Hardware tessellation becomes available after a background compilation check on the current GPU/driver. This renderer check also runs with AVFX disabled. Failure retains the fallback without rewriting presets. See the video guide.

Surface Objects and materials in beta 3

Surface Materials and Surface Objects are separate layers. The object menu contains grass, wall foliage, ferns, stones, soil clumps and fallen leaves. Each has its own submenu and master switch. These are client-side decorations without collision changes. Foliage has shape and clustering controls; stones use textures and a wide size spread; leaves can fall with separate amount, speed, wind and outdoor-only controls. Grass, ivy, ferns and stones have independent shadow strength, zero by default. Flashlight projections reuse that strength and require flashlight shadows.

Q2PRO-X document image

Independent Surface Object submenus.

Metal response and brick relief have been improved. Individual rectangular bricks use visibility and projected-detail controls; this does not replace the existing material settings.

Beta 2 additions

AVFX starts after the map and color mode are ready and releases map-owned data on exit. Fixed hangs at map-loading boundaries, including HDR. Removed false missing-cloud-texture messages for optional shader inputs without suppressing real resource errors.

Floor and wall materials now include metal coverings; see the Advanced AVFX guide for controls and examples. Metallic Lustre is available as an Extra Quality factory preset.

1. AVFX theory

AVFX is an optional client-side layer for weather, surfaces, audio and screen reactions. It does not change server physics, damage, hitboxes or game rules.

The system has four parts: weather emitters (rain/snow/ash/dust/mist), surface receivers (water, puddles, snow, lava), reactions (footsteps, weapons, steam, splashes), and presentation (sky, audio, wet lens).

AVFX is off by default for new users. Defaults are a safe quality baseline; users enable the system through presets or manual settings.

Ultra Quality means maximum visuals with distance LOD disabled: puddles and snow should not 'build only when the player arrives'. Lower tiers may use LOD and reduce secondary effects.

Presets are cfg files under baseq2/q2pro-x/visual_presets. They can be copied and edited by advanced users; menu rows simply execute the matching cfg.

2. How to enable and test

Open the main AVFX menu: Main menu → Advanced Visual Effects

For a ready-to-use setup, open the AVFX presets and choose a profile at the quality tier you want.

For manual tuning, use the detailed child pages: weather and atmosphere, surfaces and water, sky and celestials, local FX and sound.

Use cl_avfx_info for diagnostics; use the restore-defaults row to reset.

The quick commands are listed in the cvar and command reference.

2.1. The main AVFX menu in full

Advanced Visual Effects

Type	Section	Row	Variable or target	What it does
Navigation		AVFX presets...	q2prox_avfx_presets	Open AVFX preset packs. Presets are cfg files under baseq2/q2pro-x/visual_presets, so advanced users can tune them directly.
Navigation		AVFX Player Contact presets...	q2prox_avfx_contact_presets	Open the AVFX Player Contact preset domain: blood, sprays, world stains, corpse pools, BFG vaporization and weapon impact marks. It is completely separate from the AVFX presets above.
Navigation		AVFX Preset Generator...	q2prox_avfx_generator	Generate a safe random AVFX scene: pick a quality envelope, optionally fix the atmosphere, press Generate. Save a result you like as a custom preset.
Section	Core Settings	Core Settings
Toggle	Core Settings	Enable	cl_avfx	Master switch for the AVFX atmospheric layer (rain/snow/ash/dust/mist, storm). Visual-only, client-side. Applies immediately.
List	Core Settings	Preset	cl_avfx_preset	Atmospheric preset: rain, snow, ash, dust or mist. Applies immediately. [off / rain / snow / ash / dust / mist]
List	Core Settings	Air mix	cl_avfx_air_profile	Optional air-only layer mixed over the main preset. Does not create rain/snow surface accumulation. Applies immediately. [off / ash / dust / mist]
Slider	Core Settings	Air density	cl_avfx_air_density_scale	Density multiplier for the additional air layer only. Applies immediately.
Slider	Core Settings	Air alpha	cl_avfx_air_alpha_scale	Alpha multiplier for the additional air layer only. Applies immediately.
List	Core Settings	Quality	cl_avfx_quality	Per-frame budget: low/normal/high sets the cap on rain beams and particles. Applies immediately. [low / normal / high]
List	Core Settings	AVFX backend	cl_avfx_backend	AVFX surface/state backend. Classic keeps the legacy behaviour. Accelerated enables the modern dirty-tile/reservoir paths used by accelerated weather rendering. Applies immediately. [Classic / Accelerated]
List	Core Settings	Weather renderer	cl_avfx_weather_renderer	Weather render path. Classic uses the legacy CPU/entity path. Accelerated/Auto can use the modern path when the AVFX backend is Accelerated. Applies immediately. [Classic / Accelerated / Auto]
Toggle	Core Settings	Distance LOD	cl_avfx_render_lod	Skip rendering small AVFX effects (foam bubbles, water ripples, puddle rings, splashes, puddle dust) beyond cl_avfx_render_lod_wu distance from camera, with soft fade over the last 30%. Major perf win in dense rain (~15-25%+ fps). Puddles, cascade flows, and rain particles themselves are NEVER affected. Applies immediately.
Slider	Core Settings	LOD distance	cl_avfx_render_lod_wu	Distance LOD threshold in world units. Effects beyond this fade out and are skipped. Default 1536. Applies immediately.
List	Core Settings	Weather strength	cl_avfx_weather_level	Weather strength bias (light/normal/heavy) for density, fall speed, wind and storm chance. Your sliders still apply. Applies immediately. [light / normal / heavy]
Section	Shape & Wind	Shape & Wind
Slider	Shape & Wind	Density	cl_avfx_density	How many particles/beams the preset spawns within the quality budget. Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Alpha	cl_avfx_alpha	Overall opacity of AVFX visuals; lower = more see-through weather. Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Radius	cl_avfx_radius	Horizontal size (world units) of the weather volume around the camera. Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Height	cl_avfx_height	Vertical height (world units) of the weather column around the camera. Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Speed	cl_avfx_speed	Fall/drift speed multiplier for all preset elements (rain streaks, snow/ash drift). Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Wind X	cl_avfx_wind_x	Wind along X: slants streaks and drifts particles east (+) / west (-). Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Wind Y	cl_avfx_wind_y	Wind along Y: slants streaks and drifts particles north (+) / south (-). Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Size	cl_avfx_size	Size multiplier for streaks/particles (rain streak length/width, flake scale). Applies immediately.
Slider	Shape & Wind	Particle count multiplier	cl_avfx_particle_multiplier	Particle count multiplier for snow/ash/dust/mist and rain drops. 1 = Default, up to 100 = blizzard. Applies immediately.
Section	Submenus & Service	Submenus & Service
Navigation	Submenus & Service	Detailed settings...	q2prox_avfx_details	Open detailed AVFX settings, grouped into four hubs: Weather & Atmosphere, Surfaces & Water, Sky & Celestials, and Local FX & Sound.
Navigation	Submenus & Service	Enhanced AVFX...	q2prox_avfx_enhanced	Open Enhanced AVFX: surface effects, water enhancement, diagnostics and weapon water impacts.
Navigation	Submenus & Service	Modes...	q2prox_avfx_modes	Open AVFX availability and multiplayer visibility modes.
Navigation	Submenus & Service	Restore defaults	cl_avfx_defaults	Reset all AVFX cvars to their default values.
Navigation	Submenus & Service	Advanced effects info...	cl_avfx_info	Print AVFX diagnostics (active effects, counters, budgets) to the console.

2.2. The detailed sections

AVFX Detailed Settings

Type	Section	Row	Variable or target	What it does
Section	Categories	Categories
Navigation	Categories	Weather & Atmosphere...	q2prox_avfx_details_weather	Open Weather & Atmosphere: rain, snow, snowflakes, ash/dust/mist, storm, lightning and volumetric fog.
Navigation	Categories	Surfaces & Water...	q2prox_avfx_details_surfaces	Open Surfaces & Water: surface objects/grass, water, puddles, snow cover, lava steam and enhanced surface effects.
Navigation	Categories	Sky & Celestials...	q2prox_avfx_details_sky	Open Sky & Celestials: weather sky, volumetric clouds, sun, moon, Earth, stars, meteors and spaceships.
Navigation	Categories	Local FX & Sound...	q2prox_avfx_details_local	Open Local FX & Sound: flashlight, monster environmental contacts and AVFX sound volumes.

The large individual subsystems — sky and space, volumetric media, water and reflections, surface materials, map-authored scenes — are described in the AVFX advanced features guide. What remains here is the general structure of the layer and the weather.

3. The basic weather presets

The basic weather profiles are listed below. The complete set of shipped presets, the custom slots and the rules for saving them are covered in the separate AVFX presets guide; the way to obtain a whole new scene with one press is in the AVFX preset generator guide.

Preset	File	Purpose
Rain & Storm Ultra	v_p_rs_u.cfg	Maximum rain, puddles, runoff, sky and storm presentation; LOD off.
Rain Ultra	v_p_r_u.cfg	The same rain/water quality baseline without storm/lightning emphasis.
Snow Ultra	v_p_s_u.cfg	Maximum snow, GPU surface cover, snowdrifts, footprints and sky mood; LOD off.
Rain & Storm Quality	v_p_rs_q.cfg	Close to Ultra, with mild LOD and slightly reduced expensive detail.
Rain Quality	v_p_r_q.cfg	Recommended balanced default for users who want rain with strong visuals.
Snow Quality	v_p_s_q.cfg	Snow visual target close to Ultra with safer distance cost.
Rain & Storm Balanced	v_p_rs_b.cfg	Visible performance boost while keeping the full rain/storm feature set.
Rain Balanced	v_p_r_b.cfg	Lower rain density and stronger LOD; still keeps puddle gameplay visuals.
Snow Balanced	v_p_s_b.cfg	Lower snow density and cheaper distance simulation.
Rain & Storm Performance	v_p_rs_p.cfg	Lower particles and shorter LOD range, audio remains enabled.
Rain Performance	v_p_r_p.cfg	Keeps rain/puddles readable with reduced secondary effects.
Snow Performance	v_p_s_p.cfg	Keeps snowfall and surface snow while reducing expensive extras.
Rain & Storm Ultra Performance	v_p_rs_up.cfg	Aggressive LOD and minimal extras; still keeps audio on.
Rain Ultra Performance	v_p_r_up.cfg	Minimal rain/puddle profile for weak PCs or heavy multiplayer scenes.
Snow Ultra Performance	v_p_s_up.cfg	Ordinary snow remains, 3D flakes/expensive extras are cut back.

4. Quality tiers

Tier	What it does	When to use it
Ultra Quality	LOD off, maximum density, large puddles/snow/surface cover, expensive secondary effects enabled.	Screenshots, powerful PCs, reference visuals.
Quality	Close to Ultra, with mild LOD and slightly reduced density/expensive detail.	Recommended high-quality play.
Balanced	More visible LOD and lower particle density, while keeping the AVFX identity.	When you want a clear FPS boost without losing the feel.
Performance	Reduces particles and some expensive secondary effects while keeping weather readable.	Multiplayer or heavy maps.
Ultra Performance	Aggressive LOD and minimal extras; sounds remain enabled.	Weak PCs, maximum speed, compatibility checks.

5. Settings reference

General AVFX control

Cvar	Menu row	Purpose	Tuning note
cl_avfx	Enable	Master switch for the whole AVFX layer.	Leave off for classic Q2PRO-X visuals; presets enable it automatically.
cl_avfx_preset	Profile	Selects the active weather emitter: rain, snow, ash, dust or mist.	Use cfg presets instead of hand-switching this for full profile setup.
cl_avfx_quality	Quality	Legacy/global quality hint used by several AVFX subsystems.	Presets choose the intended value.
cl_avfx_render_lod	Distance LOD	Allows small secondary effects to be skipped far away.	0 means Ultra full-world behavior; 1 scales by cl_avfx_render_lod_wu.
cl_avfx_render_lod_wu	LOD distance	World-unit distance for local LOD when LOD is enabled.	Raise for higher quality; lower for more FPS.
cl_avfx_weather_level	Weather level	High-level weather intensity selector.	Use light/normal/heavy for quick density changes.
cl_avfx_density	Density	Base particle/weather density multiplier.	One of the first knobs to lower for performance.
cl_avfx_alpha	Alpha	Base transparency for weather particles.	Too high can make weather noisy; too low hides it.
cl_avfx_radius	Radius	Horizontal emitter radius around the player/world region.	Large values improve coverage but cost more.
cl_avfx_height	Height	Vertical weather spawn height.	Raise for large outdoor spaces.
cl_avfx_speed	Speed	Base falling/drift speed.	Affects rain streak feel and snow drift.
cl_avfx_wind_x / cl_avfx_wind_y	Wind X/Y	Horizontal weather drift.	Useful for storm mood; extreme values can look artificial indoors.
cl_avfx_size	Size	Base particle size.	Tune together with particle size multiplier.
cl_avfx_particle_multiplier	Particle size multiplier	Additional multiplier for visible particle scale.	Moved near Size in the menu because it changes the same perception.
cl_avfx_multiplayer / cl_avfx_demo	MP/Demo gates	Allow or restrict AVFX in multiplayer and demo playback.	Useful for competitive clarity or recorded showcases.
cl_avfx_competitive_limit	Competitive limit	Limits expensive/visibility-affecting effects for competitive use.	Keep enabled if strict visibility matters more than spectacle.
cl_avfx_defaults / cl_avfx_info	Defaults / Info	Reset AVFX cvars or print current diagnostic info.	Use after experiments or before bug reports.

Rain and water

Cvar	Menu row	Purpose	Tuning note
cl_avfx_water	Enhanced water	Enables AVFX water surface treatment where applicable.	Requires world effects; does not target lava/slime.
cl_avfx_water_quality	Water quality	Quality level for water-side visuals.	Higher values increase surface richness.
cl_avfx_water_strength	Water strength	Intensity of water visual modulation.	Use moderately to avoid over-tinted water.
cl_avfx_water_color	Water color	Chooses a water color preset.	Original keeps map identity; stylized colors are for mood.
cl_avfx_water_ripples / cl_avfx_water_foam	Ripples / foam	Surface ripple and foam layers.	Disable first on very low profiles.
cl_avfx_rain_drops / cl_avfx_rain_drop_density	Visible drops	Large visible rain drops/streaks and their density.	Keep high for Ultra rain curtain; lower for FPS.
cl_avfx_rain_water_ripples	Rain rings on water	Expanding rings where rain hits water.	Visible from above; blurred when seen from underwater.
cl_avfx_rain_ripple_density / cl_avfx_rain_ripple_speed	Ripple density/speed	Controls how many rings appear and how fast they grow/fade.	High values are beautiful but can be draw-heavy.
cl_avfx_rain_splashes	Rain splashes	Small 3D splashes from rain impacts.	Use with rings for full wet-surface feel.
cl_avfx_rain_splash_density / cl_avfx_rain_splash_scale	Splash density/scale	Amount and size of rain splash particles.	Lower scale if drops read too chunky.
cl_avfx_puddle_step_splashes	Puddle step splashes	3D splashes and rings from running through puddles.	Works indoors too, because it follows puddle contact, not sky exposure.
cl_avfx_puddle_step_splash_amount	Step splash amount	Strength of footstep and landing splashes.	Increase for arcade visibility; reduce for subtle realism.
cl_avfx_rain_on_eyes	Rain on eyes	Wet-lens screen effect under rain.	Uses postprocess FBO; disable if you need completely clean view.
cl_avfx_rain_on_eyes_amount	Wet-lens amount	Strength of blur/muddy lens modulation.	Small changes are noticeable.
cl_avfx_rain_puddles	Puddles	Enables rain puddle formation on valid surfaces.	Core rain realism feature.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_density / cl_avfx_rain_puddle_count	Puddle density/count	Controls how often and how many puddles can exist.	Ultra keeps high values; performance presets reduce them.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_alpha	Puddle alpha	Opacity of puddle fill.	Too low can leave only particles/sounds without visible water.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_max_size	Puddle size	Maximum puddle growth size.	Ultra uses maximum; lower tiers shrink it gradually.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_fill_rate	Puddle fill rate	How quickly puddles appear and mature.	High values are cinematic but can feel instant.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_rings	Puddle rings	Additional rings on puddles.	Disabled in Ultra Performance.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_runoff	Puddle runoff	Allows puddles to flow into lower surfaces and form cascades.	One of the most expensive but most realistic rain features.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_runoff_scale	Runoff scale	Visual scale of runoff streams.	Tune if flow looks too thick or too faint.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_runoff_dust	Runoff dirt	Particles/bubbles carried by runoff.	Adds motion cues; lower for performance.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_runoff_grow_speed	Runoff growth	How fast connected flow expands.	Too high can feel like instant fill.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_dust / cl_avfx_rain_puddle_dust_size	Puddle dust	Floating dirt/foam specks and their size.	Useful for reading transparent water.
cl_avfx_rain_water_contact	Water contact	Contact effects when rain/flow touches water.	Keeps water surfaces alive.
cl_avfx_rain_water_contact_bubbles	Contact bubbles	Bubbles created at water contact points.	Underwater rendering blurs these.
cl_avfx_rain_water_contact_bubble_size / density	Bubble size/density	Controls bubble scale and amount.	Lower first if underwater FPS is limited.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_specular	Puddle highlights	Specular highlight layer for puddles.	Disabled in Performance and Ultra Performance presets.
cl_avfx_rain_puddle_specular_strength	Highlight strength	Intensity of puddle specular response.	High values look glossy; low values look matte.

Snowflakes and snow surface

Cvar	Menu row	Purpose	Tuning note
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d	3D snowflakes	Enables larger 3D snowflake particles.	Ultra Performance disables 3D flakes, but ordinary small snow still falls.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_quality	3D quality	Preset for 3D snowflake richness.	Manual lets count/size cvars matter directly.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_count	3D count	Controls amount of 3D flakes.	Use together with particle multiplier.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_size	3D size	Visual size of 3D snowflakes.	Large sizes are cinematic but can distract.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_crossed	Crossed flakes	Renders flakes as crossed cards for fuller volume.	Costs more fill, improves close-up look.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_tumble	Tumble	Adds rotation/tumbling motion.	Good for soft snow; reduce for calm snowfall.
cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d_near	Near flakes	Controls close-to-camera 3D flakes.	Lower if snow feels too busy near view.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_material	GPU snow surface	Production GPU surface snow path.	Keep it on for the accepted snow quality and performance.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu	GPU material visuals	Controls GPU snow material rendering/noise/tint/relief/glitter.	Different from accumulation logic; this is how it looks.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_material_alpha	Surface alpha	Opacity of GPU snow blanket.	Tune if snow hides map texture too strongly.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_coverage	Coverage	Enables snow coverage atlas/accumulation.	Core setting for snow build-up.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_coverage_prefill	Prefill	Starts map with prefilled snow coverage.	Useful for instant winter look.
cl_avfx_snow_accum_fill_rate	Fill speed	How fast snow cover accumulates.	Range is tuned to 0.01..3.00 with 0.01 step for precise control.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_edge_feather	Soft edge	Softens snow coverage borders.	Helps avoid hard cut lines.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_edge_feather_wu	Edge feather WU	World-unit width of edge fade.	Increase for softer transitions.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_edge_noise_wu	Edge noise	Irregular edge breakup.	Avoid perfectly straight snow borders.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom	Snowdrift parallax	Parallax/relief snow height illusion.	Best visual payoff on close surfaces.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom_alpha	POM alpha	Blend strength for parallax layer.	Lower if high drifts obscure geometry.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom_depth_wu	POM depth	Apparent snow height in world units.	Large values create deeper drifts.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom_steps	POM steps	Raymarch steps for parallax snow.	Higher is smoother but more expensive.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom_edge_taper	POM edge taper	Reduces parallax at snow edges.	Prevents floating/thick borders.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_relief_intensity	Relief intensity	Strength of material relief shading.	Subtle values look more natural.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom_grow_time	Grow time	How snow height ramps in after accumulation.	Avoids sudden drift pop-in.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_clumpy_edge	Clumpy edge	Adds broken clumps along exposed snow edges.	Use lightly; lava edges have their own melt logic.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_clumpy_freq	Clump size/frequency	Scale/frequency of clumpy detail.	High values can look noisy.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_material_edge_fade_wu	Material edge fade	Material-level snow edge fade distance.	Useful for soft realistic snow mass.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_exposure_taps	Edge quality	Sampling quality for edge/exposure checks.	Higher is more stable but costs more.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_footprints	GPU footprints	Footprints carved into GPU snow.	Uses same visual family as snow weapon marks.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_footprint_size_wu / depth	Footprint size/depth	Controls size and depth of snow footprints.	Scale with snow depth for realism.
cl_avfx_snow_footprints	Footprints	Enables player footprint marks.	Disable for clean competitive view.
cl_avfx_snow_footprint_strength	Footprint strength	Visual strength of footprint depression/mark.	Higher reads better through thick snow.
cl_avfx_snow_footprint_fade_rate	Footprint fade	Fade speed for snow footprints.	Weapon snow marks have an analogous separate fade setting.
cl_avfx_snow_accum / density / alpha / max_size / count	Legacy accumulation caps	Legacy/auxiliary accumulation density, opacity, size and count caps.	Normally controlled by presets.
cl_avfx_snow_field / volume / volume_*	Snow field/volume	Blanket/volume controls for snow field height and growth.	Tune only after the main GPU snow surface looks right.
cl_avfx_snow_water_effects	Snow on water	Floating snow patches/effects on water.	Patch size/lifetime/drift are separate controls.
cl_avfx_snow_water_patch_density / size / lifetime / drift_speed	Water snow patches	Density, size, lifetime and drift of snow-on-water patches.	Small sizes are more realistic for flakes.
cl_avfx_snow_gpu_quality / noise / relief / glitter	Snow material quality	Material noise, relief and glitter controls.	Glitter/bloom is a beauty feature; lower on performance profiles.

Storm, sky, other effects and audio

Cvar	Menu row	Purpose	Tuning note
cl_avfx_storm / cl_avfx_storm_density	Storm	Storm layer and density.	Rain & Storm presets enable this family.
cl_avfx_lightning	Lightning	Enables lightning flashes/impacts.	Use with thunder audio for full storm.
cl_avfx_lightning_frequency / duration	Frequency/duration	How often lightning appears and how long it lasts.	Too frequent lightning can fatigue the view.
cl_avfx_lightning_screen_flash	Screen flash	Screen-space lightning flash.	Lower for competitive comfort.
cl_avfx_lightning_impact_scale / dlight	Impact scale/light	Impact visual scale and dynamic light.	Requires dynamic light settings to be visible.
cl_avfx_sky	AVFX sky	Enables AVFX sky tint/cloud/fog layer.	Snow and rain presets keep their accepted sky mood.
cl_avfx_sky_auto	Auto sky	Automatically applies weather-appropriate sky settings.	Useful with presets; turn off for manual art direction.
cl_avfx_sky_override_mode	Sky override mode	Off/tint/overlay/replace sky behavior.	Replace is strongest; tint preserves map identity.
cl_avfx_sky_darkness / storm_tint	Darkness/tint	Sky darkening and storm color.	Key for snow/rain mood.
cl_avfx_sky_clouds / cloud_intensity / cloud_speed	Clouds	Cloud overlay enable, intensity and motion speed.	Snow presets use darker cloud/fog mood.
cl_avfx_sky_fog_alpha	Sky fog	Fog amount in the sky/weather layer.	Too high can flatten distant contrast.
cl_avfx_ash_dlights / ash_sprites	Ash ember visuals	Dynamic lights and varied sprites for ash embers.	Used by ash profile and miscellaneous effects.
cl_avfx_lava_steam	Lava steam	Steam where rain/snow/water meets lava.	Uses different feel from snowflake impact steam.
cl_avfx_lava_steam_density / height / speed / edge_radius	Steam shape	Density, height, rise speed and lava-edge radius.	Tune density before height for believable steam.
cl_avfx_audio	AVFX audio	Master AVFX audio switch.	Presets turn sounds on by default.
cl_avfx_audio_volume	AVFX volume	Overall AVFX sound volume.	Still respects global sound settings.
cl_avfx_audio_wind / rain / rain_drops / snow / water	Weather audio	Individual weather and water sound layers.	Disable only the layer that annoys you, not the master.
cl_avfx_audio_lava_steam / lava_surface_steam	Steam audio	Sounds for lava steam and surface evaporation.	Surface steam uses separate water-evaporation feeling.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_steam_audio	Snow weapon steam	Steam audio for hot snow weapon impacts.	Used by blaster/rail/BFG-like effects.
cl_avfx_audio_thunder / impact	Thunder/impact audio	Storm thunder and impact sounds.	Important for Rain & Storm presets.
cl_avfx_audio_surface_steps / puddle_steps / snow_steps	Step audio	Surface, puddle and snow footstep layers.	Puddle landing splashes use this family too.

Enhanced effects and weapon reactions

Cvar	Menu row	Purpose	Tuning note
cl_avfx_world	World effects	Master for AVFX surface/world receivers.	Required by water, puddles and many surface reactions.
cl_avfx_world_auto	Auto world coupling	Automatically couples weather state to surface receivers.	Usually keep on with presets.
cl_avfx_world_debug	World diagnostics	Adds debug data to AVFX info.	For troubleshooting only.
cl_avfx_weapon_impacts	Weapon impacts on water	Master for weapon effects on water/puddles.	Accepted with known q2dm1-like water limitations for some weapons.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_blaster / hyperblaster	Blaster water impacts	Small splash, burn/steam reaction per projectile.	Hyperblaster repeats per bullet.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_machinegun / chaingun	Bullet water impacts	Bullet splashes, rings and spray without burn steam.	Chaingun is denser because it fires more.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_shotgun / supershotgun	Shotgun water impacts	Scattered pellet splashes and rings.	Super shotgun is stronger/richer.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_railgun	Rail water impact	Fountain-like hit, many rings and steam.	Rail is the most reliable first-surface trace on q2dm1-like water.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_handgrenade / grenadelauncher	Grenade water impacts	Large fountain, rings and temporary dark stain.	Grenade launcher varies per landed grenade.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_rocketlauncher	Rocket water impact	Huge splash, spray, rings, dark stain and strong steam.	A showcase effect; relatively expensive.
cl_avfx_weapon_impact_bfg	BFG water impact	Evaporates AVFX puddle water for several seconds, huge steam and dark mark.	The regenerated puddle is an intentional visual payoff.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impacts	Weapon impacts on snow	Master for snow marks, holes, craters, melt and snow dust.	Strength scales with snow depth/parallax where possible.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_fade_rate	Snow weapon fade	Fade speed for weapon marks on snow.	Analogous to footprint fade but intentionally separate.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_blaster / hyperblaster	Blaster snow marks	Melted/burned circular marks and steam.	Projectile scale is smaller than explosive weapons.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_machinegun / chaingun	Bullet snow marks	Dark bullet holes and snow dust.	Chaingun creates denser scatter.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_shotgun / supershotgun	Shotgun snow marks	Pellet scatter with strong snow dust.	Super shotgun is roughly stronger/richer.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_railgun	Rail snow mark	Round melted mark and steam without explosion shape.	Smaller than rockets/grenades.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_handgrenade / grenadelauncher	Grenade snow craters	Large snow crater, snow fountain and steam.	Used for both hand grenade and launched grenade.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_rocketlauncher	Rocket snow crater	Huge crater-like mark with snow/debris fountain and steam.	Should read darker in center and softer at edges.
cl_avfx_weapon_snow_impact_bfg	BFG snow melt	Large-area melt/evaporation with a deep center mark.	The biggest snow weapon reaction.

6. Profile-specific tuning

Rain and storm

Start with Rain & Storm Ultra or Rain Quality. Then tune cl_avfx_density, cl_avfx_rain_drop_density and cl_avfx_rain_puddle_fill_rate.

For rich surfaces, keep cl_avfx_rain_puddles, cl_avfx_rain_puddle_runoff, cl_avfx_rain_water_ripples and cl_avfx_rain_puddle_specular enabled.

If FPS drops, first enable cl_avfx_render_lod and reduce cl_avfx_render_lod_wu, then lower puddle rings, bubbles, dust and splash density.

For storm mood, key controls are cl_avfx_storm, cl_avfx_lightning, cl_avfx_lightning_frequency, cl_avfx_audio_thunder and sky cloud/fog settings.

Snow

Start with Snow Ultra. The main visuals come from cl_avfx_snow_gpu_material, cl_avfx_snow_gpu_coverage, cl_avfx_snow_gpu_pom and cl_avfx_snow_flakes_3d.

Accumulation speed is controlled by cl_avfx_snow_accum_fill_rate. The practical 0.01..3.00 range is used because high values fill maps almost instantly.

If 3D snowflakes are disabled, ordinary small snow should still fall; visibility depends on the general particle/weather profile.

Footprints, weapon marks and impact strength should scale with snow depth and the parallax snowdrift feel.

Competitive play

For maximum visibility use AVFX off or Performance/Ultra Performance.

Enable cl_avfx_competitive_limit if effects must not interfere with model/item readability.

Keep sounds if useful, but reduce rain-on-eyes, storm flashes, puddle rings and dense snowflakes.

7. Troubleshooting

No effects: check cl_avfx 1, cl_avfx_preset not Off, cl_avfx_world 1, multiplayer/demo gates and the actual selected cfg preset.

No AVFX audio: check cl_avfx_audio 1, cl_avfx_audio_volume, s_ambient and WAV files under baseq2/sound/q2prox/avfx.

After experiments the state looks odd: apply the desired preset again or use /avfxr.

For clean release testing, do not carry old q2pro-x.cfg/q2pro-x.local.cfg from earlier builds if you want new-user defaults.

8. Modes: multiplayer, demos and the competitive limit

AVFX Modes

Type	Row	Variable or target	What it does
Toggle	Multiplayer	cl_avfx_multiplayer	Allow AVFX during real multiplayer matches; off disables it there. Applies immediately.
Toggle	Demo playback	cl_avfx_demo	Allow AVFX during demo (.dm2/.mvd2) playback. Applies immediately.
Toggle	Competitive limit	cl_avfx_competitive_limit	In multiplayer, caps alpha/density/particle counts so weather can't hide targets. Applies immediately.

Besides these modes there is a global AVFX disable: it switches the layer off across every mod without rewriting local settings or presets. That is convenient when you want a clean image for a while without losing a configured profile.

9. What to read next

Topic	Document
Ready-made scenes, custom slots, music presets	AVFX Presets
One press, a whole new scene	AVFX Preset Generator
Sky and space, volumetric media, materials, map-authored scenes	AVFX Advanced Features
Choosing the graphics backend and the display mode	Video and Visuals
AVFX sound volumes	Sound

Q2PRO-X 1.6 Beta 5 by ly — Q2PRO-X 1.6 Beta 5 AVFX Settings Guide

Contents

Beta4: driver preflight