Dragon Nest Classic: Performance Tips That Might Help

Currently Dragon Nest Classic for SEA region is using the old DirectX 9 instead of the better DX11.

That said, ‘better’ can be debated here because some people do think DX9 is better. I don't know about that, probably having less features in DX9 reduces the cpu workload.

I remember seeing someone on a private server saying that they prefer to use DX9 for their low end PC.

And I have seen ‘optimization’ tips suggesting to use DX9 to help with FPS—for example in Apex Legends a few years back, when it was still supported, by adding the -dxlevel95 command.

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Anyway, below is a youtube video comparing DirectX 9 and 11. DX11 is the clear winner here with a big gap.

Let's hope in the near future, the developers give the option to choose to use DX11 as they did with the original non-classic Dragon Nest.

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Some methods to improve fps

But before that,

Often, people go for low settings for better performance. Have you tried higher graphics settings? Or what if playing fullscreen can help stabilize the game and less fps dips, instead of windowed mode? You might get lower FPS but a smoother gaming experience, who knows.

Disclaimer: Some methods might trigger the anticheat and could get your account banned. Use them at your own risk.

Note: These methods are not guaranteed to improve your FPS. I am just sharing what I tried.

1. Using dxvk

DXVK is a free, open-source tool that translates DirectX 9/10/11 games on Windows into Vulkan in real time for possibly improved performance.

Right now there are two common DXVK options: the standard DXVK (official) and the DXVK-GPLAsync version.

For games with anticheat like Dragon Nest, it is better to use the standard version since it is the safer choice. DXVK-GPLAsync includes extra patches to reduce stutter, but because it is not the official build, it is better to avoid it for online games.

But be aware, there is still a risk of triggering the anti-cheat. I contacted Dragon Nest Classic SEA to ask about it:

In the above screenshot, I asked about DXVK-Async, which is the older and abandoned version before DXVK-GPLAsync. DXVK-Async was known for using heavier modifications, so people usually see it as more risky. I do not know the exact details of those modifications, I just know it is considered less safe for online games.

And they replied:

It's a grey area:

They didn't say "forbidden" or "you'll be banned."
Risk exists: "Might get detected" = possible future anticheat flag → account at risk.

How to use dxvk for Dragon Nest Classic

Choose which version you want to use. On the download page ("Assets" section) you will see something like dxvk-X.X.tar.gz.

Download that and extract.
After extracting, you will see 2 folders: x32 and x64. For Dragon Nest Classic, open the x64 folder.
In the x64 folder, copy d3d9.dll. Paste this in the same location as dragonnest_reborn.exe.

However, don't expect some crazy FPS boost. You might not even see any. In my experience, I see an improvement but small, probably because my CPU is just too weak and old.

I use DXVK 2.5.3. Versions after 2.5.3 crash my game during first login to town if I have the RTSS overlay displayed. The easy fix is to just turn off the overlay until the loading screen finishes. But I think it's easier to stick with the old version and forget about this issue. If you don't use RTSS, you can choose the latest version.

Below is an example video of how to install dxvk.

2. Using Lossless Scaling

The 2nd method is by using a paid app called Lossless Scaling (Steam store). This is an insane software that actually gives you a free FPS boost of 2x, 3x or even more, using frame generation.

lossless scaling frame generation — Photo: Lossless Scaling (via Steam)

To be honest, I don't know how the anti-cheat reacts to this app. People are saying it is like using OBS (reddit comment, steam comment).

I tried it long ago; it was great, but it forced fullscreen mode. Not sure how much it has improved since then.

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3. Using steam launcher

Why do this? This way, you can change the CPU affinity of Dragon Nest. For some reason, you cannot do this directly to the game itself. Probably has something to do with the anti-cheat preventing any changes.

Adjusting the CPU affinity might help the game stabilize, reducing potential FPS dips or random stutters. But don't take my word for this, it is probably just a placebo. Still, worth trying though.

How to change CPU affinity for Dragon Nest Classic

Launch Steam. Then open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
Go to Details tab and search for steam.exe.
Right click steam.exe and select Set affinity.
Set the affinity to your preference. For example, if you don't want hyperthreading, disable/uncheck CPU 1, 3, 5,... Click OK.
Now Steam is running with the CPU affinity you selected.
Add DN Launcher to Steam. Start DN Launcher from steam. It will follow steam's CPU affinity.

NOTE: Other steam games will also follow the selected affinity if you launch them, so if you don't want that, restore steam's affinity first before starting the game.

These are just a few things you can try. Some might help, some might do nothing at all since the game is still stuck on DX9 and has its own limits. If you try any of this, just know some methods might be risky. Do it at your own risk.