Rommax identifies swapped raid/non-raid Secondary Lighting settings and suggests matching them.Official
WOW FOREVER · GUIDE
WoW Forever Secondary Lighting Resets After Zoning
Secondary Lighting still shows Fair but FPS drops after login or zoning? Check Blizzard's raid-setting explanation and compare reversible community workarounds.
Quick answer
Blizzard developer Rommax identified a bug that swaps the raid and non-raid Secondary Lighting settings, and suggested enabling raid settings with matching values. Players also report FPS drops after login or city transitions even when the menu still shows Fair. Fair–Good–Fair and /console giquality 1 are community attempts, not guaranteed fixes. No completed fix for this specific setting mismatch is confirmed here.
OfficialView evidence
Try this first
- Record both normal and raid Secondary Lighting values, the scene and current FPS.
- Test the developer's matching-settings workaround, then repeat the same zone transition.
- If needed, compare the reported Fair–Good–Fair toggle as a separate reversible test.
What not to do
- Do not treat a console command, repeated reinstall or all-settings reset as a guaranteed repair.
What is still unknown
- A shipped permanent fix and every device-specific cause are not confirmed.
Separate zoning drops from other low FPS
Check when the drop starts: immediately on login, only after entering a city or changing zones, or during mouse movement. A busy city can be slower for several reasons. A setting mismatch is one identified bug, not proof that every new slowdown comes from Secondary Lighting or the older memory leak.
Why the menu can still show Fair
On October 3, Rommax said the code was using the raid Secondary Lighting setting outside raids and the non-raid setting in raids. The displayed normal preset therefore need not identify the value used for the scene. The official reply recommends matching the two settings; it does not announce that a corrected client has shipped.
First comparison: match raid and normal settings
Record your current normal and raid graphics values before changing them. Follow the developer's suggestion to enable raid settings and make the corresponding values match. Test the same scene, then repeat the zone transition. Change no unrelated graphics options during the comparison. This is a temporary workaround to test, not a promise of a specific FPS gain.
Community test: Fair to Good to Fair
An October 4 player describes selecting Good and applying, then returning to Fair and applying after the drop. Compare FPS and scene lighting before and after without moving the camera. Repeat login or zoning to see whether any benefit persists. Other devices may differ; if the test does not help, return to your recorded settings instead of repeatedly changing every preset.
What about /console giquality 1?
Another player reports using /console giquality 1 after login or a zone change. This is a community command attempt, not Blizzard's stated workaround or a permanent fix. Prefer the reversible settings-UI comparison first. Do not build an automatic command loop or assume one reported value is suitable for every device or client version.
Keep a repeatable before-and-after record
Use the same character, location, camera direction and resolution. Note normal/raid settings, FPS before login or zoning, FPS after the transition and the result after one change. Record addons, GPU or Mac model and client build. Repeat once in a quieter scene to separate crowd load from a setting that remains altered after leaving the city.
When to submit a bug report
Report a repeatable mismatch or persistent slowdown with your comparison and available client logs. If the client crashes or the system freezes, stop stress-testing; use the Mac or general FPS guide for that distinct symptom. Do not delete profiles, reinstall or abandon a stable configuration just to reproduce this lighting bug.
What remains unconfirmed
A completed client fix, a universal command solution and the cause of every device-specific FPS drop remain unconfirmed. September 24's confirmed memory-leak fix is a separate event. A developer diagnosis supports Official evidence for this setting bug, not Fixed status for all performance problems.
Claim evidence
Independent Beta players report FPS and lighting changes after login or zoning despite a lower displayed setting.Beta Verified
Fair–Good–Fair and giquality 1 helped particular reported setups; universal or permanent recovery is not established.Community Reported
A completed client fix for this specific mismatch has not been confirmed in the reviewed sources.Unverified
How evidence labels work
OfficialConfirmed by Blizzard or an official WoW channel.
Beta VerifiedSupported by multiple independent Beta reports.
Community ReportedReported by players, but not confirmed enough.
UnverifiedNot enough reliable evidence yet.
FixedVerified in the currently checked build.
Sources
Continue from here
Choose the next answer you need.
Separate lighting drops from movement stutter and other FPS symptoms
WoW Forever low FPS, frame drops and stutter after Blizzard's memory-leak fix: what changed and which current Beta workarounds are still worth trying.
Check Mac-specific graphics and stability reports
WoW Forever Mac crash, freeze and graphics help after Blizzard's September 24 water and display fixes; check remaining lighting, shadow and FPS reports.
Compare official fixes with current Beta reports
WoW Forever Beta known issues and workarounds: current quest blockers, FPS and Mac reports, character-list problems, official fixes and what remains unverified.
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