[RandomTiger]

In DX5 DD seems to have some limited use but do any of the other projects that use the freespace code require it?

DX8 doesnt use it, I was wondering if we could kill it off.

[mikhael]

To the best of my knowledge Direct Draw was rolled into D3d in the move from 5 to 6.  I know its not seperate in Dx7, but I could pull out my SDK CD and verify if you'd like.

I can't think of any reason off the top of my head to retain Dd functionality--you will want to carefully examine what Dd is being used for in the code before you ditch it though.

[RandomTiger]

Just wanted to know offhand if anyone knew.
I know about freespace since I had to remove the DD calls myself for DX8 but I was wondering about the tools that came with the code.

[EdrickV]

Well, I just did an interesting experiment. I ran FS2, using the original exe, in what I think was software rendering mode aka Direct Draw mode! It requires some trickery though, you have to change the registry value from D3D/Glide to something else. I used "Software (640x480)" and it ran. And a test mission with one of my latest models actually looked better then D3D does.

DirectDraw is used in the FS1 rendering engine, which apparently still exists in FS2. They just put in a thing to block users from running it with "No 3D acceleration" selected. (If you change it to something else it will use the old software renderer.)

Edit: I don't think any of the other programs use DirectDraw.

[RandomTiger]

How could it look better
Got Screen?

[vyper]

Originally posted by RandomTiger
How could it look better
Got Screen?

[EdrickV]

It looked a bit better (in game only, the opening movie was more pixelated then normal) only because the V3's D3D drivers aren't very good. My model had some odd problem about textures flickering and sometimes I could see behind it. Would be hard to get a screen shot 'cause it flickers so fast but I may try. Glide and Direct Draw don't have the same problem. And some of the faces involved are triangulated. I'm sure it's a driver problem rather then a model problem because all the faces involved are solid (in any mode) and work just fine in the other modes.

[EdrickV]

As requested, pics of the previously mentioend D3D bug in the original exe:

This is how it should look.

When it flickers, it momentarily looks like this.

Same bug, different spot. In this case, these faces are triangulated.

All three pics were taken in D3D mode. The flickering is really fast and IIRC is more obvious if you are right up against the hull where it's having problems. Said model is the GTT Brontes (needs a new name) which I'll be posting better pics of in the modding forum in a moment.

[RandomTiger]

Hmmm... sounds like a driver thing. If DX8 FS2 ever gets done make sure you look for the bug in that and let me know.

[EdrickV]

Originally posted by RandomTiger
Hmmm... sounds like a driver thing. If DX8 FS2 ever gets done make sure you look for the bug in that and let me know.

Yeah I figured that. The Voodoo 3 was designed for Glide first, D3D a distant second, and Open GL was an afterthought. And I will check out for it. D3D mode can be useful for other things though because it can reveal flaws in models that I wouldn't see in Glide but which may affect gameplay. I've had problems with models I didn't build that were put together from multiple objects, but those objects weren't actually connected resulting in some in game geometry/collision detection problems and major graphical problems under D3D. I always try to grow my models from one object. It saves headaches later.

[RandomTiger]

Ah.. well if its a voodoo card that explains everything.

[Zarax]

Anyways, DirectDraw was used in the previous versions of DX for 2d rendering...
Some languages asks you to build D3D over directdraw, but i think latest releases took it over.