name: dvar-lookup description: Search and reference MW2/IW4X DVARs by name, category, or FPS impact. Use when the user asks about game settings, DVARs, FPS optimization, or server configuration for IW4X/MW2.
DVAR Lookup
You have access to a comprehensive MW2/IW4X DVAR knowledge base via the iw4x://dvars MCP resource. This contains 1700+ DVARs with types, defaults, flags, categories, and FPS impact ratings.
How to search
- Read the resource using
ReadMcpResourceToolwith serveriw4xand URIiw4x://dvars - Parse the JSON — the
dvarsarray contains all entries - Filter based on the user's query:
- By name: Match against
namefield (supports partial match, e.g. "fog" matchesr_fog) - By category: Filter by
categoryfield (e.g. "renderer", "shadow_map", "effects", "sound", "server") - By FPS impact: Filter by
fps_impactfield ("high", "medium", "low", "none") - By context: Filter by
contextfield ("client", "server", "shared")
- By name: Match against
DVAR entry schema
{
"name": "r_fullbright",
"type": "bool",
"default": "0",
"flags": ["CHEAT"],
"category": "renderer",
"subcategory": "lighting",
"context": "client",
"description": "Disables all lighting calculations, everything fully lit",
"fps_impact": "high"
}
Categories
Key categories: renderer, shadow_map, effects, client_game, client, server, script, player, movement, perks, sound, physics, ragdoll, network, ui, hud, compass, aim_assist
FPS optimization guide
When users ask about FPS optimization, present DVARs sorted by impact (high → medium → low). For each high-impact DVAR, suggest a safe FPS-boosting value:
| DVAR | Default | FPS Value | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
com_maxfps |
85 | 0 (uncapped) or 250 | high |
r_vsync |
0 | 0 | high |
r_aaSamples |
2 | 1 | high |
r_picmip |
0 | 2-3 | high |
sm_enable |
1 | 0 | high |
sm_sunEnable |
1 | 0 | high |
r_glow |
1 | 0 | medium |
r_distortion |
1 | 0 | medium |
r_dof_enable |
1 | 0 | medium |
r_specular |
1 | 0 | medium |
r_texFilterAnisoMax |
4 | 1 | medium |
fx_drawClouds |
1 | 0 | medium |
ragdoll_enable |
1 | 0 | medium |
dynEnt_active |
1 | 0 | medium |
cg_brass |
1 | 0 | low |
fx_marks |
1 | 0 | low |
r_drawDecals |
1 | 0 | low |
Formatting results
Present results in a clear table format:
| DVAR | Type | Default | Category | FPS Impact |
|------|------|---------|----------|------------|
| r_fog | bool | 1 | renderer/fog | medium |
Include the description for enriched DVARs. For DVARs without descriptions, the name and category usually make the purpose clear.
Important notes
- DVARs with
CHEATflag requiresv_cheats 1to change - Some DVARs require map restart or game restart to take effect
- Renderer DVARs (
r_*) are client-side only - Script DVARs (
scr_*) are server-side and affect gameplay rules - Always warn users about cheat-flagged DVARs in competitive/online play