PREVIEW: Effects ddraw 2.0 with enhanced GPU support

[syncopic]

Thank you! Do I install the entire effects pack or just replace the files mentioned in the first post (ddraw.dll and Hook_CockpitLook.dll)? I am not a VR user and am particularly interested in getting my GPU more involved.

Also, with "effects installer", do you mean the XWA Hooks setup?

My apologies, but the instructions are not very transparent to me.

Hi @Morlock ,

i would do following:
1. Install XWA (i´ve used GOG Version)
2. Install XWAUpdate 2020
3. Install Megapatch 5
4. Install the DDraw-Speedup (explained in thread 1)
5. Use Babu Frik´s Configurator from Launcher to make your settings

Only if you have issues with your joystick / Hotas:
6. Get newest Hook-Joystick_ff.dll with "XWA Hooks Setup" (Download section)
Please update ONLY the Hook_Joystick_ff and NOT all of the hooks !
(you can find the files within the "hooks" folder - copy all files of the "Hook_Joystick_ff" folder to your installation folder)
7. Check with Joystick Configurator, if your Joystick is set correctly

After this you have a stable version to play on a WIndows 10 system with "GPU speed up".
Another tipp: I made a copy of the original installation folder of the GOG-version and installed XWAU there, so i have a "clean" version for upgrade if needed - maybe for XWAU 2022 ... 2024 ...

May the force be with you !

[Vince T]

One more thing: after you installed XWA either via Steam, GoG or whatever, you may want to run it once before proceeding with the subsequent steps. Don't have do any playing, just run it so the default config is loaded and close it again.

[Morlock]

Thank you for the help! This is such an impressive effort, and it's great to see it run smoother on my system now.

I don't quite know what the Force is, I heard it's part of some ancient religion. With that said, I sure hope Lord Vader will watch my progress favorably.

[Ace Antilles]

@blue_max I've seen a few issues.
All hooks updated and the latest Ddraw from the downloads page.

The MFD window isn't auto zooming? You can see R2s head over the top of the window.
I'll do another test to make sure its not just the ship I was in but doubtful.

flightscreen3.jpg

Lighting seems off. The Tech Room is a lot darker than it used to be and maybe should be?

frontscreen0.jpg

In the hangar are super bright, glowing. It starts off ok, but maybe dark, but if you launch and hit H or eject and come back some ships are really bright and the whole hangar bloom seems high.

flightscreen1.jpg

[blue_max]

@blue_max I've seen a few issues.

Thanks for reporting these bugs, Ace. I'll take a look!

[syncopic]

@blue_max

short info ... the issues ace wrote about ... i can´t force these on my system - i´ve tried several times.
Lightning always works fine - in tech room and hangar.

(XWAU 2020, MegaPatch 5, AMD CPU, AMD R9 270 2GB, Adrenalin 21.5.2, Win10 Pro 64bit, NO VR)

[blue_max]

I just fixed the problem in the CMD (the hit box for the R2D2 does not cover the whole OPT). The problem in the Tech Room is... probably not a problem. The Tech Room wasn't shaded before, so things looked brighter, but now it has PBR shading, so it will look darker. That ship in particular is probably a little too dark. I've seen problems in the hangar intermittently, so if you find a way to get a good repro, let me know.

[Avarice1987]

Very good changes, great what you can do with the old game . Am curious what we get to see today for May the 4th Day so new ^^

[blue_max]

I'm working on the next graphical upgrade. I'm still not sure it will work, though, and it's still at least a few weeks away. I'll post some images when I'm more confident about it.

[tomjeffersonjones]

Quick question for anyone who runs in VR and has measured CPU and GPU times.

With the new ddraw on my valve index, 2080ti, 11700k system I'm seeing CPU times of 20-40ms, my GPU on the other hand is reading as doing next to nothing, like 0-1ms of nothing. I get great performance in 2D btw, and am measuring with fpsVR.

Not looking for specific config suggestions, just curious if I should be looking for better CPU times or if that's as good as it gets!

[blue_max]

...my GPU on the other hand is reading as doing next to nothing, like 0-1ms of nothing. I get great performance in 2D btw, and am measuring with fpsVR.

The GPU is definitely doing a lot of work in ddraw 2.0 and more so in VR. If you're getting 0-1ms per frame, then I would probably suspect that fpsVR is not measuring GPU usage properly -- especially since you reported that your performance is good.

[Ace Antilles]

I just fixed the problem in the CMD (the hit box for the R2D2 does not cover the whole OPT).

@blue_max I'm still getting this issue and it's not related to one Opt.
The opts are not fitting inside the screen and showing outside the box as they move.

flightscreen0.jpg

[blue_max]

@blue_max I'm still getting this issue and it's not related to one Opt.
The opts are not fitting inside the screen and showing outside the box as they move.

Alright, thanks for reporting this, Ace. How do I reproduce this problem? Do I target something and open the map?

[the_stag]

I've had this happen in my games as well, but I'd forget about it before I was done playing. I wonder if it has to do with screen resolution and/or ratio?

[blue_max]

I've had this happen in my games as well, but I'd forget about it before I was done playing. I wonder if it has to do with screen resolution and/or ratio?

It could be, I can't get a repro on my end. Would you mind sharing your monitor's resolution and your in-game resolution?

[Ace Antilles]

@blue_max I'm still getting this issue and it's not related to one Opt.
The opts are not fitting inside the screen and showing outside the box as they move.

Alright, thanks for reporting this, Ace. How do I reproduce this problem? Do I target something and open the map?

Yes but you don't even have to open the map to see it.
I do my testing in Skirmish mode often.

My monitor is 1920x1080. 60hz

[aidor]

Hi,

It is normal that after using the new ddraw.dll, all enhanced visual effects from the megapatch (except the 3d models, of course) are gone?

Apart from that, one thing a noticed is that my GPU (rtx 3080) shows a lower usage than with the ddraw.dll from megapatch, and I think It should be te opposite. With the megapatch dll, the GPU usage is 80%. With the new dll is 40%. Maybe is because It doesn't use all those visual effects (from blue_max, I guess).

[JeremyaFr]

It is normal that after using the new ddraw.dll, all enhanced visual effects from the megapatch (except the 3d models, of course) are gone?

Hello,
It seems that you downloaded the wrong DDraw.
The latest one with the effects is Beta Effects Version 2 by Blue Max's Version 2022-05-03.

[aidor]

Hello,
It seems that you downloaded the wrong DDraw.
The latest one with the effects is Beta Effects Version 2 by Blue Max's Version 2022-05-03.

Oh. I've downloaded the DLL from your GitHub:
https://github.com/JeremyAnsel/xwa_ddraw_d3d11/releases

I'll check that Beta Effects v2 by Blue Max, thanks.

[JeremyaFr]

JeremyaFr's DDraw (also known as Golden DDraw) is the base DDraw rendering. This version is closed to the original game.

Blue Max's DDraw (also known as Effects DDraw) which is based on the Golden DDraw adds new graphic effects.

You can find download links for both in the Downloads section.

[aidor]

JeremyaFr's DDraw (also known as Golden DDraw) is the base DDraw rendering. This version is closed to the original game.

Blue Max's DDraw (also known as Effects DDraw) which is based on the Golden DDraw adds new graphic effects.

You can find download links for both in the Downloads section.

Ok. Yeah, I've used that Blue Max's Ddraw from the download section and now all the enhanced effects work. Except MSAA, but FXAA it's fine.

Now if I could fix the micro shaking/ micro jittering, It would be just perfect. Anyway, it looks and runs very nice, many thanks!!

[Avarice1987]

I would like to test only the new Tie fighter from DTM, would that also work, or do I have to install the new effects over it?

[Ace Antilles]

I would like to test only the new Tie fighter from DTM, would that also work, or do I have to install the new effects over it?

The updates to the new Tie Fighter releases need the new updates. So without it then it wouldn't work.

They still work fine as they are released in Update 5.
Future releases will have this updated ddraw as default.

[aidor]

Hi,

Which files from inside Blue Max's Version 2022-05-03 Zip are necessary to use this new Effects ddraw 2.0? Only the ddraw.dll? (I don't use VR)

Thanks

[blue_max]

Which files from inside Blue Max's Version 2022-05-03 Zip are necessary to use this new Effects ddraw 2.0? Only the ddraw.dll? (I don't use VR)

It's recommended that you unzip the package and overwrite all the files, but the absolute minimum are ddraw.dll and Hook_CockpitLook.dll