TLDR - Default Setting is Already the Most Performance Friendly Setting

The default setting is what we consider to be the best performance setting for Mad God Overhaul.  We strongly recommend you play the game as it is, and enable additional eye candy only after you are already satisfied with FPS and stability on your device.

60/120 SSW always on, DLAA4 + FSR  is how I play Mad God Overhaul myself, and the best combination of image quality and performance.

• Run the list as-is, do not change a single mod and play the game
• We strongly recommend Virtual Desktop 60/120 SSW always enabled (or for lower end hardware, 45/90) for all Meta and Pico users
• If you have Nvidia enable DLAA by pressing the END key on Skyrim VR window and enable DLAA in Community Shader's display section, choose the latest DLAA transformer model (DLAA 4), save the change.  This is best used with the included VR Performance Kit FSR or another upscaler like Virtual Desktop's Snapdragon Upscaler, alternatively you can reduce the device resolution as DLAA 4 will cost you 10-15% FPS, but makes everything crystal clear 
• HEVC 200 streaming is the best balance between image quality, GPU overhead and streaming latency
• If your FPS is low even on default settings, go to the Resolution is Everything section below and lower the resolution for your device
• If you have AMD, get Nvidia 5070 or higher for DLAA, better Community Shader performance, better streaming and far better modder support
• If you feel you have more than enough FPS, increase Community Shader setting or Grass Density in MO2 graphics section below.
  

If you feel like you are spending too much time tinkering, don't.

Resolution is Everything

• Meta/Pico/Valve users, make sure Steam VR resolution is always set to 100%, only change device resolution through Oculus/Pico or better yet, Virtual Desktop
• Pimax, Reverb G2 users need to go lower than 100% in Steam VR, as the default 100% resolution on these headsets can be very high, check the resolution chart below to see the type of GPU you need to run each Steam VR resolution
• PSVR2 default Steam VR resolution is 3400x3468 per eye which is absurd amount of wasted pixels, because the headset physical resolution is only 2000x2040, lower that to 70% or lower depend on your GPU
• In game super sampling slider should be set to lowest
  

Recommended Resolution and GPU, using Meta Quest 3 for example.

Assuming default settings, if you don't have a Quest then just look at the actual resolution of your device in Steam VR, and find comparable resolution.  This should give you a smooth 45/90.

Quest Link 1.0 / VD Medium (2016x2112) - 3070/6700XT/4060TI
Quest Link 1.2 / VD High (2496x2592) - 3080/3080TI/3090/4070/4070TI/6800XT/6900XT/7900XT
Quest Link 1.3 / VD Ultra (2688x2784) - 3090TI/4080/7900XTX
Quest Link 1.5x / VD Godlike (3072x3216) - 4090

Please refer to https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html 4K resolution to get an idea on how good your GPU is vs the cards above.  This is also assuming your CPU is not heavily bottlenecking your GPU (<10%).

The Game is Blurry

• Disable dynamic resolution in game 
• Make sure your encoding in Oculus, Virtual Desktop or Steam Link are set to manual encoding bit rate.  Auto bitrate will greatly reduce bit rate when your PC or network can't keep up and make the game very blurry.  Codecs like AV1 take a lot of resources, will reduce your FPS and can have artifacts
• HEVC 200 is the best balanced codec between network performance, GPU overhead and image quality 
• If you are using wireless streaming, your PC MUST be ethernet cabled into router
• Press END and enable DLAA if you are a Nvidia user for much better anti-aliasing than TAA for distance foliage shimmering (10% FPS hit, don't forget to click save in CS menu to save the change if you like it), choose the latest DLAA model
• DO NOT use upscalers like FSR, or Snapdragon Upscaling in Virtual Desktop without DLAA, reduce the device resolution instead
• Reinstall GPU driver and reset everything to default
  

The Game is Stuttering When Loading Assets

• Consider using VRAMr if you have 8-12 GB VRAM and experience stuttering when loading assets: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/90557
• Disable things like a second TV/monitor, reduce the display resolution on your primary monitor will also free up VRAM
  

Frame Generation Technology is Awesome in 2024

Most Mad God Overhaul players use reprojection (also called ASW for Oculus Link, SSW for Virtual Desktop, Motion Smoothing for Steam Link users).  Frame generation technology has improved significantly in the last a few years especially on higher frame rates, it is recommended for Nolvus players on flat screen, and it is HIGHLY recommended for VR. 

60/120 or 45/90 (ASW or SSW or Motion Smoothing depend on your headset) always enabled is the best way to play heavy modlists like Mad God Overhaul.  It is even used by FUS author Cangar to squeeze in higher resolution and more eye candy on a lighter list.  Nothing beats doubling your effective FPS

Do not judge reprojection based on 36/72 or ancient Reddit posts.  

Virtual Desktop ASW always on is considered to be the best reprojection technology today.

Graphic Settings in MO2 Mods Section

• Community Shader Performance - Baseline effects
• Community Shader Balanced - Adds terrain parallax and volumetric lighting, 15-20% FPS hit vs performance profile
• Community Shader Quality - Adds screen space shadows, and water SSR, 35% FPS hit vs performance profile
• Dyndolod Performance - No grass LOD, 2D trees
• Dyndolod Quality - 3D trees, more objects in distance, up to 25% FPS hit depend on how many trees and objects are in the distance
• Grass Density - Going from low to medium or high will cost you 10% FPS hit per level, depend on location
• Open FSR - Works for both AMD and Nvidia users, 25% FPS increase with some artifacts due to upscaling, so you need to run one higher tier resolution than what your GPU is normally capable of to make it look good, debatable whether this looks better than simply lowering your resolution without upscaling, best used with DLAA
• DLAA - Works for Nvidia users only, cleans up foliage shimmering, makes images softer, 10% FPS hit  
• Open Composite XR - Disable VR Performance Kit first, change Steam VR run time and Virtual Desktop run-time to XR. 5-10% FPS depend on location, with reduced compatibility due to losing Steam VR so you may notice a few odd issues here and there
• VR FPS Stabilizers - Depth Culling (May cause occasional texture flickers in a few locations, 10% FPS increase in heavy areas)
  

• Open Composite XR - Disable VR Performance Kit first, change Steam VR run time and Virtual Desktop run-time to XR. 5-10% FPS depend on location, with reduced compatibility due to losing Steam VR so you may notice a few odd issues here and there