# Changing graphic settings in game ignores the default scalability settings/source/ini file? **URL:** \ **Category:** Platform & Builds\ **Tags:** Graphics, settings, scalability-settings, unreal-engine, question\ **Created:** [October 23, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156 "2021-10-23T12:43:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Link167](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Link167](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Link167)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/1 "2021-10-23T12:43:03Z")
I have an in game menu with graphics settings (Off, Low, Medium, High, Very High, Ultra), put some foliage in my testing level and enabled density scaling on that foliage. In the engine/config/“BaseScalability.ini” for me the defaults are set like this: [FoliageQuality@0] foliage.DensityScale=0 grass.DensityScale=0 [FoliageQuality@1] foliage.DensityScale=0.2 grass.DensityScale=0.2 [FoliageQuality@2] foliage.DensityScale=0.4 grass.DensityScale=0.4 [FoliageQuality@3] foliage.DensityScale=0.6 grass.DensityScale=0.6 [FoliageQuality@4] foliage.DensityScale=0.8 grass.DensityScale=0.8 [FoliageQuality@5] foliage.DensityScale=1.0 grass.DensityScale=1.0 I am not sure that those are the original defaults, because of my testing and messing around from before. The problem is; in the testing the game does not go above level 4 category, and it seems like the values are different, in the testing it behaves like these are the set settings: [FoliageQuality@0] foliage.DensityScale=0 grass.DensityScale=0 [FoliageQuality@1] foliage.DensityScale=0.4 grass.DensityScale=0.4 [FoliageQuality@2] foliage.DensityScale=0.8 grass.DensityScale=0.8 [FoliageQuality@3] foliage.DensityScale=1.0 grass.DensityScale=1.0 So when I put it on “High” it is set to maximum, and putting it on “Very High” or “Ultra” doesn’t make any difference. I don’t understand why… Its behaving like those settings in the “BaseScalability.ini” don’t even exist, and same goes for the project/config/“DefaultScalability.ini”…and I did not use the [SystemSettings] category as you recommended, not like it makes any difference, since the engine seems to ignore the defaults, let alone my overwriting presets. What it looks like is like the engine is using the scalability settings like those from scalability reference page ([Scalability Reference | Unreal Engine Documentation](https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/TestingAndOptimization/PerformanceAndProfiling/Scalability/ScalabilityReference/)) but I don’t know what ini file would be the source file that my engine is using. At least that’s what it looks like visually. I tested other categories like Visual Effects, Shadows, Post Processing and AntiAliasing, and it seems like it is completely the same situation like it is with foliage, it goes up to level 4 category and it ignores the rest (if there are any higher levels for those settings anyway).The only category that goes to level 5 is “ViewDistance”, so it goes to “Very High” instead “High” like the rest. Is there some other ini file or something else that the engine may be using instead of the “BaseScalability”? How come I Can’t change the settings like they are set in the “BaseScalability.ini”? For changing the settings I used the “Set Foliage Quality” node ([Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/jOkHwK2)) and applied it with “Apply Settings” node ([Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/h7QGPAH)) instead of “Execute Command” node. I don’t think that’s a source of the problem because changing the settings works just fine, it just seems like its taking scalability info from another source or something like that…but I’m mentioning it here anyway, in case it does make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![ClockworkOcean](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/clockworkocean/32/1169999_2.png) [@ClockworkOcean](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ClockworkOcean)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/2 "2021-10-23T13:58:43Z")
I don’t know why the ini file isn’t working, but what about just putting a console command node behind the widget. Then you know exactly what you’re getting, and no fiddling with files. ---
**Author:** ![Link167](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Link167](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Link167)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/3 "2021-10-23T14:26:38Z")
Sorry, I don’t know if I understand what you mean… Do you mean that I replace i.e. “Set Foliage Quality” node with the “Execute Console Command” (sg.FoliageQuality #) node? ---
**Author:** ![ClockworkOcean](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/clockworkocean/32/1169999_2.png) [@ClockworkOcean](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ClockworkOcean)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/4 "2021-10-23T14:56:36Z")
Like this: ![350892-screenshot-1.jpg](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/9/b/d/9bdc3729c157b660f335cf846556f834719d979f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Link167](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Link167](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Link167)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 3:12pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/5 "2021-10-23T15:12:30Z")
Hm…I see what you mean. The problem is I already have the whole system set up for setting up the “default scalability levels” like “sg.FoliageQuality #” Or “Set Foliage Quality #”. So it works with the index number (int) based on the settings chosen: 0 = Off 1 = Low 2 = Medium 3 = High 4 = Very High (Not working, for some god forsaken reason that I cannot figure out…) 5 = Ultra (same as #4) That is why I’m really trying to find out why my engine is ignoring the “default” ini file…or to figure out where else could the engine be pulling those “default” values. ---
**Author:** ![ClockworkOcean](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/clockworkocean/32/1169999_2.png) [@ClockworkOcean](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ClockworkOcean)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/6 "2021-10-23T17:32:49Z")
Can’t give you a definite answer I’m afraid. I recall from when I was using blueprints to set render quality, there was only 4 levels. Cinematic, for instance did nothing. If you want to split it into more chunks, using console commands is way easier, I think. ---
**Author:** ![ClockworkOcean](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/clockworkocean/32/1169999_2.png) [@ClockworkOcean](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ClockworkOcean)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/7 "2021-10-23T17:33:56Z")
You can just map your int range to the 0-1 foliage density scale range, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Link167](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Link167](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Link167)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 11:43am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/8 "2021-10-30T11:43:48Z")
Splitting it into more chunks, yes! That is exactly what I am trying to do, I somehow thought it would be easier doing it in the ini files since there are already set “groups” of categories. So lets say I want Shadow Quality category to have 6 levels/chunks of settings instead of the default 4 levels/chunks. How would I do that efficiently? In the Ue4 ScalabilityReference page I saw some examples, and set groups, of which are 4, each has separate commands i.e.; [ShadowQuality 3] has 6 commands: r.ShadowQuality=5, r.Shadow.CSM.MaxCascades=4, r.Shadow.MaxResolution=1024, r.Shadow.RadiusThreshold=0.03, r.Shadow.DistanceScale=1.0, r.Shadow.CSM.TransitionScale=1.0 Is there an efficient way to split it into more chunks (more than 4 scalability levels) without having to enter and execute each “sub”-command separately on each level of the setting? ---
**Author:** ![Link167](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Link167](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Link167)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/9 "2021-11-04T23:25:05Z")
Bump. Just trying to keep this alive. My last comment has been posted a week after I tried to post it, I tried to answer in a matter of hours of your last comment but it wouldn’t go through for a week…I don’t know if there were any issues with forums, I hope this gets posted soon. ---
**Author:** ![moskaart](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@moskaart](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/moskaart)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/changing-graphic-settings-in-game-ignores-the-default-scalability-settings-source-ini-file/490156/10 "2024-05-25T14:16:32Z")
There are 3 ways of changing a graphics preset: via “Execute Console Command”, via “Set Overall Scalability Settings”, and with “Set Foliage/Shadow/Texture/… Quality” Apparently whatever you put in your **DefaultScalability.ini** is completely ignored unless you go with the **3rd option**. I’m not sure why the “Set Overall Scalability” node doesn’t take into account project’s .ini file - learned it the hard way ![Screenshot_4](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/2/9/229105cf1854f46165ba5df6f3348f87ceb45f4a.png)