Updating the client to use NGE pixels/vertex

[wefi]

is it possible to update the Client to use the pixels, and Vertex_program files that were changed in the NGE? was thinking of finishing my ILMish mod for EMU use.

 

[Uli]

Would have to look into it, really short on free time thats the issue.

Varies factors are involved, the actual exe/files (Due to pixel shaders since they are precompiled where vertex is compiled on runtime) and DLLs (dpvs & another dll which have different names for emu & live)

 

[Uli]

Working on it now since I got some time.

Current Progress = Crashes with a DirectX Error which i think is "D3DERR_INVALIDCALL" (cant remember will have to check tomorrow) so making some progress.

I think I know why its kicking out the error which is a bit of a more complex issue but will have a go, have't 100% given up yet.

Update:

Slowly making progress taking a break for today might pick it up tomorrow.

There are a few errors with different things atm its all about passing variables, when passing variables about "Invalid" values are getting passed in so when you manually change them it works but there is a lot to manually change.

Working on the D3DERR_INVALIDCALL's, with some tweaking got past one of them which was Create CubeTexture failed error and now on LockRect failed. Will take a bit more analyse.

Edit:
It will mostly be due to not all the offsets being changed will take ages to do them all

Edit2:
Forgot to add the "update" if it ever does get finished would mean new users with 8800 won't have to manually override the VS/PS to 1.4 and there will be a possibility of the NGE vertex's working since (No guarantee's since the Client still has to have some hand in handling them)

 

[MechWarrior001]

I hope I'm not creating a zombie thread but how did this venture turn out? Were you able to successfully update the shader programs?

On a unrelated note I'm not entirely sure why we even have a separate "Emu" client; Couldn't we just use the stock client from the install discs and point it at the Emu servers? Or do they no longer contain Pre-CU code?

 

[Timbab]

Don't think Uli ever got too far in it. The dot3 and spec shaders are the problem children, as far as I checked, there aren't TOO many shaders that crash the game, but others are buggy, especially with bloom.

I'd imagine attaching the right NGE .dll's might fix it, but haven't tried editing the .exe yet though. NGE .exe doesn't work on the Emu, all of the .dll's except the sound one (Mss32.dll) do work though.


Here is the list of NGE .sht files that crash the game; http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8622/crashers.png

Here is a batch of screenshots I made 2 months ago when I was trying around with the stuff, as you can see the lighting/reflections are really problematic, anything in the sky doesn't show and bloom is horrid.

Link

 

[Uli]

Would take so long to get it even close to stable, even after you stabilize the exe there would be issues all over.

 

[MechWarrior001]

Since this thread is already discussing shaders and HLSL, I figured I'd just post in here.

I found this development doc for SWG presented by Jeff Grills at GDC 2004.

Optimizations and Star Wars Galaxies

 

[Timbab]

Thanks, but I knew about it already.

I wish there was more on this stuff and the dpvs.

Rereading it though, the Graphics layer DLLs is interesting.