Because it is doing real-time ray tracing calculations on top of rendering the game, it requires a robust graphics card, typically an NVIDIA RTX 20-series or higher (though it works on older, non-RTX cards with lower performance).
The key variable is RESHADE_DEPTH_IS_REVERSED – many modern games store depth in a reverse (0–1) order. If you do not set this correctly, RTGI will appear to do nothing or produce a pure black screen.
ReShade Ray Tracing: Unlocking Next-Gen Visuals with RTGI 0.33 (2021) reshade ray tracing shader rtgi 033 2021
Below are suggested starting values for RTGI v0.33. Adjust them while watching a moderately complex scene (trees, walls, a character’s face).
: This feature uses the screen's existing image to inform the ray tracing calculations, helping the added lighting feel more cohesive with the game's native art style. Hardware Independence Because it is doing real-time ray tracing calculations
One of the most significant additions in the 0.33 update was support for motion vectors
To get the most out of this shader without breaking the game's visuals, users often tweaked these parameters: ReShade Ray Tracing: Unlocking Next-Gen Visuals with RTGI 0
: Improvements were made to handle high-intensity light sources, preventing the "light flickering" that occurred when lighting values were tuned aggressively. Technical Impact on Visuals
The was a pivotal tool that brought the future of gaming graphics to the present. It bridged the gap between traditional rasterized rendering and fully path-traced scenes, providing a stunning visual uplift to a vast library of PC games without requiring developers to re-release them.