Links 2003 receives improved GPU compatibility

[dwg]

I would not like to say, I think you would need to compare side to side.

Overall I think it works very well with Links. On the Intel iGPU, it did require a bit of tinkering (reflected in the separate Intel kit you see now). There may be scope for some more fine tuning.

I have become more impressed with the more courses I play using it. With it, I think my notebook now matches my desktop that has an Nvidia HBA in it, before the notebook was the poor relative that did not quite make it.

Des

[Tweed & Whisky]

Wow, thanks for this! It works in Links 2001 as well!

Thanks Guitarzan, I've updated my post with this info.

[Tweed & Whisky]

The course looks more detailed/sharper, particularly with the mid textures.
Just my imagination?

That would probably be the anistropic filtering working its magic.
Links default is point filtering, I've configured DDrawCompat to utilise anisotropic filtering which handles textures much better, especially angled surfaces, giving that 'sharper' look into the horizon.

[Mailman]

That would probably be the anistropic filtering working its magic.
Links default is point filtering, I've configured DDrawCompat to utilise anisotropic filtering which handles textures much better, especially angled surfaces, giving that 'sharper' look into the horizon.

Glad you mentioned this. I thought my eyes were going kaput. Prior to using the wrapper I set anisotropic filtering with NvCpl and also set scaling and sharpen options to give really crisply defined textures - trouble was that Links loaded seemingly at random.

In the feature list of this latest wrapper nowhere does it mention anisotropic filtering - the options (in DisplayFilter) are point, integer, bilinear, bicubic etc. Unless one of these options is the same as anisotropic filtering (or I'm missing something blindingly obvious) I'd appreciate how to utilise anisotropic filtering from within the wrapper. Or are you talking about setting Anisotropic filtering from within the Nvidia Control Panel (or eqiuivalent for AMD/Intel) in addition to using the wrapper?

[dwg]

AF is in Texture filter, if represents 4 of the possible values there.

[Tweed & Whisky]

That would probably be the anistropic filtering working its magic.
Links default is point filtering, I've configured DDrawCompat to utilise anisotropic filtering which handles textures much better, especially angled surfaces, giving that 'sharper' look into the horizon.

Glad you mentioned this. I thought my eyes were going kaput. Prior to using the wrapper I set anisotropic filtering with NvCpl and also set scaling and sharpen options to give really crisply defined textures - trouble was that Links loaded seemingly at random.

In the feature list of this latest wrapper nowhere does it mention anisotropic filtering - the options (in DisplayFilter) are point, integer, bilinear, bicubic etc. Unless one of these options is the same as anisotropic filtering (or I'm missing something blindingly obvious) I'd appreciate how to utilise anisotropic filtering from within the wrapper. Or are you talking about setting Anisotropic filtering from within the Nvidia Control Panel (or eqiuivalent for AMD/Intel) in addition to using the wrapper?

The feature list https://github.com/narzoul/DDrawCompat/ ... figuration shows anisotropic filtering is handled by the section titled 'TextureFilter' and it lists these options for the DDrawCompat config file (line 56: ' TextureFilter = af4x ').

app: Use the application-specified filtering.
point: Use point filtering.
bilinear: Use bilinear filtering.
trilinear: Use trilinear filtering.
af2x: Use 2x anisotropic filtering.
af4x: Use 4x anisotropic filtering.
af8x: Use 8x anisotropic filtering.
af16x: Use 16x anisotropic filtering.
Default: app

The .ini files I've uploaded are set to 4x anti-aliasing (msaa4x) and 4x anisotropic filtering (af4x), I recommend leaving your GPU panel to defaults until you have a stable Links then experiment from there.

[dwg]

I have tried some AF and AA change with Intel iGPU, no adverse affects.

Like I said there is a change in the ini file between use on Intel and Nvidia. The Sprite Detection setting that is used on Nvidia does not work well on Intel.

[Mailman]

The feature list https://github.com/narzoul/DDrawCompat/ ... figuration shows anisotropic filtering is handled by the section titled 'TextureFilter' and it lists these options for the DDrawCompat config file (line 56: ' TextureFilter = af4x ').

app: Use the application-specified filtering.
point: Use point filtering.
bilinear: Use bilinear filtering.
trilinear: Use trilinear filtering.
af2x: Use 2x anisotropic filtering.
af4x: Use 4x anisotropic filtering.
af8x: Use 8x anisotropic filtering.
af16x: Use 16x anisotropic filtering.
Default: app

The .ini files I've uploaded are set to 4x anti-aliasing (msaa4x) and 4x anisotropic filtering (af4x), I recommend leaving your GPU panel to defaults until you have a stable Links then experiment from there.

Thank you for pointing this out. Yes it now is blindingly obvious. Something I was missing as I've only looked in the shift + f11 in-game overlay to alter parameters. Configuration ini here I come. I look forward to replicating af16x that has previously been used via NvCpl without the wrapper.

[dwg]

FWIW this is my current DDrawCompat ini file on a system with an Intel Iris Xe iGPU.

# AltTabFix = off
# AlternatePixelCenter = off
Antialiasing = msaa8x
# BltFilter = point
# CapsPatches = none
# ColorKeyMethod = alphatest(1)
# CompatFixes = none
# ConfigHotKey = shift+f11
# ConfigRows = allrw, allro
# ConfigTransparency = alpha(90)
# CpuAffinity = 1
# CpuAffinityRotation = on
# CrashDump = off
# DepthFormat = app
# DesktopColorDepth = initial
# DesktopResolution = desktop
# DisplayAspectRatio = app
# DisplayFilter = bilinear(0)
# DisplayRefreshRate = app
# DisplayResolution = desktop
# DpiAwareness = permonitor
# EnableDDrawCompat = on
# FontAntialiasing = app
# ForceD3D9On12 = off
# FpsLimiter = off
# FullscreenMode = borderless
# GdiInterops = all
# LogLevel = debug
# MousePollingRate = native
MouseSensitivity = native
# MouseSensitivity = desktop(100)
# PalettizedTextures = off
# PresentDelay = on(10)
# RenderColorDepth = 32
# ResolutionScale = app(1)
# ResolutionScaleFilter = point
# SoftwareDevice = rgb
# SpriteAltPixelCenter = apc
SpriteDetection = point
# SpriteFilter = app
# SpriteTexCoord = app
# StatsAggregateTime = 3
# StatsColumns = label, cur, avg, min, max
# StatsHotKey = shift+f12
# StatsPosX = right
# StatsPosY = top
# StatsRows = label, presentrate, fliprate, blitcount, lockcount
# StatsTransparency = alpha(75)
# StatsUpdateRate = 5
# SupportedDepthFormats = all
# SupportedDevices = all
# SupportedRefreshRates = native
# SupportedResolutions = native, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768
# SupportedTextureFormats = all
# SurfacePatches = none
# TerminateHotKey = ctrl+alt+end
TextureFilter = af16x
# ThreadPriorityBoost = off
# VSync = app
# VertexBufferMemoryType = sysmem
# VertexFixup = gpu
# ViewportEdgeFix = off
# WinVersionLie = off

I am using Native mouse sensitivity and you can see SpriteDetection commented out, this was causing some Top Cam display issues. Commented out settings use the default, which are documented in the list T & W pointed out.

UPDATE: I have since set SpriteDetection = point and find the Top camera Windows border is greatly improved without the problems with the image that using zconst caused.

I think there is a still a question on whether it is better to use the wrapper for AA & AF or use Nvidia on systems with an Nvidia GPU. You would certainly not use both, it is one or the other. In my quick test of this wrapper on my Nvidia system (to test a course issue) I used the Nvidia driver to perform the two functions as the system was already set up this way.

Des

[Tweed & Whisky]

I think there is a still a question on whether it is better to use the wrapper for AA & AF or use Nvidia on systems with an Nvidia GPU. You would certainly not use both, it is one or the other. In my quick test of this wrapper on my Nvidia system (to test a course issue) I used the Nvidia driver to perform the two functions as the system was already set up this way.

Des

From my understanding, the wrapper applies these after the final surface image is drawn regardless of hardware, whereas GPU forced AA/AF is driver dependent, so what works on one PC may not work on another.