The Witcher 3 is a gorgeous game regardless of the platform you pick it up on. The scenery is blossoming, the lighting is exquisite and the attention to detail is astounding. One thing that consoles are without is the fancy Hairworks feature that works pretty well on PC. Or at the very least, on Nvidia cards – although there’s a fix for the AMD crowd out there.
Hairworks, and Nvidia’s Gameworks in general, is a contentious topic in the PC gaming sphere lately. The Witcher 3 is only the most recent example where close work with team green has led to a bit more visual flair – and AMD isn’t taking it lying down. Hairworks is meant to bring your big bad red card to a grinding halt, but there’s a way to fix things up a bit.
AMDs official response to the matter takes aim at the AMD Catalyst Control Panel – specifically Tessellation. Hairworks is essentially an extremely taxing, focused force of Tessellation, dialing things up to around the x64 range. That, without proper optimisation, brings PCs to their knees – but there’s a way to scale it back.
Head on over to the control panel, link in your Witcher3.exe and start messing with the Tessellation forced settings. You can drop it down all the way to x8, while still keeping the fluidity of Geralt’s white locks. The effect is less impressive than the full Hairworks treatment, but it’s still far better than turing everything off.
AMD is also prepping new beta drivers to direct enhance the Witcher 3’s performance on their cards, which they hope to let loose in the wild soon. Until then, let us know how well this fix happens to work for you.
Last Updated: May 21, 2015
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:03
I don’t know hey. I turned mine off.
The hair is too flowy, almost like it’s weightless. No one’s hair actually moves like that. Looks like Geralt constantly has his head under water.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 21, 2015 at 14:03
I’d rather keep that turned off & have the game run, thanks. 😉
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:20
Who would have ever thought hair could be so taxing on a PC.
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:21
Coming from a HairyEwok, you’re just jealous. 😉
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:25
I am…. Do you have any idea how much conditioner I use in a month to get my hair wind friendly. Geralt uses horse shit and look how great his hair is. Fuck this game (not really i love you Geralt)
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:26
XD
Hammersteyn
May 21, 2015 at 14:06
Dunno why but it seems like the wind always blows in this game. Could just be for the Hairworks?
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:07
Head & Shoulders no longer mean helmets and body armour.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 21, 2015 at 14:13
Maybe they confused Geralt with Fabio?
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:14
XD
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:20
That is an easy thing to do.
Ottokie
May 21, 2015 at 14:13
True, I saw on the streams that it looked like hurricane Katrina is on the way constantly.
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:15
Best wind in a game is in that Betrayer. Indie game. Visually awesome, though the gameplay isn’t mind-blowing. But dat wind.
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:26
What she said?
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:22
Once you told me about that, I CANNOT UNSEE!!!
🙁
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:13
I just love my hair blowing in the wind!
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 21, 2015 at 14:13
Everyone else would like you to wear pants.
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:19
Pants are so opressive
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:21
Geralt would agree
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:17
First time I came across wolves in Witcher 3 I went all Skyrim on them. Turns out two hits do not kill them.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:21
More like 4
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:22
It does change things when there are five of them.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:22
FIIIIRE and slash and duck and roll and slash and I NEED TO GET HOME
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:25
You literally just described what I was seeing in my mind.
I need to get home too.
Matthew Holliday
May 21, 2015 at 14:48
“Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge”
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:49
The five D’s
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:24
I don’t care who you are! Five wolves vs Poor you? Someone is going to be meeting Little Red Riding Hood’s Gramma real soon…
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:22
Neither does putting them a-blaze. Must be dire wolves with an affinity to fire. Go figure.
Matthew Holliday
May 21, 2015 at 14:47
odd, my fire drops them quick sticks.
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:49
Not the first ones. Now it does though, a bit later in the game.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 21, 2015 at 14:22
Then you’re further along than me. I’ve only just left the tavern in White Orchard & pitied the fools who tried to stop me. And by pitied I mean beat up.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:23
Same here, rather liked that hahaha
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:25
Haha.
That was cool.
I’m quite a bit further at about 5 hours in, but trying out some of those side-quests now. Need them XP
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:26
I came across a lvl9 wraith and the game told my lvl1 char to flee
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:27
But Geralt never flees from a fight right?
Admiral Chief's Adventure
May 21, 2015 at 14:28
I tried one or two hits, and received a motherless PK in return. So tonight I will have to level up first
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:28
If my hair looked like that while I run I’d be running all day.
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:30
New Denorex anti dandruff shampoo.
Help keeping Geralt’s Dick Dandruff Free…
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:31
Im starting to think that Geralt would be a great l’oreal abassador…. On second thought I’ll be even better. (refresh)
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:32
L’oreal would use someone that could spell…
HairyEwok
May 21, 2015 at 14:34
My flu medication tells me my spelling is perfect…. Then again medication shouldn’t talk either.
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:27
I died trying to kill it.
The game knows.
Trevor Matrix
May 21, 2015 at 14:28
lvl9 wraith? I made that my bitch in my trailer and then it made me breakfast…
Matthew Holliday
May 21, 2015 at 14:45
when you go to velen/novigrad and suddenly every enemy is level 10, while you’re 4/5, side quests become pretty challenging, even taking a walk to the side quests is a challenge…
wolves are still pretty trash though, use your silver sword on them and they drop in 2 or 3 hits.
Captain JJ Browman
May 21, 2015 at 14:46
That’s exactly what’s happened to me.
Struggled with a few side-quests, just trying to somehow get some XP.
Abbey
May 21, 2015 at 15:39
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geel slang
May 21, 2015 at 16:09
Its a 10-20fps hit even on Nvidia cards, id rather take the fps.