[GAME BUG]: inFAMOUS: Second Son - Missing particles, dark gameplay lighting and BC3/BC5 Vulkan image format errors on RX 9060 XT (RDNA4)

[csmoliverx-bit]

Checklist (we expect you to perform these steps before opening the issue)

• I have searched for a similar issue in this repository and did not find one.
• I am using an official build obtained from releases or updated one of those builds using its in-app updater.
• I have re-dumped the game and performed a clean install without mods and the issue is still present.
• I have disabled all patches and cheats and the issue is still present.
• I have all the required system modules installed.

Describe the Bug

When running inFAMOUS: Second Son (CUSA00004 v1.07) on the latest shadPS4 nightly, gameplay rendering is incorrect while cutscenes render normally.

During gameplay:

The scene is significantly darker than expected.
Smoke effects are completely missing.
Several particle and volumetric effects do not render.
Dynamic lighting appears to be broken.

Cutscenes display correct lighting and effects, suggesting the issue is limited to the gameplay rendering path.

The log repeatedly reports Vulkan errors such as:

Image: image format Bc3UnormBlock type 1D is not supported
Image: image format Bc5UnormBlock type 2D is not supported

with image usage:

TransferSrc | TransferDst | Sampled | Storage

Shader cache was deleted, cache rebuilt, and default graphics settings were used. The issue persists.

Reproduction Steps

Launch the latest shadPS4 nightly.
Run inFAMOUS: Second Son (CUSA00004) updated to v1.07.
Start a new game or load any save.
Wait until gameplay begins (after the opening cutscenes).
Observe that:
Gameplay is much darker than expected.
Smoke effects are missing.
Several particle/volumetric effects do not render.
Check the log while playing. Repeated Vulkan errors appear for:
Bc3UnormBlock
Bc5UnormBlock

Cutscenes render correctly, while the rendering issues only occur during gameplay.

Specify OS Version

windows 11

CPU

ryzen 7 5800x

GPU

rx 9060 xt

Amount of RAM in GB

16 GB

Amount of VRAM in GB

16 GB

Log File

shad_log.txt

[junminlee2004]

[Config] (shadPS4:Main) emulator.cpp:486 Run: GPU readbacksMode: 0

You have readbacks disabled. Set it to precise to fix the issue.

[csmoliverx-bit]

I'm using the latest nightly (e080fdb).

I searched the entire shadPS4 folder and there is no readbacksMode option in any config file, nor is there a GUI option to change it to Precise.

Could you tell me where this setting is located in the current nightly?

[Kravickas]

Update the Launcher

[csmoliverx-bit]

Hi! I'm using the latest nightly e080fdb, but my settings don't match the screenshot you sent.

I don't have the Experimental tab, nor the Readbacks Mode option. My UI only has the tabs: General, Frontend, Graphics, User, Input, Paths, Log and Debug.

Could you tell me which build or commit you're using? I'd also like to know how I can enable Readbacks Mode = Precise on my version, or if I need to switch to a different build.

Thanks!

[junminlee2004]

Because it requires you to create a per game configuration, not global config. If you have any further questions, please do so in the shadps4 discord

[csmoliverx-bit]

I'm sorry, I don't have the shadps4 discord, I did what you said and fixed the lighting and particle loading, but now the textures don't load me

[csmoliverx-bit]

Also for some reason I have very bad performance, and I have a good PC

[ChrisPvz2]

So to help with this The map does load. Only one. The Prologue before the choice. After that and the Longhouse scene as soon as the cut scene ends it loads the Seattle part but as you can see.. it dosen't load anything.

[csmoliverx-bit]

Before, the textures would load, but it looked very dark and neither effects nor particles would load. I put the option they told me about before to precise, and it loaded what didn’t before, but now I can’t see the city textures.

[junminlee2004]

The issue is now fixed in the latest update

[Alc4Traz45]

There is no problem with those textures now but still getting the [Render.Vulkan] (shadPS4:GpuCommandProcessor) image.cpp:168 Image: image format Bc3UnormBlock type 1D is not supported (flags { MutableFormat | BlockTexelViewCompatible | ExtendedUsage }, usage { TransferSrc | TransferDst | Sampled | Storage }) error.

shad_log.txt

And also what could be done to improve performance? My system is not high-end i know but isn't it improvable?

[junminlee2004]

That error is probably harmless in this case. As for performance, low performance is expected with readbacks enabled. Optimizations are possible in the future but we cannot give any eta.