P3D 4.5.14 (HF3) shaders don't work

[nspilot 0]

Hello everybody,

As the tittle says simulator P3D 4.5.14.34698 (Hot Fix 3) works only with default shaders files. When I install Envshade or Tomato Shade shader files, they simply don't show in simulator.

I always delete Shaders folder in  AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4  folder , so new shaders are written when I start the sim next time. I can clearly see new modified dates on a few shader files

(those that are changed and IF they are changed!) in  Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL folder. Also, have black screen for a few seconds upon P3D start up, but then nothing new in the scene when flying.

Only default P3D shaders are visible when flying.  So, I cleared shaders cache, deleted scenery indexes, but nothing works except default shaders. Don't have any writing permissions problems, Windows 10, all up to date,

nothing is installed in Program Files folder. I run P3D always as administrator.

I already tried asking for help on Toga Projects forum, but they simply don't reply at all. That's why I ask here if anybody knows. 

Thanks.

 

[Afterburner 374]

Do you see a black screen after you have installed the shaders?  If yes, you need to wait until they show up in the simulator. If you don't see them after one minute of wait, then I would troubleshoot somewhere else.

[nspilot 0]

Hello, thanks for your reply,

I do see a black screen when start P3D for a minute like you said, but then when look at the scene I see only default colours of simulator which are easily visible, like always the same washed out textures. They are usually very bright comparing to what Envshade used to look in P3D 4.3 , for example.

[Rogen 1,102]

Well... Shaders do work, infact I use TomatoShade, Reshade and a couple of hand written customisations.

I also have EnvShade, however I only trialed then removed as I found it to be too simplistic and didn't offer the level of control I was after.

As to how much of a difference you're expecting, that'll depend on the settings applied by the shaders themselves as they don't always affect just colour saturation.

In fact one of the hand written customisations I use is all about a better rain / snow density ratio and size of droplets and flakes, others are just to fix errors.

The actual shader files are written into Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL

And P3D then uses those files to compile into the .cso files you see in AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\Shaders, which is why there is an initital black screen while they are rebuilt after having been deleted. Plus every time you fly more .cso files are compiled.

What version of TomatoShade are you running ?

To my knowledge v31 was the last and was build to support 4.5 HF2, result is TS is a little broken in 4.5 HF3 but is still a very useful tool if you avoid the broken bits, which mainly relate to the Advanced Reflections bit.

Version 31: P3D 4.5 Hotfix 2 Compatibility

If you're still running TomatoShade, what .ini file are you running with ?

Cheers

[nspilot 0]

Hi Rogen,

Thanks for your reply,

I have some very strange problem with Envshade and Tomato Shade v31, when install shaders I see new modified dates on files in ShadersHLSL folder meaning they are actually

installed properly where they need to be, but when I start P3D I see black screen for about 45-60 seconds, but the shaders compiled are the same ones as default. Absolutely no change. I delete shaders cache folder in AppData\Local .. folder prior lunching the sim again. Don't know what to do, maybe to try again with installing Envshade..

[Rogen 1,102]

Are you using somebodies TomatoShade prebuilt .ini file ?

[nspilot 0]

I just used Tomato Shade profile from RD website, I think it was  RD 1.8 or something like that, nothing unusual regarding the preset, just the sim didn't compile new shaders only default ones.

Wait, just about to land A320 SL to LSZH..

[Rogen 1,102]

The sim can only compile the ones that exist in Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL

And if they've been updated by the shader apps then those are the ones the compiled shaders are generated from.

Is lighting set up as per the R&D ini file requirements ?

What is it you're expecting to see ?

Another thing you can trial is changing a single setting in TS to a really exessive value which should then make the change quite noticable.

And a before and after screen pic of the same location (pause sim at test location, and save) can help in seeing the difference.

Also the shader files themselves can be searched for references to Tomato to prove there are changes in the shader files.

e.g. GPUTerrain.fx

Spoiler

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Prepar3d - Shader Effect Files
// Copyright (c) 2014, Lockheed Martin Corporation
//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
#define SHD_TOMATO_NO_SOFT_SHADOWS
#include "GPUTerrain.fxh"        
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//    Vertex Shader
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Search "tomato" (21 hits in 1 file of 1 searched)
  H:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL\GPUTerrain.fx (21 hits)
    Line 6: #define SHD_TOMATO_NO_SOFT_SHADOWS
    Line 534:         #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 537:     #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 569:         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_FOAMSCALE)
    Line 613: #if defined(SHD_BATHYMETRY) && !defined(SHD_TOMATO_BATHYMETRY_SHADOW_DISABLED)
    Line 823:         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_FOAMSCALE)
    Line 829:     #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 837:         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 892:                         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_FOAMSCALE)
    Line 897:                     #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 901:                         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 923:                         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_FOAMSCALE)
    Line 928:                     #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND)  && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 932:                         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 977:             #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_FOAMSCALE)
    Line 982:         #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 986:             #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 1060:     #if defined(SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 1067:         #if defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_LANDCLASSTEMP)
    Line 1161:         #if defined (SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)
    Line 1176:         #if !defined(SHD_IR_ACTIVE) && defined(SHD_HAS_LAND) && defined(SHD_TOMATO_TERR_HAS_SPECULAR)

Cheers

Edited August 7, 2021 by Rogen

[nspilot 0]

Thanks for coming back again,

Just installed Envshade and Tomato Shade today again, and I see clearly that new shaders are copied to Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL folder, and sim compiled new shader files when started up (I had a black screen), but then no changes in terrain colour for example when look forward in the distance, there is no bluish colour being more and more blue the far I look. Everything is just default green colours of textures..

Also, the same with Tomato Shade. I adjusted the lighting per preset and according the manual for Envshade, so HDR is not the problem.. Don't know what else to try..

I noticed that for some sceneries to show properly you must have also content installed, so I installed all three components for 4.5.14

Do you have all 3 components installed also?

[Rogen 1,102]

Only one or the other can be used, e.g. Envshade OR TomatoShade, not both, and the default shaders need to be restored prior to changing to a different shader app (both apps have the abiltiy to restore the defaults).

And yes I have all three components installed (my 4.5 HF3 is a full install).

Tried maxing out some settings in either shader app ?

When I was trialing I would start with the default shaders, save a flight at a location for test, take a screen grab, then apply shader changes, clear the cache and use the hotkey in sim to compile the shader changes, take a screen grab and review the differences, rinse and repeat till I achieved the look desired.

So yeah, I don't know what more I can say, other than from what you say the Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL files are being updated by the shader apps, and are being compiled at runtime and so would be working.

You can get some pretty good looks with them with the right combo of settings.

Note the haze is coming from Active Sky Next and is based on the weather conditions at the time.

[nspilot 0]

Hi again Rogen,

There is one thing which is not very clear to me, and that is:  Previously I had P3D 4.3.29.. installed fully. Few months ago I installed Client, Content and then Scenery of version 4.5.14 , but I didn't remove entry called  Prepar3D v4 Academic  4.3.29.25520  from Programs and Features (from Apps and Features menu in W10). I removed Client 4.3.29, installed Client 4.5.14, then removed Content 4.3.29 installed Content 4.5.14, and at the end removed Scenery 4.3.29 and installed Scenery 4.5.13. So now I have all three components installed for 4.5.14 and I still have an entry Prepar3D v4 Academic 4.3.29.25520 which is 38,4 GB in size !  All these four entries are now present in Apps and features of Windows 10. I'm not sure if that is ok?

Otherwise, my 4.5.14. works fine in all cases, only the shaders are the issue.

[wyman_hd 232]

36 minutes ago, nspilot said:

Hi again Rogen,

There is one thing which is not very clear to me, and that is:  Previously I had P3D 4.3.29.. installed fully. Few months ago I installed Client, Content and then Scenery of version 4.5.14 , but I didn't remove entry called  Prepar3D v4 Academic  4.3.29.25520  from Programs and Features (from Apps and Features menu in W10). I removed Client 4.3.29, installed Client 4.5.14, then removed Content 4.3.29 installed Content 4.5.14, and at the end removed Scenery 4.3.29 and installed Scenery 4.5.13. So now I have all three components installed for 4.5.14 and I still have an entry Prepar3D v4 Academic 4.3.29.25520 which is 38,4 GB in size !  All these four entries are now present in Apps and features of Windows 10. I'm not sure if that is ok?

Otherwise, my 4.5.14. works fine in all cases, only the shaders are the issue.

The program listed as "Prepar3D v4 Academic" is the full package. Meaning if you uninstall that, it will uninstall the client, scenery, and content simultaneously. There really shouldn't be any issue with it, as you have uninstalled the individual parts so the package cache should've been removed. I'm guessing it's still there cause you didn't actually remove it from registry, but the actual program itself isn't actually installed. 

As far as shaders go, make sure you're using the latest version of TomatoShade. I forget what the latest version is, but it shouldn't even work if you didn't update it to the latest version. Restore your shaders and clear your cache before applying a new preset.

Also make sure that the preset you're using is compatible, most of the time any preset should work, but some may not.

Finally after you have applied the shaders, make sure that once  you start P3D that ActiveSky isn't on and load up a flight with the default F-22 and airport at night with clear weather. This should compile the shaders correctly. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by arwasairl

[nspilot 0]

OK,

Thanks arwasairl for reply, I will try with Envshade again without Active Sky and at night. Tomato Shade is not updated for 4.5.HF3, it is only up to 4.5 HF2 , but when I tried to install it actually works without a problem, it is copying new shader files to Prepar3D v4\ShadersHLSL folder at least. 

Problem looks like always very very bright green textures of Orbx Global\Open LC and there is no bluish look in the distance for example. Will try now again.

[nspilot 0]

Hello again,

This is how P3D 4.5.14 looks like with Envshade installed, the photos taken from my latest flight. 

Everything looks very green and very very bright, unfortunately. If anyone knows how to change this, because in Envshade whatever I change it looks the same..

[Afterburner 374]

I see nothing wrong with the brightness if you ask me. As far as the green tint, you have a lot of "green" scenery beneath you, so it will obviously appear more greenish than if you were to fly over e.g. a desert. Also, it looks like you are flying during a sunset, during which the Rayleigh scattering that gives the haze a blue color changes its color tone.