Overall, I have been planning to discuss this game for a long time. This game has problems with the mouse cursor (maybe visible only on my computer?) So the cursor is stuck in one area (I have the same with the game HEDZ, which config is already in the exports folder). The real problem with this game, however, is that the view range is drastically low on today's systems, although the view range is OK on older systems. I wonder if DxWnd would be able to do something about it? Is it somehow possible to capture this view range and improve it? Link to the game - https://www.old-games.ru/game/download/9701.html
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I return to the topic:
I tried every option from the "DirectX" "DirectX (2)" "Direct3D" tabs, everything in general, but the view range in this game is still a tragedy, and the mouse does not work (despite moving it, the mouse stubbornly returns to its place). I checked the mouse in the game without DxWnd and the mouse works normally, but when I run the game via DxWnd, I have this problem with the mouse. And at the beginning I write that I have "Hook dinput" and "Emulate mouse relative movement" turned on. Regarding the range of view, as far as I know, in older systems this range was much farther and more was seen, on today's systems the fog is literally a few steps ahead of the hero. DxWnd can somehow improve this view range or is it necessary to decompile the game?
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I wanted to show how the game looks in a PCem with Windows 98, but the game doesn't start there at all. Nevertheless, I repeat my question about the possibility of adjusting the view range in the DxWnd itself
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Well, here is the problem, because it is probably only under Windows 9x that the game displays the correct view range, and this game is very difficult to run in a virtual machine, if it is possible at all. Nevertheless, everything points to it
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So that you saw (or by someone else account) the view range on native 98/XP. I'd be good if there's something to compare about that, for the moment this what I see with and without DxWnd.
The thing I can confirm is input/mouse problems (and I don't mean the outlandish default movement controls...). Mouse cursor is stuck and so far hard to fix, for example with Correct Mousehook the game stopped listening to any input at all, even keyboard.
When it comes to the keyboard, you have to be careful because the game tends to reset the entire keyboard, so you have to set the keys anew, because none of them are set (which is a problem because for some actions, such as map or pause, you cannot rewrite any key, so after finding for this bug we won't use these features anymore) As for the mouse, yes, there is a problem with it only under DxWnd, similar problems with the mouse are also observed in the game H.E.D.Z
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I've looked up some videos, there's also a Playstation version, console might be approximate how view was meant to work. Seems quite close to what I see, can you post up a screenshot where it's more limited?
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Well, what "works" is set Direct3D: Disable Fogging. Still, to make more or less dense I'll try some options but I'm not sure that's in at the moment, would take an opinion from @gho.
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... the view range is drastically low on today's systems, although the view range is OK on older systems
this is peculiar because the ordinary rationale for the fogging (to hide the polygons clipping) is to hide more when the CPU power is not sufficient, so it should be the exact contrary. Maybe the game is using some bugged system to find the CPU power? I recall that some old games used looped operations to evaluate the the power and a too powerful computer caused a divide by zero with detection of a very low end instead ....
I think it's worth to understand a little better....
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This could be a good hint, for the install complains a lot about insufficiency in system capability (as I recall now definitely RAM and Windows/DirectX version, perhaps more).
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Here are pictures from a computer with Win98. I don't see a difference when I turn off Dithering in the game setup (Sarge.exe - ARMYMEN_ADVANCED) turn off Dithering. Maybe the graphics card does not support it. I haven't tried Vertex Fox and Pixel Fog yet.
@MrPepka
Update:
It's exactly as White wrote:
Direct3D: Disable Fogging allows you to turn off the fog and have a longer view. Then it looks the same as in Win98 with the old Ati graphics card.
Then here in Win7 it looks the same as in the picture "only pixel.png".
Last edit: huh 2021-02-11
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Hmm, this game is actually a PlayStation port so maybe this limited view should be like this? Okay, the view range problem is solved, what about the mouse? How to fix the problem with the cursor stuck in one place? Without DxWnd this is not possible, the settings in the "Mouse" and "Input" tabs do not help
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Unfortunately for you, I had no problems with a mouse jam in Win7.
When I start the game, I have a bit of a focus problem, so I turned on Video-Z oder-top and Tweaks win: PushActiveMovieWindows, but I don't think it helped much. I still have to click into the game to cancel the intro.
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Not at all, surprising @huh has no problem at all. Testing it that other day it was on Win7, I experienced the mouse problem exactly as you described. I ended up using keyboard only for Menu. Several Mouse/Input options give some effects but I didn't find a fully working combination yet.
(edit)
Just as a side note I agree with that "you don't see anything" and carefully comparing with console release it's clearly worse. You mentioned it's a "port" or so, question is how it was really developed at that time. It won't be easy to find hardware reference to test, maybe it was broken by default.
Last edit: White 2021-02-12
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I don't know anymore, maybe it depends on the mouse (although why is it only in DxWnd?) It would be nice to fix it, but @gho will come soon and write that it works for him, so you will probably have to guess yourself why it does not work for us :P
As for the range of view, of course, I'm not sure if the PC version is actually a port, although in my opinion everything points to it because the PC version seems to be similar to the one from PlayStation, after turning off the fog the view is similar to that in virtual Windows 98 although it could be somehow tested on a PCem (but how to run this game in this program?)
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That's weird. I don't know what it could be.
Here is my log, where I move the mouse in the menu. I checked Input and Cursor/Mouse, but I don't know if it's help for anything at all.
Well, I do not know.
Do you have something like that in your log?
PeekMessageA: lpmsg=0x18fd34 hwnd=0 filter=(0-0) remove=0x1(PM_REMOVE) res=0x1 msg={message=0x200(WM_MOUSEFIRST/MOUSEMOVE) hwnd=0x39064e
Update:
The listing of full logging in relation to this error is as follows.
Overall, I have been planning to discuss this game for a long time. This game has problems with the mouse cursor (maybe visible only on my computer?) So the cursor is stuck in one area (I have the same with the game HEDZ, which config is already in the exports folder). The real problem with this game, however, is that the view range is drastically low on today's systems, although the view range is OK on older systems. I wonder if DxWnd would be able to do something about it? Is it somehow possible to capture this view range and improve it? Link to the game - https://www.old-games.ru/game/download/9701.html
I return to the topic:
I tried every option from the "DirectX" "DirectX (2)" "Direct3D" tabs, everything in general, but the view range in this game is still a tragedy, and the mouse does not work (despite moving it, the mouse stubbornly returns to its place). I checked the mouse in the game without DxWnd and the mouse works normally, but when I run the game via DxWnd, I have this problem with the mouse. And at the beginning I write that I have "Hook dinput" and "Emulate mouse relative movement" turned on. Regarding the range of view, as far as I know, in older systems this range was much farther and more was seen, on today's systems the fog is literally a few steps ahead of the hero. DxWnd can somehow improve this view range or is it necessary to decompile the game?
I wanted to show how the game looks in a PCem with Windows 98, but the game doesn't start there at all. Nevertheless, I repeat my question about the possibility of adjusting the view range in the DxWnd itself
Then when testing how could I compare? For instance, screenshots on old-games are good/bad range?
Well, here is the problem, because it is probably only under Windows 9x that the game displays the correct view range, and this game is very difficult to run in a virtual machine, if it is possible at all. Nevertheless, everything points to it
So that you saw (or by someone else account) the view range on native 98/XP. I'd be good if there's something to compare about that, for the moment this what I see with and without DxWnd.
The thing I can confirm is input/mouse problems (and I don't mean the outlandish default movement controls...). Mouse cursor is stuck and so far hard to fix, for example with Correct Mousehook the game stopped listening to any input at all, even keyboard.
When it comes to the keyboard, you have to be careful because the game tends to reset the entire keyboard, so you have to set the keys anew, because none of them are set (which is a problem because for some actions, such as map or pause, you cannot rewrite any key, so after finding for this bug we won't use these features anymore) As for the mouse, yes, there is a problem with it only under DxWnd, similar problems with the mouse are also observed in the game H.E.D.Z
I've looked up some videos, there's also a Playstation version, console might be approximate how view was meant to work. Seems quite close to what I see, can you post up a screenshot where it's more limited?
For me, the view range is similar to yours, which is hmm too limited so that you can't see anything
Well, what "works" is set Direct3D: Disable Fogging. Still, to make more or less dense I'll try some options but I'm not sure that's in at the moment, would take an opinion from @gho.
this is peculiar because the ordinary rationale for the fogging (to hide the polygons clipping) is to hide more when the CPU power is not sufficient, so it should be the exact contrary. Maybe the game is using some bugged system to find the CPU power? I recall that some old games used looped operations to evaluate the the power and a too powerful computer caused a divide by zero with detection of a very low end instead ....
I think it's worth to understand a little better....
This could be a good hint, for the install complains a lot about insufficiency in system capability (as I recall now definitely RAM and Windows/DirectX version, perhaps more).
Here are pictures from a computer with Win98. I don't see a difference when I turn off Dithering in the game setup (Sarge.exe - ARMYMEN_ADVANCED) turn off Dithering. Maybe the graphics card does not support it. I haven't tried Vertex Fox and Pixel Fog yet.
Update:
New pictures.
Last edit: huh 2021-02-11
There is a difference, you can see it. You have a much farther vision at home, that's how it looks with me
Yes, but I don't have any fog, because the graphics card probably doesn't support it.
So I think that game view is also not OK for me.
@MrPepka
Update:
It's exactly as White wrote:
Direct3D: Disable Fogging allows you to turn off the fog and have a longer view. Then it looks the same as in Win98 with the old Ati graphics card.
Then here in Win7 it looks the same as in the picture "only pixel.png".
Last edit: huh 2021-02-11
Hmm, this game is actually a PlayStation port so maybe this limited view should be like this? Okay, the view range problem is solved, what about the mouse? How to fix the problem with the cursor stuck in one place? Without DxWnd this is not possible, the settings in the "Mouse" and "Input" tabs do not help
Unfortunately for you, I had no problems with a mouse jam in Win7.
When I start the game, I have a bit of a focus problem, so I turned on Video-Z oder-top and Tweaks win: PushActiveMovieWindows, but I don't think it helped much. I still have to click into the game to cancel the intro.
I bet these problems only apply to Windows 10, so you can't confirm it at home
Not at all, surprising @huh has no problem at all. Testing it that other day it was on Win7, I experienced the mouse problem exactly as you described. I ended up using keyboard only for Menu. Several Mouse/Input options give some effects but I didn't find a fully working combination yet.
(edit)
Just as a side note I agree with that "you don't see anything" and carefully comparing with console release it's clearly worse. You mentioned it's a "port" or so, question is how it was really developed at that time. It won't be easy to find hardware reference to test, maybe it was broken by default.
Last edit: White 2021-02-12
I don't know anymore, maybe it depends on the mouse (although why is it only in DxWnd?) It would be nice to fix it, but @gho will come soon and write that it works for him, so you will probably have to guess yourself why it does not work for us :P
As for the range of view, of course, I'm not sure if the PC version is actually a port, although in my opinion everything points to it because the PC version seems to be similar to the one from PlayStation, after turning off the fog the view is similar to that in virtual Windows 98 although it could be somehow tested on a PCem (but how to run this game in this program?)
That's weird. I don't know what it could be.
Here is my log, where I move the mouse in the menu. I checked Input and Cursor/Mouse, but I don't know if it's help for anything at all.
There is nothing interesting in the log other than this message:
RestoreDisplayMode: impossible case!!!
What is this "impossible case"?
Well, I do not know.
Do you have something like that in your log?
PeekMessageA: lpmsg=0x18fd34 hwnd=0 filter=(0-0) remove=0x1(PM_REMOVE) res=0x1 msg={message=0x200(WM_MOUSEFIRST/MOUSEMOVE) hwnd=0x39064e
Update:
The listing of full logging in relation to this error is as follows.
DDEnumerateCallbackEx: res=0x1(continue)
GetDisplayMode(D7): lpdd=0x7d24a0 lpddsd=0x18f14c
GetPixFmt: PixelFormat flags=0() BPP=32
SetPixFmt: BPP=32 Use565=1 NoAlpha=0
SetPixFmt: PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
GetDisplayMode: returning size=(800x600) PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
GetDisplayMode(D7): lpdd=0x7d24a0 lpddsd=0x18f144
GetPixFmt: PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
GetDisplayMode: returning size=(800x600) PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
RestoreDisplayMode(7): lpdd=0x7d24a0
RestoreDisplayMode: impossible case!!!
RestoreDisplayMode: restore 800x600 32BPP
DXWND: set screen size=(800,600)
dxwCore::AdjustWindowFrame: hwnd=0, size=(800,600) coord=0
SetPixFmt: BPP=32 Use565=1 NoAlpha=0
SetPixFmt: PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
SetBltTransformations: colors=32->32 renderer=3("primary surface") filter=0(none) scaling=(0,0) supported=YES
RestoreDisplayMode: mode=EMULATE PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000) ret=OK
GetDisplayMode(D7): lpdd=0x7d24a0 lpddsd=0x18f144
GetPixFmt: PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
GetDisplayMode: returning size=(800x600) PixelFormat flags=0x41(DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS+RGB) BPP=32 RGBA=(0xff0000,0xff00,0xff,0xff000000)
RestoreDisplayMode(7): lpdd=0x7d24a0
RestoreDisplayMode: impossible case!!!
RestoreDisplayMode: restore 800x600 32BPP
DXWND: set screen size=(800,600)
Last edit: huh 2021-02-12
This is what my logs from this game look like. There are some "DSERR_NOINTERFACE" bugs, I wonder if this affects the mouse?