Question Why so many different graphics clients?

[jarmonik]

I did put a post over at Dan's website about updating the DGIV so it could work under a graphics client, but so far no replies.

It's probably just a one line of code that would need to be changed to fix it. That shouldn't be too hard.

It could be as simple as this:

MESHHANDLE hMesh = vessel->GetDevMesh(hVisual, 0); // This won't work
DEVMESHHANDLE hMesh = vessel->GetDevMesh(hVisual, 0); // This works fine

There has been cases like this with some addons.

 

[streb2001]

OK, I have DX Feb 2010 installed and D3D9 activated in orbiter_ng modules tab yet orbiter still runs in server mode (no graphics client attached).

Have I missed something?

 

[Cras]

double check it is active. Do you see the video tab on the launch pad? And if you do, then make sure everything in there is set up right, meaning it is set to display on your monitor.

 

[Ripley]

I did put a post over at Dan's website about updating the DGIV...

I did that too.

 

[Interceptor]

Hey, I am going to give D3d11 a whirl will it work on win vista?

 

[orb]

I am going to give D3d11 a whirl will it work on win vista?

Yes.

 

[streb2001]

double check it is active. Do you see the video tab on the launch pad? And if you do, then make sure everything in there is set up right, meaning it is set to display on your monitor.

I don't see a video tab. I assume the client is not active. I am running Orbiter 2010 P1. The client is D3D6ClientRC39.

 

[edsupagood]

Go to the Modules tab and enable D3D9Client module.

 

[ceauke]

The 2010 Orbiter Client has the graphics engine and the physics engines separated. This means that the graphics engine can be developed by a 3rd Party.

The default graphics Engine is DirectX 7. This a problematic because Windows Vista and 7 only emulate DX7 rather than having hardware support.

By using the OrbiterNG client, you are able to select which graphics engine you want
OpenGL with OGLA,
DirectX 7 (The same as normal Orbiter),
DirectX9 (Which is older, but very popular and has hardware support) and DirectX 11 (latest and greatest and only works with Win 7).

Each are in different stages of development with DX9 and DX11 in active development and OGLA in hibernation.

Hi
Thanks for the explanation. However, it still doesn't tell me what I should be using. I'm on a laptop with Win7. To be honest Orbiter looks ok with the stock setup but maybe I can benefit from something else. I have intel 4 series express chipset. It seems that it cannot work with DX11.

Can you please recommend which one I should use?

It feels to me that we need a table summarizing the 'ideals' and requirements. E.g.
SOLUTION..PREF..OS............HW..................MOBILE Support
DX7...........4......XP, WIN7...No HW Support...Integrated GFX support!
OGLA.........3......XP? WIN7...HW Support?......Int GFX support?
DX9...........2......WIN7........HW Support?.......Int GFX support?
DX11.........1.......Win7........HW Support!.......No int gfx support :-s

 

[Cras]

You need at least a Direct X 10 capable GPU for running the D3D11 client. Direct X 11 cards for the full benefit. If your card is capable of running DX 10/11, give it a try, and report any bugs you see.

If you can't run it, everyone should be able to run the D3D9 client.

 

[ceauke]

Thanks for the info Cras.
I can confirm that on Win7 with Intel 4 Series express, the D3D9 works (after I upgraded to the '11 beta version of orbiter. Before that I got a procedure error when I selected the D3D9 module.)

 

[asmi]

The Direct X 11 client may be out of reach for a lot of Orbinauts. Not only does it require hardware that can support it and Windows 7, that still will not be enough. The goal is for the D3D11 client to be high end, and require a serious machine to run with a good frame rate. D3D9 will serve as the alternative to that, good graphics that pretty much any machine can run well.

Yes it's correct, except that it doesn't just use a lot of system resources for the sake of using them - it gives something in return. Here is one of my favourite screenshots from D3D11Client that tells what these resources are being spent on:

I think one picture is telling much more than thousands of words You can also check D3D11Client dev thread as there are some screens made by me or other client users.

---------- Post added at 07:20 ---------- Previous post was at 07:05 ----------

Thread hijack (and apologies therewith).

Can someone give a quick summary as to the features that the DX11 client offers over DX9 and DX9 over DX7, along with how 'complete' they are (ie, how many things don't work in them that would be irritating if you used them in orbiter at the moment)

I would like to point out that at least for D3D11 client we're trying hard to have latest version stable, probably with exception of the feature that it currently in the process of being implemented. Infact last few weeks most of the time I was working on the client I was diagnozing, debugging and fixing bugs that have been reported by our users. So the goal being is keep adding new exciting stuff while still maintaining a solid, stable client. Because as it has happenned before with some other open source "hobby-like" projects, once project gets a certain hard-to-fix (or just boring-to-fix) issues, developers tend to abandon such projects and subsequently development stalls. Another reason is that we are committed to providing our users as comfortable and enjoyable experience as possible in return of their bug reports and general feedback - and that is the exact reason why I'm so insistant on - and keep pointing it out - getting any feedback from you guys as we don't have magic balls out here so we can't know if you have an issue until you tells us you do.

 

[Veterok]

Normal mapping is a feature not in the stock client, that is supported by all 3 third party clients, but IIRC D3D11 is currently the only one to support Normal Mapping on planets in addition to vessels and bases.

It's not really something you can see in a screenshot. This clip has a (fixed) bug where normals pointed the wrong direction in the southern hemisphere, so craters look like hills and volcanoes look like craters.

 

[ceauke]

Hi guys

I have another question on this. I can't seem to find what the 2011 beta version is. I noticed that D3D9 RC40 is released for 2010-P1 only. So I'm a bit puzzled what the 2011 beta version is or why it was created (initially I thought it was to allow the visualization but that doesn't seem to hold water). I thought Martin only maintained a single version.

Where can I read what is new in 2011 beta? And how should I choose if I should use 2010 P1 or 2011beta? Ideally I'll just have both but I'm running out of space.

 

[jarmonik]

The Orbiter beta was released to allow to synchronize a certain development steps between the Orbiter and a Graphics Clients. It also allows an addon developpers to test their production with the latest version. It isn't ment for a regular use and it isn't stable. If I wouldn't have enough space to keep them both then I would choose the 2010-P1.

There will be RC40 or RC41 for the Orbiter Beta later. There are a few beta related problems in the D3D9 that I would like to solve before releasing it. But the RC40 can be build for the Orbiter Beta from the sources.

 

[Ripley]

...Where can I read what is new in 2011 beta?...

In the "patch.txt" file that comes with the beta itself.