Team Fortress 2: Mastercomfig: Editing modules.cfg for Max Frames

The primary goal for TF2 optimization is CPU Overhead Reduction. TF2 is almost entirely single-thread bound; the more “clutter” (hats, gibs, facial expressions) the engine has to track, the more your FPS will dip during a 32-player chaotic push. This configuration focuses on the Mastercomfig Module system, which allows you to override specific engine behaviors—like ragdolls and shadows—more cleanly than a standard autoexec.cfg.

Hardware & Compatibility

• The Single-Core King: TF2 does not care how many cores you have. It cares about IPC (Instructions Per Clock). A CPU with high single-core frequency is the only way to stay above 240 FPS.
• DirectX 9 vs. 8.1: While -dxlevel 81 is the fastest, many modern skins and competitive “glow” effects require DirectX 9 (-dxlevel 90 or 95).
• VRAM Impact: TF2 uses very little VRAM. Even a 2GB card can handle “Ultra” textures, but we lower them here to reduce the CPU’s memory management load.

File Location

To use these tweaks, you must first have Mastercomfig installed in your custom folder. Your custom module overrides should be placed here:

\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\cfg\user\modules.cfg (Note: If the user folder or modules.cfg doesn’t exist, create them manually.)

Technical Configuration (Code Block)

Copy and paste these module overrides into your modules.cfg for the absolute maximum frame rate possible in 2026:

// Mastercomfig Max Frames Modules
// Source: GameEngineer.net "Master Prompt" Format

textures=low               // Simplifies texture filtering
lighting=very_low          // Disables dynamic light sources
shadows=off                // Removing shadows is the #1 CPU boost in TF2
effects=low                // Disables shell casings and extraneous particles
water=low                  // Simplifies reflections and eliminates refraction

// Gameplay & Physics (Crucial for CPU)
ragdolls=off               // Bodies disappear instantly to save physics cycles
gibs=off                   // Disables body parts exploding
props=low                  // Reduces detail on static map objects
characters=very_low        // Disables eyes, teeth, and facial animations

// Networking for high FPS
download=mapsonly          // Prevents stuttering from downloading custom sounds

Strategy for Max Frames in TF2

To achieve a “Locked” frame rate during intense fire-fights:

• Shadows are the Enemy: In TF2, “Shadows” are calculated on the CPU. In a 32-player server, calculating 32 dynamic shadows every frame will cut your FPS in half. Setting shadows=off is mandatory for competitive play.
• The Ragdoll Bottleneck: Every time a player dies, the engine calculates “physics bones” for the corpse. If 10 players die at once, the CPU “stutters.” By setting ragdolls=off, players simply vanish, keeping the frame-time graph flat.
• JIT-Level Adjustments: In your launch options, adding -high and -nojoy (disables joystick sensing) can save minor CPU cycles that the engine otherwise wastes on background polling.

Key Performance Parameters

Module	Recommended Value	Impact
shadows	off	Massive CPU relief; prevents FPS drops in combat.
characters	very_low	Disables facial flexes, saving animation cycles.
ragdolls	off	Eliminates physics-based stuttering upon player death.
lighting	very_low	Simplifies the world to basic “Fullbright” logic.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually refining your modules.cfg to prioritize raw throughput over visual fidelity, you are stripping the Source Engine down to its competitive core. You can expect the elimination of “lag spikes” during major pushes, significantly higher 1% low FPS, and a snappier response time for hitscan classes like Scout and Sniper.