YOU DO need to remove -dxlevel after each launch, even Chris stated so here.

EDIT: I compared Maxframes and this config and found some interesting stuff; most of what was changed was text. These convars were added/changed;

cl_showfps 0 (from 1, logical since it causes FPS drop)
fps_max 0
cl_cmdrate 67 (from 66)
cl_interp .033 (from 0)
cl_updaterate 67 (from 66)
rate 60000 (uncommented)
cl_hud_playerclass_use_playermodel 0 (didn't exist before, but it's a logical change)
mat_phong 1 (phonging can cause FPS loss even if it looks better)
mat_colcorrection_disableentities (Why? Colorcorrection itself is disabled thanks to the convar below it, mat_colorcorrection 0)
mat_filterlightmaps 1 (from 0)
mat_filtertextures 1 (from 0)
mat_forceaniso 0 (from 1)
mat_specular 1 (according to his config, it causes bugs if set to 0 while Trilinear is turned off)
r_maxmodeldecal 9 (added)
r_maxnewsamples 0 (from 1)
cl_threaded_bone_setup 1 (unstable on systems without four cores)
cl_threaded_client_leaf_system 0 (causes crashes when set to non-zero)
r_queued_decals 1 (unstable on systems without four cores)

Notably, most of these changes are already set to the same values in my config (minus the net changes since I need to test those, the convars that will cause crashes, and mat_phong set to 1), so I don't see where there'd be FPS gain over mine.

Those other mods the OP linked, though? Those are good. I like that.

There's nothing I need to change for DX8 mode. Just add -dxlevel 81 to your launch options instead of -dxlevel 90, and remove it after you launch the game once.

You put it in your autoexec and then type 'setup'.

I looked through M0re's and used most of the convars he had that I didn't. Since I'm moving my STeam installation to a new SSD at the moment I can't test it, but there's probably some sort of gain.

I'll add a notice that they exist in the next update and comment them out.

On another note, if you're getting worse FPS than what I stated you likely would, then that may be due to experimental changes that I've been trying recently, or changes that could be made to improve it, since these changes might not be compatible or effective on all systems (r_queued_decals 1 and cl_threaded_bone_setup 1 being prime examples). I apologize for such occurances, but that's why we're trying to get this all figured out and find out what can give us the best FPS.

I'm constantly adding convars that we discover that increase performance. There is most definitely a gain.

What do you mean? All -dxlevel XX does is set your DirectX level to the specified one and reset your graphical settings, since that's a side effect of changing the DirectX level. Keeping it in startup properties means it does this EVERY launch, which only makes it so that you have to redo the options each time. There's no benefit.

Off-topic: I set up Google Analytics on my site last night before I launched it, and the results are mostly expected... Except for the fact that someone viewed my website from a Wii. Not going to ask why.

http://smashinglim.es/i/nAZBek.png

m_rawinput "1"
m_filter "0"
m_customaccel "0"
m_mouseaccel1 "0"
m_mouseaccel2 "0"

-useforcedmparms -noforcemaccel -noforcemspd

Looks like it, I'll probably do that later.

Yes.

I finally got around to comparing dx9frames and maxframes (skipping highframes since it's baically useless in this case), and these are the only convars that changed (value on the left is dx9frames, right is maxframes);

mat_bumpmap (1 to 0, but it's already set to 0 in the current config)
mat_filterlightmaps (1 to 0, but it's already set to 0 in the current config)
mat_filtertextures (1 to 0, but it's already set to 0 in the current config)
mat_picmip (1 to 2, but I removed this convar, so it doesn't matter)
mat_specular (but I set this to 0 in the current config to test it, and will later)
mat_trilinear (1 to 0, but I set this to 0 in the current config)
r_decals & mp_decals (set from 9 to 1, but I set it to 1 the current config)

In other words, the only differences between the two are already applied, so there's no need for a maxframes config. Hell, there's actually a convar called mat_dxlevel that lets me change the DirectX level in-game, so I can just make a toggle that switches between these two modes. Problem solved.

EDIT: Problem not so solved. mat_dxlevel doesn't seem to persist through restarts, but I'll play around with it.

Thanks, I'll modify those to be set to 1 shortly. I'd imagine Chris set them to 0 since they were probably unstable at the time.

I'll give -dxlevel 91 a try and see if there's any improvement. The reason why you don't want to keep it in there is because when you change the DirectX level, it resets all of your graphic settings in TF2 to the default/recommended ones. I don't have any convars that enforce low settings, I think (other than maybe AA, I need to test this), specifically so that users can control it, so this is relevant.

Hence why I provided multiple options for viewing FPS. There's no way around that.

What do you recommend to add, then? I'm not really a fan of making multiple configs unless they're drastically different in some way, so perhaps I can make some aliases to toggle between these modes you're suggesting.

I definitely agree. A project like this is the perfect chance to work together on making a config that can supercede Chris' once and for all, and keep this up to date. I plan on being active in this scene for some time, and if not, I'll just transfer project ownership to someone else who will be.

I'm technically already doing this; after each rpc_ command I'm making it run host_writeconfig, which saves the changes the command made to config.cfg. That's how they persist through restarts. I've commented everything that the rpc_ commands can actually control so that they won't be automatically set upon each restart (so that user settings persist), and if the user wants to modify the config, all they have to do is uncomment the lines.

What should I change between these other than cl_threaded_bone_setup 1 r_queued_decals 1 (which probably wouldn't be detrimental on two-core systems anyhow)?

I'm not sure what might be causing this, but if anything in your config is uncommented that the commands controls, it'll obviously be reset upon restart. What OS are you using?

Looks like I'll be taking a look at m0re's config to see what exactly is different, since there's this drastic of an FPS boost on dx8... To be fair, my config isn't optimized for DX8, so not a big surprise. :P

cl_blobbyshadows 1

r_waterdrawreflection 0				// Controls as to whether reflections should be drawn on the surface of water.
r_waterdrawrefraction 1				// Controls as to whether to calculate refractions when in water.
r_waterforceexpensive 0				// Forces expensive water.
r_waterforcereflectentities 0		// Forces as to whether entities should be reflected into water even if r_waterdrawreflection is 0.

cl_ask_blacklist_opt_out "1"
cl_ask_favorite_opt_out "1"
sb_dontshow_maxplayer_warning "1"
tf_explanations_backpackpanel "1"
tf_explanations_charinfo_armory_panel "1"
tf_explanations_charinfopanel "1"
tf_explanations_craftingpanel "1"
tf_explanations_discardpanel "1"
tf_explanations_store "1"
tf_training_has_prompted_for_forums "1"
tf_training_has_prompted_for_loadout "1"
tf_training_has_prompted_for_offline_practice "1"
tf_training_has_prompted_for_options "1"
tf_training_has_prompted_for_training "1"

tf_dingaling_pitchmaxdmg "25"
tf_dingaling_pitchmindmg "125"
tf_dingaling_volume "1"
tf_dingalingaling_repeat_delay "0"

cl_timeout "30"
hud_combattext_batching_window "2"
hud_combattext_healing "1"
hud_saytext_time "12"
hud_deathnotice_time "6"
tf_hud_num_building_alert_beeps "2"
tf_hud_show_servertimelimit "1"
voice_loopback "1"

I'll text this about cl_allowupload shortly and get back to you on that, if what you say is true then I'll comment it out. As for the rest of the things you posted, thanks! I'll probably add most of those and remove what you stated.

Thanks, I was looking for someone who had Linux to be able to find out the path for me. I'll update the OP and repo shortly with this.

fps_max isn't an alias I created, so it doesn't run host_writeconfig after it. I technically can't do this, so the only thing you can do is go into the config and uncomment the fps_max line, and set it to what you want.

Additionally, fps_max isn't even saved to config.cfg; I can't fix this.

Type 'setup' in console.

Thanks for the info!

Because that was a joke. What they do is configure the software-based AA, it looks like, and the 3DNow convar was already there.

Thanks!

Not yet, but I plan to.

If Chris' didn't help your FPS, this one isn't likely to either, unfortunately, since I use his as a base. Sorry.