Aali's driver [v 0.7.8b] Help/Bugs/Suggestions

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Is it supposed to look like Software Renderer and drastically reduce my FPS? Compare Software to Direct3D to OpenGL.
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I found a display problem with ff8:
glassf.png


The glass is transparent. I looked in ff8 data, so this glass is drawed with blendType = 2, and BGSHADE opcode was called.

Oh, and is there a hope that the next version correctly displays battle transitions?
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After seeing things like this, I would have to disagree. Can anyone be more specific on the issues caused by Software Rendering or Direct3D Hardware Acceleration? The only notable bugs seem to have been introduced through the OpenGL driver.

It seems like this hurts FF8 more than it helps.
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Not true. There's a few missing graphics, but this is the most compatible option.
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I misread. He meant by using the driver some graphical bugs are introduced, but it's the most compatible option. But what is it the most compatible option opposed to?
 
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I can't speak for FF8, but in FF7, the default driver didn't allow the resolution to be raised beyond 640x480. TheSaint made a patch that gave you two more resolution options, but it was fairly glitchy (on my machine, random objects would randomly be turned yellow until the entire screen was yellow). It was also fairly slow (although that was just because of FF7's outdated rendering methods, not the patch).
The OpenGL driver makes the lives of modders easier, allows for simpler content replacement, and adds a whole host of configuration options and expandability that were never present in any way in the original driver.
As I said, this is in FF7.

The short answer is that this is a one man volunteer project on games that are more than 10 years old. There will be glitches, and while the goal is to improve the experience, if you don't think it will help, just don't use it. The fact that Aali has managed to replace the entire rendering system is an achievement in itself, and the driver has been improving for quite some time now.
 
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You said it yourself. You can't speak for FF8. It might help tremendously in FF7, but it seems to break things, more or less, in FF8. Also, you are sorely mistaken about replacing the API, it is already present.
 
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You said it yourself. You can't speak for FF8.
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And you misinterpreted it. I don't own FF8. I should have made that clear.

It might help tremendously in FF7, but it seems to break things, more or less, in FF8. Also, you are sorely mistaken about replacing the API, it is already present.
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Yes, Square wrote in an API, but Aali discovered that API and wrote a driver that fills it completely, and he's added features that aren't really based on that API as well. I don't think you really understand what the term API means here. All it means is that Square set up a way for the game to communicate with a graphics driver. That communications method was undocumented and only used by the built-in default renderer, so I consider finding it and writing a driver that uses it successfully to be an achievement. Do you see any other replacement drivers around? Aali has put a lot of work into writing something that has pretty much revived FF7. As I said before, I don't own FF8.
 
That's easy to answer.  It allows FF8 to be played easily and although it isn't perfect it will be added to in time.  Would you prefer no driver?
 
Nor does it require messing about with graphical fixes or tweaks.  It is all done for you.

You seem to be assuming that this is the finished product.  If you don't like it, don't use it.
 
I'd like to join the discussion as well. Thought all of this doesn't exactly deal with 'help/bugs/suggestions' (in that case this could be moved to another topic afterwards), it is something that has been bugging me for a while : Aali's driver vs. ff8 launcher. I think that's what smf052910 and many are asking as well. Hopefully your answers will make it less confusing...

It doesnt crash nearly as often as the original did.
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Nor does it require messing about with graphical fixes or tweaks.  It is all done for you
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I've been playing at FFVIII PC for several years on different computers and system. Never noticed a single crash, or any graphical issue. I have the feeling that most of the people that come to this forum are either looking for enhanced graphics, either having an issue due to a corrupted CD.

When you try the ff8 Launcher, you immediately see the difference with stock game. There are only very few issues : end of videos, Diablo summon, Edea magic for passing through the walls, vibrate effect (Gilgamesh, Griever preparing his most powerful attack, appearance of Ultimecia last form in a burst of magic & black feathers), menu textures....

Here is what I haven't managed to figured out despite reading a lot of the topics here on the subject, does Aali's driver allow the same enhanced 3D that the launcher, or does it just recreate more or less the original game? 
For what I've understood, Aali's driver will allow the use of higher quality materials in future modding, but what of the time being?
What about a newbie that have original game already working, and come seeking how to run ff8 'better than ever', shouldn't he download the Launcher, unless he wants to contribute to Aali WIP project by reporting bugs and glitches? Or if Aali's driver is indeed able to do as good as the launcher, how do you configure the required file?
 
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Post a copy of your APP.log after the crash too. Makes it easier for Aali to identify the cause, I believe.
 
Here is what I haven't managed to figured out despite reading a lot of the topics here on the subject, does Aali's driver allow the same enhanced 3D that the launcher, or does it just recreate more or less the original game? 
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Enhanced 3D of FF8 Launcher? If you are talking about higher resolutions, then yes of course, Aali's driver supports it. Just edit the ff8_opengl.cfg file in Notepad or similar.
 
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I think he meant Hardware Acceleration. Personally, I don't feel like much can be done for FF8 until we can apply high resolution textures.
 
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Thanks for answering my question Timber, it decided me to try again, and this time I found the trick... Always try yourself before asking - should I've remember this golden rule.

Linear_filter = on
Indeed, with this Magixt launcher is not needed anymore, althought with Aali's it does look more blurry.

There is just one minor thing... Well, those 5 new folders and 3 new files crownding my already-over populated ff8 directory... it would be a little less messy if all of them could be put in one single folder. Just a detail of course...  :evil:
 
i just got FF7 running on this acer laptop, and the driver functions okay. Problem is, i cannot specify any resolution other than 640x480. I can run windowed and fullscreen at 640x480, but even if i go up to 800x600 i do not get any video. I can still hear the sounds playing, and i can move the selector hand up and down. As soon as i drop back to 640x480, i get video again.

Please help!
Lee
 
I wonder what is happening, are you sure you installed the video cards drivers correctly?(Has no idea whats in there) It seems like a driver issue to me, not so much an issue with aali's.
 
pyrozen: Anything useful in app.log when you set some other resolution? Does turning off prevent_rounding_errors let you play in other resolutions? (not a nice permanent solution since you'll have glitches)

smf052910: If you don't like it, don't use it. FF8 support is not perfect, I'm fully aware of this. It's a bit slower than it has to be, it's missing stuff and some things just don't look right. If god has mercy on our souls this will all be fixed in due time, but for now it is what it is, take it or leave it. If you have any constructive criticism I'm all ears.

myst6re: Thank you for the bug report and the crash dump, I haven't done a lot of play testing with FF8 lately so there may well be more of them.
 
app.log was clear, but i got the problem cleared up. I used some different drivers and things seem to be working perfectly.
 
pyrozen: Anything useful in app.log when you set some other resolution? Does turning off prevent_rounding_errors let you play in other resolutions? (not a nice permanent solution since you'll have glitches)

smf052910: If you don't like it, don't use it. FF8 support is not perfect, I'm fully aware of this. It's a bit slower than it has to be, it's missing stuff and some things just don't look right. If god has mercy on our souls this will all be fixed in due time, but for now it is what it is, take it or leave it. If you have any constructive criticism I'm all ears.

myst6re: Thank you for the bug report and the crash dump, I haven't done a lot of play testing with FF8 lately so there may well be more of them.
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I don't understand why you are using OpenGL when the client supports DirectX by default. I am working on something similar to your driver, using DirectX, and the only task I'm facing is centering the image.

29vku35.jpg
 
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