MesaFX

[Ragnarok72]

Originally posted by dborca

I am releasing rev H today. This might be the last release of this kind. It basically fixes a memory leak, adds GL_TEXTURE_1D and has some other minor improvements. You should be able to download it from my situ, at least until geocities enters DoS for my account. By that time, however, it should get uploaded to 3dfxzone and FalconFly

Memory leak?!  There was a memory leak?!  Where?  I don't remember seeing a memory leak anywhere.... ok, that was a bad pun.

Oh, and I have one last question about MESA_FX_IGNORE_CMBEXT.  Originally, you said it was set up like "MESA_FX_IGNORE_CMBEXT=y", where "y" means we could use any value.  Well, does that mean sticking ANY, and I mean ANY value in there, enables it?  Or would setting it to "0" (zero) disable it?

[amp_man]

No, you simply use these instructions to install:

MesaFX 0.51x installation
Install procedure is simple and fast, it has these following steps:
-Unzipping the archive named mesafx_0.51x.zip
-Copying file named glide3x in Windows/System32 folder (MS Windows XP users)
-Copying file named glide3x in Winnt/System32 folder (MS Windows 2000 users)
-Copying file named glide3x in Windows/System folder (MS Windows 9X / ME users)
-Copying file named openGL32 in game folder

[ps47]

hmm,no luck at all..I have used the same glide3x.dll file this time..looks like I have to choose-wickedgl with better graphics and bugs or mesafx with worse graphics but no bugs.whatever,mesafx wins the round..

btw,the glide3x.dll file that comes with h release wont work with call of duty,I have to use glide3x.dll file from the g2 release,that one works.strange..

[raffa]

hi there!

first thank you daniel (and the team of course)

i tested mesafx051h on my 1.2gig celi and win2k and here are my results:

counter-strike(1.6, steam):
+ works, nice output
- no mouse cursor in the menus
- slowish performance

ss-se:
+ works
+ better performance than ever
+ very nice image quality
- console text distorted but readable

nascar2003 and gpl:
- does not work (crash to desktop, could not load selected renderer(did start with a selfcompiled version)

racer:
- application error, log says: (QXWindow) ChoosePixelFormat() failed


update:

il2 sturmovik (quick test):
+ work, seems ok
doom_legacy(quick test):
+ works, seems ok

more to come

*wave*
raffa

[perer]

Well the H version seams to take more advantage frome fast CPU's by doing some things in software. Or the flashing banners on 3dfxzone are spam. Because they say fast performance on pentium 4.
Are they know just pointing at the sse2 support or are there some things in version H that let the CPU do more?

[Black_Out]

@Daniel: It would be nice if you could create a MesaFx control panel as you mentioned earlier. I know you get people moaning stuff like this, but I honestly think it would not only be more convienient but a better way to adjust setting to the GLide environment through. that and I am not a programmer and I wouldn't know what to do with a CVS file to save my life, and I'd rather not create batch files for every thing I want to run using the GLide API.

Would it be better to maybe add an update to the AmigaMerlin 3.0 (and 2.9) drivers so that this new MesaFx control panel (if it ever enters reality) can be integrated into the 3Dfx control panel?

[Ragnarok72]

Update:  Homeworld2 can now launch successfully on a Voodoo5 using MesaFX 0.51H....unfortunately, it then complains that the video hardware can't do cube mapping, per-pixel-dot operations, and doesn't support enough textures per pass (that last one made me go "WTF?!").

End result:  I can access all of the title screen functions.  However, any attempt actually play the game causes it to either dump me back to desktop or lock up the system.

It's a start, though....

Would it be better to maybe add an update to the AmigaMerlin 3.0 (and 2.9) drivers so that this new MesaFx control panel (if it ever enters reality) can be integrated into the 3Dfx control panel?

That should be easy enough to do.  All that requires is a little inf-modding, as it appears you can control the env variable with registry entries, which is what the 3Dfx Control panel does with all its other options.

[dborca]

Originally posted by agrelaphon

ps47,
    not all games have worse picture quality with mesafx. SOF2 for instance, is much better looking with mesafx than with wickedgl. (But fps decreases in half !! , so wickedgl is still the better driver for SOF2).

WickedGL is a subset. Mesa tries to do everything by book (at least tries). I can't change that. Sorry!

[dborca]

Originally posted by perer

About my blurry post: I am Dutch so I am not a perfect Englishman
, and to with releasing mesaFX 0.51H it clears up a lot with me.
But one more question. In a other mesaFX package there was a installer Mesa-FX.exe which you have to use with every game, my question know is do I have to do the same with version H.
My instinct says yes but I dunno know for sure.

I never put installers, as I hate them. I'd rather put installation HOW-TO, but don't have time everytime...

[dborca]

Originally posted by Ragnarok72

Memory leak?!  There was a memory leak?!  Where?  I don't remember seeing a memory leak anywhere.... ok, that was a bad pun.

When the app closes context, there might be textures left in memory. Mesa tries to free them automatically, but sometimes it got a page fault inside 3dfx driver. If the app is "clean" the memory leak never happened. Otherwise, bad ju-ju... I noticed that when I tried to change resolution from some game menu. The rendering context was closed, then reopened. The memory leak crashed to desktop.

Oh, and I have one last question about MESA_FX_IGNORE_CMBEXT.  Originally, you said it was set up like "MESA_FX_IGNORE_CMBEXT=y", where "y" means we could use any value.  Well, does that mean sticking ANY, and I mean ANY value in there, enables it?  Or would setting it to "0" (zero) disable it?

Mesa tests for the envvar to be defined. It does not scan the value of the envvar. An envvar can exist only if it has something (anything) past the equal sign. Hence, you can even use
set MESA_FX_IGNORE_TEXUS2=Ragnarok72
Using "0" to define such variable may lead to confusion. Use "1" instead.

[dborca]

Originally posted by ps47

btw,the glide3x.dll file that comes with h release wont work with call of duty,I have to use glide3x.dll file from the g2 release,that one works.strange..

This glide3x.dll was modified by Koolsmoky in an attempt to enable windowed modes. There might be some new bugs. The philosophy is as follows: you can use any glide3x.dll whatsoever with MesaFX; you can use it from previous 0.51 releases (and still have some features), or you can use "standard" glide3x.dll (and loose advanced features).

[dborca]

Originally posted by perer

Well the H version seams to take more advantage frome fast CPU's by doing some things in software. Or the flashing banners on 3dfxzone are spam. Because they say fast performance on pentium 4.
Are they know just pointing at the sse2 support or are there some things in version H that let the CPU do more?

Not that I know of. Aaa.. ther emight be a thing or two, but nothing that big.

[perer]

Okay than why are there those flashy banners saying breathtaking speed on pentium 4. I would better use a Athlon the are better with games. (at least from my experience )
Or maybe 3dfxzone is sponsered by Intel.
Than I will shut up because this support is needed for servers etc.

[Ragnarok72]

Originally posted by dborca

When the app closes context, there might be textures left in memory. Mesa tries to free them automatically, but sometimes it got a page fault inside 3dfx driver. If the app is "clean" the memory leak never happened. Otherwise, bad ju-ju... I noticed that when I tried to change resolution from some game menu. The rendering context was closed, then reopened. The memory leak crashed to desktop.

I see.....well, I'm just glad it got fixed before I ran into the problem.

Mesa tests for the envvar to be defined. It does not scan the value of the envvar. An envvar can exist only if it has something (anything) past the equal sign. Hence, you can even use
set MESA_FX_IGNORE_TEXUS2=Ragnarok72
Using "0" to define such variable may lead to confusion. Use "1" instead.

Now I understand.  Thanks.

Now, about MesaFX's VERSION string: Right now, games read the string and see it as a 1.2 ICD instead of the 1.3-compatible ICD that you have designed it to be.  Games like Homeworld 2 are throwing up complaints based on that fact, and I think this has the potential to needlessly hurt compatibility.

I think in the next release, the beginning of the VERSION string should read "1.3 MesaGL" instead of "1.2 MesaGL", so that games can correctly identify it for what it is.

[PanoramixDruida]

Well, sorry for the banner. I've not purchased HyperSnap

The three pictures shows a change in the image quality; those changes were obtained setting the texture detail in the System Menu.
The first and second settings makes the game very playable. The third one (and the best in image quality) make the FPS drop, up to make the game unplayable.

I've used two Diamond Monster 3D II (8Mb each), Windows XP SP1a and MesaFX v 0.51g.

My system specs are:
   MSI K7N2 Delta-L (nForce2)
   AMD Athlon XP 2500+ (Barton Core)
   256Mb RAM PC3200
   Asus V9520 TD (GeForceFX 5200)
   2 x Diamond Monster 3D II (8Mb each - Voodoo2)