The primary challenge in ACC is maintaining a stable frame rate without sacrificing the clarity of the track ahead. The default “Epic” settings often use an aggressive Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) that creates a “smear” effect on distant brake markers. By modifying the menu.json, we can implement a “Competitive Clarity” profile: forcing a specific Sharpness value and optimizing the Mirror Resolution to free up GPU resources for more critical physics and lighting calculations.
Hardware Compatibility & Expectations
- Sim-Racing Clarity: Essential for seeing 100m/50m boards clearly at 250km/h.
- VRAM Efficiency: Lowering mirror and UI texture overhead in the config is vital for 8GB VRAM cards to prevent stuttering in a full 30-car grid.
- CPU Optimization: ACC is heavily dependent on single-core CPU speed for AI and physics. These tweaks help reduce the draw-call overhead on the main thread.
Backup and Preparation
The menu.json stores your entire graphics profile. A single bracket error can reset your settings to default.
- Completely exit Assetto Corsa Competizione.
- Navigate to your local Documents folder (path below).
- Copy menu.json, right-click, and save a backup copy on your desktop.
- Open the original file with Notepad++.
File Location
The configuration file is located in your local user Documents: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Assetto Corsa Competizione\Config\menu.json
Best Config Settings for Racing Optimization
Search for the graphicOptions section within the JSON structure. Update the following values for a “Competitive” balance:
{
"resolutionScale": 100,
"sharpening": 0.8,
"mirrorQuality": 0,
"mirrorResolution": 0,
"maxCarsVisible": 12,
"isFixedCondition": 1,
"materialsQuality": 1,
"temporalUpsampling": 1,
"volumetricFog": 0
}Pro Tip: Setting
maxCarsVisibleto 12 in the config is a game-changer for race starts. While the grid might have 30+ cars, you only realistically need to see the closest 12 for safety. This drastically reduces CPU load during the most intensive part of the race.
Key Parameters Explained
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Impact |
| resolutionScale | 100 | Prevents blur; only lower this (to 90) if your GPU is struggling at 4K. |
| sharpening | 0.8 | Counteracts TAA blur; makes brake markers and track edges significantly sharper. |
| mirrorResolution | 0 (Low) | High-res mirrors are a massive performance drain; Low provides enough info for defense. |
| volumetricFog | 0 | Disables fog effects that obscure your vision and tank your FPS at Spa or Silverstone. |
| temporalUpsampling | 1 | Enables a higher-quality reconstruction path for a cleaner image during movement. |
In-Game Settings vs. Config
To complement your optimized config, match these in-game Video settings:
- Anti-Aliasing: Set to KTAA or Temporal. If using Temporal, the
sharpeningtweak in the config is mandatory. - Contact Shadows: Set to OFF. This saves a significant amount of GPU power with very little visual loss on the track surface.
- HLOD (High Level of Detail): Set to ON. This allows the engine to simplify distant scenery, keeping your FPS high in the forest sections of the Nürburgring.
- FSR / DLSS: Set to Quality. ACC’s implementation of DLSS is excellent for regaining FPS without losing the “shimmer-free” look of the GT3 cars.
Troubleshooting & Common Fixes
- Dashboard is Blurry: This is usually due to the
resolutionScalebeing below 100 or aggressive DLSS. Set scale to 100 in the config. - Game Crashes in Large Grids: This is a CPU/VRAM overflow. Lower your
maxCarsVisibleto 8 in themenu.json. - Settings Resetting: ACC often overwrites the JSON after a game update. Once satisfied, right-click menu.json, select Properties, and check Read-only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does “Low” Mirror Quality affect safety?
No. At “Low” or “Medium” (0 or 1), you can still clearly see the shape and distance of approaching cars. “High” and “Epic” merely add unnecessary reflections and details to the rival cars’ liveries.
Why disable Volumetric Fog?
Volumetric fog creates a “glow” around lights and fills the air with particles. While beautiful for replays, it masks the distance to your braking points and adds significant GPU latency.
Is KTAA better than TAA?
Kunos’ own Anti-Aliasing (KTAA) is often sharper than standard TAA but can have more “shimmer” on fences. For pure racing, most pros prefer Temporal with the 0.8 Sharpness config tweak.
Conclusion and Expected Results
By manually refining your menu.json, you are prioritizing visual clarity and frame-time consistency—the two most important factors in sim-racing. You can expect the removal of “ghosting” artifacts, sharper distance markers, and a stable frame rate during the chaos of a race start.