Constantly having to Delete shaders...

[WeeGeez]

Hey to all...

I'm having a problem which is hapening quite frequently, once every 3 rounds or less.

Example
I play a round, it finishes and Bam! "Optimizing shaders" on the loading!

Ok, so I let it finish optimize the shaders and at the begining of the next round, the graphics look like crap, as if they were on low, set by bf2 by default or something (the Res doesnt change though). !

So, to fix this problem I quit the round, everything Pr etc, I go into Cache folder (C:\Documents and Settings\Giro\My Documents\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\cache\{D7B71E3E-41D2-11CF-227F-2EC600C2CB35}_2965_3) and delete the folder (labled yellow) the one with all the shaders inside it...

I then start up Pr again start a new game, yes I'm aware that it's normal for it to be "optimizing shaders" at this point, so I wait the 20mins it takes to bloody optimize. After everything that graphics are back to normal.

I play a few rounds, then I start the loading for a new map and BAM! it happens again! "Optimizing Shaders". Again, at the start of the round the graphics are crap again.

It just seems to always want to Optimizing the bloody shaders for no reason at all, I tells me in the box "Optimizing shaders: ...bah blah blah... Due to either changing the video settings or your hardware", when I havent at all, BF2 is just going mad.

Note: I have slightly older drivers for a reason, because the newer ones kept CTD'ing PR for me , people said if I should use the older one (Around the 80.xx drivers for nvidia, as they work best for BF2 for 7series cards).

Should I update the drivers now that Pr's shaders are not the bf2 ones?
Cause I'm sure You guys changed it so that Pr uses it's own set of shaders specifically to prevent CTD, no?

Any ideas?

[jOHNNYdOUBE]

You need the BF2 Cleaner.
It does it manually.
I do it every 2 times I play just because i mess with the video settings so damn much.
It saves lives.
I'm sure someone will provide a link...soon.
I just can't find one, off to work.
EDIT:
here is the link.

[WeeGeez]

Cheers johnny but that just wasnt what I was looking for thanks anyway...

Your App only deleted the shaders (which I know how to do already anyway).

Should I just go and update drivers for my nvidia 7series, since Pr usesd its own shaders?

[Deadfast]

Hm, I've got an idea. I know it may not be the best one but it would save you from repetitive shaders rebuilding.

Simply make make a backup of the shader folder. When the problems kick in, delete the old one and replace it with the backup.

Also, does it change you in-game settings when the settings quality drops?

[WeeGeez]

Deadfast thats a great idea! I have tried it and it works, I sometimes need to optimize a little, then paste over it, then optimize again, because the backup doesnt seem to work first time every time even if I do restart Pr.. cheers anyway for a well faster method!

do you think I should give the latest 7series nvidia drivers a go on the more up to date pr shaders or are the pr shaders just the same as the bf2 ones?

[Deadfast]

I honestly don't know.


You could try it out, but I don't think it'll help (just as a side note, I had no problems with the latest drivers for my 7600GS AGP).
But I think a better idea would be to:

Go to My Documents\Battlefield 2\Profiles\xxxx (xxxx is number of your profile)
Right-click on Video.con, Properites
Tick 'Read-only' box. This will prevent the game from changing the in-game graphics settings config, so it might help. However, I have not tested if it won't prevent the game from launching so if it does, just un-tick the box again (and BTW, don't try to change the video settings in the game afterwards. It's quite possible it would lock-up your game) .

[WeeGeez]

Thanks again. ill see how it go's, ill also try newer drivers if the problem still occurs after...

[jOHNNYdOUBE]

If you remove your drivers use some sort of driver cleaner that works in safe mode.
Then restart and install the drivers then.
be sure also clean the cache again before you play.
Then I load in 1 map optimizing my shaders then quit using the game quit option then start PR and load in again.
It worked for me.

[Deadfast]

Originally Posted by jOHNNYdOUBE

If you remove your drivers use some sort of driver cleaner that works in safe mode.
Then restart and install the drivers then.
be sure also clean the cache again before you play.
Then I load in 1 map optimizing my shaders then quit using the game quit option then start PR and load in again.
It worked for me.

Driver Cleaner Professional download from Guru3D.com - the best one I know of

It's not even necessary to run it in the safe mode.

[AirCasper]

I have this same Problem.. however I am using a ATI Radeon HD 2600 pro


I can play the game just fine with everything set on high; but after about 3 rounds the graphics drop down.

I am also using Vista 64-bit

could Vista be the culprit ?