Dredge: Best settings.json for Fog and Lighting

The primary goal for Dredge optimization is Visibility Balance. The game uses a custom lighting system to handle the day-to-day transition and the “Panic” mechanics. This configuration focuses on increasing the draw distance of light sources (like your boat’s lamp) and stabilizing the volumetric fog so it remains atmospheric without becoming a “wall of gray” that kills your frame rate.

Hardware Compatibility & Expectations

• Volumetric Fog: This is a GPU-intensive setting. If you are on an integrated GPU or Steam Deck, lowering the fog resolution in the config is the best way to gain 10–15 FPS.
• Lighting Interaction: Every light source in Dredge (buoys, lighthouses, your boat) casts dynamic shadows. Reducing the shadow resolution slightly can help keep frame-times flat during the Night cycle.
• 4K Clarity: At 4K, the game’s “Film Grain” can look a bit noisy. We will adjust the post-processing flags to keep the image clean.

File Location

Dredge is built on the Unity engine, and its configuration files are stored in the local AppData directory:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Black Salt Games\Dredge\settings.json

Technical Configuration (Code Block)

Open the settings.json with a text editor. Modify these specific parameters to fine-tune the lighting and fog systems:

{
  "graphics": {
    "resolutionWidth": 1920,
    "resolutionHeight": 1080,
    "fullscreenMode": 1,         // 1 = Exclusive Fullscreen
    "vSync": 0,                  // 0 = Off; essential for smooth boat handling
    "qualityLevel": 3,           // 3 = Ultra
    "fogQuality": 1,             // 0 = Low, 1 = Med, 2 = High (Med is best for clarity)
    "shadowQuality": 2,          // 2 = High; ensures sharp silhouettes of monsters
    "bloomEnabled": false,       // Disabling bloom reduces fog "glow" for better sight
    "filmGrainEnabled": true,    // Keep true for atmosphere, or false for raw pixels
    "chromaticAberration": false // Disabling this makes the edges of the screen sharper
  },
  "gameplay": {
    "cameraShakeIntensity": 0.5, // Lowering this helps with motion sickness in storms
    "heldInputTime": 0.2
  }
}

Strategy for Fog and Lighting

To navigate the murky waters of the Marrows effectively:

• The Fog Quality Sweet Spot: Setting fogQuality to 1 (Medium) is actually superior to High for gameplay. It maintains the volumetric look but reduces the “density” of the light-scattering, allowing you to see red-glowing eyes and distant buoys more clearly.
• Disable Bloom for Night Vision: When your boat’s lamp is on, Bloom creates a halo effect around the light that actually reflects off the fog, making it harder to see what’s in front of you. Turning it off removes this “white-out” effect.
• Chromatic Aberration: During high “Panic” levels, the game distorts the screen. If this makes you feel nauseous or makes it too hard to pilot the boat, setting chromaticAberration to false in the JSON will keep the image stable even when your character is losing their mind.

Key Performance Parameters

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
fogQuality	1 (Medium)	Best balance between atmosphere and navigation visibility.
bloomEnabled	false	Prevents the boat’s lamp from “blinding” the player in thick fog.
vSync	0 (Off)	Reduces the input lag of the boat’s steering and fishing mini-games.
shadowQuality	2	Crucial for spotting the silhouettes of hostile sea creatures early.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually refining your settings.json to prioritize volumetric clarity and disabling bloom-based glare, you are optimizing Dredge for both performance and survival. You can expect easier navigation through the night, more responsive boat controls, and a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that doesn’t compromise your visibility.