Direct3D 11 via DDraw.dll

[JeremyaFr]

Hello,
I am writing a custom ddraw.dll using Direct3D 11 api.
…
https://github.com/JeremyAnsel/xwa_ddra ... ses/latest

[Forceflow]

Every busy I see Good luck with that! Would that mean the game might finally work better with newer card drivers?

[JeremyaFr]

It seems that the newer graphics drivers tend to not support old versions of DirectX. So by using a more recent version the game may work better.

[JeremyaFr]

Here is the dll:
xwa_ddraw_d3d11.zip

[Ramshu]

When use your dll and start game i have a black screen, i dont view menu.

Windows 7 x64
Nvidia GTX 770 - 340.52 WHQL

[Darksaber]

Yep same here, start the game just a black screen, no video, just freezes, and you have to use Task Manager to close XWA

Win 7 x64
ATI Radeon HD 5700 series 13.1

[JeremyaFr]

I have modified the dll to include better error messages.
Can you re-test and tell if an error message box appears ?
You can also check that Windows or your antivirus has not blocked the dll.

[Darksaber]

Ok excluded the Lucasarts folder from my Anti-virus

And got this error

DeviceResources::RenderMain
The Parameter is incorrect

Hope that helps a little

[JeremyaFr]

Thanks.
That helps.

I've improved the error message to indicate which rendering part has failed.
Apparently, Win 7 doesn't like one of the rendering parameters.

[Darksaber]

Sorry didn't see your post

Here are the results


DeviceResources::RenderMain
Texture2D
The Parameter is incorrect

[JeremyaFr]

OK,
I see what the problem is.

I forget that starting from Direct3D 10, the 16-bit texture formats are only supported starting from Windows 8.

From MSDN:
These formats require dxgi 1.2 or later. dxgi 1.2 types are only supported on systems with Direct3D 11.1 or later.
•DXGI_FORMAT_B5G6R5_UNORM
•DXGI_FORMAT_B5G5R5A1_UNORM
•DXGI_FORMAT_B4G4R4A4_UNORM

From MSDN:
Direct3D 10 through Direct3D 11: This value is defined for dxgi. However, Direct3D 10, 10.1, or 11 devices do not support this format.

I have uploaded a corrected dll.

[Ramshu]

Sorry didn't see your post

Here are the results


DeviceResources::RenderMain
Texture2D
The Parameter is incorrect

Same problem. http://i61.tinypic.com/23mugps.jpg

OK,
I see what the problem is.

I forget that starting from Direct3D 10, the 16-bit texture formats are only supported starting from Windows 8.

From MSDN:
These formats require dxgi 1.2 or later. dxgi 1.2 types are only supported on systems with Direct3D 11.1 or later.
•DXGI_FORMAT_B5G6R5_UNORM
•DXGI_FORMAT_B5G5R5A1_UNORM
•DXGI_FORMAT_B4G4R4A4_UNORM

From MSDN:
Direct3D 10 through Direct3D 11: This value is defined for dxgi. However, Direct3D 10, 10.1, or 11 devices do not support this format.

I have uploaded a corrected dll.

Black Screen with the new dll and don't show a error message.

[Darksaber]

The new Dll works ok now on my system, but..... on the concourse, and siderooms there are black bars down each side of the screen, in game this happens (still black bars down each side but the resolution is screwy (I don't have any sort resolution fix applied, just a straight install with DSUCP installed)

You can see what I mean here

Concourse

frontscreen0.jpg

640 x 480

flightscreen0.jpg

800 x 600

flightscreen1.jpg

1024 x 768

flightscreen2.jpg

1152 x 864

flightscreen3.jpg

1280 x 1024

flightscreen4.jpg

1600 x 1200

flightscreen5.jpg

The resolution for each is outside the screen until you get to 1600 x 1200 but then it too small to see anything

screenshot of concourse using Alt=o

frontscreen.jpg

Screenshot in-game using Ctrl=PrtScrn

flightscreen.jpg

As you can see you can't take screenshots using the usual keys, I had to use printscreen the exit game each time then paste the screenshot in a paint program and save.

[Ramshu]

Now works correctly, but i think antialiasing has been deactivated..

http://i57.tinypic.com/1pjgad.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/1zvc0g3.jpg

Edit
I've done more tests

Wins:
-FXAA seems to work fine now, no blurs letters.
-On fly "esc" menu look great, no more purple textures!
-Start menu high fps rate dosen't look issues
-nVidia cards have a font issue with SSAA activate, i dont look this issue.

Fails:
-SMAA and SSAA i think doesn't work fine.
-Have a problem with starfield, few stars and too many dark.
-A few starships engines looks wrong.

Neutral:
-When put "hardware mip mapping high" look best.

I think we're on the right path when the dll is finished will be another major breakthrough for XWA

Thanks you, Jeremy.

[JeremyaFr]

An update:
I've enabled MSAA and anisotropy filtering (if supported by the system).
I've corrected the in-game scaling.
I've corrected a bug with one of the cutscene. Now, all of the cutscenes are played with their native resolution format.

[Bman]

This is awesome. Will this work with Reimar's patches ?

[JeremyaFr]

Yes, it works with or without Reimar's patches.

[Reimar]

Concerning that: Is there still a point in my 32 bit hack after that? (one of the bigger reasons for it was to make MSAA work, though it might also have improved graphical quality in general)
If yes, could this in some way help with the remaining issue of the wrong colors that hack has?

[Reimar]

> Have a problem with starfield, few stars and too many dark.

You are aware that the starfield (as far as I could figure it out) is drawn by directly accessing the (frame)buffer and drawing them directly into it?
It is one of the reasons why my 32 bit patch had to hack the starfield code to do a 16 bpp -> 32 bpp conversion.

[JeremyaFr]

I think the starfield is corrected:

flightscreen2.png

flightscreen3.jpg

The 32-bit hack is needed to take 32-bit screenshot (flightscreen). The resolution of frontscreen screenshot is 640x480x16 (hardcoded in the exe).
The fixedclear (Clear2 -> Blt color, Blt depth) is no longer needed.

The wrong colors issue ( menu and briefing review) with 32bitmode is corrected. When the game engine writes 16-bit colors in a 32-bit buffer, the colors are converted.

[Ramshu]

I'll try this latest version and I say something, I had no time to post what I found on the previous version.

Edit:
Most of the problems seem to be solved, nice work, only 3 details.

-For a correct display and correct MSAA works need "hardware mip map" option active inside the game.(Correct me if I'm wrong, but the mip maping should affect only the texture resolution by distance, not the AA)
-When activate "Transparency AA" and "FXAA" on nvidia control panel at the same time, have a flickering problem in game menu.
-When activate "FXAA" starfield display too dark again.

[JeremyaFr]

The mipmap option affects the textures quality (with distance). It does not affect the aliasing.

[JeremyaFr]

-When activate "Transparency AA" and "FXAA" on nvidia control panel at the same time, have a flickering problem in game menu.

Corrected.

[Ramshu]

-On map not see the blue grid, and I have the feeling that it looks darker than it should.

Edit:
-When use "alt + tab" I have problems moving between windows, it seems that XWA not properly minimized.
-Playing online with Voobly, the dll is overwritten by another and stops working, we tested with gameranger and not have this problem.

-Someone tried to update ati drivers to see if it works with the dll?

[FBK]

Using this DLL and reimar changeres.bat you can change The game resolution over the 2048x1960 limits. I have tested 4000x720 using 3 monitors AND it looks great.
AND I would like to suggest a challenge:
As this dll makes The game DirectX 11 compatible, It could also works with oculus rift.....who will try it?