Optimising interface and graphics settings for GOP

The Great Orb Project is a highly dynamic game that depends on knowing where the orbs and players are at all times. As such, having a suboptimal setup for Gop can severely hinder one's ability to enjoy the game to its full potential. This guide aims to provide some helpful suggestions, and let you decide what seems optimal for your particular requirements.

## Quick tips

* Toggle *Lock Interface Customisation* (*L* by default) to close or minimise windows (such as the backpack) so that your game view is less cluttered.
* The *Freedom* option (under *Camera*) allows you to zoom farther out, and *Draw distance* (under *Graphics*) determines how far from your character orbs will render.
* Gop often requires dynamic use of camera movements, so it helps to maximise camera sensitivity and use the WASD keys for rotating. If you have *lock zoom* off, you can also zoom to the appropriate level for the altar you're in. Using the middle mouse button to rotate your camera is slower, and also prevents your mouse-hand from focusing solely on clicking orbs.
* If your computer can handle it, using *Bloom* (under *Graphics*) makes it easier to spot orbs.
* You can put the *Attractor* and *Repeller* wands on the action bar to quickly swap between them.
* You can save an interface layout for Gop so you don't have to readjust manually in between activities.

## **Interfaces**

Before you optimise your interfaces for Gop, you can save your current one by pressing *Esc* -> *Edit Layout Mode -> Save Layout*.

To get started, press *L* to unlock the ability to resize and close windows. The main idea is that you want to minimise visual clutter so it's easier to see and click orbs. See below for some examples.

It helps to check the *Slim headers* and *Hide title bars* options under *Settings -> Gameplay -> Interfaces -> Appearance*.

If you bind all your optional windows to a key combination, you can close them during Gop and quickly open them again whenever you need them.

To adjust the *Game view* and *Minigame HUD*, press *Esc* and go to *Edit Layout Mode -> Advanced Options*.

I use keybinds to open various windows when I need them.I've adjusted my game view so it's still at a 16:9 ratio, while I also have room for stuff on the sides.I've raised my game view so there's room for non-orby stuff at the bottom.
## **Camera settings**

While Gopping, it's useful to frequently rotate your camera to search for orbs and make it easier to click them.

If you zoom out a lot, you make sure that orbs will be visible immediately wherever they spawn, but orbs are also harder to click when they're smaller. You have the opposite problem with zooming too far in. I usually zoom in for Air Altar and zoom out for Mind, Earth, and Chaos Altar.

If you use your middle mouse-button to turn your camera, I recommend getting used to using the WASD keys instead. It lets your mouse-hand focus its efforts on clicking orbs precisely instead of having to deal with several strenuous tasks at once.

I turn camera *sensitivity* up as high as it goes. The view doesn't need to be adjusted very precisely and it matters more that I be able to rotate it to where I want as quickly as possible.

### Freedom or Freedom Classic?

While both *Freedom* and *Freedom Classic* lets you zoom farther out than default, there are some differences.

*Freedom Classic* lets you zoom even farther out, while also making sure that the camera always tracks your character precisely and immediately. *Freedom*, on the other hand, feels smoother because the camera tracks the player by accelerating from zero, so it usually lags behind the character a bit.

I (Timome) prefer *Freedom* because I frequently need to click orbs while I'm running, so the delay helps a lot. A slower camera gives me time to line up my cursor to where the orb will be as the view moves over it. It's also easier to time when I need to click, because the orb spends a longer time directly under my cursor during movements.

## Action bar

Putting your wands on the action bar lets you quickly switch between them. This is useful for obvious reasons, but also necessary for some advanced techniques like the bounce or angles utilising the pseudorepel.

If you move your Camera with WASD, it's natural to place the wands on any of the surrounding keys. The debate over whether it's optimal to bind the *Attractor* to *Z* (Icy001's preferred solution) or *E* (the solution preferred by everyone else) is almost as fierce as the debate around which colour orb are native to the altars. The hypothesis that the *Q*-key is optimal for the *Repeller* is subject to unanimous agreement, however.

Action bar for when I'm on Green teamAction bar for when I'm on Yellow team
## **Graphics settings**

*The official RuneScape wiki has more in-depth guides to all the settings for graphics and interfaces.*

For GOP, there are a few things related to Graphics that are helpful to know.

The *Bloom* setting lights up the orbs and make them easier to spot. I prefer *Low*, since higher settings just add visual pollution. Orbs usually have a slight fade-in animation when they spawn, but bloom makes sure they're brighter the instant they spawn. In order to turn it on, however, you need *Textures*, and *Terrain blending*, so if you like having *Terrain blending* off in order to see tiles more clearly, that's a trade-off you have to make.

Having a higher *Draw distance* helps you see orbs further out. I suspect *High* is sufficient, but I haven't tested it.

Turning *Ground decoration* on is especially useful for the *Water Altar*, as the variously coloured flowers help you determine which exact tiles the orbs are on. (This is one of many reasons to appreciate flowers.)

Orbs that spawn on the diagonal of the purple flower on Water altar can be reached through the East pillar.Orbs that spawn on the diagonal of the cyan flower can be reached through the South pillar.
### Console "displayfps" and ping

More important than any of that, however, is that your Graphics settings let you have a decent framerate. This is important for several reasons. If you're at 10 FPS, orbs will in the worst case be visible to you 1000/10 milliseconds after they spawn in. Turning *Bloom* on is not worth it if it costs too many frames.

To check your FPS and ping, open up the developer console and type *displayfps*. If you use a non-English keyboard, it may be that you have to switch keyboard language before you use the key combination to open up the console.

To minimise ping and ping variability, it helps to Gop on a server that's both minimally populated and close to where you live.

### The environmental bloom issue

While you can turn on and off the bloom that appears on orbs, there are environmental sources of bloom that shine even on minimum settings. This often makes it harder to dead orbs that spawn into the bloom. Fire Altar is especially prone to this issue, but the portals on every Altar have the same problem.