KF2 Config Optimization for Minimum Graphics (INI Guide)

This Russian-language guide focuses purely on game performance, not system or driver tuning. It is meant for running Killing Floor 2 at the lowest graphics settings; if you use higher settings, be careful when disabling features. The author updates it regularly and welcomes extra in-game performance tips, but not NVIDIA/AMD control panel advice or registry tweaks. Other pages cover related ground: low-end PC optimization and large-server FPS tweaks.

Config location

• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\KillingFloor2\KFGame\Config
• Linux: .../steamapps/compatdata/232090/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My Documents/My Games/KillingFloor2/KFGame/Config

Initial setup

If you tuned the game before, delete everything in the Config folder to remove outdated or wrong settings. Then start the game, set everything through the in-game GUI, and make a backup copy of the files (for example on the desktop). On weak machines with old graphics cards, turn off all graphics options in the settings menu. Only then move on to the detailed file edits.

KFEngine.ini

[Engine.Engine]

• Enable an FPS limit by setting bSmoothFrameRate=True and choosing MaxSmoothedFrameRate. For weak PCs use monitor Hz plus 1 (60+1=61); for powerful ones use Hz times 2 plus 1 (60x2+1=121). If you use RTSS Rivatuner or other software to limit FPS, set the same limit there.
• Disable static and dynamic decals: bStaticDecalsEnabled=False, bDynamicDecalsEnabled=False.
• Disable engine subtitles if you do not use them: bSubtitlesEnabled=False.
• Disable on-screen Kismet warnings and debug messages: bOnScreenKismetWarnings=False, bEnableOnScreenDebugMessages=False.

[Engine.StartupPackages]

• bFullyCompressStartupPackages=True: packages can be decompressed asynchronously during loading, which may speed it up.
• Remove the line Package=EngineDebugMaterials (debug materials such as bone weight, mesh, normal, tangent, UV and wireframe).

[IpDrv.TcpNetDriver]

• AllowPeerConnections=True and AllowPeerVoice=True allow direct client connections.
• MaxClientRate=104857600 and MaxInternetClientRate=104857600 raise the data rate with the server to the maximum.

[TextureStreaming]

• UseDynamicStreaming=False: dynamic map streaming loads details during play, which on a slow HDD can cause artifacts and stutter. With more than 8 GB RAM and more than 3 GB VRAM, disabling it lets the match load fully at the start.
• bEnableAsyncDefrag=True and bEnableAsyncReallocation=True: background memory defragmentation and reallocation that do not block the main work.

[FullScreenMovie] bForceNoMovies=True skips the intro videos.

[LogFiles] PurgeLogsDays=0 and LogTimes=False stop log creation.

KFGame.ini

[KFGame.KFGoreManager]

For almost no blood (it makes play calmer and lightens the GPU) set all of these to zero or False:

GoreFXLifetimeMultiplier=0
BodyWoundDecalLifetime=0
BloodSplatterLifetime=0
BloodPoolLifetime=0
GibletLifetime=0
MaxBodyWoundDecals=0
MaxBloodSplatterDecals=0
MaxBloodPoolDecals=0
BloodSplatSize=0
BloodPoolSize=0
MaxBloodEffects=0
MaxGoreEffects=0
AllowBloodSplatterDecals=False
PersistentSplatTraceLength=0
MaxPersistentSplatsPerFrame=0

Fewer corpses also relieve RAM and VRAM: MaxDeadBodies=4.

KFSystemSettings.ini, section [SystemSettings]

Setting	Value	Effect
StaticDecals, DynamicDecals, UnbatchedDecals	False	Disable decals (match the values in KFEngine.ini).
AllowRadialBlur, MotionBlur, MotionBlurPause, DropParticleDistortion	False	Disable blur effects.
MotionBlurSkinning, MotionBlurStaticScale, MotionBlurDynamicScale	0	Disable motion blur scales.
AllowImageReflections, AllowImageReflectionShadowing	False	Disable reflections.
FogVolumes, DistanceFog	False	Optimise fog: little visual loss, less CPU and some GPU cost.
bAllowFracturedDamage	False	Disable breakable glass.
bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts	True	Shifts some load from a weak GPU to the CPU.
DynamicShadows	False	Characters may become very dark but performance improves on weak GPUs.
DecalCullDistanceScale	0.1	Minimum value; decals disappear sooner.
CompositeDynamicLights	False	A dynamic lighting helper; disabling lowers CPU and GPU load with no visible change, according to the author.
SpeedTreeLeaves, SpeedTreeFronds	False	Foliage optimisation.
FloatingPointRenderTargets	False	Disable effects.
LightEnvironmentShadows	False	Disable environment shadows.
DynamicLights	False	Disables most light, shadows, decals, blood and effects; use only on very weak PCs, raise brightness to maximum and expect glitches.
bAllowSeparateTranslucency	False	Disable translucency lighting for foliage.
bAllowHighQualityMaterials	False	Skip high-quality materials; no visible loss when you are not on high graphics.