Extra Ray Tracing Settings Added To GTA V In New Update

Rockstar Games have included some new PC graphics features in the GTA Online Money Fronts update. Released on June 17th, the update contained a ton of new content and improvements to the gameplay and experience. PC players who use the GTAV Enhanced version of the game will be pleased to find out the game just got even better for them.

When the recent GTA V Enhanced iteration came out, it included several new PC specific features such as Ray Traced Global Illumination. We took a look at just how impactful the new settings were on the game’s visuals. It made GTA V look a lot more lifelike with light shading surfaces in a more accurate way. It gave us a taste of the technology we’ll see in GTA 6. You can see a comparison below.

However, creator of fan favourite mod NaturalVision Evolved Razed discovered Rockstar had left in a bonus setting allowing for more shadows to be cast with more light bounces. Rockstar have now added this option into the game’s settings menu along with higher resolution ray traced reflections for everyone to enjoy. Below is what the company listed in their patch notes for the Money Fronts update:

• An option to enable high resolution ray traced reflections has been added to GTAV Enhanced
• An option to have a second ray bounce for RTGI has been added to GTAV Enhanced

Performance Notices

Enabling both of these on modern hardware has very little impact on the game’s performance. Achieving 120FPS with all this RT tech on is not so difficult to do. Although there is around a 300mb increase in VRAM usage when enabling the high res reflections (at 1440p at least).

In terms of the settings menu and what Rockstar say for each of the new settings, the second ray bounce “increases the quality of indirect lighting by tracing more rays.” Plus it does require “Ultra”
quality Ray Traced Global Illumination to be selected. Meanwhile the reflections setting notes RT reflections must be enabled and that the setting renders the reflections at the internal scene’s full resolution. In the example used below it will be running at 1440p.

More Ray Tracing Compared

Whilst the game already looked good with a light bounce already, Rockstar have taken things up a notch. You will find a comparison below of the game with the new second ray bounce for RTGI on and off. The difference is clear with colours and shadows being cast more accurately. More shaded areas are now better lit with accuracy.

Let’s now take a look at the high resolution ray traced reflections. This is much more subtle as you really need to be looking at large reflections on buildings or cars to notice but it all adds to make a cleaner image. You will notice far less jagged edges in the reflections creating a more natural presentation.

Below is a comparison of car reflections looking noticeably higher resolution. The image on the left is standard ray traced reflections without the high resolution option enabled whilst the image on the right is with it on. You can click on the images to view them at full resolution.

Here’s another example. The palm trees and traffic lights in the window reflections below are less defined on the left. Meanwhile on the right you can see more detail in the various objects. You can click on the images to view them at full resolution.

What do you think to these new graphics options? Let us know down in the comments below.

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