Applies to: Windows and Linux
Topic: Launcher and Azimuth
Azimuth 1.0 changed a lot under the hood. Many people find it heavier than 0.9.10, and some settings are experimental. Start from the safe settings below and raise them one at a time.
Where the settings are
Azimuth's graphics settings are set before the game starts. In the FH2MP launcher, click the arrow next to PLAY and choose Start with Azimuth settings. Without the launcher, use the Azimuth window that opens when you start azimuth.exe.
Safe settings
1. Choose the Default preset. It matches the Xbox One and is the most tested.
2. Cap the frame rate at 60. Anything above 60 is experimental and can break physics, cutscenes and effects.
3. Keep Ultra off. Ultra scenery detail and distance cause objects to vanish or flicker close up.
4. If it still stutters, try V-Sync off with the frame cap set to your monitor's refresh rate.
The settings that cost the most are shadow detail, shadow redraw and reflections (High and Ultra reflections update mirrors every frame). Car detail, texture filtering and motion blur cost little.
Stutter in the first minutes
Azimuth compiles shaders while you play, so the first drive through a new area can stutter. It gets better the more you play.
If stutter stays after an Azimuth update, close the game and delete everything in Azimuth's cache folder, then let it rebuild.
The picture is darker since Azimuth 1.0
Azimuth 1.0 applies a tone curve that makes the game darker with more contrast. Raise Brightness in the game's video settings (for example from 50 to 60). If you have an HDR monitor, set up HDR in Azimuth's settings.
Red or green blocks, shadow flicker, missing props
•Red or green squares in reflections or bloom: a known problem on some Intel GPUs with older Azimuth versions. Update to the current Azimuth and lower settings.
•Dust going through cars, glitchy shadows: go back to the Default preset.
Overlays
Close MSI Afterburner / RTSS and other overlays if the game is unstable. For an FPS counter inside the game, the ShowFPS mod is lighter.
Online only
If FPS drops only when more players join, see [FPS drops when more players join](/tutorials/fps-drops-online).