Reshade Ray Tracing Shader Rtgi 033 2021 Best -
The ReShade RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader, specifically version 0.33, was a significant update released in late 2021/early 2022 that introduced motion vectors to improve temporal stability and reduce ghosting.
Below is a guide for setting up and optimizing this specific version. 1. Requirements & Access Developer: Created by Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly).
Access: This version was typically accessed via Marty's Mods Patreon (Breakfast/Beta tier).
Hardware: Unlike native RTX, RTGI works on non-RTX cards (GTX, AMD) because it uses the game's depth buffer rather than dedicated hardware cores. 2. Installation Steps
Install ReShade: Download the latest version (or 4.9.1+ for 2021 compatibility) from ReShade.me. Run the installer, select your game's .exe, and choose the correct API (DirectX 11/12 or Vulkan). Add RTGI Files:
Locate your game's directory and find the reshade-shaders folder. reshade ray tracing shader rtgi 033 2021
Extract the RTGI .zip and drag the contents of the Shaders and Textures folders into the corresponding reshade-shaders/Shaders and reshade-shaders/Textures directories.
Launch & Activate: Press Home in-game to open the ReShade menu. Search for RTGI and check the box to enable it. 3. Critical Configuration: The Depth Buffer
RTGI will not work correctly (or at all) if your depth buffer is misconfigured.
Enable DisplayDepth: Turn on the DisplayDepth.fx shader. You should see a grayscale representation of the world.
If it's blank/broken: Go to the Add-ons (or DX11/DX12) tab in ReShade and try different depth buffer checkboxes until the image appears correctly. The ReShade RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader,
Common Fix: Disable in-game Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) as it often breaks depth access. 4. Version 0.33 Specific Optimization
Version 0.33 emphasizes the balance between performance and visual noise. Ray Amount & Step Amount: Performance: Ray Amount: 3 | Ray Step Amount: 6. Balanced: Ray Amount: 3 | Ray Step Amount: 9. Quality: Ray Amount: 5 | Ray Step Amount: 12+.
Motion Vectors: In version 0.33, ensuring motion vectors are correctly tracked helps the shader "remember" lighting from previous frames, significantly reducing flickering.
Denoising: Use the Spatial Filter (Preprocessor Definition: SPATIAL_FILTER=1) for a cleaner look at the cost of a small performance hit. ReShade 5.3 and RTGI 0.33 Update | August 2022
ReShade Ray Tracing Shader RTGI 0.3.3 (2021) Review No specular reflections – RTGI focused on diffuse GI only
The ReShade Ray Tracing Shader RTGI 0.3.3, released in 2021, is a cutting-edge shader designed to bring realistic ray tracing to a wider range of games and applications. Developed as part of the ReShade project, a popular tool among gamers and developers for enhancing graphics quality, this shader aims to integrate real-time ray tracing global illumination (RTGI) into compatible titles. Here’s a detailed review of its features, performance, and overall impact.
Limitations of v0.33 (as of 2021)
- No specular reflections – RTGI focused on diffuse GI only. Reflections required a separate shader (e.g., ReShade’s MXAO).
- Temporal lag – Moving the camera quickly caused ghosting or delayed light response.
- Setup complexity – Users had to manually install ReShade, enable depth buffer access, and tweak per-game settings to avoid UI/menu artifacts.
- No multiplayer support – Could trigger anti-cheat software (Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye).
RTGI 0.33 vs. Modern ReShade (2023+)
How does the 2021 build hold up against today's "Martyan" or "qUINT" shaders?
- RTGI 0.33 (2021): Stable, great performance, best for lighting bounce.
- IL (Illumination) 2023: Better reflections, but heavier performance.
- SSR (Screen Space Reflections): Better for mirrors, worse for lighting.
For most retro-fitting, version 0.33 remains the best "entry level" ray tracing mod. It hits the sweet spot of visual impact versus computational cost.
Before (Vanilla)
- A dark corner under a table is uniformly black.
- A red carpet spills light onto a ceiling? No—ceiling remains neutral gray.
- Shadows under a tree are harsh and solid.
9. Limitations and Artifacts
No shader is perfect, and v0.33 had known issues that users learned to live with:
- Light leaking: Because it only uses the depth buffer, thin objects (fences, hair) can let light pass through unrealistically.
- Ghosting: The temporal accumulation leaves trails behind fast-moving objects like helicopters or sprinting characters.
- Flickering halos: High-contrast edges sometimes shimmer when the ray sampler misses the surface.
- No reflections: This is GI only. For reflections, you needed a separate shader (like Marty's own "Reflective Bump Mapping").
Despite these flaws, v0.33 remained the most balanced release.