FOV Changing Guide

    So, after a few research and threads lookout, I've decided to post this tutorial on how to change your Field of View, aka FOV, during gameplay.


    But there are a few other guides out there that can tell you the same thing over and over, but most of them don't say the default value for the character selection screen. After a few trial-and-error changes in the S1Input.ini file, I finally ended up with the right value.


    Now, the change itself is not illegal in any way. We are not modifying textures neither afecting other players gameplay. The FOV we change is for our eyes only. Thus, this change is based on a few lines in an ini file, so its perfectly possible to undo the changes if you don't like them. Whenever there is an update, this ini change is simply ignored because the patcher doesn't check for each player configuration files, but only the game content files.


    For start, lets go to the Tera folder and look for this structure:


    ..\TERA\Client\S1Game\Config


    Inside this folder, there is a file named S1Input.ini. First you should create a backup of this file anywhere, maybe in the same folder but with the name "_S1Input.ini" or something alike. Double click on it and in the first few lines you should read this:


    Code
    1. [Engine.PlayerInput]
    2. MoveForwardSpeed=1200
    3. MoveStrafeSpeed=1200
    4. LookRightScale=300
    5. LookUpScale=-250
    6. MouseSensitivity=60.0
    7. DoubleClickTime=0.250000
    8. bEnableMouseSmoothing=true
    9. ;Bindings=(Name="Fire",Command="Button bFire | StartFire | OnRelease StopFire")


    We're going to place some new lines just before the ;Bindings entry. Copy and paste these lines there:


    Bindings=(Name="Home",Command="fov 60",Control=True)
    Bindings=(Name="End",Command="fov 71",Control=True)
    Bindings=(Name="PageUp",Command="fov 90",Control=True)
    Bindings=(Name="PageDown",Command="fov 80",Control=True)


    Leave them as they are, without the ; symbol. It should stay like:


    Final step: save the file and go to its properties and check "Read-Only". If you fail this step, Tera will edit the file as you enter the game and remove these lines. You will have some in-game options disabled but you can disable Read-Only, enter the game and change whatever you want, then return to the file and place the FOV lines again.


    My suggestion here binds the following:
    CTRL + Home .......... use default FOV for gameplay
    CTRL + End ............ use default FOV in character creation screen
    CTRL + Page Up ....... use your custom FOV
    CTRL + Page Down ... use default FOV in character selection screen


    If you feel another keys are better for you, then just replace them. You can remove the ,Control=True option to keep only the named key without using the keystroke, but remember the Page Up and Down keys are shortcuts to roll on loot when in a party...


    See the examples here:
    (note: screenies taken by me, without zooming in or out, and in the same exact spot; only FOV was changed)


    As you can see, the overal view is much larger and you can still zoom in close on your character at the same time. This FOV change should improve your framerate too, as I've read pretty much everywhere. But honestly I don't feel the difference, performance-wise.


    Beware, if you set the FOV to something higher than 90, you will most likely see clipping issues in some tight areas like caves and narrow passages in interior places. Quite possible to see these even with 90, but its a good balance betwen wide FOV and less clipping.


    Lastly, I repeat: changing FOV is not illegal. Changing textures and 3d models, is. This subtle change is perfectly harmless and easily undone. Just edit the file again and its done. Or copy over the backup you just made (you did made a backup, didn't you?).


    I've seen people using 100 (and I tried it too), but I feel 90 is a bit more adequate. Try your own values and see wich one is better!


    Edit: thanks to Borsuc for the CTRL+ keystroke!

    Quote from nemezis

    This FOV change should improve your framerate too, as I've read pretty much everywhere. But honestly I don't feel the difference, performance-wise.

    hmm? If anything, it should degrade performance since it has more stuff to draw -- higher fov means higher field of view, meaning you can see more stuff. The difference is probably insignificant though.


    Anyway your guide does not mention how to assign modifier keys, like CTRL+End instead, which is what I use. You add Control=true in the list of the binding. e.g:


    Bindings=(Name="End",Command="fov 100",Control=True)



    The bigger your screen the more sense it makes to increase FoV, else everything will look zoomed in like through a scope.


    Good idea, the control key. Didn't knew about it.


    About the performance, I see your point and i think likewise. But I read everywhere that this change improve fps. I don't know why...

    No idea if those changes are even allowed, but I've heard from a friend ( :whistling: ) you can also use some toggle like this one:

    Code
    1. Bindings=(Name="100",Command="fov 100 | setbind Home 120")
    2. Bindings=(Name="120",Command="fov 120 | setbind Home 71")
    3. Bindings=(Name="71",Command="fov 71 | setbind Home 100")
    4. Bindings=(Name="Home",Command="100")


    With the first use of the Pos1 button you set the fov to 100, with the 2nd you set it to 120, and with the 3rd one you set it back to the default of 71.

    Quote from DeadlySilence

    No idea if those changes are even allowed, but I've heard from a friend ( :whistling: ) you can also use some toggle like this one:

    Code
    1. Bindings=(Name="100",Command="fov 100 | setbind Home 120")
    2. Bindings=(Name="120",Command="fov 120 | setbind Home 71")
    3. Bindings=(Name="71",Command="fov 71 | setbind Home 100")
    4. Bindings=(Name="Home",Command="100")


    With the first use of the Pos1 button you set the fov to 100, with the 2nd you set it to 120, and with the 3rd one you set it back to the default of 71.


    Now thats interesting too... :cool:

    Quote from Borsuc

    hmm? If anything, it should degrade performance since it has more stuff to draw -- higher fov means higher field of view, meaning you can see more stuff. The difference is probably insignificant though.


    Not really. It depend how the graphics engine perform the scaling. As the objects are smaller at higher distance, less triangles and less details are needed and also less detailed and smaller textures are required to cover the wire frame of the objects drawn. On some computers may it work on some others not, depend also on system configuration and situation e.g. when doing nexus you usually won't see any difference in fps.

    FOV change works fine. Better performance for me at 90 than at 71 and it goes worse at 100. But 90 is ok, much more sightseeing now for me. ^^

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    Quote from huehuehue

    Not really. It depend how the graphics engine perform the scaling. As the objects are smaller at higher distance, less triangles and less details are needed and also less detailed and smaller textures are required to cover the wire frame of the objects drawn.

    I know what you mean, but it's not "higher distance" because FoV does not change the distance. Everything will be at same distance, just appearing smaller due to projection.

    I found a thread in the NA forums regarding this FOV issue. They posted several ini tweaks but the thing I want to refer is the FPS relation with FOV. Wich is none.


    Actually, one of the tweaks was to unlock framerate, and thus, improving performance slightly. FOV is treated in a separate way.


    Just to clear things out. So here is the link:


    > http://tera-forums.enmasse.com…oothing-Unlock-Frame-Rate

    As a matter of fact, having higher FoV decreases the distance/dept of what you can see, it just increases the area covered. You can test it with alliance extractors - go slowly around with your default FoV until you spot an extractor, then increase to 90 and you'll see it's gone and you need to move further forward for it to reappear.


    They say 90 is better. I concur. 100 is uncomfortable to me (my screen is 22'') as I can't read item/player names.


    Quote from nemezis

    Whenever there is an update, this ini change is simply ignored because the patcher doesn't check for each player configuration files, but only the game content files.


    It's 'ignored' because you make it read-only, not because game doesn't replace those files after patching.


    Since I don't use my insert and pause keys for anything else, I've assigned them to by my FoV change keys. The +ctrl addition is handy as well. I also didn't know about it.


    Code
    1. Bindings=(Name="insert",Command="fov 71")
    2. Bindings=(Name="pause",Command="fov 90")
    Quote from Sunflare

    As a matter of fact, having higher FoV decreases the distance/dept of what you can see, it just increases the area covered. You can test it with alliance extractors - go slowly around with your default FoV until you spot an extractor, then increase to 90 and you'll see it's gone and you need to move further forward for it to reappear.

    That has nothing to do with it.


    Changing FoV is like putting on binoculars. Does the things you look at change distance when you look through it?


    The projection changes, yes the amount of what you can see changes too. Snipers use scopes not to "decrease distance" but to focus their sight on a much *smaller* field of view (it is essentially same as playing with low FoV), the exact same thing. That's what scopes and such are for.


    The distance does NOT change ever, that is absurd.


    If you play on a large screen, a low FoV will seriously give you the feel that you play through a scope, and it's not even an illusion, it's actual physics at work, so nothing wrong with you.

    Actually, you are both right, Borsuc and Sunflare.


    While I was taking screenshots in Velika outskirts, a few players were doing some PVP a few hundred meters away from me in roughly the same spot. In the wider, higher values of FOV, I couldn't see any players at all.


    But when I used the last shortcut to set FOV to 60, their graphics and attack animations and effects popped from nowhere. I changed the FOV back to 90 and they were gone. Then I changed back to 60 and there they were still fighting and blasting fire effects at eachother.


    In photography, as the camera lens goes wider (higher FOV) we get to see things smaller, monitor-wise. They are there for sure, but only smaller. Human beings can see minor details and subjects even if the distance is high; but if we put this in a computer to render, minor objects are simply not rendered if they are just too small. In Tera, it will depend on the game detail settings. I assume objects too small are not rendered at all, according to this experience. Even if these distant objects (the players) were always roughly at the same distance all the time.


    If we had a longer lens, like a teleconversion objective, say 300 mm, we would get a narrower FOV. Things would appear bigger in our screen (the viewfinder or camera LCD screen).


    This is the best comparison I can provide and the only explanation for the slight performance improvement when using a higher FOV. Should not be a big major difference, tough, as most of the time we are moving and running from one place to another and don't have the chance to see these subtle changes on the fly.

    Quote from Sunflare


    It's 'ignored' because you make it read-only, not because game doesn't replace those files after patching.


    Simply edit BaseInput.ini in TERA\Client\Engine\Config\ and the changes stay regardless the patches applied. This is the template the game client use to build the final ini files. No need to RO any of these files to prevent changes and cause the client crash when try to write an RO'd setting file.


    This also apply for all other changes you do in the other ini files (such as the FPS "improvements"). However, depend on the specific setting you want to stay you need to find the template file the game client use to grab the desired setting. Unfortunately, they are split and sprayed across different files. So you need to try out what setting comes from what template. Often they saved in two templates but only one is taken.

    Quote from huehuehue

    Simply edit BaseInput.ini in TERA\Client\Engine\Config\ and the changes stay regardless the patches applied. This is the template the game client use to build the final ini files. No need to RO any of these files to prevent changes and cause the client crash when try to write an RO'd setting file.


    This also apply for all other changes you do in the other ini files (such as the FPS "improvements"). However, depend on the specific setting you want to stay you need to find the template file the game client use to grab the desired setting. Unfortunately, they are split and sprayed across different files. So you need to try out what setting comes from what template. Often they saved in two templates but only one is taken.


    Now I can't edit my initial post but people can read it here then :)


    Didn't know about those base ini settings, alwyas good to now, thank you :D