default cartoon graphics issue

[CEVAR]

Hey all, did a quick search and couldn't find this exact issue. For some reason when I log in now, my graphics are defaulting to super low quality that looks like a bad comic book drawing. Motion/travel is jerky and super laggy... it's super annoying.  Added a screen grab in attachments.  When I logged in I got a message, something about a crash detected/game failed to launch and graphics requirements. Never seen it before, and I've been playing for months and months with my current setup. I rebooted the PC and relaunched and message didn't come back, but graphics quality issue was present. It doesn't  change, no matter what I do with my settings. Several people suggested checking "experimental" settings and turning off Cel shading? It was already off. Also suggested relaunching tequila as administrator, that did nothing. I noticed in screen options it tries to launch automatically in "Borderless (monitor 1)" and if I press the windows key the task bar at the  bottom of screen doesn't show up. I was always playing in 1920x1080 before (my default monitor setting), and if I switch to that and apply, the graphics don't change and the windows bar still won't show up, then if I switch back the screen goes black and won't recover. I have to open task manager and kill the game.

 

I'm pretty much at a loss at this point and don't know what to try next, short of uninstalling and reinstalling the game, and if I do that I don't know if it wipes my account and characters or what? I don't see any reason why this started all of a sudden, since I've been playing for months with no issues. PC is about 5 years old, so hasn't been any driver changes in a long time. I checked drivers just to be sure and all are up to date. Running Win7 Home Premium, so no Microsoft support/updates anymore. Last updates were security updates for Office 2010 installed on 4/22, and I've played every day since then with no problems until yesterday.  MB is Asus Z87-plus with I7-4790 processor and 16 GB RAM. No graphics card at all. Just been using the onboard graphics chipset, as it should be plenty to handle this game. Been debating getting a graphics card, but really don't know what to get that would be an upgrade, and don't want to spend $500-600 on a GTX1070 or anything that high end. Just want to figure out why I can't change the graphics settings for starters. Any suggestions?

[Oubliette_Red]

@CEVAR That's exactly what it looks like you have the experimental Cell Shading turned on. That's what usually gives it that comic book, outlined look.

 

Since you say the setting is off, have you tried turning it ON, relaunching, then OFF again?

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Oubliette_Red

[CEVAR]

Hmm, interesting. Yeah, I tried turning it on and turning it back off. No change. It's just on all the time. 😞

[CEVAR]

Okay, so I think I might have fixed it. For some reason, turning the cell shading on and off while in the game was not doing anything, even though I was clicking apply. I tried turning it on and off in the options at the login screen though, then disabled the experimental settings and applied. Logged in and everything looks normal again. No idea how it got changed to begin with, because I've never messed with those settings. Hopefully this doesn't come back. I did go ahead and order myself a video card from Newegg. GTX1050 ti. Was on sale for a pretty good price. So I'll see how that performs compared to my onboard graphics. I want to go back and play Doom3 again too, and see how that looks.

Edited April 27, 2020 by CEVAR