Escape from Tarkov: Best local.ini for Better Enemy Visibility

Escape from Tarkov runs on the Unity engine, but many of its most impactful visibility settings are buried in the local.ini file. While the in-game “PostFX” menu is useful, it often costs a significant amount of FPS. This guide focuses on the configuration level, where we can adjust the “Colorfulness,” “Luma Sharpen,” and “HDR” settings directly. Our goal is to remove the “grey wash” from the game’s palette and ensure that players hiding in bushes or dark corners are rendered with enough contrast to be seen instantly.

Hardware Compatibility & Expectations

• Competitive Players: Essential for achieving a clean, sharp look that prioritizes target acquisition over “cinematic” realism.
• Low-to-Mid Range GPUs: Helps maintain higher FPS by disabling heavy post-processing effects while keeping the game bright.
• Monitor Quality: These settings work best on IPS or TN panels; if you have an OLED, you may need to slightly lower the brightness values to avoid crushing blacks.

Backup and Preparation

Tarkov’s launcher often checks for file integrity, so it is crucial to handle the config file correctly.

1. Ensure Escape from Tarkov and the BSG Launcher are completely closed.
2. Navigate to the directory listed below.
3. Right-click local.ini, select Copy, and save a backup copy in a safe folder.
4. Use Notepad to edit the values.

File Location

The local configuration for Tarkov is stored in your Windows user documents: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Escape from Tarkov\local.ini

Best Config Settings

Open local.ini and update the following parameters. These values are tuned to increase contrast and reduce the “foggy” look of the game:

{
  "SettingsGroup": "Graphics",
  "Version": 5,
  "Brightness": 60,
  "Contrast": 55,
  "Colorfulness": 60,
  "LumaSharpen": 80,
  "AdaptiveSharpen": 0,
  "HDR": 0,
  "Gamma": 1.2,
  "Bloom": 0,
  "ChromaticAberration": 0,
  "Noise": 0,
  "Vignette": 0
}

Key Parameters Explained

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
Gamma	1.2	Increases overall visibility in dark areas without making the image look “washed out.”
Colorfulness	60	Helps differentiate player gear (green/tan) from the background environment.
LumaSharpen	80	Sharpening at the config level is often crisper and cheaper on FPS than PostFX sharpening.
Noise / Vignette	0	Removes the “grainy” film effect and dark corners, maximizing your peripheral vision.
HDR	0	Disabling HDR in Tarkov prevents extreme light-to-dark transitions that can blind you in-game.

In-Game Settings vs. Config

To complement your local.ini tweaks, match these in-game settings for the best competitive edge:

• Object LOD Quality: 2 (Lowest). This makes distant enemies pop more against simplified backgrounds.
• Overall Visibility: 400 – 1000. Setting this too high renders unnecessary objects that can hide players.
• Shadow Quality: Low. Higher shadow settings create deeper blacks where players can hide.
• NVIDIA Reflex: On + Boost.

Troubleshooting & Common Fixes

• Settings Resetting: The BSG Launcher sometimes resets these values. Once you have saved your changes, right-click local.ini, go to Properties, and check Read-only. (Note: Uncheck this if you need to change your keybinds or resolution).
• Game Too Bright at Night: If night raids look “milky,” lower the Gamma value in the config back to 1.0.
• Blurry Scopes: This is usually caused by “DLSS” or “FSR.” If you want maximum clarity for sniping, use Native Resolution with TAA High.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually tuning your local.ini, you remove the visual layers that make Tarkov feel cluttered and “muddy.” Players can expect a cleaner image with higher contrast, making it significantly easier to track movement in the forests of Woods or the hallways of Interchange. This setup provides the best possible balance between visibility and raw FPS performance.