Why do we need Shader caches for new emulators but not Dolphin?

viprit

New member
Why do we need to compile/create shader caches for these new emulators (cemu, yuzu) but for Dolphin you just get the game and once you boot it seems perfect without anything else? Why can't this functionality be native to the emulator just like a console works? Thanks
 

Lefteris_D

Administrator
Staff member
To put it simply, a shader is how graphics, light, shadows etc is shown in a game world. Emulators can handle this in two ways, one is to render this every single time this is done and use valuable CPU/GPU resources or make a "cache" the first time a type of render is encountered. The obvious benefit is that you save ALOT of system resources that can be put to use elseware.

Why do some emulators like Cemu need it when the console does not? I had to google this one as I do not know how the wiiU hardware works, but apparently the wiiU DOES use shaders, the difference is that they come precompiled for that specific hardware, something that cannot be done on a PC given the fast that there are too many possible computer configurations out there.

As to why some emulators need it and some do not? My guess it that it really depends on how the original hardware works.
 
Top