Gaming Discussions

[sharangad]

Hi
I don't know whether legacy PC emulation belong in this forum, but here goes:

I'm working on a wrapper for the Rendition Verité V2200 (an old video card from the 90s). The Windows side of it is almost done and can run all 13 games though a few need DxWnd or dgVood's DirectDraw component. The DOS part is still being looked at.

I haven't had much too much feedback, especially from AMD GPU users:

Formula 1 '97

https://youtu.be/kFRRl686S94

Grand Prix Legends '96:

https://youtu.be/Rth5lU8zM2A 


SODA Offroad '96:

https://youtu.be/uiyCT3FMcQA 

Monster Truck Madness 2:

https://youtu.be/2Bom-ZSNiXw 

vQuake 2 (Quake 2)

https://youtu.be/qb1eYQ35iV0 

Sub Culture

https://youtu.be/f5JAAI6FYcE 

vHexen II (Hexen II)

https://youtu.be/w0hFT8umNQw 

MDK

https://youtu.be/Hgxik-rUWT4 

Die by the Sword

https://youtu.be/HUtbSuzfqqw 

Mech Warrior 2

https://youtu.be/QunN6dDEGPo 

Interstate '76 (Needs DxWnd

https://youtu.be/vfCLjEXMM1o 

Interstate '76 Nitro (Needs DxWnd)

https://youtu.be/aoZYEalJ8kk 

Heavy Gear

https://youtu.be/UdNUEEuFKts 

The last stable version of the wrapper can be found here:

November 22, 2023 (Fully tested watermarked store builld):

https://1drv.ms/u/s!As-dKk-N73dSlwUMo-Zu9Ad0nTvO
MD5: 787425d7a2838f199783f74303be1780

20 November 2023

- Ability to restrict VRAM by setting MaxVRAM=<nn>(Megabytes). The Golems in VH2.exe correctly change colour when VRAM is restricted to between 4-14 MB. Restricting VRAM will severely affect performance and is not recommended. It is also unsupported in other apps.
- RRosetta's renderer switching (using F1-F3) work correctly but for F3 (Direct3D) to work dgVoodo's directdraw/direct3d files need to be copied to the same folder as RRosetta.exe. OpenGL to RRedline switch to work.
- Screenshot capability in games such as WinDie.exe (save game image) or games which have a console command 'screenshot' should work (except VH2.exe. This application appear to do a copy to clipboard and does not currently work.). Screenshot is correctly downsampled now.
- End credits background textures in F1red.exe should work.
- Bilinear filtering (using shaders) is enforced for paletted textures.
- Memory safety checks removed. Should be as fast as before.

(This release is live on the Windows store as well without the watermark though it costs money)

The official thread can be found here:

https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=95721

I'd be really happy for feedback and sorry if this forum isn't the right place for it.

Thanks!

[sharangad]

Indy Car Racing 2, the game that gains the most running on Rendition hardware has high-poly/higly textured carset and tracks which are incompatible with the Rendition edition of the game.

A tool TREdit is under development to automatically convert them to the right spec:

https://youtu.be/OAvIETekkTs 

[sharangad]

TREdit is working a bit better:

https://youtu.be/V02hEvj--vg

[sharangad]

Many thanks to checkpoint20 for his awesome 3DO script.

Videos:
Cars2020

https://youtu.be/V0AeFDpuwBs 

Modded carset:

https://nirvtek.com/downloads/cars2020%2CRenditionReady.7z 

MD5: e2a29cfea8360052138cc1c9578abad5

1982Cart:

https://youtu.be/_7fyDFqDhJk 

Modded carset:

https://nirvtek.com/downloads/1982CART.RenditionReady.7z 

MD5: 8bc0862c2f22d234fd1b16626643bb63

The track converter (TREdit x64)

https://nirvtek.com/downloads/TREdit.7z :

MD5: 63848dcb4a6c4f7f3ee3131764e581e3

Currently only supports carset conversion.

Usage:

To convert an unpacked carset:
TREdit <unpacked DAT folder> -convert <target folder>

You may have to copy in files outside the dat file like drivers.txt.

To unpack a DAT:
TREdit <path to DAT file> -unpack <output folder>

Files outside the dat file are not currently copied to the output folder.

To extract or explode MIPs from an unpacked track DAT:
TREDit <Unpacked DAT folder> -explode <output folder>

To extract or explode MIPs from an unpacked carset:
TREdit <Unpacked DAT folder> -palette <path to sunny.pcx> -explode <output folder>

The sunny.pcx can be found by unpacking one of the built in track DATs.

[sharangad]

Shrinking carsets even further to 16 colour Mi4s from 256 colour Mip files allows the custom track Detroit Downtown to run. There's no dithering at the moment, so that's the next step:

Cars2020+ Detroit Downtown
https://youtu.be/k9WQcZkkngU 

1982 Cart
https://youtu.be/fA5zMND9IHQ 

Download link and instructions in video details.

The second pass uses:
TREdit <ShrunkMIPFolder >- palettePath <pathToSunny,pcx> -track -convert <Mi4Folder>

[sharangad]

*************************************************
RReady Alpha, December 28, 2024 (Untested Alpha Release)
*************************************************
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/RReady.Alpha.20241228.001.7z 
MD5: 4ac88593b03b798f10f2a4a08ef6d6d4

- Corrects OpenGL glsl shader "error C7011: implicit cast from "uint" to "int'" error
- 60 fps Frame Generation/interpolation supported for Gr*nd Pr*x L*egends and "Die by the Sword." Note GPL will have to be run at default resolution/4:3 (fill screen aspect) aspect as the game has a mouse lock. Higher resolutions can be selected from within the game, Your GPu's internal aspect ratio controls from its control panel should be used for aspect ratio selection. "Die by the Sword" can be upscaled without issue.
- Fixes Eur*figher 2000+ texture corrutpion when switching between menu and active mission. This was caused by the game writing to 8 MB of VRAM and choosing textures within the 4 MB range. Rounding write addresses modulo 4 MB, effectively restricting writes to the first 4 MB for this game, corrects the issue.

This release probably won't go into testing for a few more weeks and has undergone rather severe and sudden shader changes as well as enhanced logging, so pretty much nothing is guaranteed to work. I really have to finish off the TREdit tool over the next two-three weeks before getting around to do a release. If you do spot any bugs, please let me know and I will fix them.

[sharangad]

TREdit with Floyd-Steinberg dithered Mi4 (4-bit colour conversion):
https://youtu.be/bBfwM0Tchng 

https://nirvtek.com/downloads/TREdit.20241228.001.7z
MD5: ae8c971be850f0f6bb94a7b6dbe2bdad

Cars2020 (with dithered Mi4):
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/cars2020.Dithering.RenditionReady.7z 
MD5: 5e05861b72299226c675fffc07e5c615
1982Cart (with dithered Mi4):
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/1982CART.Mi4.Dithering.RenditionReady.7z 
MD5: fc7e0699b2c05ada7564f746283f801a

[sharangad]

Riverside 81 ICR2 Track working, download link to track in video:
https://youtu.be/_GMqqvwaoCU 

Custom carsets don't currently work with it and the maximum texture width is 64 and not 128.

I'm not quite ready to release the converter yet, it's a bit buggy. Now to see if I can get Indianpolis working.

[sharangad]

Garbage quality (max width 8 pels) Denver 91 and Indianapolis tracks:
https://youtu.be/FegelUQHS4c 

[sharangad]

https://nirvtek.com/downloads/TREdit.20250101.001.7z
MD5: 924c346f0e48251caea27935c5c4a3d8

************************************************************************************************************
TREdit V1.0
Built on: Jan 1 2025, 16:46:50
Designed to convert incompatible carsets and tracks for the Rendition Edition of Indy Car Racing II
************************************************************************************************************
Usage TREdit (DATfile if unpacking|source folder) [-width (width)][-height (height)][-info]|[-report]
[-unpack | -convert | -explode (output path)]
-Unpack, -convert or -explode must be specified at the end of the line
-unpack (ExtractionPath)
To convert a carset:
-convert (Extraction Path)
To convert a track or Mi4 (paletted):
-track -convert (Extraction Path)
To extract the contents of MIP and MI4 files
for a track:
The -width and -height parameters have no effect on carsets
-explode (Output path)
for a carset
-palette (full path to sunny.pcx) -explode (Output path)
************************************************************************************************************
To convert tracks two passes will have to be carried without and with -track. When carrying out the second pass (with -track) -palette (path to sunny.pcx from carset) will have to be passed.

Some tracks currently will have to be shrunk down to 8x4 textures, in extreme cases . Riverside only required -width 64 with height omitted.
If width or height is omitted width will be 128 and height will be left alone ( left at some insanely large level).

TREdit (unpacked dat folder) -width (target width) [-height (target height), this is optional] - convert (MIP output folder)
TREdit (MIP output folder) -palette (unpacked dat folder\sunny.pcx) -track -convert (Mi4 output folder)
Copy contents of (MIP output folder), (Mi4 output folder) and files other than the .dat file into the track subfolder under (Indycar)\TRACKS
At the moment custom carsets will not work with high res carsets. This is being looked at at the moment. Shrinking track textures down to 8x4 (in extreme cases) isn't very pretty and work is being done to hack ICR2 to support 16 MB of VRAM, Speedy3D's limit.

To convert a carset:

TREdit (unpacked dat folder/source folder) - convert (MIP output folder)
TREdit (MIP output folder) -palette (some default track dat folder\sunny.pcx) -track -convert (Mi4 output folder)
Copy contents of (MIP output folder), (Mi4 output folder) and files other than the .dat file into the carset subfolder under (Indycar)\CARS

Carsets generally will work after the first pass for the built in tracks. Custom carsets, such as the Detroit Downtown (Rendition specific version) will require the second pass for the carset as well.

To unpack a .DAT fild
TREdit (Path to dat) -unpack (dat folder).

To extract the contents of MIP and Mi4 files:
TREdit (folder with unpacked/shrunk MIP or MI4 files) -palette (path to sunny.pcx (for track track specific, for carset use one from built in track) -explode (output folder)
Images will be extracted as PNGs.

[sharangad]

vQuake with Dosbox-Rendition/RReady 16 MB of VRAM:

https://youtu.be/9Dwsj9xeNZ8 

Skip to 03 mins 55 secs for a little bit of mipscale_0 action.

d_mipscale 0 is fully playable. It's not in the vid, but I've been able to playthrough the first 2 levels at a solid 60 fps (with a few dips).

[sharangad]

**********************************************
RReady Alpha January 03, 2025 (Untested Alpha Release)
**********************************************
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/RReady.Alpha.20250103.001.7z 
MD5: 863a01108132a9ceaf5a03a7f85067c4

- Ups Speedy3D VRAM limit to 16 MB from 4 MB (Speedy3D hardware limit. Note RRedline has access to a full 128 MB thanks to higher level abstraction). The MiroV1k.VBI BIOS needs to be used.
- Includes previous fixes:
- Corrects OpenGL glsl shader "error C7011: implicit cast from "uint" to "int'" error
- 60 fps Frame Generation/interpolation supported for Gr*nd Pr*x L*egends and "Die by the Sword." Note GPL will have to be run at default resolution/4:3 (fill screen aspect) aspect as the game has a mouse lock. Higher resolutions can be selected from within the game, Your GPU's internal aspect ratio controls from its control panel should be used for aspect ratio selection. "Die by the Sword" can be upscaled without issue.
- Fixes Eur*figher 2000+ texture corruption when switching between menu and active mission. This was caused by the game writing to 8 MB of VRAM and choosing textures within the 4 MB range. Rounding write addresses modulo 4 MB, effectively restricting writes to the first 4 MB for this game, corrects the issue.[Update] This issue is fixed with 16 MB of VRAM as well. The previous fix is unnecessary,
- Whiplash minor fixes.

This release won't go into testing (and then on to to a store release) for at least another week.

[sharangad]

[b]**********************************************
RReady Alpha January 03, 2025 (Untested Alpha Release)
**********************************************[/b]
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/RReady.Alpha.20250103.001.7z 
MD5: 5e5e8967fcf5a7e3681f1cd08b6b2d47

- Ups Speedy3D VRAM limit to 16 MB from 4 MB (Speedy3D hardware limit. Note RRedline has access to a full 128 MB thanks to higher level abstraction). The MiroV1k.VBI BIOS needs to be used.
- Includes previous fixes:
- Corrects OpenGL glsl shader "error C7011: implicit cast from "uint" to "int'" error
- 60 fps Frame Generation/interpolation supported for Gr*nd Pr*x L*egends and "Die by the Sword." Note GPL will have to be run at default resolution/4:3 (fill screen aspect) aspect as the game has a mouse lock. Higher resolutions can be selected from within the game, Your GPU's internal aspect ratio controls from its control panel should be used for aspect ratio selection. "Die by the Sword" can be upscaled without issue.
- [s]Fixes Eur*figher 2000+ texture corruption when switching between menu and active mission. This was caused by the game writing to 8 MB of VRAM and choosing textures within the 4 MB range. Rounding write addresses modulo 4 MB, effectively restricting writes to the first 4 MB for this game, corrects the issue.[/s][Update] This issue is fixed with 16 MB of VRAM as well. The previous fix is unnecessary,
- Whiplash minor fixes.

This release won't go into testing (and then on to to a store release) for at least another week.

[sharangad]

vQuake at 1280x1024:

https://youtu.be/tUTsOUq3sXc 

Kind of buggy at the moment.

[sharangad]

Managed to increase the heap size for ICR2 to 49 MB and full fat carsets work just fine natively. The tracks are another matter though and will probably need DOSBox to support 128 MB of RAM or something.
These should work on original hardware provided the machine has at least 64 MB of RAM.
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/ICR2.IncreasedHeapSize.7z 
MD5:44a72b1efc15fbc2171b906a63f5133e

For best results you'll need the upcoming build of RReady with 16 MB of VRAM. I'll try and release that as soon as possible.

Videos:
https://youtu.be/AvqAliIQKHQ 

[sharangad]

vHexen 2 resolution unlocked (natively), with glitches:
https://youtu.be/Ppqk_fLn3Pk 

[sharangad]

*******************************************************
RReady Alpha, January 23, 2025
*******************************************************
https://nirvtek.com/downloads/RReady.Alpha.20250123.007.7z 
MD5: caaf34fc942b6848427112024a747e9a

- Integer scaling and movable window options.

- Both versions of dosbox allow selection of joystick devices. This is done with:
[joystick]
usejoystickids=true
joystickids= id1|[,id2]

id1 and id2 are numbers from 0 to the number of joysticks -1. The id2 and the preceding , can be omitted to use just a single joystick. This defaults to 0,1 when usejoystickids=false. The logfile %localappdata%\dosbox-staging-rendition lists all available devices along with joystick numbers.

On Windows 11 for some reason SDL2 (32 bit) seems to go bonkers and with dosbox-staging-rendition (which is currently a 32 bit app) returns garbage axis and button readings on Win11. The 64 bit version, which isn't part of RReady doesn't seem to be affected.

Dosbox-staging-Rendition has all the joystick changes from Dosbox-staging 0.82 incorporated, but my Logitech gamepad doesn't work in Dosbox-staging-Rendition. It would be nice if someone with a wheel could test this out and see if nothing's broken.

[sharangad]

A mini-review of Indy Car Racing 2 with RReady by @gplaps on youtube:

https://youtu.be/iV7kTvOS_t0?si=Ymyx-kmYEkb1sk-s