My game plays just fine with no issues after ATI driver 11.10 and rageconfig.cfg file. I'm already 9 hours into it and I couldn't be more happy with the game! But I do agree that the did drop the ball with not having the correct driver out earlier and not have the high texture pack/more graphic setting available at launch.
I can tell you, you are full of Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
Had several problems with 11.10
11.10 version 2 driver was much better, but the NPC's are still stuttering like crazy once you near subway town. + there's this weird blue texture bs that I see from time to time. There is also a slight graphical stuttering going on from time to time that is caused by openGL so I hear. My G35 and G15 need to use that opengl software so.... However... the stuttering in the game itself is practically non-existent. I mean it's so hard to tell that it isn't really an issue.
Mainly right now the game is working on a somewhat playable level for me. AFTER i used the 8k textures and after I changed the FoV to 95. But I'm still getting NPC stuttering problems and odd blue textures in distances.
My setup.
i7-2600k
Radeon hd 5970
DDR3 1600 8gigs