DescentBB

Fixed it already.

Thanks, Diedel. I hadn't realized that you already came out with a newer version. I downloaded 1.6.6 shortly after my last post, and it was indeed fixed. You're very fast with this stuff (not a complaint!). Next time I'll make sure to check that I'm running the latest version.

I had no doubt you weren't complaining about my speed.

Diedel wrote:VR7,

what is your texture quality slider from render options at?

Highest.

Render quality is set at highest, but refuses to change even when I remove the command line from the INI.

I am trying to play single player, playing counter strike missions, using D2x-xl 1.6.0. Install is based on the DOS installer and 1.2 patch (just in case event thought my .hog file was already up to date coming from a definitive colelction CD)

I crash right after the exit door of level 1 (should there be a movie there?) I can play eveyr movie just fine.

When I try to run the debugger of a debug build (built withou any errors) (MSVC++6 sp6), the game will not start unless I remove my usb gamepad (which I use without any problems in the game without debugger)

Any pointers ?

Thanks again

Zefrench

For some reason, my weapons and headlight completely light up the level (full bright, white light. Hey, that rhymes!:P) around me (apparently) in levels with colored lights. I've only seen this happen with colored weapons lights on (worked just fine with it off), and in my own work-in-progress anarchy level. Will update after further experimenting with this...


And a quick visit to your site, see if you've already got it fixed.


UPDATE

Yes, it does this, and no, you don't seem to have a fix for it, yet.

Please do address this problem. And PM me if you wanna have a look at my level, gimme some pointers.

Still no luck on the twist axis. It works in Descent 1 \"rebirth,\" and windows recognizes the joystick just fine. It's just that when I run D2X-XL, it doesn't recognize that axis. Quite strange. Something I do notice, though, is that if any descent is minimized, or I access the desktop someway or another, it'll usually mess up my joystick and I'll have to restart the game. I notice that, when launching D2X-XL, the resolution switch sorta \"snaps\" me to my desktop real quick. Could it possibly be launching the game, then accessing the desktop, then going back into the game, thus effectively bugging out the joystick?

Said the newbie...

The stick is recognized on my system as MS SW 3D pro. Get that going first, I wrote how to above.

I'm also having occasional moments where my ship gets stuck in open spaces. By stuck I mean unable to move at all. When I suicide and come back to that spot, all my powerups are clumped together, as though being contained in a small box.

Eskar,

please check desynced joy axes sensitivities and deadzones.

Tried all of the above. Unsynced/Synced axises, etc., but it still won't recognize the twist when I try to set my joystick controls. It just sits there flashing the [ ? ] box waiting for input to bind the control.

I don't think I said this before, but windows won't recognize my sidewinder 3D pro as \"connected.\" That is why I use the FCS and it works just fine everywhere but D2X-XL

Did you follow my instructions on how to set the proper BIOS values?

Hi Diedel!
So with 1.6.6, things are starting to work. I finally have got the hires textures in the game. Thanks again for fixing it.
But there is one thing... When I open a door, there is a texture behind the door, but I can fly through it.
Screenshot: http://www.a-contact.cz/paolo-n/img/scrn0006.jpg

Edit: Oh, and the Log, if necessary: http://www.a-contact.cz/paolo-n/files/d2x.log2.txt

v1.6.6 not in my games there's not. Everything's as its supposed to be.

Probably I've got a stupid computer, because the hires textures haven't worked for me at all until 1.6.6. The above is a success for me.

I accidenlty discovered that when firing weapons fromt he Guide-Bot cage area (like inside of it, after you've let him out), no weapons are discarged. You lose ammo/energy/missles accordingly, but no weapon effects of any kind occour.

I think that means it's a \"no damage\" area; you can't fire weapons in these areas, but your energy and ammo will still drain. The idea's so you can't be damaged, and you can't damage others outside the \"no damage\" zone.

D2X-XL supports such areas, but they shouldn't appear in standard levels - that's a bug I will investigate into.

I actually experience one of those just today while trying to roast on ITSC droid. Do please give this issue some attention!

(And fix your level spotlight, please. The level list isn't showing up.)

Spotlight fixed.

Diedel wrote:Did you follow my instructions on how to set the proper BIOS values?

I tried to find where to set those values in BIOS but I assume mine differs from yours. This is what I see under "Integrated Peripherals":

Onboard FDC Controller : Enabled
Onboard Serial Port 1 : 3F8/IRQ4
Onboard Serial Port 2 : 2F8/IRQ3
UART Mode Select : Normal
X UR2 Duplex Mode : Half
Onboard Parallel Port : 378/IRQ7
Parallel Port Mode : SPP
X ECP Mode Use DMA : 3
Game Port Address : Disabled
Midi Port Address : Disabled
X Midi Port IRQ : 10
CIR Port Address : Disabled
X CIR Port IRQ : 11


Didn't really see anyway to change it to 208/330 for a port address, etc. Not too familiar with BIOS options.

This is the problem:

Onboard Parallel Port : 378/IRQ7

It doesn't allow me to manually enter a value. However, I do recall another xxx/IRQ7 option, but it wasn't either of the values you presented. Should I choose that? This won't cause anything irreversable to happen I assume...

Aren't there any advanced settings for your BIOS, where you have a wider choice of values for the parallel port?

The parallel port won't affect the sw3dpro. Go look over on planetdescent.com, Eskar, someone made gameport to USB adaptors for the sw3dpro that will solve your problem and you can use the stick natively. I think they cost just like $15 or something like that.

Oops, right. You need to look for the gameport settings.

I have to say, that version 1.6.6 is the closest I have seen Descent to perfection (just because I still have to set *.plr files read-only or it forgets some settings).

Very good job, I´m happy.

I have now also had the \"stuck in open spaces\" bug. It has happened twice in Level 8 of Descent 1, not 2.

Also, there are a few other bugs I'd like to report:

All ATi based machines pitch the ship roughly 50% faster than they yaw it. I have tested this on the following machines:

Main machine (Self built):
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
ATi Radeon X800XL
Chaintech 7NIL1 nForce2 Motherboard
Windows Server 2003
ATi Catalyst 6.3

Friend's Machine (Self Built):
AMD Athlon XP 2600+
ATi Radeon 9700 Pro
Gigabyte GA-7DPXDWP+, AMD 768MPX chipset motherboard
Windows 2000 Pro
ATi Catalyst 5.12

Second Machine (Dell Dimension 4400):
Intel P4 1.7GHz Northwood
ATi Radeon 9600XT
Intel OEM Motherboard w/Intel 845 Chipset
Windows XP Home SP2
ATi Catalyst 6.3

All these machines had the same pitch/yaw problem.

However, the nVidia machines did not. The nVidia machine included the Dell Dimension 4400 with a GeForce2 MX and my brother's machine:

AMD Athlon XP 3000+
GeForceFX 5900XT 256MB
Asus A7N8XE-Deluxe nForce2 Motherboard
Windows XP Home SP2

I set up all these machines with the same options. Is there bug in ATi's OpenGL ICD?

Pitch and yaw are not controlled by gfx stuff. Check your controls settings (fast pitch option).

I guess I'll check out some Port->USB adaptors. Thing is, I've tried my roommate's and it works fine for his joystick but doesn't work at all for mine. Oh well.

I just think that this whole problem is strange considering that the joystick works 100% in Descent 1 (rebirth version) and works in D2X-XL just fine... save for just the twist function. Ah well. Thanks for the help though.

I have no clue. Joystick is handled by SDL. My SW 3D pro works like a breeze in D2X-XL, twist included.

Yeah. In the Windows game controller config, it recognizes everything, even though I have it put in as a Thrustmaster. Is there anyway I can get D2XL to pull its data from Windows instead of having to config it in-game?

Edit: Oh yeah, and if I run just regular \"Descent II Win95\" the joystick works, but of course it doesn't have the sensitivity and axis acceleration and all that so it feels rather sluggish but... the twist works. *shrug*

Wait a second...you have it setup in WINDOWS as a thrustmaster? Go get the unified sidewinder drivers and reinstall your joystick. If that's the problem, that WILL fix the issue.

I have it set as a Thrustmaster only because, although it would detect the Sidewinder 3D Pro and list it as such, it would always say that it was \"not connected.\" If I choose any other joystick config, such as the Thrustmaster, it recognizes it just fine, including all of the axises and such.

Now which unified drivers are you talking about? I searched around for \"unified sidewinder driver(s)\" and really couldn't find anything solid. The closest I came is to some unified \"nforce\" drivers but, honestly, I don't know enough to feel comfortable downloading and installing random drivers. Could you be a little more specific?

Hmm..it seems that the unifieds are only for the newer family of sidew3inder devices..and the 3dpro is not \"certified\" as XP compatible.

Perhaps Diedel can add native sidewinder support to D2X-XL with THIS?

The \"SW 3D pro not connected under WinXP\" problem and a solution for it is described in an old MS knowledge base article which basically states that you need to set the proper gameport addresses for the SW 3D pro to work under WinXP.

Argh...which would be in your device manager under multimedia devices.

I found them in my BIOS.

Got it.

I couldn't configure the resource settings on my Gameport in the device manager. So I installed \"new hardware,\" i.e. installed a second \"gameport,\" and set its resource range to 0200-0200. Then I selected Sidewinder 3D pro and told it to use the new gameport and voila, it recognizes it as \"OK\" now. And the twist works in D2X.

Now I just gotta play around with all the settings. My joystick axises feel a bit delayed even with 0% deadzone so it might be some graphical lag or somesuch. So many options, so many variables... *click click click*

I have a bug to report.

In a 900+ cube level, when you look at the automap from within cube 901 or higher, you only see the part of the mine with cubes 901+ rather than the whole mine.