray Traced, which allows you to play the first Half-Life game with ray tracing. Last github release tested: 1.0.5a.

A GPU that supports ray tracing is required to make it work.

This fix is done only in frame sequential mode and not in single frame stereo, meaning that low fps will feel bad and unsynchronized between the eyes (because they are). Try to maintain 60fps or close to it.

For Nvidia GPUs, you need drivers newer than 452.06 (I used 531.41, so think about them as the minimum). With 452.06, the game will just refuse to run.

Fix in Vulkan done with Vk3DVision. You need to download Vk3DVision on its own, because the fix from this blog post is just the profile for the game.

For the different 3D outputs, check and configure the "Vk3DVision\Profiles\Half-Life RT\Vk3DVision.ini" file or read the Vk3DVision manual.

Note: I wasn't able to make it work in "3DVision" mode. It crashed at launch.

Fixed

• Ray tracing shaders.
• Partially fixed denoiser. With a hotkey to optionally disable it.
• Stereoized non RTX geometry.
• Stereoized volumetric lighting (in a sticky way).
• Lens flares and decals occlusion problems.
• Underwater distortion effect.

Known issues

• The denoiser fix is imperfect.
• The volumetric lighting fix is imperfect because it isn't "floating" in the air.

Installation

• Install Half-Life 1: Ray Traced and follow the instructions there to first make it run in 2D.
• I recommend running the game at least once first and configuring all the settings and output resolution.
• Download Vk3DVision and unzip it anywhere, if you don't have it already. Version 4.20.14 at the very least.
• Download this file and extract its contents in your "Vk3DVision\Profiles" folder, which comes with Vk3DVision.
• Open "Vk3DVision.exe" and then run the game exe, which should be called "xash3d.exe", or run the "xash3d-console.bat" if you also want to be able to change the FOV or load maps with the console. By default the presentation is configured as SBS_LEFT, because I couldn't get it to work in 3DVision. Open "Vk3DVision\Profiles\Half-Life RT\Vk3DVision.ini" and change the "Stereo3DViewMode = SBS_LEFT" line to what you need.
• Do not use any of these settings:
• NVIDIA DLSS
• AMD FSR 2.1
• Configure separation and convergence to your liking in "Vk3DVision.ini". Defaults are 100 and 0.16 respectively.

Recommendations

• Disable the "Lens dirt" option.
• The game is very demanding. You can either drop the "Window size" or use the "Vintage" option to use a lower internal resolution.

Hotkeys

• F1: toggle to disable the ray tracing denoiser.
• F7: toggle to put the crosshair at 95% depth. It's at screen depth by default to not affect menus.
• F8: 24 convergence toggle. It's at 16 convergence by default.
• 0 (not the numpad): radial blur toggle. Not disabled by default.

If you liked the fix and want to contribute for more future fixes, you can donate to this PayPal account: masterotakusuko@gmail.com

Or you can join my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/masterotaku