astralchain.ini Reference & Config Generator

astralchain.ini sits beside astralchain.exe (or astralchain on Linux) and controls every frame-pacing, Vulkan pipeline, texture compression, resolution, HDR10, and controller binding parameter in Astral Chain Recomp. Keys are case-insensitive, # or ; start comments, and any key can be overridden per-run via an uppercase AC_<KEY> environment variable.

Build Custom astralchain.ini View Hotkeys & AC_* Flags

Live Reloadfps, aspect, ao, hdr_*nits & binds apply at once

AC_* Env VarsAC_FPS=60 overrides astralchain.ini per launch

F1 / F10 / F12ImGui settings, frame-time HUD & No-HUD toggle

PlayStation DualSense wireless controller illustrating SDL3 button mapping, rumble curves, and prompt detection — The [input] section supports automatic Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation glyph detection, per-stick drift deadzones, impulse triggers, and keyboard walk-scale tuning.

Generate and download your astralchain.ini file

Pick your hardware profile and visual preferences below, then click Download astralchain.ini to save a clean, uncommented file ready to drop into your game folder.

GPU & system profile

Display & aspect ratio

Upscaling & lighting

Controller & prompts

Generated astralchain.ini

# astralchain.ini - place next to astralchain.exe (or astralchain on Linux)
[frame rate]
fps = 60
realtime = 1
cloth_realtime = 1
highfps_fix = 1

[performance]
async_preempt = 1
free_cores = 0
timer_1ms = 1
astc_bc = auto
tex_mip_skip = 0
gpl = 1
vk_recorder = 1
vk_dyn_a2c = 1

[display]
device_profile = desktop
fullscreen = 1
window_size = 2560x1440
output_res = 2560x1440
aspect = wide
upscaling = dlss
upscaling_quality = quality
anti_aliasing = smaa
ao = gi
aniso = auto
shadow_scale = 2
draw_distance = 150
hdr = 0

[language]
operation_mode = docked
menu_lang = en

[input]
pad_layout = auto
prompts = auto
motion = 1
rumble = 1
rumble_strength = 130
rumble_triggers = 0
stick_deadzone = 8

AC_* overrides & shader warm

# Place NVIDIA DLSS SDK nvngx_dlss.dll next to astralchain.exe:
copy nvngx_dlss.dll "Astral Chain
vngx_dlss.dll"

# Optional AC_* environment overrides (override astralchain.ini for one run):
AC_FPS=60 AC_UPSCALING=dlss AC_AO=gi ./astralchain

# Rebuild driver shader cache after a GPU driver update:
astralchain.exe --warm-shaders

# In-game shortcuts:
# F1: Settings menu | F10 (or L+R then -/+): Perf overlay | F11: Fullscreen | F12: No-HUD

Keep output_res on a 16:9 32n x 18n grid (1280x720, 1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160); aspect = wide expands the camera to 16:10, 21:9, or 32:9 without losing the Vulkan device.

Display, frame rate & graphics keys explained

Every key below corresponds directly to runtime/cfg.c and astralchain.ini.example in release 1.18.0.

Section & Key	Default	Applies	Behavior & Constraints
`[frame rate] fps`	`60` (`30` on Deck)	Live	`60` enables the community 60 FPS patch + synced 60 FPS in-engine cutscenes; pre-rendered movies stay 30 FPS.
`[frame rate] realtime` / `cloth_realtime` / `highfps_fix`	`1` / `1` / `1`	Restart	Drives game speed and cloth simulation from wall-clock elapsed time and prevents physics bounce at 60 FPS.
`[display] device_profile`	`auto`	Restart	`auto` activates Steam Deck defaults when `SteamDeck=1` or Jupiter/Galileo DMI is detected; or force `desktop` / `deck`.
`[display] output_res`	`1920x1080` (`1280x720` Deck)	Restart	Internal 16:9 render resolution on the `32n x 18n` grid (`1280x720`, `1600x900`, `1920x1080`, `2560x1440`, `3200x1800`, `3840x2160`, or `auto`). Off-grid sizes fall back to 1080p.
`[display] window_size` & `fullscreen`	`1920x1080` / `1`	Live (`F11`)	Client pixel dimensions (`640x360` to `7680x4320`, unaffected by Windows DPI scaling) and borderless fullscreen toggle.
`[display] aspect`	`wide`	Live (INI only)	`wide` expands camera FOV for `16:10` down to `4:3` and `21:9` up to `48:9`, anchoring HUD corners; `fit` adds black bars; `stretch` warps.
`[display] fov` & `draw_distance`	`100` / `100`	Live / Next load	`fov` (`70`-`140`%) widens camera angle; `draw_distance` (`100`-`400`%) divides model LOD thresholds to curb pop-in.
`[display] upscaling` & `upscaling_quality`	`off` / `native`	Live / Restart	3D temporal upscaler: `off`, `auto`, `dlss` (RTX + `nvngx_dlss.dll`), `xess` (Windows), or `fsr3` (any GPU); modes `native`, `quality`, `balanced`, `performance`, `ultra_performance`.
`[display] ao`	`off`	Live	Screen-space ambient occlusion: `off`, `low`, `high` (emissive-aware SSGTAO), or `gi` (adds screen-space radiance cascade bounce light).
`[display] shadow_scale`, `contact_shadows`, `pcss`	`2` / `0` / `0`	Restart	Multiplies the 2048x2048 sun shadow map by `1`-`4`x (+85-520 MiB VRAM), traces depth contact shadows (`0`-`100`%), and softens penumbras (`0`-`200`%).
`[display] hdr`, `hdr_peak_nits`, `hdr_game_nits`, `hdr_ui_nits`	`0` / `1000` / `203` / `203`	`hdr` restart; nits live	Outputs HDR10 on Windows ('Use HDR') or Wayland color-managed sessions; `hdr_hue` (`80`) rolls bright fire highlights toward white.

Performance, memory, input & mod keys

Advanced scheduler, Vulkan driver workarounds, SDL3 controller remapping, and diagnostic flight-recorder keys.

Section & Key	Default	Technical Notes
`[performance] async_preempt` & `free_cores`	`1` / `0`	Keep `free_cores = 0`! Setting `1` removes the 3-core Horizon gate and crashes guest per-core job workers at boot.
`[performance] timer_1ms` & `cpu_boost`	`1` / `auto`	Windows 1 ms timer resolution; Linux `cpu_boost = auto` holds performance governor and uclamp (off on Steam Deck to protect GPU power budget).
`[performance] astc`, `astc_bc`, `tex_mip_skip`	`auto` / `auto` / `0`	`astc_bc = bc1` cuts ASTC VRAM by 75%-87% on <=6 GB GPUs; `tex_mip_skip = 1024` drops top mip above 1024px (~200 MiB saved on Deck).
`[performance] vk_recorder`, `vk_dyn_a2c`, `gpl`	`1` (`0` on AMD)	Automatically disabled on affected AMD RDNA1/RDNA2 drivers where recorder threads hang startup or dynamic alpha-to-coverage turns characters black.
`[input] pad_layout` & `prompts`	`auto` / `auto`	Selects `nintendo`, `xbox`, or `playstation` A/B/X/Y mapping and matching UI prompt glyphs (`prompts` change requires restart).
`[input] stick_deadzone`, `lstick_deadzone`, `rstick_deadzone`	`8` (%)	Circular drift deadzone from `0` to `50`%; inspect live stick deflection inside `F1 -> Controls`.
`[input] walk_key` & `walk_scale`	`lshift` / `0.51`	Scales digital WASD tilt to `0.51` (`16711 >= 16384` threshold) so keyboard players can walk smoothly instead of sprinting.
`[mods] mods_dir`, `mods_order`, `mods_rebuild`	`mods` / `auto`	Loads `mods/<name>/romfs`, `exefs`, and `cheats`; `mods_rebuild = auto` triggers Ninja chunk recompilation when ExeFS patches change.
`[diagnostics] trace` & `flight`	none / `0`	`trace = perf` (or `gfx,audio,svc`) expands `logs/astralchain.log`; `flight = 1` dumps spike captures exceeding `flight_spike_ms`.

In-game keyboard & controller shortcuts

Shortcuts write your updated preference directly back into astralchain.ini when toggled during play.

F1: Opens and closes the Dear ImGui settings overlay (English, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese).
F10 (or hold L + R then press Minus + Plus on pad): Cycles perf_overlay between off, fps, and full. Changed in 1.5.0 so L3 + R3 remains dedicated to Chapter 10 Fusion!
F11: Toggles borderless fullscreen (fullscreen = 1 / 0).
F12: Toggles cinematic No-HUD mode (hud = 0 / 1), hiding gauges, minimap, and prompts while keeping pause menus visible.

Using AC_* environment overrides & bind_ syntax

Any key in astralchain.ini can be overridden temporarily via an AC_ environment variable without editing the file on disk:

# Linux / Steam Launch Options example:
AC_FPS=60 AC_AO=gi AC_PERF_OVERLAY=full ./astralchain

# Custom button bind syntax in [input]:
bind_A = pad:south, key:E
bind_B = pad:east, key:lshift
bind_X = pad:west, key:space
bind_Y = pad:north, key:mouse_l

Supported back-paddle tokens include pad:lpaddle1, pad:rpaddle1, pad:lpaddle2, and pad:rpaddle2 for Xbox Elite, DualSense Edge, and Steam Deck rear grip buttons.

Controllers for dual-stick Legion combat

Astral Chain Recomp uses SDL3 for low-latency gamepad input, rumble curves, gyro aiming, back paddles, and automatic Xbox or PlayStation prompt detection.

8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller

Hall-effect sticks and L4/R4 bumpers with low-latency 2.4G dongle for 60 FPS Sync Attacks and Legion positioning.

View on Amazon

GameSir Super Nova Hall-Effect Gamepad

Drift-free Hall sticks, physically swappable ABXY faceplates (pad_layout = xbox or nintendo), and motion gyro via SDL3.

View on Amazon

8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Gamepad

Symmetrical dual-stick layout with Switch/X-Input modes, motion aiming for Bow Legion, and rear paddles (`lpaddle1`/`rpaddle1`).

View on Amazon

GuliKit KK3 Max Wireless Controller

TMR electromagnetic sticks and 1000 Hz polling for tight 360-spin and Perfect Dodge input windows on Windows and Linux.

View on Amazon

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, astralchainrecomp.wiki earns from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you.

astralchain.ini configuration questions

Answers on resolution grids, controller layouts, focus handling, and ultrawide overrides.

Why does setting output_res = 3440x1440 or 1280x800 fall back to 1920x1080?

Astral Chain's internal render targets require a strict 16:9 multiple of 32x18 (such as 1280x720, 1600x900, 1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3200x1800, or 3840x2160); non-16:9 render targets cause GPU device loss. Keep output_res = 2560x1440 (or 1280x720 on Steam Deck) and set window_size = 3440x1440 (or fullscreen = 1) with aspect = wide.

Why does GuliKit or Switch-mode Bluetooth swap my A/B and X/Y buttons?

Some controllers report Xbox X-Input device IDs while physically printed with Nintendo button labels (or vice versa). Set pad_layout = xbox or pad_layout = nintendo in astralchain.ini (or inside F1 -> Controls); the change applies immediately without restarting.

What happens if I lose window focus during a loading screen?

By default assume_focus = 1 keeps the game running while you alt-tab so background loads never stall, while muting keyboard input until the window regains focus. Setting assume_focus = 0 pauses execution on focus loss like pressing Home on Switch.

Where can I turn off aspect = wide if I prefer 16:9 black bars?

The F1 menu intentionally omits an aspect row; open astralchain.ini in any text editor, uncomment aspect = fit, and save. Because aspect is live-reloaded, pillarboxes appear immediately.