NaturalVision Enhanced Update #3 Brings Major Ray-Tracing Overhaul to GTA 5

Razed Mods has released Next-Gen Graphics Update #3 for NaturalVision Enhanced, one of the most comprehensive graphics modification packages available for Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced. The update significantly expands the mod's ray-tracing features across multiple visual systems.

The update introduces a third light bounce for ray-tracing, ray-traced sky lighting, contact shadows, and micro shadows. All light sources in the game now cast shadows, including emergency vehicle sirens that reflect on nearby surfaces. The mod reworks the game's weather system, ambient colors, textures, models, and vegetation to work with these enhanced lighting features.

Weather and sky rendering receive substantial changes. New volumetric clouds feature realistic lighting and shadows that reflect on vehicles and water surfaces. The moon gains a new shading system with lunar phase variations and god rays, while sun and sky lighting has been improved throughout.

Water rendering now includes better shading, ripples, refraction, and reflections. Underwater areas receive a dedicated lighting system and enhanced visual effects. Vehicle rendering has been upgraded with improved paint, clearcoat reflections, and lighting. Pedestrian characters display enhanced skin, cloth, and material shading.

Environmental details across Los Santos include parallax mapping on surfaces, retroreflective road signs, glowing road markings, road glints, and heat haze effects. Vegetation and hedges have been expanded and improved throughout the world.

The update also adds HDR support and introduces a new G7 tonemapping option. Ambient occlusion calculations have been improved, and new lighting options have been added to the NVE Graphics menu. According to the modder, the release includes numerous bug fixes and performance tweaks.

The mod is available for download from its official website. NaturalVision Enhanced serves as a complete visual overhaul designed to leverage GTA 5 Enhanced's ray-tracing capabilities on compatible hardware.