It seems that every time I launch the game via the Source Unpack batch file, the video settings reset to the "recommended" settings. These recommended settings don't run well on my garbage PC, because the game somehow thinks I want a slightly better looking render at the cost of frame drops and skips. Is there any way to prevent the settings from resetting to the default every time I launch the game, or will I have to manually change them back every time?

Update: I've found a solution, so here it is, if anyone else ever needs it. Open the Source Unpack folder and navigate to portal\cfg. There should be a .cfg file named "autoexec". If it isn't there, add it in. Right click the file and select "Edit". Paste the following commands into the file, placing each command on a new line. (Also I didn't make this list. It's from https://www.reddit.com/user/philip003)

model details: r_rootlod 0 - high r_rootlod 1 - medium r_rootlod 2 - low

water details: r_waterforceexpensive 0 - single reflections r_waterforceexpensive 1 - reflect world r_waterforcereflectentities 1 - reflect all

shadow details: r_shadowrendertotexture 0 - low r_shadowrendertotexture 1 - medium r_flashlightdepthtexture 1 - high

texture details: mat_picmip -1 - extra high mat_picmip 0 - high mat_picmip 1 - medium mat_picmip 2 - low

shader details: mat_reducefillrate 0 - high mat_reducefillrate 1 - low

anti-aliasing: FSAA OFF mat_antialias 1/0 mat_aaquality 0 2x FSAA mat_antialias 2 mat_aaquality 0 4x FSAA mat_antialias 4 mat_aaquality 0 8x CSAA mat_antialias 4 mat_aaquality 2 16x CSAA mat_antialias 4 mat_aaquality 4 8x MSAA mat_antialias 8 mat_aaquality 0 16xQ CSAA mat_antialias 8 mat_aaquality 2

filtering: mat_forceaniso 0/2/4/8/16 mat_trilinear 0/1

v-sync: mat_vsync 0/1

Gamma: mat_monitorgamma 1.6 bright - 2.6 dark

hdr: mat_hdr_level 0 - off mat_hdr_level 1 - LDR+bloom on HDR Maps mat_hdr_level 2 - HDR on HDR Maps

Multicore Rendering: mat_queue_mode 0 = off mat_queue_mode -1 = on

windows Aero Extensions: mat_disable_d3d9ex 1 - off mat_disable_d3d9ex 0 - on