Elite Dangerous: Best GraphicsConfiguration.xml for Planet Landing

The objective of this optimization is to balance the Terrain Tessellation with CPU throughput, preventing the “Frame Drops” that occur when approaching planetary settlements.

File Path & Access

File Path: [Your Steam Library]\steamapps\common\Elite Dangerous\Products\elp-dangerous-64\ (Note: You may also find a user-specific override at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Graphics\)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Navigate to the directory listed above.
2. Locate the file named GraphicsConfiguration.xml. (Crucial: Create a backup named GraphicsConfiguration_Backup.xml before editing).
3. Right-click the file and select Open With > Notepad++ or a similar text editor.
4. Use Ctrl + F to search for the specific blocks (e.g., <Planets> or <Volumetrics>).
5. Adjust the values to match the “Atmospheric Entry” profile provided below.
6. Save the file. If you are editing the file in the LocalAppData folder, you may need to set it to Read-only to prevent the game from resetting it.

Optimized “Planetary Entry” Configuration Block

<Planets>
    <Ultra>
        <LocalPatchGrid>512</LocalPatchGrid>
        <TextureSize>2048</TextureSize>
        <WorkPerFrame>512</WorkPerFrame>
    </Ultra>
</Planets>

<Volumetrics>
    <Ultra>
        <DownsampleMode>2</DownsampleMode>
        <ShadowHierarchyLevels>1</ShadowHierarchyLevels>
    </Volumetrics>
</Ultra>

Parameter Details & Technical Purpose

Parameter	Recommended Value	Technical Purpose
LocalPatchGrid	512	Controls the resolution of the terrain mesh near the ship. Higher values reduce “terrain popping.”
WorkPerFrame	512	Limits how much terrain the CPU generates per frame. Higher values speed up loading but can cause stutters.
DownsampleMode	2	Renders volumetric clouds/fog at a lower resolution and upscales them, significantly boosting FPS in atmospheres.
ShadowHierarchyLevels	1	Simplifies the shadow depth for planetary rocks and debris, freeing up GPU cycles.

Best Practices for 2026 Planetary Exploration

To maintain high FPS during “Odyssey” foot missions and planetary landings, follow these additional GameEngineer.net technical steps:

• AMD FSR / NVIDIA DLSS Integration: In 2026, Elite Dangerous relies heavily on upscaling. In the in-game settings, set your Upscaling to “FSR 2.0” or “DLSS” with a “Quality” preset. This is essential for handling the Pixel Fill Rate ($R_{fill}$) required by atmospheric scattering.
• Terrain Work Slider: In the in-game Graphics > Plus menu, ensure the “Terrain Work” slider is moved toward the center. If it is too far to the right, the game will prioritize fast loading over smooth frame rates, causing “hiccups” during flight.
• Shader Preparation: If you experience a “black screen” or long load times when approaching a new planet type, your Shader Cache is likely full. Clear your NVIDIA/AMD shader cache to force the Stellar Forge to re-compile the 2026 planetary shaders.
• Terrain Material Quality: Keep this at Medium or High. “Ultra” terrain materials in Odyssey content use a significant amount of PCIe Bandwidth, which can interfere with the streaming of settlement assets and NPC AI.