Aren't we sacrificing too many modest configurations for realism?

[Toms]

I know the debate is as old as time, but frankly, with the recent updates, aren't we making Project Reality unplayable for those who don't have a racing machine? For example, when you look at the optimization of particles and smoke, it's a total disaster for small configs. We've been throwing everything at it for years to avoid giving unfair advantages, but it's really ruining the experience for those who can't upgrade every 6 months. Because now, every time you smoke, FPS plummets, making you want to uninstall straight away.

[robert357]

Particles are not a big issue, because main problem is "advanced shaders" option that will tank the performance for older PCs. Turning it off solves the issue with smoke, bullet impacts etc. However, bigger problem are new beautiful but very heavy maps, especially forests.