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Bruno Nov 23, 2019 @ 4:10pm
Weird broken shadows
Hello, ive recently wanted to replay Portal 2 because why not? But then I noticed that all of my shadows from all of the dynamic lights don't seem to render making the games lighting look very flat and too bright in some areas. I tried verifying the games cache, I tried fiidling around with the lighting options and even updated my drivers but nothing changed, and this is the firs time im seeing this happen.

Here are some screenshots on how its ment to look like and how it looks for me

How its ment to look like: https://imgur.com/a/M3EOSXE
How it looks: https://imgur.com/a/QijIcR6

Any help will be much appreciated
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Originally posted by g13ba:
Originally posted by g13ba:
Apparently it's caused by more recent amd gpu drivers.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/620/discussions/0/1318835718948155231/?ctp=2#c1693843461191355182

Tested some more driver versions:
19.5.2 shadows work
19.8.1 shadows don't work
Edit: 19.6.1 seems to be the latest driver with working shadows

To avoid unnecessary dowloading of older drivers check your C:\AMD folder first.
In the setup choose "custom install", then "dowloaded", then "new install" (note that these may be called differently, I just translated them as I'm on non English Windows 7)

Edit: (February 19, 2021) ---
If the dynamic lights don't work, make sure that you have "texture filtering quality" set to "high" for Portal 2 in AMD driver settings


Another solution:
Originally posted by MrGermandeutsch:
Originally posted by oof:
do you know what the fix is?
It fixes the projected_texture issue, and slightly improves the Portal 2 Experience, or so I've been told.

It's d3d9.dll and should be put into ...\Programms\Steam\steamapps\common\Portal 2\bin. Here's a Link to it (which only lasts a week) https://we.tl/t-BmreNc1b7W

If you feel like you don't trust the link or the file, you don't need to download it.
I'm just offering/sharing a helpful solution to a problem from someone.
Originally posted by Entity:
same file, but on meganz account [ mega.nz +
/file/BeIh0ayT#EPKECsUDMCEovaI8lPbOacwK3vIB1RgkMVrv7WfHnbA ]
same file, but on zippyshare: www27.zippyshare.com/v/RyaGxKLe/file.html

If you check that d3d9.dll file's properties, it looks like it's from here
https://github.com/doitsujin/dxvk/releases

Steam Overlay will not work with this.


Solution in Update February 18, 2021:
Add -vulkan to game launch options - In Steam Library, right-click Portal 2-> Properties-> General

It seems that Valve used the above library in the update, as it adds dxvk_d3d9.dll file.
Also same as with the previous solution the Steam Overlay will not work.
Edit: Steam Overlay was fixed with later update.
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Showing 1-15 of 80 comments
♕ DarkOhio ♕ Nov 23, 2019 @ 9:46pm 
Are you using Nvidia by any chance?
#1
Bruno Nov 24, 2019 @ 2:28am 
Originally posted by ♕ Ohio (Ohix) ♕:
Are you using Nvidia by any chance?
Nope.
#2
fa Nov 28, 2019 @ 1:37pm 
having the same issue
#3
Bullett00th Nov 29, 2019 @ 5:15am 
have you tried setting everything to low and re-setting it to high?

also check dev console, see if there are any rendering errors popping up on load
#4
MrGermandeutsch Nov 29, 2019 @ 5:24am 
The most recent update of Portal 2 must have broken the env_projectedtexture, which is the 'dynamic' light you're refferring there.
#5
Bruno Nov 29, 2019 @ 8:11am 
Originally posted by Bullett00th:
have you tried setting everything to low and re-setting it to high?

also check dev console, see if there are any rendering errors popping up on load

Tried it, but nothing changed. The console also dosn't seem to throw up any errors


Originally posted by MrGermandeutsch:
The most recent update of Portal 2 must have broken the env_projectedtexture, which is the 'dynamic' light you're refferring there.

This may be the case. If it is then lets hope Valve dosn't take 6 years to fix it like the NPC not blinking in HL2
#6
MrGermandeutsch Nov 29, 2019 @ 8:13am 
Since it doesn't affect gameplay, Valve doesn't have a reason to fix the issue as soon as possible, just like the issue with the Half Life 2 NPC's not blinking.

They had their reason to not fix that for years.
#7
Bruno Nov 29, 2019 @ 10:28am 
So, I have decided to check if the same problem occurs on my new laptop. The shadows worked normally on there, so it's probably a problem with my config or with my computer.
#8
g13ba Dec 17, 2019 @ 1:30pm 
Apparently it's caused by more recent amd gpu drivers.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/620/discussions/0/1318835718948155231/?ctp=2#c1693843461191355182
#9
fa Dec 17, 2019 @ 2:17pm 
Originally posted by g13ba:
Apparently it's caused by more recent amd gpu drivers.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/620/discussions/0/1318835718948155231/?ctp=2#c1693843461191355182

can confirm, i have amd, i rolled back to older drivers, problem solved
#10
Bruno Dec 18, 2019 @ 9:27am 
Originally posted by The Hunter:
Originally posted by g13ba:
Apparently it's caused by more recent amd gpu drivers.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/620/discussions/0/1318835718948155231/?ctp=2#c1693843461191355182

can confirm, i have amd, i rolled back to older drivers, problem solved

What is the last version of the driver that didn't break the shadows? I don't want to go too far back.
#11
fa Dec 18, 2019 @ 1:38pm 
Originally posted by Bruno:
Originally posted by The Hunter:

can confirm, i have amd, i rolled back to older drivers, problem solved

What is the last version of the driver that didn't break the shadows? I don't want to go too far back.

18.2.1
#12
fa Dec 18, 2019 @ 1:39pm 
also im using the default driver and i just fine with all my games
#13
Bruno Dec 19, 2019 @ 9:14am 
Originally posted by The Hunter:
also im using the default driver and i just fine with all my games

What do you mean by saing "default driver". Did you mean that you're using the AMD one as default or what? Please elaborate.
#14
fa Dec 19, 2019 @ 9:44am 
Originally posted by Bruno:
Originally posted by The Hunter:
also im using the default driver and i just fine with all my games

What do you mean by saing "default driver". Did you mean that you're using the AMD one as default or what? Please elaborate.

the first driver from amd, 17.1.1 if im correct
#15
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Portal 2 > General Discussions > Topic Details
Date Posted: Nov 23, 2019 @ 4:10pm
Posts: 80

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