The primary enemy of fluid movement in Catalyst is “Input Lag” and “Visual Smearing.” The game’s default presets often hide minor frame drops behind heavy motion blur, which can be disorienting during complex runs. Modifying the PROF_SAVE_profile (which contains the GstRender settings) allows us to bypass the “Hyper” tier’s heavy lighting calculations and prioritize Constant Frame Pacing, ensuring that every jump and grab feels instantaneous.
Hardware Compatibility & Expectations
- Frostbite Engine Efficiency: This engine scales brilliantly with multi-core CPUs. These tweaks help distribute the “Draw Call” load more evenly.
- VRAM Scaling: The “Hyper” texture setting requires 6GB+ VRAM; if you have less, these config edits will help you force “Ultra” textures while keeping other systems light.
- Clarity vs. Blur: We will be stripping away the “Lens Effects” to ensure that Faith’s “Runner Vision” and the city’s edges are always crisp.
Backup and Preparation
The configuration is stored in a binary-wrapped text format. It is vital to backup the entire “settings” folder.
- Completely exit Mirror’s Edge Catalyst.
- Navigate to your Documents folder (path below).
- Copy the settings folder and save it to your desktop.
- Open PROF_SAVE_profile with Notepad++.
File Location
The configuration file is located in your local user Documents: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Mirror's Edge Catalyst\settings\PROF_SAVE_profile
Best GstRender Config Settings
Search for these specific GstRender strings. Update the values to match this “Precision Movement” profile:
GstRender.AnisotropicFilter 4
GstRender.AntiAliasingPost 0
GstRender.Brightness 0.500000
GstRender.Contrast 0.500000
GstRender.EffectsQuality 1
GstRender.FieldOfView 90.000000
GstRender.LightingQuality 1
GstRender.MotionBlur 0.000000
GstRender.MotionBlurEnabled 0
GstRender.PostProcessQuality 0
GstRender.ResolutionScale 1.000000
GstRender.ShadowQuality 1
GstRender.TextureQuality 2
GstRender.UndergrowthQuality 0Pro Tip: Setting
GstRender.PostProcessQualityto 0 removes the “haze” and “chromatic aberration” from the game. This makes the bright white architecture of Glass look significantly sharper and easier to navigate at high speeds.
Key Parameters Explained
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Impact |
| GstRender.MotionBlurEnabled | 0 | Disables all smearing; critical for maintaining spatial awareness during spins. |
| GstRender.FieldOfView | 90.000000 | Increases peripheral vision, making the speed sensation feel more natural. |
| GstRender.AntiAliasingPost | 0 | Disables TAA. If the game looks too jagged, use 1 (FXAA) instead for less blur. |
| GstRender.UndergrowthQuality | 0 | Reduces the complexity of rooftop plants; a major FPS saver in the The View district. |
| GstRender.ShadowQuality | 1 (Medium) | Lowers shadow resolution to keep frame times consistent during time trials. |
In-Game Settings vs. Config
To complement your movement-optimized config, use these in-game Video settings:
- GPU Memory Restriction: Set to OFF. This prevents the engine from downscaling your textures mid-run if VRAM usage spikes.
- Texture Filtering: Set to Ultra. This has a low GPU cost but keeps the “Runner Vision” red pipes looking solid from a distance.
- Ambient Occlusion: Set to SSAO or Off. HBAO+ is beautiful but can cause slight stuttering when moving between indoor and outdoor zones.
- Resolution Scale: Always keep this at 1.0. Lowering it makes the minimalist art style of the game look extremely pixelated.
Troubleshooting & Common Fixes
- Stuttering During District Transitions: This is often a CPU/Disk bottleneck. Ensure the game is on an SSD and set
GstRender.TextureQualityto 2 (Ultra) instead of Hyper. - Game Looks “Flat”: Disabling Post-Process (Quality 0) can make the lighting look less cinematic. If you prefer the “glow,” set this back to 1.
- Settings Resetting: Mirror’s Edge Catalyst often overwrites this file after an update. Once satisfied, right-click PROF_SAVE_profile, select Properties, and check Read-only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does a higher FOV affect performance?
Yes, slightly. Setting FOV to 90 or 100 renders more objects on screen. However, for a parkour game, the trade-off is worth it for the increased sense of speed and awareness.
Why disable TAA (AntiAliasingPost 0)?
Temporal Anti-Aliasing works by “averaging” frames, which creates a ghosting effect when Faith moves quickly. Disabling it makes the image “pop” and removes the feeling of looking through a dirty lens.
Does this help with “Runner Vision”?
Yes. By removing post-processing artifacts, the red “highlighted” path becomes much more distinct against the white and blue city backdrop.
Conclusion and Expected Results
By manually refining your GstRender profile, you are stripping away the cinematic “filters” that hinder high-level parkour. You can expect perfectly clear motion, zero input lag, and a locked, high frame rate that makes the flow of Glass feel smoother than ever before.