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Plapytus's avatar
Plapytus
2 years ago
Solved

Shader compilation is still absent in the 1.3.0 update (Steam)

Product: EA SPORTS™ WRC
Platform:Steam-PC
Summarize your bug The shader precompilation is process still absent as of the 1.3.0 update (Steam version.)
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? 1) Install Nvidia drivers with the "clean" setting to ensure shader caches are cleared (I assume this would work with AMD GPUs as well but I only have one PC with an Nvidia card, so...) 2) Start WRC, spam key/button to check for a "shader compilation is in process" message which I was told by a developer should appear if skipped before complete - none should appear as was suggested it would 3) Drive any stage and observe initial shader compilation stutter for various shaders like particle FX, mesh deformation from crashing into things, etc.
What happens when the bug occurs? Short stutters from shader compilation (until all shaders have been compiled in realtime during the course of an hour or two of gameplay.)
What do you expect to see? Shader compilation should occur when the game is loaded - if no compiled shaders are found, there should be a message and UI (e.g. a progress bar) to let the user know the process is being completed. If shaders HAVE been compiled, then there should be no stutters each time specific shaders are called for by the game in realtime.

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Nothing to add over the normal bug report fields, other than a link to a video on Youtube I uploaded - this is *immediately* after a fresh Nvidia driver install, so if any shader precomp process is implemented, I should have seen either a message alerting me to the process, OR I should have NOT seen shader compilation stutters during the stages:

WRC shader precomp test - YouTube

If need be I can do all this over again (driver install etc) while also using an overlay tool like SpecialK that has a useful framepacing graph, just in case someone viewing the video has trouble "perceiving" the stutters.

bug
  • PJTierneyCM's avatar
    PJTierneyCM
    2 years ago

    Thanks for providing the analysis, I am sure that will help the team diagnose the issue.

    I have passed the thread and video on for inspection.

10 Replies

  • HaydenW120's avatar
    HaydenW120
    Rising Traveler
    2 years ago
    @Plapytus I've also found that the shader precompilation feature is still not working properly or at least not caching enough shaders. I installed the latest Nvidia drivers (thus clearing the shader cache) alongside the update last night, and the shader stutters came back. Big stutters at the start of some stages, during collisions, and when passing through water.

    It does seem somewhat better than the day zero release – the stutters start to ease at a faster pace than they did at launch, suggesting at least some shaders are being precompiled – but it's still very frustrating. I just wish it would cache ALL the shaders before gameplay.
  • cybersteel8's avatar
    cybersteel8
    2 years ago

    I noticed this as well. In v1.2 there weren't any stutters, the shader precompilation must have fixed it, but it seems to have returned. Though, I will note that the stutters aren't as bad, they're certainly more frequent. I have yet to receive the message that the shaders are not yet compiled when starting a stage. I have never seen the message.

  • PJTierneyCM's avatar
    PJTierneyCM
    Icon for Codemasters Team rankCodemasters Team
    2 years ago

    Thanks for providing the analysis, I am sure that will help the team diagnose the issue.

    I have passed the thread and video on for inspection.

  • MetaPixl_'s avatar
    MetaPixl_
    2 years ago

    It does feels like a driver update issue, where the shader compilation should've triggered again after a driver update. Version 1.3 was running smoothly for me until I updated my nvidia gpu driver, using geforce experience's quick install (not a fresh/clean install).

  • HaydenW120's avatar
    HaydenW120
    Rising Traveler
    2 years ago
    @MetaPixl_ The graphics driver is not the issue. Updating your drivers will purge your shader cache, which means you have to rebuild it by playing the game. The fact that the stuttering returns after clearing the shader cache indicates that the game's shader precompilation feature is, in fact, not working or at least not working sufficiently.
  • Astramus's avatar
    Astramus
    2 years ago

    Patch 1.3.0 has improved performance, the GPU already reaches 90~100% usage which is normal, but the FPS drops drastically in stages like Kenya or stages with heavy rain, the FPS also drops when you turn on the lights of a car when you are on the chase cam (between 15 and 25 FPS less when you turn on the lights) and there is still stuttering. The poor optimization that they have given us with this long-awaited game is already starting to be annoying. I have an i7-8086k, 32GB DDR4 3600Mhz, 1TB NVMe and an RTX 4070. I have no bottleneck, each CPU core reaches 20~50% usage, it never goes higher. Please fix all the problems once and for all, the only thing we users want is to play and enjoy and not deal with so many bugs. Greetings.

  • ZeroAffex's avatar
    ZeroAffex
    2 years ago

    Just wanted to chime in that stutters returned for me as well in the 1.3 update. First patch was amazing, 2nd patch was about the same, maybe added an additional extra fps but 3rd patch went backwards and is similar to when I played Day 1. Lower fps and stutters. Draw distance/texture pop-in is a lot worse too. I've been able to work around it with some modifications to the ini files and NVCP but I am hoping to get the performance I had back from the 1st or 2nd patch again as it was much better than it is now with the latest. 

  • kellemann75's avatar
    kellemann75
    2 years ago

    Updatated the Nvidia drivers yesterday and now the pre compolation stutter is back big time. 
    I have a RTX 4070 ti and are running the game via EA app.

  • matt_had11's avatar
    matt_had11
    2 years ago

    Adding another voice to this.

    Upgraded my graphics card and lots of stutters in general gameplay and additional stutters when hitting objects.

    This was the same experience on my previous card, but after 50 hours of playing I had obviously cached most shaders.

    With the new card, the second run through the stage has much less stuttering so it appears to have cached the shaders during gameplay.

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