I started getting NPC artifacting beginning in Wellsprings. I am running a custom configuration so I tested a few things with it.

Edit: I am also using the fixed AMD Rage Performance Driver. Endedit.

Computer specs:

Core i5 650 @ 3.2Ghz (Dual Core Hyperthreaded)
AMD Radeon 6870 1GB
8GB RAM
On-board audio

Windows 7 64-bit Service Pack 1 with all Windows Updates.

Here is the contents of my "rageconfig.cfg" file:

"""
cvaradd g_fov 10
seta com_videoRam "1024" //sets the Video Card memory Set this to the amount you have in MB
seta com_maxfps "60" //limits the frames to 60 can be changed to what you desire
seta image_anisotropy "16" //Using the highest setting here but you can set as 2, 4 or 8
seta image_usecompression "0"
seta image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR" //filtering for light maps
seta image_preload "1" //Use preload images when ever possible
//seta image_lodbias "-1" //LoD settings
seta image_ignoreHighQuality "0" //Sets up for using HQ gfx
seta image_ignoreLowQuality "1" //ignores the low textures
seta image_useCache "1" //Enabled Cache to allow the textures to load properly without popping
seta image_cacheMegs "125" //Cache size in Megabytes
seta image_cacheMinK "50" //Cache minimum size in kilobytes
seta r_swapInterval "1" //VSYNC 1 enabled, 0 diabled
seta r_useHighQualityPostProcess "1" //Fore High Quality post proccessing
seta r_shadowsHighQuality "1" //Fore High Quality shadows
seta r_displayRefresh "0" //keep it so the engine doesn't double render a frame
seta r_renderer "best" //highest rendering options
seta r_multiSamples "32" //Set this to 16 or 8 if you're having low-fps as 32 is the Max Multi-sampling
seta r_useHBAO "1" //Ambient occlusion
seta r_useRenderThread "0" // 0 Disable or 1 Enable threaded rendering useful for newer cards to increase performance.
seta r_visDistMult "1"
seta r_useMotionBlur "1" //use blur
seta r_skipBump "0"
seta r_skipSpecular "0"
seta r_skipNewAmbient "0"
seta r_shadows "1"
seta r_cgFragmentProfile "best"
seta r_cgVertexProfile "best"
//seta vt_lodBias "-1" //LoD settings
//below is cache settings
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly2 "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeunique "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizevmtr "8192"
vt_restart
"""

Notice I commented out:

//seta image_lodbias "-1" //LoD settings
and
//seta vt_lodBias "-1" //LoD settings

Once I have those two commented out I no longer get NPC artifacting in Wellsprings. Can someone else who is experiencing NPC artifacts (and hopefully is also using a similar configuration) try this too and see if it helps?

I've been getting terrible glitches on the NPCs in Wellsprings. The Mayor and Mechanic in particular, plus some random guards. I'll give it a try if I can ever get past the Mutant TV exit's loading screen.

Phenom II x4 4.0GHz
Radeon 2GB HD 6950
8GB RAM
Win 7 x64

Yeah my next quest is Mutant Bash TV too. Hope it doesn't crash at the end.

Adding more: Since I commented out those two settings I have absolutely NO NPC ARTIFACTS while walking around Wellsprings for a good 10 minutes.

Hi all! I have been spending more time complaining on various forums and messing with settings/fixes since monday night than actually playing the game. However, a gentlemen that goes by the nick "FusedCore" has compiled some nice configs that make night and day difference for the performance of Rage. Here is a link to the thread with the various configs. Link to steam forums

With this config I am enjoying the game very much. Credit to those who have helped determine which settings help the most. Also, don't forget to make a couple of folders so that you have the path C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\id software\rage on your hard drive. My rig is a Core 2 Duo E4500 with a 9800gtx+ graphics card, both overclocked. I have 4gb of ram and am running on Windows 7 x64.

here is what my Rageconfig.cfg contents are:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

seta com_videoRam "512" //sets the Video Card memory Set this to the amount you have in MB
seta com_maxfps "60" //limits the frames to 60 can be changed to what you desire
seta ui_fov "90" //PC FOV is 90-95 console is 65-70
seta image_anisotropy "8" //Using the highest setting here but you can set as 2, 4 or 8
seta image_usecompression 0
seta image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR" //filtering for light maps
seta image_preload "1" //Use preload images when ever possible
seta image_lodbias "-1" //LoD settings
seta image_ignoreHighQuality "0" //Sets up for using HQ gfx
seta image_ignoreLowQuality "1" //ignores the low textures
seta image_useCache "1" //Enabled Cache to allow the textures to load properly without popping
seta image_cacheMegs "125" //Cache size in Megabytes
seta image_cacheMinK "50" //Cache minimum size in kilobytes
seta r_swapInterval 0 //VSYNC 1 enabled, 0 diabled
seta r_useHighQualityPostProcess "1" //Fore High Quality post proccessing
seta r_shadowsHighQuality "0" //Fore High Quality shadows
seta r_displayRefresh "0" //keep it so the engine doesn't double render a frame
seta r_renderer "best" //highest rendering options
seta r_multiSamples "8" //Set this to 16 or 8 if you're having low-fps as 32 is the Max Multi-sampling
seta r_useHBAO "1" //Ambient occlusion
seta r_useRenderThread "0" // 0 Disable or 1 Enable threaded rendering useful for newer cards to increase performance.
seta r_visDistMult "1"
seta r_useMotionBlur "1" //use blur
seta r_skipBump "0"
seta r_skipSpecular "0"
seta r_skipNewAmbient "0"
seta r_shadows "1"
seta r_cgFragmentProfile "best"
seta r_cgVertexProfile "best"
seta vt_lodBias "-1" //LoD settings
//below is cache settings
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly2 "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeunique "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizevmtr "8192"
seta vt_maxlockedpages 256
seta vt_maxPPF 8 // set to 16 if running on a high end rig

Ok, changed both those settings to a "0" value. NPC artifacts in Wellspring is now gone for me. However, in Mutant Bash TV there was still flickering on the mutants.

I'm wary of doing this config fix, as I have everything ironed out other than the flickering with Steam launch options and Catalyst. Would you be able to paste in an exact copy of your config file without the descriptions?

EDIT: And with this file have you needed to set any launch options/force Vsync in Catalyst?

powermapler, here is my exact "rageconfig.cfg" file - minus the comments - (goes in "\steamapps\common\rage\base")

"""
cvaradd g_fov 10
seta com_videoRam "1024"
seta com_maxfps "60"
seta image_anisotropy "16"
seta image_usecompression "0"
seta image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR"
seta image_preload "1"
seta image_lodbias "0"
seta image_ignoreHighQuality "0"
seta image_ignoreLowQuality "1"
seta image_useCache "1"
seta image_cacheMegs "125"
seta image_cacheMinK "50"
seta r_swapInterval "1"
seta r_useHighQualityPostProcess "1"
seta r_shadowsHighQuality "1"
seta r_displayRefresh "0"
seta r_renderer "best"
seta r_multiSamples "32"
seta r_useHBAO "1"
seta r_useRenderThread "0"
seta r_visDistMult "1"
seta r_useMotionBlur "1"
seta r_skipBump "0"
seta r_skipSpecular "0"
seta r_skipNewAmbient "0"
seta r_shadows "1"
seta r_cgFragmentProfile "best"
seta r_cgVertexProfile "best"
seta vt_lodBias "0"
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly2 "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeunique "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizevmtr "8192"
seta vt_maxlockedpages "256"
seta vt_maxPPF "16"
vt_restart
"""
In this config, this setting:

seta r_swapInterval "1"

Forces v-sync unless you have it set to always off in the Catalyst Control Center.

This is exactly what I have which fixes NPC artifacts in Wellsprings for me. However I have to play more because as said Mutant Bash TV was bleeped.

Here's my launch options for RAGE:

"+com_skipIntroVideo 1"

Which just skips the intro.

Also, I have Catalyst Control Center 3D options set to Default. Click that button while you're in the CCC 3D settings pane to do so for yourself too if you like.

Interesting... Thanks for the post.

I'm going to try this out right now and post back.

Hmm. This doesn't seem to have worked for me. In fact, it reverts it back to what it was like before any tweaks. Poor framerate, texture pop-in, artifacts and all.

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/powermapler/RAGEConfigNofix.png

EDIT: Of course, my PC isn't like yours. It's a G73jh laptop which is significantly behind your setup. Not sure if this will make a difference in these results.

Darn it. Was hoping it would work for other people because it really is working for me. No more NPC artifacts in Wellsprings. I just did Shrouded Bunker and there were no NPC artifacts there either but I did have lighting issues on my weapon in a few spots (it would turn completely black).

I've been encountering the NPC issues myself and will give that config a go and see what happens.

I also have a G73 and can confirm this isn't working to fix the flickering. It seems with 'LoD' options removed, the 'dotted lines' in textures are visible

it really help a lot thank graph better and all...but the game continue to crash at loading...so

seta com_videoRam "512" //sets the Video Card memory Set this to the amount you have in MB
seta com_maxfps "60" //limits the frames to 60 can be changed to what you desire
seta ui_fov "90" //PC FOV is 90-95 console is 65-70
seta image_anisotropy "8" //Using the highest setting here but you can set as 2, 4 or 8
seta image_usecompression 0
seta image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR" //filtering for light maps
seta image_preload "1" //Use preload images when ever possible
seta image_lodbias "-1" //LoD settings
seta image_ignoreHighQuality "0" //Sets up for using HQ gfx
seta image_ignoreLowQuality "1" //ignores the low textures
seta image_useCache "1" //Enabled Cache to allow the textures to load properly without popping
seta image_cacheMegs "125" //Cache size in Megabytes
seta image_cacheMinK "50" //Cache minimum size in kilobytes
seta r_swapInterval 0 //VSYNC 1 enabled, 0 diabled
seta r_useHighQualityPostProcess "1" //Fore High Quality post proccessing
seta r_shadowsHighQuality "0" //Fore High Quality shadows
seta r_displayRefresh "0" //keep it so the engine doesn't double render a frame
seta r_renderer "best" //highest rendering options
seta r_multiSamples "8" //Set this to 16 or 8 if you're having low-fps as 32 is the Max Multi-sampling
seta r_useHBAO "1" //Ambient occlusion
seta r_useRenderThread "0" // 0 Disable or 1 Enable threaded rendering useful for newer cards to increase performance.
seta r_visDistMult "1"
seta r_useMotionBlur "1" //use blur
seta r_skipBump "0"
seta r_skipSpecular "0"
seta r_skipNewAmbient "0"
seta r_shadows "1"
seta r_cgFragmentProfile "best"
seta r_cgVertexProfile "best"
seta vt_lodBias "-1" //LoD settings
//below is cache settings
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly2 "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeuniquediffuseonly "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizeunique "8192"
seta vt_pageimagesizevmtr "8192"
seta vt_maxlockedpages 256
seta vt_maxPPF 16



PASTE all that in your rageconfig.cfg inside base folder

I gave the configuration a go and it seemed to lessen it to a degree, but it is definitely still there.

I copied moonSAAB's to the letter and while I did get one or two instances of artifacts with Coffer (I'm thinking it's something to do with how his hat bobs around; that seems to be what sets it off), all other NPCs (the Mayor and the first guard you encounter to the left upon entering Wellspring) have shown no evidences of artifacts or errors. Here's to hoping this holds up. I'll be sure to reply back if anything else changes.

EDIT: I suppose I spoke too soon, haha. While it lessened, or eliminated it, on those other NPCs, it would appear Mick is more then having artifact issues. It's Raiders of the Lost Ark all up on the poor man. I can ignore it, but it is an annoyance nonetheless.

EDIT #2: I am using an AMD 5850, Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz (Overclocking 20% to 3GHz), and have 4 Gb of RAM.

For those of you posting config settings that worked well for you, please include your specs and display resolution in your post.

Thanks for all of your effort. Everyone. But unfortunately this hasn't helped me:(

Game is running pretty much the same as before adjusting the config settings. I have a very similar system to the OP. Except Phenom II X4 955 3.2ghz quad core and HD 6850 card. Haven't tested the flickering yet. But still getting texture streaming and pop-in problems. And texture quality / framerate is no better than without the config file.

Pretty much ready to give up....

We shouldn't even have to do this stuff....

I bought a whole new PC to play this game.

What a letdown.

Flicking / artifacts are still SEVERE in mutant bash TV.

Just following up on what I said earlier: I just completed the mission where you and it seems my NPC artifacting has gone away completely. I haven't yet played Mutant Bash TV, so we'll find out what happens then, but for now everything is working flawlessly for me. I haven't changed anything at all with my settings since my last post, so this bug must be triggered by Dan's quest. Just thought I'd share my experience with this.