Reshade Ray Tracing Shader Rtgi 033 - 2021
| GPU | 1080p Performance (RTGI Medium, 2 bounces) | |------|-----------------------------------------------| | GTX 1060 6GB | 35–50 FPS (from 60–70 native) | | GTX 1080 Ti | 55–70 FPS (from 90–100 native) | | RTX 2060 | 60–75 FPS (RT cores unused, pure compute) |
RTGI was not using DXR or Vulkan ray tracing extensions. That meant AMD GCN cards and even Intel integrated graphics (with very low settings) could run it – a major democratization of ray tracing.
Published: 2021 (Retrospective Analysis)
In the world of PC gaming graphics modding, few releases have caused as significant a ripple as the ReShade Ray Tracing Shader RTGI version 0.33, which surfaced in early 2021. At a time when native ray tracing was still a luxury reserved for AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control, modder Pascal "Marty McFly" Gilcher delivered a software-based solution that democratized path-traced global illumination.
For gamers running older titles—from Mass Effect to Half-Life 2 to Grand Theft Auto V—RTGI v0.33 became the definitive tool to bridge the graphical gap between generations. But what made this specific version so iconic? Why do modding communities still refer back to it years later?
This article dissects the technology, installation, performance impact, and lasting legacy of the ReShade ray tracing shader RTGI 0.33 2021 release.
If you are looking to install this specific version today, here is the standard procedure used in 2021:
The search for "reshade ray tracing shader rtgi 033 2021" represents a specific moment in PC gaming history—a time when software ingenuity bridged the gap caused by hardware shortages. Pascal Gilcher didn't just make a filter; he made global illumination accessible to the GTX 1060, the most popular GPU on the Steam Hardware Survey for years.
If you are installing this today, you aren't installing the "latest and greatest." You are installing the reliable classic. It won't melt your GPU, it won't require an upgrade, and it will make your old games look like you remember them—with light that feels alive.
Ready to install? Fire up ReShade, drop in the 0.33 RTGI shader, and watch your shadows come to life.
Have a specific game in mind? Leave a comment with your title, and we will give you the exact RTGI 0.33 tuning preset for 2021 aesthetics.
The ReShade ray tracing shader RTGI 0.33 (2021) was not just a mod; it was a movement. It proved that with clever coding, real-time global illumination was possible without $1,200 graphics cards or developer support.
While hardware ray tracing has since become mainstream (with UE5’s Lumen and RTX Remix), there is a certain charm to forcing a 2012 game like Dishonored to compute light bounces using a screen-space shader from 2021. It feels like hacking reality.
If you have an old game in your Steam library with dated lighting, download ReShade 4.9, find an archive of RTGI 0.33, and witness the magic of software-based path tracing. The frame rate may drop, but the immersion will skyrocket.
Have you used RTGI 0.33 in your favorite retro game? Share your results and custom settings in the comments below. And stay tuned for our upcoming guide on RTGI 1.5 vs. 0.33 performance shootout. reshade ray tracing shader rtgi 033 2021
The Definitive Guide to ReShade Ray Tracing: RTGI 0.33 (2021)
The world of PC gaming graphics reached a significant milestone in 2021 with the widespread adoption of Pascal Gilcher’s (Marty McFly) Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) shader. While native ray tracing often requires specialized hardware, the RTGI 0.33 update revolutionized how players could inject modern lighting into older titles or games lacking native RT support. What is RTGI 0.33?
RTGI is a screen-space ray tracing shader for ReShade that simulates how light bounces off surfaces in real-time.
Real-Time Bounce Lighting: It facilitates "bounce lighting" to areas not directly lit by a source, providing realistic shadows and material interactions.
Hardware Independence: Unlike native RTX, RTGI operates solely on depth data, making it compatible with non-RTX video cards from both NVIDIA and AMD.
Version 0.33 Significance: Released as a major update around 2021/2022, this version introduced critical features like motion vectors, which significantly improved temporal stability and reduced flickering in motion. Key Features of the 2021 Update
The 0.33 iteration focused on refining the shader's usability and visual fidelity:
Motion Vector Support: By utilizing motion vectors, the shader can track pixel movement between frames, allowing for cleaner lighting that doesn't "break" as easily when the camera moves.
Improved Reflections: Enhanced specular GI allows for "pixel-perfect" paths, making reflections on wet or metallic surfaces look more grounded.
Scalability: The shader includes quality presets—from "Lite" to "Ultra"—allowing users with mid-range cards like the GTX 1060 to achieve decent results without a massive performance hit.
Validation Layers: Debug modes like the "Validation Layer" were refined to help users visualize depth, normal vectors, and albedo data to ensure the shader is working correctly. How to Install and Configure RTGI 0.33
Because RTGI is a premium shader, the installation process involves a few specific steps: Ray-Traced Global Illumination - GitHub Pages
RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader, developed by Pascal Gilcher (known as "Marty McFly"), is a post-processing tool for
that simulates real-time ray-traced lighting in games. The version | GPU | 1080p Performance (RTGI Medium, 2
, released in late 2021 into early 2022, represents a significant milestone in its development. Key Features of RTGI 0.33 (2021/2022) Motion Vector Support
: Version 0.33 introduced the use of motion vectors, which allow the shader to track object movement across frames. This significantly improves temporal stability, reducing the "ghosting" and "shimmering" effects common in earlier versions. Hardware Independence
: Unlike native RTX ray tracing, RTGI does not require dedicated RT cores. It operates by tracing rays against the game's depth buffer
and screen data, making it compatible with older GPUs, though it remains performance-heavy. Improved Global Illumination
: It accurately models how light bounces off surfaces, transferring colors from one object to another (color bleeding) and adding realistic ambient occlusion (AO) that grounds objects in the scene. NVIDIA Collaboration
: The success of this shader led NVIDIA to adopt a version of it, known as
(Screen Space Ray Traced Global Illumination), directly into their GeForce Experience driver modules. Technical Context and Access How install RTGI/ReShade (2021) GTA 5 MODS
ReShade RTGI 0.33 (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader, developed by Pascal Gilcher (widely known as Marty McFly
), represents a major milestone in post-process graphical enhancement from 2021-2022
. By leveraging screen-space information, it brings a form of ray tracing to virtually any game, regardless of whether the user has a native RTX-capable GPU. marty's mods Core Functionality & Visual Impact
RTGI 0.33 simulates light bouncing and occlusion by tracing rays against the game's depth buffer . Unlike native hardware ray tracing (like in Metro Exodus
), it is a post-process effect that only "knows" what is currently visible on your screen. Global Illumination
: Light from bright surfaces "bleeds" onto nearby objects, such as a portal's orange glow reflecting onto a concrete floor. Ambient Occlusion
: It adds deep, realistic shadows in corners and at material edges, providing depth that standard rasterized lighting often misses. Dynamic Shadows If you are looking to install this specific
: Objects moving near light sources cast softer, physically based shadows. Key Features of the 0.33 Update
Released during the 2021-2022 period, version 0.33 introduced significant technical refinements over previous iterations: Motion Vectors
: One of the most critical additions in 0.33 was support for motion vectors, which allows the shader to better track object movement, significantly reducing the "ghosting" or "wobbling" artifacts seen in older builds. Improved Blending
: Enhanced algorithms for blending the traced lighting with the original game scene to make the effect look more natural. UI & Configuration
: Refined parameters within the ReShade menu (Home key) for adjusting ray count, distance Z, and "Lighting Channel" visibility. Compatibility & Performance
ReShade RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader, developed by Pascal Gilcher (also known as Marty McFly), is a post-processing tool designed to add realistic lighting effects to video games that do not natively support hardware-level ray tracing. marty's mods Key Features of RTGI 0.33 (2021-2022)
Released during the 2021–2022 period as a significant update, version 0.33 introduced technical improvements to enhance both visual quality and performance: Motion Vector Support
: One of the most critical additions in version 0.33 was the integration of motion vectors
. This allows the shader to track object movement across frames, significantly reducing the "ghosting" or trailing artifacts common in previous screen-space ray tracing implementations. Improved Global Illumination
: The shader simulates how light bounces off surfaces, allowing colors from a bright object to "bleed" onto nearby geometry, creating a more cohesive and immersive scene. Hardware Agnostic
: Unlike native NVIDIA RTX or AMD Ray Tracing solutions, RTGI works on almost any GPU (including older cards) because it is a screen-space effect
that traces rays against the game's depth buffer rather than actual 3D geometry. Integration with NVIDIA
: The technology behind Pascal Gilcher's RTGI was influential enough to be officially adopted by NVIDIA into their FreeStyle and Ansel
drivers as "SSRTGI" (Screen Space Ray Traced Global Illumination). How It Works ReShade 5.3 and RTGI 0.33 Update | August 2022
| GPU Class (2021) | Rays/Pixel | FPS (Native) | FPS (RTGI v0.33) | Overhead | |----------------|-------------|--------------|------------------|-----------| | GTX 1060 6GB | 2 | 60 | 28-32 | ~50% loss | | RTX 2060 | 3 | 60 | 40-45 | ~25-33% loss | | RTX 3080 | 5 | 144 | 95-105 | ~27% loss |
Note: v0.33 predates ReShade’s depth buffer optimizations introduced in v4.9+; modern cards achieve better results.
