protonscr

Separate transcoded video from shader pre-cache settings toggle

steamopen Feature RequestSteam client
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#9132 · opened 2023-01-24 by Galcian79 · updated 2025-02-17 · 9 comments · github
GGalcian79 2023-01-24 github

Since radv would get support for the graphics pipeline libraries very soon, so the Steam Deck, and i guess it will be the preferred path, it would be nice to be able to to turn off the Steam pre-cache feature, saving both disk space and bandwidth, without affecting the transcoded media folder. So i would ask to introduce separate settings for those two features.

TTyfuzzle 2024-11-07 github

Any update on this issue? This seems more relevant than ever now that most machines now don't benefit pre-cached shaders.

GGalcian79 2024-11-07 github

Any update on this issue? This seems more relevant than ever now that most machines now don't benefit pre-cached shaders.

No but they recently added the game recording feature 😒

Ppollux78 2024-11-07 github

I'd also like to see this be improved, too many new Linux users keep asking why shader cache is a thing or if it's ok to turn off 🫠

RReonu 2024-12-17 · hidden on GitHub github

To add to this, it would be good if we were able to toggle the shader pre-caching feature on a per-game basis. Similarly to the background downloads setting, there could be a global setting (on/off) and a per-game override (use global setting/on/off).

Some games take ages to compile shaders, others don't. It's a big help in some games, and useless in others. Considering the amount of background CPU work it adds, or the delay in opening games if you disable that, it shouldn't just be a global setting.

HHasshu 2025-02-16 github

The fact that one has to scour GitHub or Reddit to learn this feature exists at all... is bizarre. Curiously enough, there's at least one "Deck Verified" game – Darksiders Genesis – which won't play videos unless you enable shader pre-caching.

Make of that what you will.

Ccchulo 2025-02-17 github

The fact that one has to scour GitHub or Reddit to learn this feature exists at all... is bizarre. Curiously enough, there's at least one "Deck Verified" game – Darksiders Genesis – which won't play videos unless you enable shader pre-caching.

Make of that what you will.

I have gotten around this with proton-ge, have you tried this at all? the main challenge is the fact that valve cannot distribute certain codecs due to licensing. I think proton-ge downloads them to a game's prefix during initial load. You could also try using protontricks to add codecs. Hoops to jump through, but this is the state of linux gaming as of now. The bright side is that this issue mostly comes up with older games that use CGI cutscenes, not so much with modern games that feature in-engine cutscenes.

Ppollux78 2025-02-17 github

The fact that one has to scour GitHub or Reddit to learn this feature exists at all... is bizarre. Curiously enough, there's at least one "Deck Verified" game – Darksiders Genesis – which won't play videos unless you enable shader pre-caching.

Make of that what you will.

Question do you have h.264 enabled in steam? This can be disabled by default when you install steam sometimes, you can check by trying to watch a broadcast in steam, if the broadcast comes up with a error it's most likely it's disabled

You can enable h.264 in steam by doing

steam steam://unlockh264/

In terminal then test the game that doesn't work with the codecs again

HHasshu 2025-02-17 github

proton-ge
valve cannot distribute certain codecs due to licensing
protontricks

@cchulo Yep, am aware of those. I just felt that calling Genesis "verified" is a bit dishonest, especially considering that the earlier Darksiders II and III have working cutscenes out of the box. Apparently, I was wrong (see below).

steam steam://unlockh264/

@polluxau Now, I did know that broadcasting on Linux may require this kind of tinkering, but had no idea the codec in question is used by Proton as well. A-a-and... Genesis seems to have working cutscenes now. Thanks a lot!

Yet another thing that should be made more obvious to users, methinks.

</off-topic>

Ppollux78 2025-02-17 github

Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9132#issuecomment-2663521177

Yeah I had a similar problem in another game and a valve employee told me to try that and it worked instantly, don't know why it's disabled by default