New Release D3D9Client Development

[Kendo]

I use the latest version which I understand has a different way of controlling reflections etc from version 10. I chose the latest version because it gives better results.
Though no version is stable, this is the version I like to use.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling we won,t see Jarmonik again, he hasnt been around for almost a month, I really hope i,m wrong though.

 

[N_Molson]

Unfortunately, I have a feeling we won,t see Jarmonik again, he hasnt been around for almost a month

Don't say that ! :shifty: He already was away for a few months in the past, only to come back with jawdropping features :hail:

Anyway I'll be using the latest version, and updating a single .cfg file is not a problem, it can even be copy-pasted in a "code" box on the forum.

 

[SolarLiner]

If I want to pack an addon using reflexion materials effects, do I have to include other files in the package ?

An ohter way to add reflection is to add a <texture>_relf.dds with alpha as power, and RGB channel for the color of the reflection.

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

Don't say that ! :shifty: He already was away for a few months in the past, only to come back with jawdropping features :hail:

Anyway I'll be using the latest version, and updating a single .cfg file is not a problem, it can even be copy-pasted in a "code" box on the forum.

I wish I could say it wasn't so, but...

Here is a new build. I have disabled the mesh cull algorithm. If it was resposible for the failure then it should work now. It shouldn't have any major effect in the framerate.

R10 will be probably the final version of D3D9Client. I don't have any motivation to continue my work with the client, it's a lost cause. There are just too many severe unsolved problems with the orbiter it self and older addons. It might be better to create a new open sourced space flight simulator project, such project might actually have a future.

Maybe if Martins would be willing to allow a fork of Orbiters code to become "OpenOrbiter", things like terrain could be added? Just look at how far a program like flightgear has come, being developed open source.

 

[kuddel]

Maybe if Martins would be willing to allow a fork of Orbiters code to become "OpenOrbiter", things like terrain could be added? Just look at how far a program like flightgear has come, being developed open source.

Oh no, not again
This is definitely not goin' to happen. Search the forum and you'll find lots of people wanting that...
Beside that it is totally legitime of Martin not to "open" the source, I (and others) also fear that such approach would only create lots of incompatible "branches".

...just my 2cts
/Kuddel

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

Oh no, not again
This is definitely not goin' to happen. Search the forum and you'll find lots of people wanting that...
Beside that it is totally legitime of Martin not to "open" the source, I (and others) also fear that such approach would only create lots of incompatible "branches".

...just my 2cts
/Kuddel

Actually, I dont recall ever hearing anyone mention that idea directly. Obviously forking Orbiter into a new program will eventually make the two incompatible somewhat, but the lack of content will make it hard for a great new program to get off the ground (see spaceway)

I don't know if Martins will ever agree to that, as Orbiter really is his intellectual property, and he has every right to say no. I just don't see the program moving forward without it though; we have lots of talented programmers that want to add revolutionary new stuff, but a lot of new things need to be added through the core of the program.

I just dunno...

 

[Felix24]

An ohter way to add reflection is to add a <texture>_relf.dds with alpha as power, and RGB channel for the color of the reflection.

The _refl.dds files should have no alpha channel. Only the RGB is needed; the power of the reflection is controlled by the maximum value of red, green, and blue.

 

[N_Molson]

The _refl.dds files should have no alpha channel. Only the RGB is needed; the power of the reflection is controlled by the maximum value of red, green, and blue.

I tried that but it only gives me full black color. What subformat of .dds shoud be used ?

 

[Kendo]

Nvidia is a great tool. I came across script this yesterday, it may be usefull, I have not had time to try it out yet. Its for Photoshop and its free.

nDo Normal Map Creation Script For Photoshop! | Eat 3D

 

[Felix24]

I tried that but it only gives me full black color. What subformat of .dds shoud be used ?

That sounds like a bug that was fixed in a more recent version. Try installing the one posted here:

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=412960&postcount=2305

DXT1 is recommended as far as the format goes. It'll work with DXT3 and DXT5, but the alpha channel is unused for _refl.dds, and the RGB compression is always the same (I think), so DXT1 is the most efficient. If you want to be overkill and use uncompressed textures, RGB8 works fine too.

 

[Kendo]

I finally tried this out, I had some very interesting results. Its has a lot more settings than the Nvidia plug-in.

http://eat3d.com/blog/metalliandy/ndo-normal-map-creation-script-photoshop

 

[jarmonik]

Should we remove the offset from the fresnel reflection configuration. It's kinda repeatitive to have the minimum reflection offset defined by the reflect material property at first and then with an additional fresnel offset.

The problem is that how do we set the multiplier for the fresnel reflection ? Since the multiplier is supposed to be (1.0-offset) by default. Of course, one possibility is to leave the responsibility for a user to set it. A proper value would be somewhere around [0.8 to 0.95]. Well, we could set it to 0.9 and let the user to tweak it if needed.

 

[Kendo]

Good to see you again Jarmonik :bighug:

 

[Felix24]

Should we remove the offset from the fresnel reflection configuration. It's kinda repeatitive to have the minimum reflection offset defined by the reflect material property at first and then with an additional fresnel offset.

The problem is that how do we set the multiplier for the fresnel reflection ? Since the multiplier is supposed to be (1.0-offset) by default. Of course, one possibility is to leave the responsibility for a user to set it. A proper value would be somewhere around [0.8 to 0.95]. Well, we could set it to 0.9 and let the user to tweak it if needed.

Yes, I think the fresnel offset parameter can be removed.

I think letting the user tweak the multiplier as needed is a good idea. Setting it to 0.9 to begin with sounds good.

It sounds like it won't change the the functionality at all if you're already used to setting the fresnel offset to 0, setting the minimum reflection using the reflect material property, and tweaking the multipler to taste.

 

[RacerX]

Question

Hey jarmonik I was wondering if it is possible for you to allow choosing of shaders in orbiter lauchpad. SMAA to be more specific. I came across this when I was modding ARMA 3.

What is it?
So in case you're new to SweetFX Shader Suite (or just SweetFX), it's a mod built on the InjectSMAA shader injector, that allows you to apply a suite of post processing shader effects to your games.

These shaders made the game look so much better I dont think I will revert back to default again. But what I really like about the configurator is that all the post processing effects can be changed and tweaked in realtime as the game is running. One of the features it has is splitscreen in which you can see the default settings vs the NEW changes you make in a splitscreen fashion. There is another effect that sparked my curiosity for orbiter called Technicolor

Technicolor : Makes the image look like it was processed using a three-strip Technicolor process - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technicolor

I thought this effect might look pretty cool if running a 1960's apollo launch
I think the only thing that is stopping these shaders to be used is a way to switch shaders in launchpad.
Link to the site http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/sweetfx_shader_suite_download.html
Link to the configurator tool that I use makes it easier then editing files in notepad++
http://sweetfx.thelazy.net/

Effects list

• SMAA Anti-aliasing : Anti-aliases the image using the SMAA technique - see http://www.iryoku.com/smaa/
• Cartoon : Creates an outline-effect that makes the image look more cartoonish.
• Advanced CRT : Mimics the look of an old arcade CRT display.
• LumaSharpen : Sharpens the image, making details easier to see
• Bloom : Makes strong lights bleed their light into their surroundings
• HDR : Mimics an HDR tonemapped look
• Technicolor : Makes the image look like it was processed using a three-strip Technicolor process - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technicolor
• Cineon DPX : Makes the image look like it was converted from film to Cineon DPX. Can be used to create a "sunny" look.
• Monochrome : Removes colors from the image so it appears as if shot on black and white film.
• Lift Gamma Gain : Adjust brightness and color of shadows, midtones and highlights (avoids clipping)
• Tonemap : Adjust gamma, exposure, saturation, bleach and defog. (may cause clipping)
• Vibrance : Intelligently saturates (or desaturates if you use negative values) the pixels depending on their original saturation.
• Curves : Contrast adjustments using S-curves.
• Sepia : Sepia tones the image - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepia_tone#Sepia_toning
• Vignette : Darkens the edges of the image to make it look more like it was shot with a camera lens. - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignetting )
• Dither : Applies dithering to simulate more colors than your monitor can display. This lessens banding artifacts - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dithering#Digital_photography_and_image_processing )
• Border : Makes the screenedge black as a workaround for the bright edge that forcing some AA modes sometimes causes.
• Splitscreen : Enables the before-and-after splitscreen comparison mode.

It works with all 32bit DirectX 9 , 10 and 11 games (and many applications).

 

[DaveS]

What are the prospects of seeing self-shadowing in D3D9Client?

 

[Cras]

Hey SweetFX Shader Suite! I just came across that myself, maybe we are reading the same threads on a certain other forum.....

Sounds very cool in doing some interesting visuals for things like Apollo, yes indeed.

 

[Kendo]

I tried SweetFx in my rFactor racing sim and it is remarkable. I just use the default settings.
I,m very curious how this would look with Orbiter.

 

[RacerX]

all we need is a option in the orbiter launchpad\advanced\shader set\ to choose SMAA shaders or any shaders in the given user defined directory. What do you think Jarmonik? Can this be done?

 

[jarmonik]

all we need is a option in the orbiter launchpad\advanced\shader set\ to choose SMAA shaders or any shaders in the given user defined directory. What do you think Jarmonik? Can this be done?

I don't know. Could you post some screen shots running the Orbiter with those shaders ?