Soldier of Fortune II is famous for its graphic, location-based gore, made possible by Raven Software’s GHOUL 2 model system. In multiplayer, you control how much you see with cg_goreDetail: 0 for none, 1 for the standard level. Other settings control how long bodies stay, blood and bullet impact effects, tracers and shell casings.
Why SoF2’s gore is different
Most shooters of 2002 used one damage reaction for the whole body. SoF2 used GHOUL 2, Raven’s model system, which splits each character into many separate zones. Where a bullet lands decides the wound you see and how much damage it does, which is why head shots matter so much in SoF2 multiplayer. It made the game notorious on release, and it’s still one of the first things people remember about it. More on the game’s background is in the history of SoF2.
Gore and effect settings
| CVAR | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
cg_goreDetail | Controls gore and blood effect detail level. | 1 | — |
cg_bodyTime | Time in milliseconds before player corpses are removed from the world. | 0 | — |
cg_impactPrediction | Predicts bullet impact effects client-side for immediate visual feedback before server confirmation. | 1 | 1 |
cg_tracerChance | Probability (0.0 to 1.0) that a fired bullet will display a visible tracer. | 0.5 | — |
cg_shellEjection | Enables shell casing ejection effects when firing weapons. | 1 | — |
cg_damageindicator | Opacity of the directional damage indicator that shows where you are being hit from. | 1.5 | — |
Change them in the console with ~. They’re client settings, so they only change what you see.
Turning gore off
- Open the console with ~.
- Type
/cg_goreDetail 0and press Enter. - Save it by adding
seta cg_goreDetail "0"toautoexec.cfgin yourbasefolder, so it stays off every time the game starts.
Turning gore off doesn’t change how damage works. Hit zones, damage and scores are worked out by the server and stay the same for everyone.
Blood and impact effects
cg_impactPrediction 1 shows hit sparks and blood the moment you fire, instead of waiting for the server to confirm the hit. It makes shooting feel responsive, but on a high ping you may occasionally see blood on a shot the server decides missed. Keep it on unless that bothers you.
cg_damageindicator sets how visible the marker is that shows which direction you’re being hit from. It’s useful in a fight, so most players keep it on.
How long bodies stay
cg_bodyTime sets, in milliseconds, how long fallen players stay before they’re removed. Removing them sooner tidies the screen and helps a little on slow PCs.
Tracers and shell casings
cg_tracerChance is the chance that each bullet shows a visible tracer, from 0 (never) to 1 (every bullet). Tracers help you follow your own fire, and also show where enemy fire comes from. cg_shellEjection 0 removes spent shell casings, a small saving on older PCs. More ways to speed the game up are in make SoF2 run faster.
Age rating
Soldier of Fortune II was rated for adults on release because of its violence. If younger players share the PC, cg_goreDetail 0 removes the gore, but the game itself remains an adult shooter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn off gore in SoF2 multiplayer?
Type /cg_goreDetail 0 in the console, and add seta cg_goreDetail "0" to your autoexec.cfg to keep it off.
Does turning gore off change damage?
No. Damage and hit zones are decided by the server and are the same for everyone. The setting only changes what you see.
What is GHOUL 2?
Raven Software’s model system used in SoF2. It divides each character into many separate damage zones, so where a bullet hits decides the wound and the damage.
Why do I see blood on shots that missed?
With cg_impactPrediction 1, your game shows impacts before the server confirms them. On a high ping, the server occasionally decides a shot missed after all.