Author Topic: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO  (Read 94517 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Herra Tohtori

  • The Academic
  • 211
  • Bad command or file name
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
No, you shouldn't need that, as I've never heard of it. Get sdr1112.VP.

nm_test.vp was the initial normal map pack released with the very first (?) of normal map (XT) builds available to public. If you have MediaVP 3.6.10 betas, you won't need the nm_test.vp because those (and moar) normal maps are already in the Beta MVP's.

sdr<DATE>.vp files on the other hand, contain the actual shaders that the later XT builds use. Initially, the shaders were hard coded by Taylor, but for obvious reasons they were moved to be held in /data/effects/ directory - mostly because its a lot more convenient to edit effect files than compile a new build for every change just in the shader effects.

The latest shader VP is sdr1119.vp, but that one has a minor problem with how nameplates are rendered. sdr1112.vp didn't have this issue, but sdr1119.vp has, in principal anyway, better compatibility with the latest XT build(s) and is the official recommendation.

I personally use both sdr1112 and sdr1119 in my MediaVP's folder. If I were less lazy I would determine which file change(s) caused the error in the nameplate rendering and use the correctly working shaders from sdr1119.vp and just replace the faulty ones with the ones that make nameplates work, from sdr1112.vp.

...At least as far as I know. :nervous:
There are three things that last forever: Abort, Retry, Fail - and the greatest of these is Fail.

 

Offline Zacam

  • Magnificent Bastard
  • Administrator
  • 211
  • I go Sledge-O-Matic on Spammers
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • ModDB Feature
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
I've been working on determining those changes and I have it almost narrowed down. I wont know until I'm done if I'm right or not though.
Report MediaVP issues, now on the MediaVP Mantis! Read all about it Here!
Talk with the community on Discord
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation"

¤[D+¬>

[08/01 16:53:11] <sigtau> EveningTea: I have decided that I am a 32-bit registerkin.  Pronouns are eax, ebx, ecx, edx.
[08/01 16:53:31] <EveningTea> dhauidahh
[08/01 16:53:32] <EveningTea> sak
[08/01 16:53:40] * EveningTea froths at the mouth
[08/01 16:53:40] <sigtau> i broke him, boys

 

Offline Gunner

  • 20
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Not exactly sure where I should post this, but it seems the normal link to Taylor's 3/14 Xt build is down (you know, the icculus.org one). To my knowledge, its simply not on the server anymore.

I spent a while searching around for it at another location and eventually tracked down this link: http://koti.mbnet.fi/reiler/FunkyFreeSpaceStuff/Xt0314-win32.rar

I know most of you already have the build you want downloaded and all, but this just might help out another passing newbie like me.


Oh and if I may make such a suggestion, it would probably be extremely helpful for new people if the first post mentioned the need for an xt build along with where to find one.  Seems to be a pretty integral part of "getting the most graphics-wise out of FSO" if I'm understanding things correctly.

Thanks for all of the amazing work you guys have been doing here. You really are quite awesome.

 

Offline GTSVA

  • 28
  • Born to Fly
    • Minecraft
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Gunner,

:welcomered:

Glad to have you on board. Once you are familiar with the site and gaming, we (I hope) look forward to see you in our multiplayer area.   :D

Any problems? Just post them here and we will all try to help you!  ;)
What's up?

Freespace: Amit
Forums: GTSVA        
High Scores: Natroz

 

Offline Zacam

  • Magnificent Bastard
  • Administrator
  • 211
  • I go Sledge-O-Matic on Spammers
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • ModDB Feature
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Actually, getting the most out of the SCP (in any case) needs to be done with the Trunk/SVN/Official releases. The XT builds were never ment for general consumption and every one using them has detracted from the progress of testing and fixing what is supposed to be a stable code release.

Which (IMO, I could be wrong) is why the XT builds are now no longer available. So seriously, stop trying to use them so that progress can be made. If you are offered the opportunity to test an XT build outside of a public post, keep it to yourself.
Report MediaVP issues, now on the MediaVP Mantis! Read all about it Here!
Talk with the community on Discord
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation"

¤[D+¬>

[08/01 16:53:11] <sigtau> EveningTea: I have decided that I am a 32-bit registerkin.  Pronouns are eax, ebx, ecx, edx.
[08/01 16:53:31] <EveningTea> dhauidahh
[08/01 16:53:32] <EveningTea> sak
[08/01 16:53:40] * EveningTea froths at the mouth
[08/01 16:53:40] <sigtau> i broke him, boys

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
The point being that, according to my current level of knowledge, only the Xt builds support normal maps. Therefore, using them is highly beneficial when trying to get the most out of FSO. If the situation has changed and there are "official", normal map supporting releases, then please, correct me.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline Mars

  • I have no originality
  • 211
  • Attempting unreasonable levels of reasonable
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Normal mapping is the biggest improvement in the graphics of Freespace since IMHO high-poly models.

 

Offline Zacam

  • Magnificent Bastard
  • Administrator
  • 211
  • I go Sledge-O-Matic on Spammers
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • ModDB Feature
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Yes. But it is an additional feauture, lixely to be in the release exe. But unless as many bugs as possible are fixed between now and then, the release will not be as stable as it should be.

So sure. Play it pretty with the -normal flag if you must. But do not discard using other builds because they lack that feature, as it will be the fixes and features of the other builds that will make or break the release.
Report MediaVP issues, now on the MediaVP Mantis! Read all about it Here!
Talk with the community on Discord
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation"

¤[D+¬>

[08/01 16:53:11] <sigtau> EveningTea: I have decided that I am a 32-bit registerkin.  Pronouns are eax, ebx, ecx, edx.
[08/01 16:53:31] <EveningTea> dhauidahh
[08/01 16:53:32] <EveningTea> sak
[08/01 16:53:40] * EveningTea froths at the mouth
[08/01 16:53:40] <sigtau> i broke him, boys

 

Offline Droid803

  • Trusted poster of legit stuff
  • 213
  • /人 ◕ ‿‿ ◕ 人\ Do you want to be a Magical Girl?
    • Skype
    • Steam
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Is there really any reason those other builds should not support normal maps?
(´・ω・`)
=============================================================

 

Offline CaptJosh

  • 210
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Because normal mapping is an experimental feature and the trunk builds are focusing on bugfix before doing any more feature creep.
CaptJosh

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world;
those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

Offline captain-custard

  • previously known as andicirk
  • 210
  • one sandwich short of a picnic
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
mmmm, as far as i can see the xt build was really helpful for testing as so many of the newer builds had weapon bugs or login bugs in multiplayer; and as it is the only build that supported normal maps  how else could you fully test the new mediavps in multi and single player, i truly hope that svn and xt are merged as soon as possible so that we can see how power hungry the game will become with everything on max.........

but then again i could be wrong.....


 :D
"Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together."

 

Offline Zacam

  • Magnificent Bastard
  • Administrator
  • 211
  • I go Sledge-O-Matic on Spammers
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • ModDB Feature
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
If the build is 3.6.10, then they only thing that should be missing is -normal.
Report MediaVP issues, now on the MediaVP Mantis! Read all about it Here!
Talk with the community on Discord
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation"

¤[D+¬>

[08/01 16:53:11] <sigtau> EveningTea: I have decided that I am a 32-bit registerkin.  Pronouns are eax, ebx, ecx, edx.
[08/01 16:53:31] <EveningTea> dhauidahh
[08/01 16:53:32] <EveningTea> sak
[08/01 16:53:40] * EveningTea froths at the mouth
[08/01 16:53:40] <sigtau> i broke him, boys

 

Offline Trasher258

  • 24
  • I'm a gamer but I'm shy...autistic
    • My Windows Live Space
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
I tried this out in both OpenGL and Direct3D 8 and they work really well with my computer. (Very fast one too)

I did notice a problem when running under Direct3D 8 where the ships appear to be white. Is this suppose to happen or is Direct3D 8 just isn't supported right now?

Also, where is the cockpit view? It doesn't show up. (I'm still trying various ships in the FS2 campaign so I might not of found a ship with this view)
They see things, they ask "Why?" But I dream of things that never were, I say "Why not?"

 

Offline Jeff Vader

  • The Back of the Hero!
  • 212
  • Bwahaha
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
I tried this out in both OpenGL and Direct3D 8 and they work really well with my computer. (Very fast one too)

I did notice a problem when running under Direct3D 8 where the ships appear to be white. Is this suppose to happen or is Direct3D 8 just isn't supported right now?
Direct3D sucks.

Also, where is the cockpit view? It doesn't show up. (I'm still trying various ships in the FS2 campaign so I might not of found a ship with this view)
A ship needs a cockpit and it must be enabled on ships.tbl.
23:40 < achillion > EveningTea: ass
23:40 < achillion > wait no
23:40 < achillion > evilbagel: ass
23:40 < EveningTea > ?
23:40 < achillion > 2-letter tab complete failure

14:08 < achillion > there's too much talk of butts and dongs in here
14:08 < achillion > the level of discourse has really plummeted
14:08 < achillion > Let's talk about politics instead
14:08 <@The_E > butts and dongs are part of #hard-light's brand now
14:08 <@The_E > well
14:08 <@The_E > EvilBagel's brand, at least

01:06 < T-Rog > welp
01:07 < T-Rog > I've got to take some very strong antibiotics
01:07 < achillion > penis infection?
01:08 < T-Rog > Chlamydia
01:08 < achillion > O.o
01:09 < achillion > well
01:09 < achillion > I guess that happens
01:09 < T-Rog > at least it's curable
01:09 < achillion > yeah
01:10 < T-Rog > I take it you weren't actually expecting it to be a penis infection
01:10 < achillion > I was not

14:04 < achillion > Sometimes the way to simplify is to just have a habit and not think about it too much
14:05 < achillion > until stuff explodes
14:05 < achillion > then you start thinking about it

22:16 < T-Rog > I don't know how my gf would feel about Jewish conspiracy porn

15:41 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
15:47 < EvilBagel> butt
15:51 < Achillion> yes
15:53 <-INFO > EveningTea [[email protected]] has quit [Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client]

18:53 < Achillion> Dicks are fun

21:41 < MatthTheGeek> you can't spell assassin without two asses

20:05 < sigtau> i'm mining titcoins from now on

00:31 < oldlaptop> Drunken antisocial educated freezing hicks with good Internet == Finland stereotype

11:46 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has joined #hard-light
11:50 < achtung> Surely you've heard of DVDA
11:50 < achtung> Double Vaginal Double ANal
11:51 < Kobrar> ...
11:51 <-INFO > Kobrar [[email protected]] has left #hard-light []

 

Offline colecampbell666

  • I See Dead Pictures
  • 212
  • Evolution and ascension.
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Clarification:

D3D is not supported anymore, in favour of OGL. In order to see a cockpit, you need to add the appropriate flag to ships.tbl, and the ship must have a cockpit model.
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline Trasher258

  • 24
  • I'm a gamer but I'm shy...autistic
    • My Windows Live Space
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
I thought you would say that. I'll try that out.

Sorry for asking but which ships.tbl are you talking about? The one in root_fp2.vp or somewhere in mediavp files?
« Last Edit: June 23, 2008, 12:57:56 pm by Trasher258 »
They see things, they ask "Why?" But I dream of things that never were, I say "Why not?"

 

Offline colecampbell666

  • I See Dead Pictures
  • 212
  • Evolution and ascension.
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
In the MediaVPs, if you will be using them for whatever you're doing.
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline Zacam

  • Magnificent Bastard
  • Administrator
  • 211
  • I go Sledge-O-Matic on Spammers
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • ModDB Feature
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Shps.tbl is only in the root_fs2.vp. The Media VP's modify that data with -shp.tbm files when needed.
Report MediaVP issues, now on the MediaVP Mantis! Read all about it Here!
Talk with the community on Discord
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation"

¤[D+¬>

[08/01 16:53:11] <sigtau> EveningTea: I have decided that I am a 32-bit registerkin.  Pronouns are eax, ebx, ecx, edx.
[08/01 16:53:31] <EveningTea> dhauidahh
[08/01 16:53:32] <EveningTea> sak
[08/01 16:53:40] * EveningTea froths at the mouth
[08/01 16:53:40] <sigtau> i broke him, boys

 

Offline colecampbell666

  • I See Dead Pictures
  • 212
  • Evolution and ascension.
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
Oh. What he said, use the one in root_fs2.vp.
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline blowfish

  • 211
  • Join the cult of KILL MY ROUTER!!!!!!!!!!1
Re: How to get the most graphics-wise out of FSO
But extract it first!!!  When you are done put it in freespace/data/tables/

Not sure if you know this already but just wanted to clarify.