For enthusiasts of real-time rendering, visual enhancement, and squeezing every last drop of graphical fidelity from older or less optimized game engines, one name has stood as a beacon of software innovation: RTGI (ReShade Ray Tracing Global Illumination), often referred to as Martino’s Shader.
The release of RTGI 0.17.0.2 marks a significant milestone in the world of post-processing ray tracing. This update is not merely a bug-fix patch; it represents a refined approach to how screen-space ray tracing can mimic path-traced global illumination without requiring native hardware acceleration.
In this article, we will dissect RTGI 0.17.0.2, exploring what it is, its new features, performance metrics, installation methodology, and how it compares to its predecessors.
Version 0.17.0.2 represents an early development milestone of the RTGI shader framework. This version utilizes Screen Space Ray Tracing (SSRT) to simulate Global Illumination (GI) in real-time within applications that do not natively support ray tracing. While groundbreaking at the time of release, this specific build is now considered outdated and is primarily of interest for archival purposes or specific legacy mod compatibility.
RTGI 0.17.0.2 is more than a version number; it is a testament to the power of open-source rendering research. For gamers stuck with older hardware or frustrated by the slow adoption of ray tracing in legacy games, this update delivers tangible visual improvements—smoother motion, fewer artifacts, and better performance scaling. rtgi 0.17.0.2
Should you upgrade from 0.16.x? Yes. The temporal stability alone is worth the 5% additional performance cost.
Should you upgrade from 0.17.0.1? If you experience ghosting or edge halos, absolutely. If not, the differences are subtle but present.
To install RTGI 0.17.0.2, support the developer via Patreon, and enjoy your games bathed in realistic, dynamic global illumination. Your eyes—and your Steam backlog—will thank you.
Have you tested RTGI 0.17.0.2 in a specific game? Share your preset in the comments below. For more deep dives into ReShade shaders, subscribe to our newsletter. Version 0
To create a feature for rtgi 0.17.0.2 (assuming you're referring to RTGI — a ReShade ray tracing global illumination shader by Pascal Gilcher), you'll need to propose or implement an enhancement in its effect code or UI.
Since I can't directly modify your files, here's how you can conceptually design a new feature for that version, including code structure if you plan to fork/edit it.
Classification: High-Fidelity Graphics Injection / ReShade Add-on Developer: Pascal Gilcher (Marty McFly) Status: Legacy / Superseded (Current public versions are significantly higher)
Set correct depth format
Disable UI overlays (Discord, Afterburner, Steam overlay) – they can break depth access
For Unity games
While earlier versions of the shader were impressive, 0.17.0.2 served as a crucial stability and feature update that refined the experience for end-users.
Prior to this version, users often struggled with "noise"—visual static or graininess that occurs because ray tracing requires thousands of calculations per pixel to produce a clean image. Version 0.17.0.2 introduced improved denoising algorithms and optimization tweaks. This meant that players could achieve a cleaner image with fewer ray samples, lowering the performance hit on their GPUs. Have you tested RTGI 0
Key highlights of this specific build include:
The shader now includes an automatic quality scaler. If your GPU drops below 45 FPS, RTGI 0.17.0.2 dynamically reduces the number of rays per pixel (RPP) from 6 to 3, then scales up when headroom returns. This feature was experimental in 0.17.0.0 but is now stable and toggleable via RTGI_Performance_Mode.cfg.