Start WARDOGS with the preset and rendering conditions attached to your hardware tier in the official requirements. Then adjust them in a playable match. The best choice depends on your computer and the image quality you want to retain. [steam-specs]

BULKHEAD says the game has graphics options for different hardware. The process below is a way to compare those options on your own system; the Playtest observations cited alongside it come from TroubleChute, not tests performed by this site. [official-performance] [test-date]

Start with a scene you can compare

Use the in-game graphics controls for this comparison. For the recorded Playtest interface, TroubleChute's video chapter list points to Display settings (0:57), Quality Presets (1:59) and Upscaling (9:20). The original walkthrough provides the reference for that build. [test-date]

  1. Record your current graphics settings and resolution before changing anything. Use a screenshot so you can restore them.
  2. Begin with the published tier closest to your PC. Keep track of whether the target assumes native rendering or upscaling.
  3. Compare settings in the same kind of gameplay scene. A quiet view of a building and a busy fight are different workloads; a menu result will not answer how a match feels.
  4. Change one graphics option, return to the scene and compare both motion and the details you need to see. If a change requires a restart, allow for the conditions having changed when you return.
  5. Keep the change only if the result improves your chosen goal. Otherwise restore it before testing another option.

The endpoint is a configuration you can play comfortably with while still reading the battlefield. Record the build and settings with the result so you can reassess it after an update.

Which tradeoffs deserve a closer look

TroubleChute's August 22 Playtest comparison uses Medium as an overall compromise. The author reports a noticeable tradeoff from global illumination and recommends comparing upscaling for performance and image quality. Those are useful options to investigate before turning every setting down. [settings-test] [test-date]

The same test describes difficulties keeping weather, lighting and activity constant, especially after rejoining a server. Its observations therefore do not establish fixed gains for your hardware or a later build. [settings-test]

For a PC with little performance headroom, compare the available upscaling choices and their quality settings, then judge whether the image remains readable. If you already reach your target comfortably, spend that headroom on the visual changes you can actually notice. Both choices require a comparison on your machine.

Stop tuning when the problem changes

If a lower setting looks worse without helping, restore it. Keep the last useful configuration instead of accumulating changes whose effect you cannot identify.

A crash, an authentication error and low frame rate need different checks. Use crash troubleshooting if the client closes, or login troubleshooting if you cannot get online. Graphics tuning cannot reopen a closed test window.