Shader Model 2 Download

If you have an older graphics card, you may need the Shader Model 2 download to alter your card to allow you to play newer games or games with more advanced graphics such as BioShock and the The Sims 3.

A shader allows computer software to determine how to display onscreen graphics while still allowing for a great amount of flexibility. Shaders allow for the pixel shading functions and geometric transformations that are produced by a GPU, or graphics card, to be highly customized, thus enhancing the user experience when using graphic heavy programs, such as computer games.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shader

There are several different varieties of Shaders. They include:

1. Vertex Shaders — Alter such aspects as position, texture coordinate and color; purpose is to translate a vertex's virtual space, or 3D, position to the place it appears on the screen in 2D
2. Geometry Shaders — Generally used to create geometric processes in a procedural manner, or to add volume to existing elements
3. Pixel Shaders — Determines the color of each single pixel; also known as a fragment shader
4. Unified Shader — Combines elements of each of the previous 3 shaders

Before accessing the Shader Model 2 download, you should verify that your graphics card will support the download. To do this, you will need to check the capabilities of your graphics card by using the "GraphicsDevice.GraphicsDeviceCapabilities Property," which can be determined via C# syntax and the command public GraphicsDeviceCapabilities GraphicsDeviceCapabilities { get; }.http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.xna.framework.graphics.graphicsdevice.graphicsdevicecapabilities.aspx You should then use the C# command public ShaderProfile MaxPixelShaderProfile { get; } to get the value you can then compare to the resultant Shader Profile to determine if Shader Model 2 is indeed supported. If it is not, you will receive an error message when you test the game in Debug mode.http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb195248.aspx