dayz unspielbar!

This is a quick-start/optimization guide as well as a general reference for DayZ SA settings in its current state (~.45).
It will cover:
1. Launch Parameters,
2. In Game Settings,
3. Config File Tweaks,
4. FOV Calculation,
5. CPU and GPU (NVidia/ATI) Optimization
tweaks or corrections users share in this thread will be added.
It will not cover:
CrossFire/SLI Setup
CPU Core Parking
Memory Allocators
TrackIR
Optimization for Potatoes
How to make Friends in DayZ,
although it will provide further reading.
***INSTALL ON AN SSD IF YOU HAVE ONE***
1. Launch Parameters
DayZ is currently a 32-bit application; some of these setting may make more of an impact if/when it is made into a 64-bit application.
-Right click DayZ in steam and go to properties
-Click the 'Set launch Options' button
-window - launches in windowed mode.
see "Config File Tweaks" for resolution settings.
-noborder - borderless windowed mode.
-nosplash - disables the splash on startup.
-skipintro - disables the intro on startup.
-noPause - keeps the game running while not focused (could be useful for streaming)
-world= *empty, ChernarusPlus
*empty will keep ChernarusPlus from loading at startup, which results in faster load times to the main menu. However, there will be a longer delay between connecting to a server and being able to move, which could mean ***LIFE OR DEATH***
-winxp - *May help with problems using older drivers on multi-GPU systems.
may cause even more problems. Use at your own risk. *HDR Quality needs to be set to "Very Low"
-maxMem= 256-*2047mb
256mb is hard-coded minimum; 2047mb is hard-coded maximum (May change with a 64-bit version)
-maxVRAM= 128-*2047mb+
128mb is hard-coded minimum; 2047mb is soft-coded maximum, any value over 2GB may help or hurt performance or "result into unforseen consequences!"
-cpuCount= Defines number of CPUs/cores. 2,4,6,8.
-exThreads= Defines the amount of extra threads. 0,1,3,5,7. This will override auto detection (which uses 3 for dualcore and 7 for quadcore)
source
Original thread can be viewed here, credit to /u/NakedCanadian
2. In Game Settings
These settings are intended to boost your framerate without sacrificing all the pretties, and are a good starting point for users to customize:
Open DayZ and head to Configure>Video settings.
Quality:
- Objects - Low (Normal with good GPU)
- Terrain - Very Low
- Clouds - Normal (Disabled if you're getting random FPS drops)
- Shadows - Normal (High or Very High with good GPU)
Textures:
- Video Memory - Auto
- Texture Detail - Normal
- Texture Filtering - High
Rendering:
- AntiAliasing - Low
- Alpha to Coverage - Disabled
- Edge Smoothing - FXAA Low
- HDR Quality - Low
- Ambient Occlusion - Disabled
- Postprocess Quality-Disabled
when you are finished, close DayZ.
credit: McGuyver
3. Config File Tweaks
There are two files to be changed, located in My Documents>DayZ Open with notepad:
DayZ.cfg
Resolution_W: 2560,1920,1650, etc.
Resolution_H: 1440, 1080, 1050, etc.
*Set to your monitors native resolution
WinW: Custom
WinH: Custom
winDefW: Custom
winDefH: Custom
*Windowed Resolution, borderless option & guide
refresh: 60, 120, 144, etc.
*your monitor's refresh rate
Render_W: 2560, 1920, 1650, etc
Render_H: 1440, 1080, 1050, etc
*GPU scaling - can be set in game
FSAA: 1 (from game settings)
postFX: 0 (from game settings)
GPU_MaxFramesAhead: 1
GPU_DetectedFramesAhead: 1
HDRPrecision: 16 (from game settings)
vsync: 0
AToC: 0 (from game settings)
Setting this to 6 disables AA on grass, which gives you a massive performance boost. (AMD)
PipQuality: 3
PPAA: 4
PPAA=1; enables a very light, basic FXAA, which puts AA back on the grass, and finishes off other details in-game. (AMD)
Windowed: 0
ssaoEnabled: 0
credit: anon
<profilename>.DayZProfile
"Towards the bottom there are a couple lines you'll need to edit"
SceneComplexity: 600000* this changes distant object detail, set between 50000-1000000 10000000 is optimal
"makes buildings, trees, etc, look like clay models if you set it lower"
TileSize: 12.5* this changes the quality of the rendered textures, set between 50-3.125, smaller numbers = higher quality
ShadowZDistance: 100* this changes the distance shadows appear in game, set between 50-250
"the ShadowZDistance is the distance away that you'll render shadows, I'm pretty sure"
viewDistance: 1800* this sets the maximum distance you can see in game. set between 1000-3000
"with my view distance at 1800m, and a scene complexity of 600k, I don't get any clay models in small towns, I haven't tried looking into Cherno or elektro yet - the human eye can't make out objects beyond 1250m, without zooming somehow, so even if you have a long range scope, you'll never need to see beyond 1800m"
credit: McGuyver
preferredObjectViewDistance: 1000* this sets the maximum distance player/npc models appear. set between 800-2500. Keep this number smaller than viewDistance
4. FOV Calculation Guide
Original thread can be viewed here, credit to /u/wildcard__
Within the <profilename>.DayZProfile find "fovTop=" and "fovLeft=" These are the values that are dependent on your monitor.
[Default FOV](https://i.imgur.com/aALT7.jpg) 1920x1080 - [Zoom](https://i.imgur.com/7LQq6.jpg)

fovTop=0.75;
fovLeft=1.3333334;

[90 FOV](https://i.imgur.com/ug5Gn.jpg) @ 1920x1080 - [Zoom](https://i.imgur.com/UwQgk.jpg)

fovTop=1.03;
fovLeft=1.83;

^credit: ^/u/Reutertu3

**-Cheat Sheet-**
80 FoV for 16:9 screens.
fovTop=0.89;
fovLeft=1.58;
80 FoV for 16:10 screens.
fovTop=1.0;
fovLeft=1.59;
85 FoV for 16:9 screens.
fovTop=0.96;
fovLeft=1.71;
85 FoV for 16:10 screens.
fovTop=1.06;
fovLeft=1.70;
90 FoV for 16:9 screens.
fovTop=1.03;
fovLeft=1.83;
90 FoV for 16:10 screens.
fovTop=1.13;
fovLeft=1.82;
90 FOV for 21:9 screens
fovTop - 0.8
fovLeft - 1.87

- **Custom FOV Calculations**
- *Enter your screen resolution/aspect ratio and desired FOV into this [Calculator](http://www.rjdown.co.uk/projects/bfbc2/fovcalculator.php)*
- *Use [Google](https://www.google.com/search?…in+radians&amp;gws_rd=ssl) to convert to radians, then round it off at the hundredths. This is your fovTop.*
- *Using a calculator, divide your new fovTop by the second number in your aspect ratio - in my case, 9 (16:9). Then multiply it by the first number, in my case 16. This is your new fovLeft, round it to the nearest hundredth.*
5. CPU, GPU (NVidia/AMD) Optimization
This section needs work, if someone with an NVidia card could post their settings that would help me out a lot
For an AMD card, using CCC:
AA - Override application settings, 8xEQ, Standard, Multisampling, On.
Texture Filtering - Override aplication settings, 2c, High quality, Off.
For an AMD card, using RadeonPro:
For an NVidia GPU:
Anisotropic - 2x, AA - FXX - Force On, Gamma correction (application controlled), AA - Setting 8x CSAA is what I use, Multi-display/Mixed GPU - Single Display performance, Texture Filtering - Anisotropic sample - OFF, Texture - negative LOD Bias - CLAMP, Texture Filtering Quality - Quality, Trilinear opt - ON, Threaded Opt - Auto
credit: McGuyver
CPU Core Parking in Windows Power Options - SLI GUIDE - TrackIR - FreeTrackNoIR - Realistic FOV Calculator - Fred41's Memory Allocator - Custom Memory Allocator Wiki
-DOWNLOAD LINKS-
(Win7,8) A simple registry entry that adds "Set and unset as Read-only" Context Menu (right click>Read-only File Attributes>Set/UnSet Read-only) - link
shiieet spent all day on this damn post. Ah well
hope this helps..
~Trip