A quick thank you to everyone who submitted crash logs and screenshots of unexpected artifacts. This patch directly addresses several issues you flagged. If you continue to see problems, please open a GitHub issue with:
One of the long-standing criticisms of screen-space GI is the handling of rough, glossy, or metallic surfaces. The new hybrid mode blends two different ray lengths based on material roughness values sampled from the depth buffer. This results in more accurate reflections on wet roads or polished wood, especially in games like Cyberpunk 2077 (when used alongside the built-in RT) or Skyrim with ENB.
| Setting | Value | Note | |---------|-------|------| | Quality | Medium or High | Low = too noisy for most games | | Bounces | 2 | 3–4 for interiors, but heavy cost | | Temporal Frames | 4–8 | Lower = faster response, higher = less flicker | | Half Resolution | On (if GPU limited) | Minimal visual loss, big perf gain | | Edge Smoothing | 0.3–0.5 | Reduces artifacts at object silhouettes |
RTGI v0.17.0.2 is available now on the usual channels:
⚠️ Important: RTGI requires ReShade 5.0 or newer with depth buffer access enabled. Make sure your ReShade is up to date.
RTGI is famously "plug-and-play," but to get the most out of version 0.17.0.2, you shouldn't just load it and leave the settings at default. Every game is different. Here are the key sliders you need to adjust:
1. Trace Distance
This dictates how far light can bounce.
2. Smoothness vs. Trace Quality
In 0.17.0.2, temporal smoothing is excellent, meaning you can lower your Trace Quality without noticing a massive drop in visual fidelity.
3. Bounce Count
This is the secret sauce of RTGI. It controls how many times light "bounces" off surfaces.
Installing RTGI 0.17.0.2 requires ReShade 5.9.2 or newer with depth buffer access enabled. The shader comes as a .fxh and .fx file. Add it to your ReShade Shaders/Shaders folder.
Good news: Depth buffer auto-detection has improved. In Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Starfield, RTGI found the correct depth buffer on first launch without manual COPY_DEPTH tinkering.
Bad news: It still fails in some UE5 titles (Remnant 2, Immortals of Aveum) because those engines use a custom, inverted, or pre-tonemapped depth buffer. You’ll need to manually edit the RTGI.fx constants or use a third-party depth buffer unlocker.
Also, RTGI 0.17.0.2 breaks on very old ReShade versions (pre-5.0). Update or stay on 0.16.
Overview
What RTGI does (short)
Notable changes and goals in 0.17.x (context for 0.17.0.2)
Why the release mattered
Installing 0.17.0.2 (concise steps)
Practical tuning tips
Common troubleshooting
Where to find support and updates
Further reading / learning path
Credits and attribution
If you want, I can:
, bringing another layer of visual fidelity to your favorite titles. This update continues to refine how light, shadows, and color bounce interact with 3D environments, making "flat" game worlds feel remarkably physical and alive. What’s New in 0.17.0.2?
This version focuses on performance optimization and stability, ensuring that high-end lighting doesn't always require a high-end frame rate tax. Refined Lighting Accuracy
: Improvements to the diffuse global illumination algorithm for more natural light distribution. Enhanced Ambient Occlusion
: More precise micro-shadowing in crevices and corners for added depth.
: Addressed compatibility issues and edge cases found in previous 0.17.x iterations to provide a smoother experience across various game engines.
RTGI (Ray-Traced Global Illumination) simulates how light bounces off surfaces to illuminate areas not directly hit by a light source. It transforms the look of classic and modern games by: Physical Grounding : Objects feel like they truly belong in the world. Color Bleeding
: Red light hitting a white wall will realistically "bleed" a subtle pink hue onto nearby surfaces. No RTX Required
: While it uses ray tracing techniques, it runs on the software level via
, making it accessible to a wider range of hardware than native hardware-accelerated ray tracing. How to Get It RTGI 0.17.0.2 Beta
is available exclusively for Pascal Gilcher's Patreon supporters. Joining not only gives you the latest shader builds but also supports the ongoing development of one of the most transformative mods in PC gaming. 📥 Download & Support: Marty McFly's Patreon RTGI 0.17.0.2 Release! - Patreon
The latest update for the ReShade Ray Tracing Global Illumination shader, version 0.17.0.2, has officially arrived. This release focuses on refining performance and fixing critical stability issues that users encountered in previous builds. For gamers looking to add path-traced lighting to older titles, this version represents a significant step forward in usability. Core Enhancements and Bug Fixes rtgi 0.17.0.2 release
The primary focus of RTGI 0.17.0.2 is the optimization of the shader’s internal logic. Pascal Gilcher, the developer behind the project, has addressed several "edge case" bugs that caused visual artifacts in specific lighting conditions. Reduced ghosting on fast-moving objects. Improved light accumulation in dark areas.
Fixed compatibility issues with the latest ReShade 5.0+ builds. Refined depth-buffer detection for smoother integration.
These changes mean that the "shimmering" effect often seen in earlier ray-tracing injections is now much less intrusive. The shader handles complex geometry more gracefully, ensuring that light bounces look natural rather than flickering. Performance Improvements
Ray tracing is notoriously heavy on hardware. Version 0.17.0.2 introduces minor but effective code refactoring to lower the frame-time cost. While you still need a capable GPU, users on mid-range cards will notice a more consistent frame rate.
The update optimizes how the shader samples the screen space. By being more selective with ray casts, it achieves a similar visual quality to older versions while using fewer system resources. This makes it a more viable option for 1440p and 4K gaming. Why This Version Matters
RTGI is unique because it doesn't require native DXR (DirectX Raytracing) support from the game engine. It works by analyzing the depth information provided by ReShade to simulate how light should realistically bounce off surfaces.
Version 0.17.0.2 is being hailed as a "stable" milestone. If you previously found the shader too "fidgety" or prone to crashing your game, this is the version to jump back in with. It provides a much cleaner baseline for creating presets in games like Skyrim, GTA V, or The Witcher 3. How to Install Ensure you have the latest version of ReShade installed.
Access the RTGI shaders through the official Patreon or authorized distribution points.
Place the .fx and .fxh files into your game's reshade-shaders/Shaders folder.
In-game, enable the shader and ensure your Depth Buffer is correctly set up.
📍 Would you like a guide on how to configure the Depth Buffer settings for a specific game?
RTGI (Ray-Traced Global Illumination) version 0.17.0.2 was a significant beta release by Pascal Gilcher (also known as Marty McFly) on October 30, 2020. Distributed primarily through the Marty McFly Patreon, this shader for ReShade brings path-traced lighting effects to games that do not natively support hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Key Features and Changes in 0.17.0.2
While official changelogs are often locked to Patreon members, this specific release is recognized for several technical refinements in the iMMERSE (formerly qUINT) framework:
Denoising Improvements: Enhanced algorithms to reduce the "flickering" or grainy noise common in software-based ray tracing solutions.
Temporal Stability: Improved how lighting data is carried over between frames to prevent sudden shifts in shadows or light bounces.
Performance Optimization: Refined calculations for diffuse global illumination and ambient occlusion to maintain playable frame rates on a wider range of GPUs.
Interface Updates: Streamlined UI settings within the ReShade menu for easier configuration of light bounce intensity and ray length. Installation and Usage To use RTGI 0.17.0.2, users typically follow these steps: A quick thank you to everyone who submitted
ReShade Setup: Install a compatible version of ReShade (often version 4.9.1 or higher was used for this build).
File Placement: Drag and drop the reshade-shaders folder from the RTGI zip into the game's directory.
In-Game Activation: Open the ReShade overlay (Home key), search for "RTGI," and enable the preset.
Configuration: Adjust settings such as Ray Length and Amount to balance visual fidelity with performance based on the specific game environment.
This version marked a transition period as the tool moved toward the more modern iMMERSE Pro suite, which further expanded on these ray-traced lighting techniques. RTGI 0.17.0.2 Release! - Patreon
RTGI 0.17.0.2 Release: Everything You Need to Know About the Latest Path Tracing Update
The world of PC gaming aesthetics has just taken another leap forward with the release of RTGI version 0.17.0.2. Created by Pascal Gilcher (better known as Marty McFly), the Screen Space Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) shader has become the gold standard for adding modern lighting effects to older titles and enhancing the visual fidelity of new ones via Reshade. This latest point release focuses on refining the massive technological leaps introduced in the 0.17 branch, offering better performance, fewer artifacts, and more accurate light bounce calculations. What is RTGI?
RTGI is a post-processing shader that brings path-traced lighting to almost any game that allows depth buffer access through Reshade. Unlike standard game lighting, which often relies on pre-baked shadows or simple ambient occlusion, RTGI calculates how light bounces off surfaces in real-time. This results in natural color bleeding, realistic shadows in corners, and a sense of "grounding" for objects that traditional rendering methods often miss. Key Improvements in 0.17.0.2
The move from the 0.16 versions to the 0.17 architecture represented a complete rewrite of the shader’s core logic. The 0.17.0.2 update serves as a critical stabilization and optimization patch for that new foundation. Enhanced Denoising Logic
One of the biggest hurdles for real-time ray tracing is "noise"—the grainy flickering seen when there aren't enough light rays to fill a scene. The 0.17.0.2 release introduces a more sophisticated temporal denoiser. It better tracks pixels across frames, significantly reducing the "ghosting" effect that sometimes occurs when a character moves quickly across a dark room. Improved Surface Physics
Light now interacts more realistically with different material types. The update refines the way light scatters on rough versus smooth surfaces. You will notice that metallic objects have a more distinct "sheen" from indirect light sources, while matte surfaces like cloth or stone absorb and diffuse light with greater accuracy. Optimization and Performance
Ray tracing is notoriously heavy on hardware. This release includes several back-end optimizations to the ray-marching algorithm. Users on mid-range hardware will notice slightly more stable frame times, especially in complex scenes with multiple light sources. The shader is now more efficient at discarding rays that don't contribute to the final image, saving precious GPU cycles. Better Compatibility with Reshade 5.x+
As Reshade continues to evolve, RTGI must keep pace. Version 0.17.0.2 is built to take full advantage of the latest Reshade features, including improved depth buffer detection and better handling of UI masking. This ensures that the lighting doesn't "bleed" over your game’s HUD or menus as often as it did in previous iterations. How to Install RTGI 0.17.0.2
For those looking to upgrade their visual experience, the process remains straightforward:
Support the Creator: RTGI is currently hosted via Pascal Gilcher’s Patreon. You will need to be a supporter to download the latest binaries.
Install Reshade: Ensure you have the latest version of Reshade installed for your specific game.
Copy the Files: Place the shader (.fx) and header (.fxh) files into the "reshade-shaders/Shaders" folder of your game directory. ⚠️ Important: RTGI requires ReShade 5
Set Up Depth Buffer: In-game, open the Reshade menu and ensure your depth buffer is correctly aligned so the shader can "see" the 3D space. Conclusion
The RTGI 0.17.0.2 release isn't just a minor incremental update; it's a testament to the ongoing refinement of real-time lighting on the PC. By smoothing out the edges of the 0.17 rewrite, Marty McFly has provided gamers with a tool that makes decade-old classics look like modern, ray-traced masterpieces. Whether you are a virtual photographer or just someone who wants their games to look as immersive as possible, this update is an essential addition to your modding toolkit.