GRAPHICS TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Try DX12 if your PC supports it, compare graphics settings, and save a screenshot when custom maps show black edges or overly dark shadows. Friends seeing the same map normally points to a local rendering path, GPU, or driver difference.
Last updated: July 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Try DX12 first if your PC supports it. Players connect the dark-shadow bug on custom maps to DX11 rendering, older GPUs, or partial DX12 support.
If your PC supports DX12 well, try switching to DX12. If your GPU only supports lower DirectX feature levels, graphics settings may help, but you may need to wait for a game, driver, or map-side fix.
Parts of props, walls, or object outlines can become extremely dark.
The issue may appear on custom maps but not original or default maps.
Friends on the same custom map may not see the same lighting bug.
This can make hiding and color matching much harder. If copied colors look wrong, dark custom-map lighting may be part of the problem.
Custom maps may use different lighting, materials, shadows, reflections, or post-processing than original maps. A map can look normal for one player but broken for another if their rendering path or GPU handles the lighting differently.
This does not always mean the map is broken for everyone. It may be a custom map lighting bug, a local graphics bug, or a combination of the map and the player's PC. For safer map handling, use the custom maps or Workshop maps guide.
Some players report that the issue appears mainly with DX11. If your PC supports DX12 properly, try switching to DX12 if the game, launch options, or settings allow it.
Treat DX12 as a practical test, not official documentation or a permanent rule. Switch back if it performs worse.
Some older GPUs may advertise DirectX 12 API support but only support older hardware feature levels such as 11_0. That means the game may launch, but some newer rendering features may not work the same way as on newer GPUs.
One player-reported example involved an older NVIDIA GeForce 920MX situation: it can launch DirectX 12 API games but may only expose hardware feature level 11_0. Older laptops may be more likely to see custom-map dark shadow or black edge issues.
In that case, switching to DX12 may not fully solve the problem.
After changing graphics settings, restart the game and test the same custom map again. If the bug returns, keep the screenshot and report the setup details.
If the main problem is severe 10-20 FPS performance rather than only dark lighting, use the low FPS fix guide for GPU, power, FPS cap, and display-connection checks.
If the bug only happens on certain custom maps and your GPU is older, there may not be a clean local fix.
Save a screenshot and mention your GPU, DirectX mode, graphics settings, and the custom map name.
The problem may need a game update, driver update, or map-side adjustment. Avoid unsafe downloads or graphics fix tools. For safe download context, see Workshop mods and safe downloads. When lighting is stable again, use copying nearby scene colors and the controls guide to tune your hiding workflow.
Players report that very dark shadows or black object edges can happen when the local rendering setup handles a map's lighting, materials, shadows, reflections, or post-processing poorly. It may depend on DX11 or DX12 mode, GPU, driver, graphics settings, and the map.
Custom maps may use different lighting, materials, shadows, reflections, or post-processing than original maps. A custom map can look normal for one player but broken for another if their GPU or rendering path handles those effects differently.
Try DX12 first if your PC supports it and the game or launch options allow it. Players connect this custom-map dark-shadow issue to DX11 rendering, but switch back if DX12 performs worse or the game does not launch.
Some older GPUs can launch DirectX 12 API games while only supporting older hardware feature levels such as 11_0. That can mean newer DX12-specific rendering features may not behave the same way as on newer GPUs.
Save a screenshot, note your GPU, DirectX mode, graphics settings, and custom map name, avoid unsafe graphics fix downloads, and report the issue through the game's Steam discussion or support channel. Older GPUs and specific custom maps may not have a clean local fix.
