Reshade Rtgi 0.36.1 < Cross-Platform ORIGINAL >

If you’ve ever wanted ray-traced global illumination in older games like Skyrim, GTA V, Fallout 4, or Mass Effect, ReShade RTGI 0.36.1 is the most accessible entry point. This version represents the last free, open-source release of the shader before it evolved into the paid "RTGI (Full)" available on Patreon.

Below is everything you need to know: what it does, how to install it, and how to tune it for actual visual gains (not just a crushed black mess).

The application of RTGI 0.36.1 fundamentally changes the atmosphere of a game scene.

1. "No depth buffer detected"

2. Flickering or boiling shadows

3. Ghosting trails behind moving objects

4. Performance is terrible (30+ FPS drop)

Before focusing on the specific version, it is crucial to understand the technology. ReShade is a generic post-processing injector for Windows games. It allows developers and artists to write custom shaders that hook into the game’s rendering pipeline.

RTGI (often referred to as the "Marty McFly Mod") is a shader that simulates indirect lighting. In standard rasterized games, shadows are either completely black or artificially brightened. RTGI calculates how light bounces off surfaces (diffuse illumination) and, to a lesser extent, how it reflects (specular). The result is that dark corners become softly lit by bounce light from nearby walls or the sky, mimicking real-world physics.

How does this specific version stack up against modern equivalents?

Verdict: RTGI 0.36.1 is the "people's champion." It runs on hardware Nvidia wants you to throw away. If you have a GTX 1060, you cannot run RTX GI, but you can run 0.36.1.

In the ever-evolving world of PC gaming graphics, few mods have generated as much excitement as Pascal "Marty McFly" Gilcher’s Ray Tracing Global Illumination (RTGI) shader. While hardware-accelerated ray tracing (RTX) remains exclusive to newer graphics cards, RTGI has democratized cinematic lighting for thousands of older titles. Among its many iterations, one version stands out as a landmark release: ReShade RTGI 0.36.1.

This article dives deep into what makes version 0.36.1 special, how it differs from standard screen-space effects, the technical requirements, installation steps, and the best settings to transform your games.

Reshade RTGI 0.36.1 is a high-end post-processing shader developed by Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly) that brings path-traced lighting effects to almost any 3D game. By leveraging Screen Space Global Illumination (SSGI), it simulates how light bounces off surfaces to create more realistic shadows and color bleeding. Key Features and Tech

Ray-Traced Global Illumination (RTGI): Unlike standard lighting, RTGI calculates how light from primary sources (like the sun or lamps) interacts with the environment, generating natural secondary bounces and soft shadows.

Depth-Based Interaction: It uses the game's depth buffer to understand the 3D layout of a scene, allowing for accurate light occlusion and depth-of-field effects.

Compatibility: While traditionally distributed via Marty's Mods on Patreon, version 0.36.1 has been widely used to enhance titles ranging from Assassin's Creed Unity to Portal.

Screen Space Limitations: It is important to note that this is not "true" hardware ray tracing. Since it is a post-processing effect, it only calculates lighting for what is currently visible on your screen; objects behind the camera or off-screen will not cast reflections or light. Setup and Optimization

For the best results with version 0.36.1, proper configuration is essential: Adding Raytracing to ANY Older Game? (Without an RTX Card)

ReShade RTGI version 0.36.1, developed by Pascal Gilcher, transitioned into the iMMERSE Pro suite in early 2024, focusing on performance optimizations and improved denoising. This update enhanced temporal filtering to reduce ghosting and introduced simplified modes for better performance on mid-range hardware. For more details, visit Marty's Mods #iMMERSE faq – @pictureamoebae on Tumblr Reshade Rtgi 0.36.1

RTGI (Real-Time Global Illumination) 0.36.1 is a specific version of the popular shader for ReShade, developed by Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly). It is designed to simulate path-traced lighting effects in games that do not natively support Ray Tracing. Key Features of RTGI 0.36.1

Ray Traced Global Illumination: Simulates light bouncing off surfaces to illuminate surroundings realistically.

Ambient Occlusion: Enhances contact shadows between objects for better depth perception.

Improved Performance: This version includes optimizations for frame rates compared to earlier beta builds.

Depth Buffer Integration: Relies on the game's depth buffer to accurately place light and shadows in 3D space. Setup and Usage

Installation: Place the RTGI shader files (typically .fx and textures) into the reshade-shaders folder within your game's installation directory.

Accessing the Menu: Once in-game, press the Home key (or Shift+F2 on older versions) to open the ReShade overlay.

Activation: Locate "RT Global Illumination" in the shader list and check the box to enable it. Configuration:

Ensure Copy depth buffer before clear operations is enabled in the ReShade "DX11/12" tab if shadows appear flicker or transparent.

Adjust the Ray Length and Amount sliders to balance visual quality with performance impact. Common Troubleshooting

Menu Not Opening: If the overlay doesn't appear, you may need to manually edit the ReShade.ini file to change the KeyOverlay value (default is 36 for the Home key).

Flipped Shadows: If lighting appears upside down, toggle the RESHADE_DEPTH_IS_REVERSED or RESHADE_DEPTH_INPUT_IS_UPSIDE_DOWN settings in the Global Preprocessor Definitions.

Reshade RTGI 0.36.1 (Ray Traced Global Illumination) is a highly sought-after shader developed by Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly). It brings real-time ray-traced lighting, shadows, and reflections to almost any DX9, DX11, DX12, or Vulkan title, drastically improving visual fidelity without requiring native engine support. Key Features of RTGI 0.36.1 Next-Gen Lighting

: Simulates how light bounces off surfaces, creating natural "color bleeding" where bright objects cast their hue onto nearby walls and floors. Ambient Occlusion Upgrade

: Replaces standard AO with ray-traced micro-shadows, adding depth to grass, corners, and character details that traditional shaders miss. Performance Optimization

: Version 0.36.1 includes refinements to the internal ray-marching logic, allowing for better visual quality at a lower frame-rate cost compared to older iterations. Z-Thickness Logic

: Improved handling of object "thickness" in the depth buffer, which reduces "ghosting" or light leaking behind objects. Technical Requirements

To use RTGI 0.36.1 effectively, your setup must meet these criteria: ReShade Installed

: You need a recent version of ReShade (preferably with Full Add-on Support to access the depth buffer in multiplayer games, though this can trigger anti-cheat). Depth Buffer Access

: The game must allow ReShade to "see" the depth map. You may need to disable in-game Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) for this to work. If you’ve ever wanted ray-traced global illumination in

: While it doesn't require "RTX" hardware (it runs on compute shaders), it is demanding. A mid-to-high-range GPU is recommended for stable 60 FPS. How to Install : RTGI is typically distributed via Pascal Gilcher’s Patreon . Ensure you have the 0.36.1 files (usually a file and a textures folder). : Drop the files into your game’s reshade-shaders/Shaders reshade-shaders/Textures In-Game Setup : Open the ReShade overlay ( key), enable RTGlobalIllumination

, and ensure your "Global Processor Definitions" for Depth Inversion are set correctly so the shadows don't appear "upside down." Best Games for RTGI Skyrim / Fallout 4 : Perfect for enhancing old engine lighting. The Witcher 3 : Adds incredible atmosphere to forests and interiors. : Gives the city a modern, cinematic look. depth buffer issues or recommended settings for high-performance builds?

ReShade RTGI (Ray-Traced Global Illumination) is a post-process injector

developed by Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly) that simulates hardware-level ray tracing on a screen-space level. Below is a structured technical overview ("paper") for version 0.36.1 and its general implementation principles. 1. Executive Summary RTGI 0.36.1 is an advanced shader for the platform that provides physically-based lighting

and global illumination to almost any 3D game. Unlike native implementations, it operates as a post-process effect by analyzing the game's depth buffer and frame color to simulate light bounces. 2. Core Methodology: Screen-Space Ray Tracing Depth-Based Simulation

: The shader uses the game's depth map to determine the physical distance of objects. Diffuse Global Illumination

: It calculates how light from a source (like the sun) reflects off surfaces to illuminate nearby shadowed areas. Ambient Occlusion

: It enhances shadows in crevices where light is naturally blocked, providing greater depth to the scene. Motion Vectors

: Introduced in earlier 0.3x versions, these help maintain temporal stability, reducing flickering or "ghosting" when the camera moves. 3. Implementation Requirements To function properly, RTGI requires: How To ReShade RTGI - Install and Adjust

The following draft serves as a technical overview or "white paper" for ReShade RTGI v0.36.1, focusing on its implementation, features, and role in modern post-processing.

Technical Brief: ReShade Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) v0.36.1

Subject: Real-time Screen-Space Global Illumination via Post-ProcessingCore Technology: Path Tracing / Ray Tracing in Screen SpaceAuthor/Origin: Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly / McFlyPG) 1. Abstract

ReShade RTGI 0.36.1 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Marty McFly’s RTGI shader, designed to bring sophisticated light transport simulations to titles that lack native ray tracing support. By utilizing the depth buffer provided by the ReShade framework, this version refines the accuracy of indirect lighting, ambient occlusion, and light bounces within the screen space, bridging the gap between legacy rendering and modern visual fidelity. 2. Key Technical Advancements in 0.36.x

Version 0.36.1 is noted for its stability and performance optimizations over earlier "alpha" iterations like 0.17 or 0.21.

Enhanced Sample Distribution: Refined algorithms for ray distribution to reduce "noise" while maintaining high-frequency lighting details.

Temporal Stability: Improved accumulation of lighting data across frames to minimize the flickering common in screen-space solutions.

Diffuse and Specular Modeling: Accurate modeling of how light reflects off different surface types, from matte (diffuse) to shiny (specular). 3. Implementation and Requirements

Unlike native hardware-accelerated ray tracing (RTX/DirectX Raytracing), RTGI 0.36.1 is hardware independent, meaning it can run on non-RTX cards.

Dependency: Requires the ReShade Framework to intercept the game's rendering pipeline.

The Depth Buffer: Its efficacy relies entirely on "Deep Access"—the shader's ability to read the game's depth map to understand 3D geometry. The application of RTGI 0

Installation: Users typically place the .fx and .fxh shader files into the reshade-shaders/Shaders directory of their target application. 4. Performance Metrics

Ray tracing is computationally expensive. Evaluations indicate:

Performance Impact: Turning on diffuse RTGI typically results in a ~15% frame rate reduction, while enabling both diffuse and specular effects can drop performance by an additional ~11%.

Scalability: The shader includes internal quality settings (sample counts, ray length) to allow users to balance visual quality against their hardware's capabilities. 5. Community and Availability

RTGI is primarily distributed through the Marty McFly Patreon as part of a beta-access tier. Version 0.36.1 remains a popular stable point for users who prioritize reliability over the most experimental cutting-edge builds. ReShade RTGI | Ray Traced Global Illumination

Illuminating Your Games: A Guide to ReShade RTGI 0.36.1 If you have ever wanted to bring modern, ray-traced lighting to older titles or games without native support, ReShade RTGI

(Ray Traced Global Illumination) is the gold standard. Developed by Marty McFly (Pascal Gilcher), version

represents a significant leap in both accuracy and performance compared to earlier builds. What Makes RTGI 0.36.1 Special?

Unlike native hardware-level ray tracing (like NVIDIA’s RTX), RTGI is a post-process effect

. It simulates how light bounces off surfaces using only the information visible on your screen (depth buffer data). Universal Compatibility

: It works on almost any 3D game and does not require an RTX-capable graphics card, making it accessible for a wide range of hardware. Performance vs. Quality

: Version 0.36.1 is noted for being "miles better" in performance than predecessors like 0.17 or 0.33, though it remains a demanding shader that should not be used on low-end systems. Realistic Lighting : It accurately models diffuse and specular global illumination

, adding depth and immersion that standard ambient occlusion often misses. How to Install and Setup

To get the latest official version (0.36.1 or newer), you typically need to support Marty McFly on and join his Discord for beta access. Install ReShade : Download the latest version of and point it to your game's launcher. Add RTGI Files : Move the shader and texture folders into your game's reshade-shaders directory. Configure Depth Buffers

: RTGI relies entirely on depth data. Within the ReShade menu, use the Display Depth

shader to ensure your game's depth buffer is correctly aligned and not flickering. Activate RTGI

: Search for "RTGI" in the ReShade technique list and enable it. You can then adjust settings like Ray Length Amount of Rays Focal Depth to balance visual quality with your frame rate. Pro Tips for the Best Results How To ReShade RTGI - Install and Adjust

I’m unable to provide a direct download or full copy of ReShade RTGI 0.36.1 (the Pascal Gilcher “Ray Tracing Global Illumination” shader).

However, here’s what you need to know to get it legitimately: