Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Optimization Guide

Introduction

Flintlock: Siege of Dawn has recently launched on Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and consoles. Despite its average visuals (without ray-tracing), the game puts a significant strain on modern GPUs. Even the powerful GeForce RTX 4090 struggles to maintain 40 FPS at 4K with the “Best” quality settings. In this optimization guide, we’ll explore the impact of each graphics option on performance and quality.

Windows/System Settings to Optimize

1. Enable Resizable BAR (SAM): Resizable BAR grants the CPU full access to the GPU’s memory bus, improving performance. Ensure your system supports it.
2. Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling and Windowed Optimizations: Enable these options in Windows settings for smoother performance.
3. Xbox Game Bar and Game Mode: Enable Game Mode and set your power plan to “High Performance.”
4. Overclock Your Graphics Card: Safely overclock your GPU using tools like MSI Afterburner.
5. Enable XMP/EXPO Memory Profile: Optimize memory performance with pre-tested frequencies and timings.

PC System Requirements

• Base Specifications:
  • CPU: Quad-core Ryzen 3 3300X
  • GPU: GeForce GTX 1060/Radeon RX 580 (6 GB+)
  • Memory: 8 GB
  • Storage: 30 GB
• Recommended Specifications:
  • CPU: Ryzen 5 3600X
  • GPU: GeForce RTX 2060 Super/Radeon RX 5700 (8 GB+)
  • Memory: 16 GB

Resolution & Graphics Quality Presets

• At “Best” settings:
  • 1080p: 159 FPS
  • 1440p: 112 FPS
  • 4K: 38 FPS
• Going from 2 million (FHD) to 8 million pixels (UHD) results in a fair 4x performance drop. However, the 3x framerate deficit between QHD and UHD is notable.

Graphics Settings Impact

1. View Distance & Foliage Distance (LOD Scaling): Mildly affects performance (6-8% reduction at “Best” settings).
2. Postprocessing & Effects Quality:
   • Postprocessing: “Low” runs 7-8% faster than “Best.”
   • Effects Quality: Drastically impacts performance (up to 21% reduction at “Best”).
3. Shadow Quality: Most intensive setting (up to 62% reduction).
4. Upscaling & Frame Generation (DLSS & XeSS):
   • DLSS “Quality” improves performance by 2.4x.
   • XeSS slightly slower but offers an “Ultra Quality” preset.
5. Field of View Scaling: Nominal performance impact.
6. CPU Bottlenecks: Primarily GPU-bound, with minimal CPU impact.
7. Textures & VRAM Usage:
   • 4K “Best” uses close to 10 GB VRAM.
   • QHD uses up to 7.3 GB VRAM.

Recommended Settings

Hardware Recommendations

• CPU (High-end): Core i9-12900K/Ryzen 7 7700X
• GPU (High-end): RTX 4070 Ti Super/RX 7900 XT
• Memory: 32GB (dual-channel)

Remember to adjust settings based on your system’s capabilities. Happy gaming!