Software Rendering

[Amon26]

So we've seen a lot of really pretty things done with OpenGL and there are constantly new versions being made.

However, I want to know what all can be done with strictly software rendering? I know it couldn't hold a candle to OpenGL but I've always been a bit oldskool and liked the cubey unshaded quality of software Quake.

Anybody develop (or thought of developing) any software versions of Quake1 that support skyboxes, blood decals, transparency or anything interesting like that?

I know my question's pretty weird, so disregard it if i sound like I got my head up my ass.

[Baker]

I may do something like that, although in a way 2 engines have done different parts of that and I'd just be studying them and recombining them.

skybox in Makaqu


r_wateralpha in Makaqu


FTEQW's software renderer supports 24 bit color, like Half-Life maps and has some great effects and the engine Makaqu has alpha transparency and skybox support. Combine them both and it'd be a pretty great software renderer.

[Amon26]

nice looking stuff! I have played a bit with FTEquake's software renderer, its real nice looking. All the particles that usually have sprites show up like huge cubes though.

think decals would be feasible?

[Baker]

FTEQW's software renderer has decals. Shoot the walls with a RL and look.

[Amon26]

ah any way to get ftequake to run oldskool particles instead? i know its a step backwards from what i was envisioning, but fte's particles just appear as HUMUNGEOUS cubes on software mode

[raithe]

If you choose "Preset 286" in the FPS options it will fix the blocky particles. Downside is you loose the skybox and some other things. So you'd need to figure out which c_var's the preset toggles and go through them one by one. One of the problems is the emitters, toggling that will fix torches. I'm not sure what else the preset changes that fixes lava balls and other problem particles.

I'm a big fan of the software renderer. The two biggest reasons being waterwarp and the way models move. I've seen a couple hardware engines come close with those but they'll never be as good as software mode. The other side is just style. All these hi-res ports (not just Quake) have a common trend I can't stand, especially the re-texture projects. They always make everything look so clean and plasticized. Take the entryway in original Quake; when I look at that wall in software at low-res (640 and below) I see crumbling moldy stones in the walls. That goes away at higher res and filter levels. For me it destroys the feel of the game. It was written in software, that's how it's supposed to look. Tack on hardware rendering that tries to add all the modern flash always has that leopard skin velour interior in a camaro feel, it's just tacky.

[lxndr]

If you choose "Preset 286" in the FPS options it will fix the blocky particles. Downside is you loose the skybox and some other things. So you'd need to figure out which c_var's the preset toggles and go through them one by one. One of the problems is the emitters, toggling that will fix torches. I'm not sure what else the preset changes that fixes lava balls and other problem particles.

I'm a big fan of the software renderer. The two biggest reasons being waterwarp and the way models move. I've seen a couple hardware engines come close with those but they'll never be as good as software mode. The other side is just style. All these hi-res ports (not just Quake) have a common trend I can't stand, especially the re-texture projects. They always make everything look so clean and plasticized. Take the entryway in original Quake; when I look at that wall in software at low-res (640 and below) I see crumbling moldy stones in the walls. That goes away at higher res and filter levels. For me it destroys the feel of the game. It was written in software, that's how it's supposed to look. Tack on hardware rendering that tries to add all the modern flash always has that leopard skin velour interior in a camaro feel, it's just tacky.

I think this was true for many games until now. Hardware rendering was meant to be realistic while most games were still supposed to create imaginary worlds. The two did not fit well together. When things look too real, there's no much room left for imagination. Now, I saw some impressive screenshots that make me think otherwise, the artistic feeling will longer suffer from the realistic rendering. The technology is about to be assimilated.

[raithe]

The comment I made above was strictly referring to games around 94-97 which were written for software mode but then had hardware "overlays" tacked on later. Whether modern hardware games are too plastic shrinkwrapped is a whole other hornet's nest

[Dreadlorde]

Where can I get the sources for makaqu? I couldn't find any sources with Google.

[Stroggos]

I've never heard of it.

[raithe]

you can get various versions at Quaddicted.com: Quake Engines Archive They have the source & win32 binaries enclosed in the zip.