TFX on a PiStorm32

[paraj]

Originally Posted by trixster

Works for me too.

@paraj, can you explain the changes you made for RC6 plus experiment?

Tried to make Gouraud shading faster. Both Gouraud and texture mapping code renders to chunky line buffer, and then does c2p into planar buffer. This is a just quick hacky attempt at doing that faster (for Gouraud code path only).

[Aardvark]

Originally Posted by paraj

Thought I was done, but in the zone is TFXAGA_RC6_plus_experiment.7z for evaluation purposes. Gouraud shading should be faster in this one, and seems to be on my 060, but might be bugged.

Please test and see if it provides speed up compared to RC6 (and report graphic glitches).

Gouraud FPS is greatly improved on RC6 Plus version with 060 100mhz, and I didn't notice any glitches.

RC6:

RC6 Plus:

[Karlos]

Originally Posted by paraj

Tried to make Gouraud shading faster. Both Gouraud and texture mapping code renders to chunky line buffer, and then does c2p into planar buffer. This is a just quick hacky attempt at doing that faster (for Gouraud code path only).

You're a short distance from a full C2P framebuffer. How bad is that itch?

[trixster]

RC6 plus experiment works great for me too. FPS is up by about another 5fps, so 30-35fps in general flight, but 20-25fps now in external views. even when stuff gets interesting it's pretty much more than 30fps now. Using a BFG9060 with 100mhz 060, NTSC mode.

[sokolovic]

Can someone invite Martin Kenwright to read this thread ?

[utri007]

Originally Posted by paraj

Works for me, what's the issue? Make sure you're using latest version of WHDLOAD (probably 18.7+ required, I'm using 18.9).

Sorry, I meant that link didn't work. Some how Chrome didn't allow it to download.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by utri007

Sorry, I meant that link didn't work. Some how Chrome didn't allow it to download.

Turn that feature of chrome off? Override it? (Both very easy to do)

[Dunny]

Originally Posted by utri007

Sorry, I meant that link didn't work. Some how Chrome didn't allow it to download.

RMB on link, Save Link As. Then when it complains about "Can't be downloaded securely" choose "Keep" from the drop-down box to the right.

[AMike]

Impressive work - thank you for this patch. Last Exe - V1200 with highest colour and details 38-42FPS - standard setting 55FPS. (2 colours - 11 sight) ACA1233n with standard settings - 11 FPS. Faster than the original exe on 060.

[tomcat666]

On pistorm32 there is an improvement with the new Gouraud optimisation but it isn't so drastic as on other accelerators (it seems) :

[ Show youtube player ]

[Seiya]

Originally Posted by sokolovic

Can someone invite Martin Kenwright to read this thread ?

Amiga TFX coder that converted the game for Amiga are:
Charles Wallace
Steve Monks

how better their know how it works TFX Amiga Engine?

[alexh]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-wallace-281143/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-monks-6a96ba35/

[jotd]

someone tried to contact at least C. Wallace without success.

[alexh]

Charlie Wallace's linked in account is defunct. Not updated since 2016.

Steve Monks is active. I've emailed him.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by paraj

Tried to make Gouraud shading faster.

I don't want to waste your time, but I was given what was described as "the latest" (and supposedly best version of the TFX executable, way back then by another Amiga "undesirable" :-) I've put it in the Zone on the offchance it is of any value. tfxlate.zip It has a slightly larger filesize than the other exe's.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Angus

I was given what was described as "the latest" (and supposedly best version of the TFX executable, way back then by another Amiga "undesirable" :-) I've put it in the Zone on the offchance it is of any value. tfxlate.zip It has a slightly larger filesize than the other exe's.

It appears to have lots of function call names (symbols?) in it.

[paraj]

Originally Posted by Karlos

You're a short distance from a full C2P framebuffer. How bad is that itch?

Even closer now as I have all (3d) rendering functions figured out, and I think I have to at least try a hacky debug build (without UI) before calling it quits...

Originally Posted by Angus

I don't want to waste your time, but I was given what was described as "the latest" (and supposedly best version of the TFX executable, way back then by another Amiga "undesirable" :-) I've put it in the Zone on the offchance it is of any value. tfxlate.zip It has a slightly larger filesize than the other exe's.

Thanks a lot, but it is "TFX.040" that's already supported, so while it doesn't now add any new information it was instrumental in making this possible since it contains symbols. I would not have bothered if this version hadn't been available!

Originally Posted by Aardvark

Gouraud FPS is greatly improved on RC6 Plus version with 060 100mhz, and I didn't notice any glitches.

Originally Posted by trixster

RC6 plus experiment works great for me too. FPS is up by about another 5fps, so 30-35fps in general flight, but 20-25fps now in external views. even when stuff gets interesting it's pretty much more than 30fps now. Using a BFG9060 with 100mhz 060, NTSC mode.

Originally Posted by tomcat666

On pistorm32 there is an improvement with the new Gouraud optimisation but it isn't so drastic as on other accelerators (it seems)

Originally Posted by AMike

Impressive work - thank you for this patch. Last Exe - V1200 with highest colour and details 38-42FPS - standard setting 55FPS. (2 colours - 11 sight) ACA1233n with standard settings - 11 FPS. Faster than the original exe on 060.

Thanks a lot for testing! The optimizations are probably not really useful for RPi (and maybe not 030/040).


In the zone is the awkwardly named "TFXAGA_not_RC_but_lets_call_it_7.7z" that does the same thing for the texture mapping. It also replaces the standard filling function, but that doesn't seem to increase the framerate on my 060 (but will help if I'm actually going to make test "C2P" build).


Added 3 (expected to be temporary) options to disable the replacement functions for g/t/f (gouraud, texture, flat) if there's an issue and/or you want to see if they improve/worsen things.


If they turn out to be pessimizations on any platform (could be 060 as well) they can go in the bin (or only be applied to 060 as appropriate).


One note: It seems like the texture mapping function supports transparent textures - do these actually happen in game? If they do, I will have to rework it..

[tomcat666]

Thanx for rev.7 ... first problem I encountered is the Simulator weapon's selection screen is missing most of the plane :
This is the problem with the "ffill replacement" - if I disable it then the plane and the cursor is visible OK. It seems that in-game another ffill routine is used and the one you replaced is used only on this screen - this screen is extremely slow on pistorm32, if I use your replacement ffill, which only draws a few lines, it is fast though.

[tomcat666]

2nd problem is that you will unfortunetly have to support transparencies with the texture mapping: (choose simulation and central america and Dawn to get the EF 2000 to see the tail texture):

[Karlos]

Originally Posted by paraj

One note: It seems like the texture mapping function supports transparent textures - do these actually happen in game? If they do, I will have to rework it..

Decals on the planes?