This sample user settings file will fix a crash of DS2.0CTP on a new installation of the game or with some setups.
If you do a clean installation of the game, put the CTP onto it and try to run it, you might get an error message and this log (or similar), last lines:
error is error X3539: ps_1_x is no longer supported; use /Gec in fxc to automatically upgrade to ps_2_0
error X3539: Alternately, fxc's /LD option allows use of the old compiler DLL
Can't compile shader postprocess
This happens because the R1 renderer (static lighting, DirectX8) will be used by default on a fresh installation. Same of course if the R1 renderer was selected in an existing installation.
To fix this, simply copy the user.ltx in the archive into your stalker documents folder (something like C:\Users\Public\Documents\STALKER-SHOC).
Note:
This user.ltx has the screen resolution set to 1920x1200. Users with monitors with lower resolution are likely to have troubles using this user.ltx as is. If so, either edit the file accordingly using any plain text editor (notepad will do), or get some user.ltx from anywhere else but then edit it to make sure that the renderer is set to R2.
Cheers!
Is this actually absolutely necessary or only if you are getting crashes?
Normally only when getting crashes (what is the case with a fresh vanilla installation, for example).