New directdraw lowers shadow intensity - Please Help!!

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New directdraw lowers shadow intensity - Please Help!!

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Sat Aug 17, 2019 3:38 pm

I think shadows are way weaker now with the new directdraw.dll.

Does anyone have a fix for this?

Thanks!

EDIT: Or maybe its the sun intensity that's lowered.. I honestly don't know, but I can definitely tell a difference.

I will post the difference pre and post installation of the new craft.

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:53 am

installednewestopts.jpg
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labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:53 am

beforenewestopts.jpg
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labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:55 am

Please help! I really want to use the new opts! But the lack of shadows really messes the game up!

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Darksaber
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Post by Darksaber » Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:39 pm

No need to PM me, you have your topic, if anyone can help they will answer your post!
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blue_max
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Post by blue_max » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:05 pm

So, are you talking about ddraw.dl? Which version are you using? Are you using the 32-bit mode hook? Which one of the two images you posted is "wrong"?

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blue_max
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Post by blue_max » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:55 pm

I'm a bit confused because presumably your "after" image above would show the problem you're describing; but that image looks fine to me. Anyway, just providing a blind suggestion here: rename "hook_32bpp.dll" in your XWA install directory to "hook_32bpp.dl_". That will disable the 32-bit mode hook and it might change how the shadows look as well.

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:30 pm

Yeah, the after looks "fine" but the sun is actually to the star destroyers' 10 o'clock. The correct image is the bottom one, where the sun can't get to the star destroyer's stern and starboard sides. I'll try that. This issue comes up after isntalling the new opts that require the new 1.3.7 ddraw.dll

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JeremyaFr
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Post by JeremyaFr » Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:42 pm

You can also try to increase the brightness via the video options menu.

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:47 pm

JeremyaFr wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:42 pm
You can also try to increase the brightness via the video options menu.
Well, actually, it's the dark image that's the correct one. The shadows are working properly on that one. It's not a matter of brightness overall, it's the actual game shadows.

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Post by blue_max » Thu Sep 05, 2019 9:07 pm

Alright, so let's clear up a few things. In your first posts you said that the shadows are weaker or that the game lacked shadows; but this isn't actually the problem. The problem is that the position of the shadows doesn't match with the direction of the sun? How do you know what's the *actual* direction of the light source? I believe there's a setting to enable "all light sources" or something like that in video options, you might want to try that as well.

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:55 pm

blue_max wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 9:07 pm
Alright, so let's clear up a few things. In your first posts you said that the shadows are weaker or that the game lacked shadows; but this isn't actually the problem. The problem is that the position of the shadows doesn't match with the direction of the sun? How do you know what's the *actual* direction of the light source? I believe there's a setting to enable "all light sources" or something like that in video options, you might want to try that as well.
Well, the actual direction of the light source is marked by the little rings created by suns. Before you install the new opts and the newest direct draw, it's obvious where the lightsource is coming from. There are no changes in the ingame video options when you install the new ddraw and opts and yet the shadows are very much lowered. The entire craft is illuminated after the new ddraw.dll and opts are installed. I can add more pictures to show you what i mean.

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Post by labc133 » Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:30 am

postdrawdll.png
preddrawdll.png
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Post by labc133 » Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:43 am

So yes! disabling the 32bit hook did it! Its back to how it should be!

Am I losing any particular feature by disabling this hook?

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Post by Darksaber » Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:08 pm

Eventually yes
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labc133
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Post by labc133 » Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:43 pm

Darksaber wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:08 pm
Eventually yes
What exactly is lost by disabling this hook?

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Post by Darksaber » Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:56 pm

Nothing as yet, but the 32bit hook was added so we could use 32bit textures or add 32bit images to the dat files, which is exactly what has been done, I, along with DTM and Ual002 have been updating the the planets, starfields, suns, explosions and so on, so if and when a new craft pack is released, if the 32bit hook is disabled all you'll see in game is a sea of beige.

So you'll either have to get used to the new ambient lighting or continue to used XWAUCPv1.6 or DSUCPv2.6 when the new craft packs are released
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”
- John Lydgate

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait....
Darksaber's X-Wing Station

labc133
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Post by labc133 » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:19 pm

Darksaber wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:56 pm
Nothing as yet, but the 32bit hook was added so we could use 32bit textures or add 32bit images to the dat files, which is exactly what has been done, I, along with DTM and Ual002 have been updating the the planets, starfields, suns, explosions and so on, so if and when a new craft pack is released, if the 32bit hook is disabled all you'll see in game is a sea of beige.

So you'll either have to get used to the new ambient lighting or continue to used XWAUCPv1.6 or DSUCPv2.6 when the new craft packs are released
Thanks. A shame we can't keep the ambient lighting as is, though. It looks so much nicer. Anyway, it is what it is. Thanks for the reply! :)

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