Old WotLK Client Graphics Boost

[truekripp]

The Ultimate WotLK Graphics Boost
by truekripp


Introduction

Hello lovely people. I'm truekripp. I'm here to give you everything you need to know about updated models on the WotLK client.
I'm a veteran here on Warmane. Been part of the community since June 2011.

So, I've had a lot of questions about the upgraded models that I use on my machine.
I've had my fair share of having fun trying to increase the FPS and the graphics on the WotLK client, while trying to push the engine as far as it can go. I've also done some minor editing with MPQ files.

When Warmane released their new WotLK client I was quite happy at first, but it quickly turned into a bad mouthtaste. The "new" grpahical upgrade that Warmane had release was MASSIVE and had way too many issues.
I'm not sure if this has been updated, but it used to bug out quite a bit. One of the biggest issues was the sheer size of the thing(that's what she said). This put a massive toll on the engine, and started making the game crash on several occasions. Massive lag spikes was another issue that could not be fixed, no matter how I looked at it.

So.. I decided to dig a little deeper into the modding community and have found quite a few files that I've put together, to present the game in a more polished state, with less of a strain on the engine, than the "New Client".
I have to be honest, if you are using a potato PC. Please don't blame me. This will be somewhat expensive, compared to what you're used to with the (old)WotLK client. If you have any issues, try turning shadows down to 0. It'll help.

Have any issues, glitches or the like? Use the enGB/enUS client. (English client & English Language)
English client/language is a requirement, and has been the issue for several people.
I thought this would be obvious as we are altering with certain files which won't work on a different client language.

Please read through everything before you ask any questions.

Thanks to Repost for going through the files, to see if anything went against Warmane TOS.

Let's get started.



What's in it for you?

Spoiler: Show

Time to clear the waters. These files are not just adding a couple new textures.
+ Most monsters have updated models. Lions on the svannah, dragons in their lair, nagas in the waters.
+ Mount models and druid forms
+ This is not just a tiny upgrade, but a massive change in the setting of the game
+ Almost every NPC model has been updated to use the Legion models. Including humanoid NPCs(Guards, Kings etc)
+ Every playable race has been through the grinder. Even goblins had a facelift
+ New tilesets, makes most of the ground textures look much better
+ More detail on grass. New models for buildings
+ Sun effects - much more vibrant and extreme sun in the game world
+ Blood splatters, when fighting enemies. Colored blood for specific races/NPCs
+ More detailed classic Armors. Resolution for classic armors is doubled, making them much sharper
+ HD Slime & Lava
+ HD Tree textures
+ More Music in the world
+ New Shadowlands Login Screen
+ New Character Selection/Creation Screen
+ Classic and TBC dungeon maps
+ ReShade Installation Guide
Let's just say, you'll either love it or hate it.

What isn't in my package?

Spoiler: Show

- Procedural Water for 3.3.5a
- Darker Nights
- ENBs

Download & Installation

Download Links

Spoiler: Show

All-In-One
[Main] Torrent Link

*Outdated MEGA
*Outdated Google Drive

Individual Links
Patch 4
Patch 5
Patch 8
Patch D
Patch F
Patch G
Patch H
Patch L
Patch S
Patch T
Patch W
Patch X
Patch Y
Dungeon Maps

Remove patch-W, and use only ONE - Patch-6, Patch-7 or Patch-9

Water Patch (Will NOT work with my full download list)

All three water patches include Slime/Lava

Table of Content

Spoiler: Show

patch-4.MPQ - Music
patch-5.MPQ - Music
patch-8.MPQ - High Resolution Classic Armors
patch-D.MPQ - HD Goblins
patch-F.MPQ - Mounts, Druid forms & NPCs Part 1(won't work without P2)
patch-G.MPQ - Mounts, Druid forms & NPCs Part 2(won't work without P1)
patch-H.MPQ - HD Character Models
Patch-L.MPQ - Character Selection Screen, Login Screen & HD Character Icons
patch-M.MPQ - Loading Screens
patch-S.MPQ - Sunlight
patch-T.MPQ - Tilesets, Grass & Buildings
patch-W.MPQ - HD Lava/Slime(no water)
patch-X.MPQ - HD Trees & Flowers
patch-Y.MPQ - Blood Splatters
Dungeon Maps - Classic & TBC Dungeon Maps

Patch-6.MPQ - Water Patch 1 - Includes HD Lava/Slime
Patch-7.MPQ - Water Patch 2 - Includes HD Lava/Slime
Patch-9.MPQ - Water Patch 3 - Includes HD Lava/Slime

Credit goes to Asorty for going through the individual files.

Loading Screens, Login Screens & Classic Dungeon Maps(Part of the Main File)

Spoiler: Show

Additional bonus patches that works great with patches in the current thread.

1. Patch-L.MPQ Character creation, login menu and loading backgrounds + hd character icons(click on image to see in high resolution):
Previews
Character creation:

Spoiler: Show

Backgrounds:

Spoiler: Show

Backgrounds

Login menu (Burning Crusade/Mists of Pandaria/Warlords of Draenor/Shadowlands + original WOTLK in the dowload link):

Spoiler: Show

Patch-M.MPQ Bonus(canon) alternative loading backgrounds that works with Patch-L.MPQ or standalone:

Spoiler: Show

1.1 Links to download:

Spoiler: Show

Patch-L.MPQ (Burning Crusade)
Patch-L.MPQ (Lich King)
Patch-L.MPQ (Mists of Pandaria)
Patch-L.MPQ (Warlords of Draenor)
Patch-L.MPQ (Shadowlands)
Patch-M.MPQ

2 Installation instruction:

Spoiler: Show

Download any patch that you want to install and remove from the name -ruRU part and then put it to the Data folder in the game folder.
Example: Patch-ruRU-L.MPQ -> Patch-L.MPQ

Shaders

3.Credit goes to the creator of this thread:

Spoiler: Show

Forum uwow

Installation
Models

Spoiler: Show

Once you have downloaded the Data.7z folder, unpack it into your World of Warcraft directory. It should NOT overwrite anything. Copy/Paste the contents of the AddOns folder into your Interface/AddOns folder. These are essential for the Classic/TBC Dungeon Maps to appear in the game.
There should be no issues with it.
Remember to make a back-up of your Data Folder in case you break something.

If you choose to download each and every file individually, move every single MPQ file into your Data folder, located inside your World of Warcraft folder.

ReShade Installation Guide

Spoiler: Show

Installing ReShade

Spoiler: Show

Head over to ReShade, scroll all the way down and click Download ReShade 4.9.1


Run the new .exe file you just downloaded and click on "Click here to select a game and manage its ReShade installation"(option 1)


Click "Browse" and find your wow.exe(inside your World of Warcraft folder)


Choose "OpenGL" when it asks you which rendering API WoW uses.


Last choice is about the effects you'd like.
Click "Ok" to all the packages you chose(you can sort them as you wish)


Congratulations, you have completed the installation of ReShade!


Once you have opened up your game, you can simply press "Home" on your keyboard to bring up the menu.

Image examples with "Magic HDR" enabled/disabled

Spoiler: Show

Dalaran Before - Dalaran After

Shattrath Before - Shattrath After

Stormwind Before - Stormwind After

Stormwind Before - Stormwind After

Ironforge Before - Ironforge After

Macros
More grass, longer view distance, dense spell effects.

Spoiler: Show

Step 1. Create two macros and copy/paste this into them. You can't fill everything into one macro.

Spoiler: Show

Macro 1
/console overridefarclip 1
/console farclip 1600
/console horizonfarclip 6226
/console groundeffectdensity 256
/console groundeffectdist 140
/console smallcull 0
/console skycloudlod 3
/console characterAmbient
/console extshadowquality 4

Macro 2
/console environmentDetail 2
/console spelleffectlevel 100

Step 2. Don't change your graphics settings. If you do, you NEED to use the macros again. They will persist through relog/restart, as long as you don't touch your graphics settings.

Comparison

Spell Effects Level
Grass Density

My personal macro

Spoiler: Show

/console horizonfarclip 6226
/console groundeffectdensity 256
/console groundeffectdist 140
/console smallcull 0
/console skycloudlod 3
/console spelleffectlevel 80

This will take a toll on your FPS.

Uninstallation

Spoiler: Show

Simply delete the MPQ files listed under "Table of Content", and the game should go back to normal.

Experiencing crashes? Try this

Spoiler: Show

Large Address Aware doubles the amount of RAM your game client can run, before it crashes.
Many players are experiencing RAM crashes. This is most likely not due to your setup, but the game engine itself.
Warmane is massively populated and this takes a toll on the engine while being near a big population like Dalaran City.

Make sure you remove Read Only in properties of your World of Warcraft folder.

Download and follow the guide on TechPowerUp

CREDIT GOES TO

Spoiler: Show

Finsternis
Leeviathan
Nicola
Inico
Trimitor - Classic/TBC maps in English - Original thread

I will take NO credit for any of the work done in this post.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this post.
If you didn't find what you were looking for, please do comment. Tell me what is missing. Even if you do, I'd apprecate to hear your words!
Have a good one.


Kind regards

truekripp

[truekripp]

Enjoy the Slideshow

Spoiler: Show

Login/Creation Screen


Golemagg the Incinerator

Thunder Bluff

Guard Duty

Zhevra

Green Goblin

Thousand Needles


The Barrens

Warlock Pets

Un'Goro Crater

Shattrath

Rivendare's Deathcharger

Corpses, all over!

*I'll upload full screenshots later.

[Saikur0n]

I can't download from your link. It asks premium account. Can you reupload somewhere else?

[XChaos]

I can't download from your link. It asks premium account. Can you reupload somewhere else?

You can skip this window and proceed with the download as usual.

---

@OP, how well do these file modifications mesh with Molten's Warden / Sentinel / Whatever-they-call-it-these-days?
Looks fine otherwise.

[Saikur0n]

I know. But It downloads 1-2GB and stops and asks to wait. It is annoying. 5-6-10 hours. Different time assignment.

[Ghortan2]

It would really nice to know what each and every patch does though. It could be useful for people - me included - who run WoW on older hardware.

[truekripp]

I can't download from your link. It asks premium account. Can you reupload somewhere else?

I'll try to upload them individually, to see if that works. Most other websites with free uploading usually require payment for them to stay there permanently, which is why I chose MEGA. It works, is a tad tedious, but it works. Should be up in an hour or two.

Download links fixed. Hope this helps. Please let me know otherwise.

[truekripp]

@OP, how well do these file modifications mesh with Molten's Warden / Sentinel / Whatever-they-call-it-these-days?
Looks fine otherwise.

I have not tried them out with other files found on Warmane.
If you'd like to find a link for what you're talking about, I'd gladly take a look myself, but I'm not entirely sure what it is you're referring to, to be honest.

[truekripp]

It would really nice to know what each and every patch does though. It could be useful for people - me included - who run WoW on older hardware.

The bigger files (Patch 4, 8, F & H) are character/NPC/mount models. Not sure if one of them might be the tilesets.
Patch 5, D, G, S and Y are compatibility, Goblin reskin, sun effect and blood textures.

You can test it out yourself. I've used these for years and have entirely forgotten which is which.
I did change the name of some of them, to change the order that they load up, because I wanted specific patches to be more present.(or fix a couple texture issues that would appear if one was loaded before the other).

[Saikur0n]

Finally I have downloaded your patches and mixed with uwow patches and the game looks amazing. ^^ Thank you so much. By the way, are there any possibility to make 1080p loading screens without black borders?

[truekripp]

Finally I have downloaded your patches and mixed with uwow patches and the game looks amazing. ^^ Thank you so much. By the way, are there any possibility to make 1080p loading screens without black borders?

That might not happen, unless you find a patch that adds 1920x1080 pictures, and replaces the standard loading screens.
The black borders are there to avoid stretching the image on the standard loading screen.

- I'm glad you like it, thank you for downloading!

[XChaos]

I have not tried them out with other files found on Warmane.
If you'd like to find a link for what you're talking about, I'd gladly take a look myself, but I'm not entirely sure what it is you're referring to, to be honest.

I'm talking about the anti-cheat systems. You're modifying binaries. Is that being detected in any way? AKA if I apply the patch is my account eventually going to get banned? What proof is there that this isn't going to happen?

To be fair, if they aren't even being detected, this would confirm the widely accepted assertions of rampant scripting going on in low and high end arenas (and BGs, and probably other areas) alike. Everybody's likely running amok with built-in .lua unlockers and whatnot.

[truekripp]

I'm talking about the anti-cheat systems. You're modifying binaries. Is that being detected in any way? AKA if I apply the patch is my account eventually going to get banned? What proof is there that this isn't going to happen?

To be fair, if they aren't even being detected, this would confirm the widely accepted assertions of rampant scripting going on in low and high end arenas (and BGs, and probably other areas) alike. Everybody's likely running amok with built-in .lua unlockers and whatnot.

My proof is that Repost has not only gone through all the files, checked them with the server and is actively using them nowdays.
Changing textures are acceptable on Warmane. Adding or removing ingame items are not.(say, walls/houses)

I've used them for years. I asked if they were okay. I've had GMs/Admins approve of them, and some of them are actively using these specific files right now. If I am to get banned, they'd have to ban half their team as well.

There's no issues with the anti-cheat system, since this isn't a third party program, and it isn't altering with the location of any files in the game.

Also, if you were to get banned, you would be banned for using their new client as well. It's basically the same thing.
I hope that answers your question.

[Shred92]

I'm talking about the anti-cheat systems. You're modifying binaries. Is that being detected in any way? AKA if I apply the patch is my account eventually going to get banned? What proof is there that this isn't going to happen?

To be fair, if they aren't even being detected, this would confirm the widely accepted assertions of rampant scripting going on in low and high end arenas (and BGs, and probably other areas) alike. Everybody's likely running amok with built-in .lua unlockers and whatnot.

When people say "binaries" they usually refer to executable code (exes and dlls).

I have not heard of anybody being banned for modifying mpq files, as long as those modifications are not evident from the outside.

[Saikur0n]

The only thing that is missing to make game look awesome is water. ^ ^ I tried to find HD water patches for WOTLK, but couldn't find working one without bugs. I suppose that is why author didn't put it in the collection.