New Release D3D9Client Development

jarmonik

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I think I have asked this in the past but never received an answer on it:

Would it be possible to increase the display resolution of MFDs in VC mode? It seems like the MFD display resolution is much lower (256x256, I think) than in the generic "glass cockpit" mode (1024x1024, I think).

There is nothing we can do about it. Even to have a change it would require a severe hacking and lot of time and in the end it's not guaranteed to work. I would really like to see MFD screen quality improved as well and I would recommend to have a word with Martin about it.
 

Felix24

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Here is a build for testing.

Translucent effects have been added for textured surfaces. As an example, ISS solar arrays are now translucent, allowing sunlight to shine through and illuminate from behind. The effect is triggered when _transm.dds and/or _transl.dds textures are present.

_transm.dds (transmittance) texture behaves similar to a specular map, but provides a hot spot on the surface directly between the sun and the camera, as if the sun is shining through.

_transl.dds (translucence) texture behaves like a diffuse texture, except it is lit from behind.
 

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  • D3D9Client-20150519.zip
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I don't get this part when reading the D3D9Client Documentation:

...
The two symbolic links in /Modules/Server/ folder for "Config" and "Sound" folders point (or link) to their "originals" located in the root folder of the Orbiter installation.
If you are using Windows XP or newer and your installation is on a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS"] NTFS[/ame] filesystem, these links can easily be created from Video Tab -> Advanced Setup.

...

Under the regular Video Tab of the Orbiter (Orbiter_NG) Launchpad you find the "Advanced" Button that will show the "D3D9Client Advanced Setup" Dialog. Here you can change several settings to tweak your experience with the D3D9Client.

-----------------

Q:
When I run the orbiter_ng.exe from the Orbiter installation directory (the launcher is titled "Server", there is no button or Tab named "regular Video Tab"

Also, there is no "Video Tab -> Advanced Setup." when I run orbiter_ng.exe.

The closest thing I can find is "Visual Effects" and there is no "Advanced" there.

I have extracted the contents of the D3D9Client zip provided here into the identical folder locations in the Orbiter Installation directory.

If the instructions in the document are referring to another application, it's not clear to me which application is being referenced.

I thought I was as smart as the typical computer user, but these instructions are not connecting the dots for me. There seems to be an assumption I should know something I do not. Since there are a lot of people using this client, I must be a LOT more stupid than I thought.

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DaveS

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I don't get this part when reading the D3D9Client Documentation:

...
The two symbolic links in /Modules/Server/ folder for "Config" and "Sound" folders point (or link) to their "originals" located in the root folder of the Orbiter installation.
If you are using Windows XP or newer and your installation is on a NTFS filesystem, these links can easily be created from Video Tab -> Advanced Setup.

...

Under the regular Video Tab of the Orbiter (Orbiter_NG) Launchpad you find the "Advanced" Button that will show the "D3D9Client Advanced Setup" Dialog. Here you can change several settings to tweak your experience with the D3D9Client.

-----------------

Q:
When I run the orbiter_ng.exe from the Orbiter installation directory (the launcher is titled "Server", there is no button or Tab named "regular Video Tab"

Also, there is no "Video Tab -> Advanced Setup." when I run orbiter_ng.exe.

The closest thing I can find is "Visual Effects" and there is no "Advanced" there.

I have extracted the contents of the D3D9Client zip provided here into the identical folder locations in the Orbiter Installation directory.

If the instructions in the document are referring to another application, it's not clear to me which application is being referenced.

I thought I was as smart as the typical computer user, but these instructions are not connecting the dots for me. There seems to be an assumption I should know something I do not. Since there are a lot of people using this client, I must be a LOT more stupid than I thought.

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You need to activate the D3D9Client module from the Modules tab.
 

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I did that first thing. I get a dialog:
Entry Point Not Found...

The Procedure point "?GetSurfaceElevation@VESSEL@@QBENXZ could not be located...

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DaveS

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I did that first thing. I get a dialog:
Entry Point Not Found...

The Procedure point "?GetSurfaceElevation@VESSEL@@QBENXZ could not be located...

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This means that you have installed the wrong D3D9Client version. The version that goes with Orbiter 2010 P1 (100830) is D3D9Client R15. The Beta versions are for the Beta versions of Orbiter.
 

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I extracted the contents of the file:
D3D9ClientR15.zip

... linked in the first post of this thread and get the same dialog message.

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---------- Post added at 08:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 AM ----------

Apparently it's the new beta files which generate the error dialog. When replaced by the original R15 files the error is gone. I still don't know how to find the "Video Advanced" features referenced in the documentation.

OK... After closing and opening Orbiter a 2nd time the Video button appears. Getting it sorted...

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DaveS

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I extracted the contents of the file:
D3D9ClientR15.zip

... linked in the first post of this thread and get the same dialog message.

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Did you overwrite all the files? They all need to be overwritten. Also make sure that you are extracting the files into the right Orbiter folder. R15 should only be used with Orbiter 2010 P1 (100830).

---------- Post added at 05:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:17 PM ----------

I extracted the contents of the file:
D3D9ClientR15.zip

... linked in the first post of this thread and get the same dialog message.

-Pv-

---------- Post added at 08:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 AM ----------

Apparently it's the new beta files which generate the error dialog. When replaced by the original R15 files the error is gone. I still don't know how to find the "Video Advanced" features referenced in the documentation.

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The Advanced options dialog is opened by the Advanced button below the Window field on the Video tab.

D3D9Client_Advanced_Options_button.jpg
 

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It's all working now but I'm not able to get a "borderless" Window using the same settings as your screenshot in 1920*1080 rez. However, it's currently working as I investigate. Kinda strange getting used to the idea I cannot task switch or minimize (have to drag the window to gain access to the desktop- then drag it back into "reasonable" position again.) This seems inconvenient and slow.

Not sure yet I'm seeing the visual improvements (except for maybe AA) just playing with the DGIV so far...

Let me clarify by saying I cannot task switch straight to the desktop. I have to have some kind of open application window (notepad, whatever) open on the desktop to switch to.

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I'm suspecting there is not supposed to be any visual immersion increase using default scenery, the frame rate increase over stock Orbiter is pretty incredible. I never had trouble running Orbiter but the Dx9 client is 20-40X faster.

I suspect this will be a game changer for the 10-15 level graphics.
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Yea thanks. 600+ FPS running the Earth L10.
Quite a shocker!
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jroly

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On my MSI U100 Wind the new Jan2015 client does not work but the previous version worked.

But anyway on the laptop dx7 performs better.

Will the dx9 client support the moving rail cars at Brighton Beach sometime?
 
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jarmonik

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On my MSI U100 Wind the new Jan2015 client does not work but the previous version worked.
Will the dx9 client support the moving rail cars at Brighton Beach sometime?
Minimum system requirements has been raised from DirectX 9.0 to 9.0c and software vertex processing in no longer supported.

Right now we have more important things to worry about than a rail cars but maybe later in the future.
 

DaveS

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I'm wondering if emission maps for VCs could be implemented? Given that proper VC lighting is already implemented in the latest Orbiter 2015 Beta, I'm thinking of this as an interim solution for Orbiter 2010.
 

Felix24

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I'm wondering if emission maps for VCs could be implemented? Given that proper VC lighting is already implemented in the latest Orbiter 2015 Beta, I'm thinking of this as an interim solution for Orbiter 2010.

This has been played with. The only thing holding it back is there is currently no way to manually control the VC lights in anything but the Deltaglider in Orbiter 2015 Beta, and the implementation in that case is model-specific.

We need a solution for controlling VC lights that can be applied to vessels without having to edit and recompile each vessel. Some sort of keyboard shortcut linked to a vessel parameter toggling the VC lights would be nice.

Right now, the only way to control VC lights is by using the sunlight as a switch, so to speak. The lights would be visible in the earth's shadow, and invisible in the sunlight. That's the best we can do in Orbiter 2010, and currently the only way in the Beta, although hopefully that will change.
 
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