Claude helped trace a ReShade bug, but the answer is unverified
The Sims 3 for Windows version 1.69 is being run on Linux through Proton, and ReShade’s depth-based MXAO effect is not working. The goal is to keep the game’s built-in 8x MSAA, called Edge Smoothing, while also using MXAO. This used to work on Windows with The Sims 3 version 1.67, so the failure is confusing because the current version is very similar.
Claude was used to inspect ReShade and suggested that D3D9 handles multisampled screen differently from DX12 or Vulkan. That finding has not been checked by hand, so it may be wrong or misleading. Installing ReShade as Vulkan also failed, and Proton may be missing some Windows-style , but that is still only a guess.
After several days of testing, depth buffer detection still does not work, and there does not seem to be a clear existing discussion of the same issue.
Key points
- The setup is The Sims 3 on Linux/Proton with ReShade and MXAO.
- The desired result is keeping 8x MSAA enabled while using depth-based effects.
- Claude suggested a D3D9 difference from DX12 and Vulkan, but the claim is unverified.
- Trying the Vulkan install path for ReShade did not solve the problem.
- The useful takeaway is to verify claims with code, docs, or re steps.