Halo Studios has released the August 17 Update for Halo: Campaign Evolved and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new patch brings to the table.

The August 17 Patch finally adds settings for Chromatic Aberration and Film Grain. PC gamers can now disable those annoying effects without having to mess around with the Engine.ini file.

The August 17 Update also adds a new “None” option under Upscaling Technique. This option lets players turn off both upscaling and anti-aliasing. Before this update, setting Upscaling Quality to Native used 100% render resolution, but it did not turn off all image processing. As such, Halo: Campaign Evolved used image reconstruction, anti-aliasing, and other visual effects. With the new “None” option, players can now disable them and get a true native image.

And that’s not all. All supported AMD GPUs now use Advanced Shader Delivery correctly. This should reduce shader loading times and help cut down on in-game stutters. The update also improves frame rates during cutscenes when Frame Generation is enabled. It improves stability when using XeSS Frame Generation with an in-game frame rate limit. Finally, the update changes the Maximum Frame Rate options when VSync is used on high-refresh-rate displays. This helps prevent stability issues.

Finally, the Assault Rifle’s rate of fire and spread have been fixed to match its intended performance. Jackals can now be staggered more easily when you target their hands or feet. The update also includes several fixes for Sgt. Johnson in Boarding Action. These fixes address issues that could stop the mission from progressing.

As always, Steam will download this update the next time you launch its client. Below, you can also find its full patch notes.

Halo: Campaign Evolved August 17 Patch Notes

New Video Settings

Chromatic Aberration & Film Grain

Chromatic Aberration and Film Grain are used throughout Halo: Campaign Evolved for a variety of visual effects and rendering systems.

With the August 17th update, players will now have the option to turn Chromatic Aberration and Film Grain on or off individually to better suit their visual preferences. 

Upscaling Options on PC

While setting your Upscaling Quality to Native (100% render resolution) removes resolution upscaling, Halo: Campaign Evolved continues to use processing techniques for image reconstruction, anti-aliasing, and other graphical enhancements.

The August 17th update adds a new “None” setting under Upscaling Technique that allows upscaling and anti-aliasing to be turned off completely. 

Global

• Jackals can now be staggered more reliably when targeting their hands and feet. 

• Implemented several fixes for Sgt. Johnson in Boarding Action to address issues that could block mission progression. 

• The Assault Rifle’s rate of fire and spread have been corrected to match the weapon’s intended performance.

• Fixed an issue where Marines and Flood Marines would not fire their Assault Rifles when the Magnified Skull was enabled. 

• Marines equipped with a Battle Rifle will now fire their weapon as intended. 

• Improved Active Camo behavior to reduce instances of uncloaking when falling from a ledge or walking over small bumps. 

• Fixed an issue where console players using mouse and keyboard could experience inconsistent weapon firing. 

• Attempting to reload the Magnum immediately after firing will now correctly start the reload process. 

• Players can now interrupt the reload animation of the Fuel Rod Cannon, Rocket Launcher, or Needle Rifle by throwing grenades. 

• Achievement progress will no longer be awarded incorrectly when using restricted Skulls or difficulty modifiers. 

• Fixed an issue where achievements earned while playing offline were not awarded after reconnecting to the XBOX network, requiring players to repeat the unlock requirements. 

• Reduced instances where audio would become muddy, crackly, and pop during the mission Keyes. 

• Campaign Remix will no longer crash when Flood replace a group of enemies intended to enter vehicles. 

• Improved the account linking process where failing to make a Microsoft account would require a full title restart to attempt linking again. 

PC

• Numerous improvements to PC stability and performance have been made, including: 

  • Mouse & keyboard custom key bindings will no longer reset to default after restarting the game. 

  • Adjusted Maximum Frame Rate options when using VSync on high refresh rate displays to prevent stability issues. 

  • Improved stability when using XeSS Frame Generation and an in-game maximum frame rate limit. 

  • Reduced occurrences of stability issues when loading a co-op session. 

• Added support for all graphics quality options across all supported devices.   

  • Players can now select any graphics quality option, from Very Low to Ultra, regardless of their device type or hardware class. 

• All supported AMD graphics cards now properly utilize Advanced Shader Delivery, significantly reducing shader loading times and minimizing in-game hitching. 

• Frame rate during cinematic playback has been improved while using Frame Generation. 

  • For improved performance, Frame Generation will automatically turn off during cinematics and then turn back on when gameplay resumes.