Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's PC Shader Compilation will run before you even launch the game

Shader Compilation is common in modern PC gaming: a process that runs during the initial load and also re-runs whenever a game or graphics card driver is updated. The process can take several minutes, which is why, no matter how fast your SSD or storage is, getting into that first area or match takes a while.

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It's necessary because it configures how everything from textures to surfaces and lighting renders on your GPU, reducing or eliminating stutters and performance issues when shaders are processed or loaded into a scene for the first time. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Activision and the development teams are changing how this works in Call of Duty, calling the process Shader Preloading.

According to Activision, Modern Warfare 4 will begin preparing shaders before you even launch the game. Players will see a "Shader Pre-Loading Will Start" message after installing the game. This will also run after each major update, and Shader Preloading will be included in the upcoming Modern Warfare 4 Beta and run in the background.

As the shader compilation process is generally CPU-heavy, with the amount of time it takes to complete being dependent on your CPU's performance, Activision does state that "offline Shader Preloading uses some system resources while it's running, but its impact is designed to be minimal," implying that it won't max out your CPU or cause performance issues while you're doing other things. It's also optional, with the ability to turn off Shader Preloading in the game's settings as well as cancel the process, which will then pick up where it left off when you load the game.

Activision also confirms that it's using the upcoming Beta to test out this new feature.

"Infinity Ward and Beenox have collaborated to bring Shader Preloading to Call of Duty," the publisher writes. "Bringing the feature to the Beta allows us to see it working across the enormous variety of PC hardware and configurations in the community, giving the teams an opportunity to refine the experience where needed ahead of launch."

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

How do I enable or disable Shader Preloading in Modern Warfare 4's settings?

You toggle Shader Preloading on or off from Modern Warfare 4's in-game settings; Activision says the feature is optional and can be turned off in the game's settings. You can also cancel the background Shader Preloading process, and it will resume where it left off when you next load the game; players will see a "Shader Pre-Loading Will Start" message after installing the game.

Answered

Question #2

Can I cancel Shader Preloading once it starts, and will it resume where it left off?

Yes. The article says you can cancel Shader Preloading once it starts, and cancelling will allow it to pick up where it left off when you next load the game.

Answered

Question #3

Will Shader Preloading run automatically after each major game update?

Yes. Activision says Shader Preloading "will also run after each major update," and players will see a "Shader Pre-Loading Will Start" message after installing the game. The feature is optional and can be turned off or canceled in the game settings.

Answered

Question #4

How much CPU impact should I expect while Shader Preloading runs in the background?

The article says offline Shader Preloading "uses some system resources while it's running, but its impact is designed to be minimal," implying it should not max out your CPU or cause performance issues while you do other things. It also notes shader compilation is generally CPU-heavy and completion time depends on your CPU, and you can disable or cancel Shader Preloading in the game settings if needed.

Answered

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In addition to Shader Preloading, Modern Warfare 4 is also reducing the number of "Update Requires Restart" messages you get when loading the game, which apparently occurs every time there's a major store or playlist update.