RTGI (Ray-Traced Global Illumination) for ReShade is a post-processing shader that simulates realistic indirect lighting and soft global illumination effects in games that lack full ray-traced engines. Version 0.361 refines performance and visual fidelity, delivering richer ambient lighting, smoother light bounces, and better integration with existing ReShade pipelines.

Global Illumination (GI) is the calculation of lighting as it bounces between surfaces. While modern engines (Unreal Engine 5, Frostbite) utilize sophisticated software GI (like Lumen) or hardware GI, older games rely on "baked" static lighting or simple screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO).

The ReShade RTGI 0.361 shader injects a compute-based ray tracing solution into the rendering pipeline. Unlike standard Reshade shaders (like bloom or contrast), RTGI utilizes the GPU to cast rays from the screen view into the scene geometry to calculate how light should bounce.

Key Achievement: It transforms flat, artificially lit scenes into dynamic environments where light interacts with surfaces physically.

Note: The official, most up-to-date version of RTGI is available on Pascal Gilcher’s Patreon. The "0.361 Full" distribution is often found on archive sites. Use at your own discretion.

Step 1: Install ReShade Download the latest ReShade installer from reshade.me. Run it, select your game’s executable (e.g., Cyberpunk2077.exe or SkyrimSE.exe), and select DX10/11/12 (for most modern games). Skip adding the default shader packs for now.

Step 2: Obtain the RTGI 0.361 Files You need two specific files:

Place these files into the same folder where ReShade installed ReShade.ini (usually the game’s root directory).

Step 3: Load the Shader Launch the game. Press the Home key to open the ReShade overlay. Click on the "Settings" tab and ensure your effect search paths include the folder containing the RTGI files. Go to the "Home" tab, click "Reload," and you should see "RTGI" appear in the list.

Step 4: Configuration Check the box next to RTGI.fx. You will immediately see a huge performance drop (20-40 FPS). Open the RTGI dropdown and start with these recommended settings for 0.361:

You should be aware of the legal and ethical landscape. Pascal Gilcher (the creator) initially released RTGI for free on his Patreon, then moved to a "one-time payment" model, and later to a subscription.

Version 0.361 Full is technically an "abandoned" free version. The developer has asked the community not to redistribute his files without permission. However, because 0.361 was publicly accessible at one point, many archives exist.

Beware of Scams: Searching for "reshade rtgi 0361 full download" will lead to countless fake virus-laden sites. Legitimate files are less than 10 MB. If a site asks you to complete a survey or download a ".exe" file, it is malware. Only trust community forums like ResetEra, Reddit (r/ReShade), or Discord modding hubs.

To successfully run RTGI 0.361 without significant frame rate degradation, the following specifications are recommended:

  • Depth Buffer Access: The game must allow access to the depth buffer. Without this, RTGI cannot detect geometry and will only apply lighting to flat surfaces.