# Proxy Appearances

## Summary

**Published**: Mar 02 2024 by [mana vortex](https://app.gitbook.com/u/NfZBoxGegfUqB33J9HXuCs6PVaC3 "mention")\
**Last documented update**: Mar 02 2024 by [mana vortex](https://app.gitbook.com/u/NfZBoxGegfUqB33J9HXuCs6PVaC3 "mention")

This page explains what **Level of Detail** is and how it works.

### Wait, this is not what I want!

* To learn about [level-of-detail-lod](https://wiki.redmodding.org/cyberpunk-2077-modding/for-mod-creators-theory/files-and-what-they-do/level-of-detail-lod "mention"), check the corresponding wiki page.

## What is a proxy appearance?

When displaying a complex object, the game loads between 1 and e^x components, each of which includes extra logic. That's all fine and dandy as long as you're up-close — but as soon as you're far away and the details vanish in the distance, it's a complete and utter waste of processing power.

That is where proxy appearances come in: instead of all the complex components and the complex shaders, you will see a single mesh with a bunch of baked-in textures.

{% hint style="success" %}
All modern computergames do this in one way or another.

Fun fact: the human brain works the same way. Unless you have [aphantasia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia), you can try it out: For an object at the edge of your vision, **imagine it** with as high-fidelity as you can. After a minute of that (your brain needs time to render), look at the object and compare.
{% endhint %}

## I hate it, how do I kill it?

If a proxy appearance fucks up your NPV, here's how you can disable it:

1. Open the appearance's [components array](https://wiki.redmodding.org/cyberpunk-2077-modding/for-mod-creators-theory/files-and-what-they-do/file-formats/appearance-.app-files/..#components)
2. Find and delete the `AppearanceProxyMesh` component (it will be of the type `entSkinnedMeshComponent`)
3. Find and delete the `AppearanceVisualController` component (it will be of the type `AppearanceVisualControllerComponent`)
4. For each component with a mesh, set the `forceLodLevel` property to `0`

<figure><img src="https://1427525421-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4gzcGtLrr90pVjAWVdTc%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6da643be6286b6ea062ec904ea0a609ce9b9d004%2Fapp_file_appearance_proxy.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>