BoD Optimization Config (for win7,8,10)

[Sryml]

I made a BoD configuration patch, It allows BoD to have a higher graphics quality.
A collection of multiple graphics renderers, all configurations have been provisioned with default values, and an accelerated one-click start game(It is more convenient to start the console).



I configured Dege's dgVoodoo 2.55.4 Graphics API Wrapper.

D3d+dgVoodoo and OpenGL graphics quality comparison:
Windowed resolution 1600x900

Left: dg_D3d | 8x Anti-aliasing　　　　Right: OpenGL
[img 1]
[img 2]
[img 3]
[img 4]
[img 5]
[img 6]
[img 7]

Left: dg_D3d | 8x anti-aliasing | 16x Anisotropic filtering　　　　Right: OpenGL
[img 8]

Unfortunately, dgVoodoo is not compatible with ENBSeries

---------------------------------------------------------- Modified content:
Sorry I just updated the file version of MEGA, I forgot that the link no longer points to the latest version.

Download BoD Optimization Config (for win7,8,10).rar.

[SrRaulCL]

I am testing your files for the D3d video configuration. The game looks great and fixes the problem with the black letters, but I have a problem!

When I look a light effect like lightning, burning skeletons, keys or orbs the game slows down and loses fps considerably. Is there any way to fix this?

[Sryml]

When I look a light effect like lightning, burning skeletons, keys or orbs the game slows down and loses fps considerably. Is there any way to fix this?

Yes, it still has some problems. When I use your 1024*1024 lava texture, the game will also become slow.

It has a soft solution to use a script to turn off light particles. I mentioned in readme.html that the script only runs once when the map is loaded, so it won't close the light particles of the fire skeleton that was born in the middle of the game. Maybe I need to set it to run repeatedly.

Or optimize the dx graphics library, which requires feedback to the author Dege of dgVoodoo.
-------------------------------------------------------

I have tested your 10GB texture package and it has a problem with the color getting darker.

I am trying to test it to show better graphics quality in D3d+dg. But I couldn't use the computer for a week, so there was no more progress to reply.))

[SrRaulCL]

Thanks for your answer Sryml We can help each other

I have solved the problem of lava and acid creating a 256x256 texture that also responds to animations of liquid movement.

I thought the problem with the lights was also to use high textures but it slows down with textures of 128 and 1024. The only configuration that plays well the lights without low fps is r3Dfx Voodoo 1-2, rOpenGL generates ugly squares.

I also inform you that your version works well with ReShade. I have created a configuration that makes the game look like a real Blade Remaster!

I only have two problems:
- Light effects lower fps
- Lack of memory when loading large maps. Maps like "Fugitive" load well in D3d but if you apply my textures the game only accepts "X" weight of mb. I have managed to load the textures of the map to 1024 in addition to the heroes, but if I try to add more quality to 3DObjs or 3Dchars the game crash (Memory error)

[Sryml]

You are right, SrRaulCL.
Every BoD renderer has advantages and disadvantages. OpenGL seems to be excellent in image memory management (it compresses the size and takes up less memory), D3d has a high graphics effect, but it takes up a lot of memory. I am using 1024 textures and the memory reaches 1.2GB on the edge of the crash.

This should be the reason for the BoD engine. Even though I have 16GB of RAM, the old engine can't use more hardware performance and can only use one core of the CPU.

I mean, turning off the light particles doesn't turn off the lights. Light particles are not the same as ordinary particles. It is a property of the light object. The default is on.
You can create a light by simply entering a line of code in the console:

Code: Select all

Light=Bladex.CreateEntity("Light", "Entity Spot", char.Position[0], char.Position[1], char.Position[2])

At this time, the camera view light will reduce fps, enter:

Code: Select all

Light.Visible=0

After turning off the visible particles of light, fps returns to normal and does not affect the brightness of the light.
Another fatal flaw is the sun, I have to turn it off.
In general, I still like to play at D3d+dg, I have not tested ReShade.

Looking for a compromise point, I think the texture with such a high resolution is not cost effective on the BoD engine. Using 512*512 - 24bpp or 1024*1024 - 8bpp is a good solution. I found that the bitmap of the 8bpp palette is not dimmed in the game, it shows bright colors and the distortion of the pixels is almost negligible, so I decided to convert your texture package to 8bpp mmp. This guarantees that the graphics quality also reduces the memory usage, an excellent balance.

The existing mmp conversion program (BaB, SGIMMPWorkstation, mmp_dump) can not do batch automation conversion, I refer to the C++ source code of mmp_dump, get the binary byte meaning of mmp file, I think I can use python3 to rewrite an mmp conversion script (Implement automated batch conversion) because I have not studied C++. Currently I have successfully used py3 to extract the 32bpp bitmap in mmp, haha! I will continue to write this script in a few days, and I am currently replying to the post using my mobile phone.

[SrRaulCL]

Yesterday I discovered something more. All light sources in the game using D3d lose fps, but there is one that doesn´t!

In the first map of the Amazon (Marakanda) the area of the well is surrounded by a barrier with many rays and there are no low fps. I wonder what difference these rays of Orlok rays in the obelisk, for example. I can´t see anything in the archive .py

The textures maybe you're right, upscale texture x2 (512) and not x4 (1024) maybe it would make the D3d configuration use them without problems. He knew that the game only accepted "X" mb.

But ... At 1024 this look great!

I leave a link to my YouTube channel where I'm showing some results:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJH6zN ... subscriber

[MBK_MBK]

Greetings.

I am testing your work in my new computer. BoD works well, but sometimes the game gets slow or very fast; and I can not play like that. This seems to be due to a conflict with the hardware and with the the graphic libraries (.dll). The D3Dfx graphic mode does not work for me, only OpenGL works for me. I'm not sure why, but I can not try the graphic mod Blade of Light, I get a message that says "something missing from D3Dfx dx9".

First I am tried to use the HD textures that SrRaulCL have done, but the game gets slow. I used the MmpWorkstation program, to extract some mmp textures in bmp images; and then I can to observe them. I see that the quality of the images is in 32 bits, which contains alpha channels.
For that reason, the textures may not be compatible in some cases and the game will be slow. In addition, the version of the program I use to extract mmp textures to bmp format, on my computer does not work well with images in 32bits. For that reason, before I could only make textures in 24bit quality, with 1024x1024 resolution.
Well, the quality and sharpness of the textures is very good, they look better than the ones I tried to do with Photoshop. Very good job! And I'm thinking what I can do: adapt the textures from 32 bits to 24 bits and design them with the look of my Hyperborean mod. I would only look at the textures of the maps that I have left to finish. With original textures of such high quality, the result will be better than what I was doing before. So, thank you very much for the effort of your work, because it helps in the modder work of more friends and that's great.

About the other issues that are discussed in this publication, when I try them, I will also comment.

[MBK_MBK]

About the improvements that Sryml has made, I have some problems.
At the beginning two games are started at the same time; that slows down my computer a lot and I have to wait for it to finish loading and then be able to close one of them.
Second, when I get only one game to work, the first time I used it was very good, very stable. But later, when I tried to verify the configuration, after reloading the game it became unstable and slowed down or accelerated...

About the improvements that SrRaulCL has made, I can not get D3D to work, nor Reshade.

But, I have been a some time to realize, that in my computer BoD slows or accelerates, because I had the Internet connection enabled. When I have disabled my internet connection, (WIFI), BoD suddenly becomes more stable again. So all this is due to conflicts in my hardware... Damn, in four computers that I've had with BoD, in none have I managed to work the improved graphics. What a bad luck...

Well, I continue with other improvements...
Greetings.

[Sryml]

SrRaulCL,

Yesterday I discovered something more. All light sources in the game using D3d lose fps, but there is one that doesn´t!

In the first map of the Amazon (Marakanda) the area of the well is surrounded by a barrier with many rays and there are no low fps. I wonder what difference these rays of Orlok rays in the obelisk, for example. I can´t see anything in the archive .py

The light source does not lose FPS because its "Visible" property is turned off. Trust me:

In the ../Maps/Ruins_M4/Pozo.py(Marakanda map), line 253:
8 lightning bolts around the well, rayo1 => rayo8.

rayo1=Bladex.CreateEntity("Rayo1", "Entity ElectricBolt", 41625.0, -1000.0, -43000.0)
rayo1.Position=41625.0, -1000.0, -43000.0
rayo1.Target=41625.0, -1000.0, -55000.0
...

Then on line 314 it calls a function LucesRayos().

In the ../Maps/Ruins_M4/DefFuncs.py, line 1234:
It creates the light and sets luzrayo.Visible=0

So dg_D3d will not lose FPS around the well.

I visited your youtube, good job!

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

This is normal, MBK.
As I said, OpenGL has the best compatibility and it can even be used on virtual machines. dg_D3d only some machines can be used normally, but its graphics quality is the best.
I am very lucky that my computer can run everything: Blade of Light/dgVoodoo D3d/1024 HD.

I am also curious why SrRaulCL's HD texture is 32-bit, but their Alpha is completely white, so I think 32-bit is not necessary. This results in an increase of approximately 1 MB per image.

In fact, SGIMMPWorkstation needs to do one more step to make 32ppp mmp.
- First drag the bmp image to the mmp file window (select "Transcoding and unpack Alpha-mask images"), which will generate an image with the name suffix "(mask)".
- Then first select the bmp image in order, the second select (mask) image, and press the shortcut key "Ctrl+R". The "Mask-Alpha" status bar will display the match name.
- Pack the bmp image again and select "32 bits per pixel". Look, you successfully made a 32bpp MMP.
Finally, delete the "(mask)" file.

In the early version of SGI, "BmpToMMPCompiler" can directly make "32bpp MMP", I don't know why the new "SGIMMPWorkstation" needs to do extra things.

adapt the textures from 32 bits to 24 bits

You are very lucky because my automated mmp convert program just released. It can help you with these repetitive tasks, only a few minutes (the higher the computer configuration, the faster the speed).

At the beginning two games are started at the same time; that slows down my computer a lot and I have to wait for it to finish loading and then be able to close one of them.

Here is an explanation of why it needs to start two games at the same time, you can try disabling the system's game manager. "Blade - QuickLaunch.bat" will automatically determine to start BoD only once.

But, I have been a some time to realize, that in my computer BoD slows or accelerates, because I had the Internet connection enabled.

This is a very magical phenomenon, because I have never encountered it. But I have heard it many times, I only remember that it is often found on some laptops.
When you mentioned WIFI, I suddenly realized. This is the difference between a laptop and a desktop! It's a little weird.

[MBK_MBK]

Hello!

You are very lucky because my automated mmp convert program just released. It can help you with these repetitive tasks, only a few minutes (the higher the computer configuration, the faster the speed).

Great!
I will try it, thank you very much. Using the program "Gigapixel" is easy, can improve the images in groups in order; but only works with jpg format and the textures are in bmp format. Due to that, I first change the format from bmp to jpg and later from jpg to bmp. For that, I use Paint of Windows.
I wonder if there would be any way to change the format from bmp to jpg and vicebersa, to several files at once...

Here is an explanation of why it needs to start two games at the same time, you can try disabling the system's game manager. "Blade - QuickLaunch.bat" will automatically determine to start BoD only once.

Ups, sorry, I forgot to read in there.
I have done the three steps to solve the theme of the "Gameux" file; I have also closed my internet connection: and now everything works as fast as in my old Windows XP!
I can't believe it,
you have achieved it my friend! it was that windows process that was repeated over and over again, sending data online about the game.

This is a very magical phenomenon, because I have never encountered it. But I have heard it many times, I only remember that it is often found on some laptops.
When you mentioned WIFI, I suddenly realized. This is the difference between a laptop and a desktop! It's a little weird.

I am not sure, I do not know the technical reason ... It is a mystery to me, of incompatibility of hardware and software ... In my old Windows XP and with a hardware of the year 2005, that has never happened to me.

Cheers

[Sryml]

I wonder if there would be any way to change the format from bmp to jpg and vicebersa, to several files at once...

Haha, after I tried "Gigapixel", I have already considered this feature (image format conversion). So I have updated "mmp_convert v1.0", which now has a function "toImg". It can convert all images at once, you just need to drag a folder to it, no matter how many layers of the directory it has, it will convert them. You can choose to override the original image with the parameter "-y" or create another "root directory" without "-y" (It doesn't change the image name, it's just a different root directory).
It supports 4 formats to convert to each other, bmp/png/jpg/webp. and bpp parameters.
The webp format is not perfect, because the python library does not support well, it does not recognize the transparent channel Alpha of webp.

So python is a good language. It can help you make a lot of convenient tools.

By the way, the second time you don't need to convert to bmp format. Like "SGIMMPWorkstation", "mmp_convert" can directly package images from other formats to mmp (Even if there is a different format image in a folder).

[sum_of_3_cubes]

Btw, if you use rOpenGL you are not "I've fixed so many other things", you can launch Severance in original D3D with dgVoodoo2 or even 3dfx, everyone should forget about this rOpenGL mistake.

Let's discuss rOpenGL vs D3D here, it seems a better place than the thread about 3D audio. They even have comparison pictures here. I looked through them and the difference is not huge. I'd say even rOpenGL looks better to me in a lot of cases.

So far with rOpenGL I only have 2 major issues:
- flicker of light and fire is a bit annoying, but I'm guessing it's tied with framerate and the original game ran at much lower framerate, so now it's flickering much faster than it's comfortable to look at.
- fog needs specific FogFix solution, which is decent enough, but probably not perfect, I admit.

Is there anything else?

[Sryml]

Unfortunately, on the latest win10 system, opengl seems to become unstable (crash at startup).

I did not experience flicker issues because I turned on vertical sync.
FogFix is no longer needed, there is a wrong fog value in opengl.dll.
It has been corrected, refer to this post:
http://www.arokhslair.net/forum/viewtop ... =15#p31358

[sum_of_3_cubes]

Unfortunately, on the latest win10 system, opengl seems to become unstable (crash at startup).

I did not experience flicker issues because I turned on vertical sync.
FogFix is no longer needed, there is a wrong fog value in opengl.dll.
It has been corrected, refer to this post:
http://www.arokhslair.net/forum/viewtop ... =15#p31358

The link in that thread is using BigTruck's page, which is currently unavailable. But you can still get it via the Internet Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190804001 ... OpenGL.zip

Here's a comparison between that custom rOpenGL without FogFix and the original rOpenGL with FogFix:
https://imgur.com/a/FPbV3gZ
The custom rOpenGL destroys fog almost completely. That's not how I played the game originally. Those areas have heavy fog, you can't see enemies from distance and that's part of the design of the levels. So I personally prefer FogFix in that comparison.

Of course I have vsync forced through the graphics card. You are required to have that, or you will have stuttering and mouse problems. Unfortunately that doesn't fix the flicker from light sources and flames. Here's a clip:
https://imgur.com/a/1qyXckw

Finally, yes, OpenGL does crash fairly often at startup. But not always. You just have to retry a few times and it finally works. Then it doesn't cause crashes while playing the game. That's not ideal, of course, but it's good enough workaround for me.

[Sryml]

That's weird, my custom rOpenGL fog is normal.
Without FogFix:


In fact, SGI explained how he modified rOpenGL.dll.
There is a hexadecimal address, so you can easily modify the floating-point number using Hex Workshop.

You can increase the value. 0.004 should not completely remove the fog, at least it is normal in my game.

-----------------------------------
I watched your light source clip, I think this is a normal flickering effect in the game, so I checked the code.

When the light is initialized, its Flick attribute is 0, which means it will not flicker.

However, the Flick attribute will be reset to 1 after loading the game.
This will cause the lights of the entire map to flicker, whether it is D3d or OpenGL.
It should be the effect of a candle, because the light of a candle in the real world will flicker.

If you want to verify, you can enter this line of code in the console, it will turn off the flashing of the key light source

Code: Select all

Bladex.GetEntity("LuzSTAR").Flick = 0