Phantom Blade Zero patch cuts PC load times by skipping default ray tracing shader compilation

S-GAME Studio has launched the first patch for the PS5/PC version of the Phantom Blade Zero game. The patch introduces immediate quality-of-life upgrades that players can benefit from. This patch directly addresses the most common issues regarding slow loading times and overly aggressive enemies. Players on both platforms will immediately feel the benefits of faster loading times and smoother enemy encounters.

S-GAME Studio addresses slow loading and enemy aggression in first PS5 and PC update

The patch focuses primarily on two aspects: optimization and gameplay balance. The PC version has undergone a complete revision of the ray tracing shader compilation process to mitigate loading time issues. In addition, the studio has made changes to the enemy AI system on various difficulty settings to better reflect player feedback.

• Ray Tracing Shader Compilation: No longer compiled by default at launch; requires one-time recompilation only for players who previously had ray tracing disabled
• Hua Grab Frequency: Reduced on Wayfarer and Pathbreaker difficulty levels
• Enemy/Boss Combat: Behavior adjusted

The loading time for the game has been significantly reduced on PC thanks to changes made to the way shaders are handled. The ray tracing shader is no longer compiled by default at startup for new players. If players had previously turned off ray tracing, they will only have to recompile the shader once. This eliminates the redundant steps of compiling the shader every time the game is loaded.

Specific enemies and bosses have been tuned for a smoother experience when playing on harder difficulty settings. The frequency at which Hua (Deadly Betrothed) grabs the player has been lowered on both Wayfarer and Pathbreaker difficulty. Other changes have been made to the combat AI of some enemies and bosses based on player feedback. The changes are meant to make the game more accessible while not fundamentally altering the difficulty.

Source: IXBT