New DarkPlaces beta released

[LambentHammerBurst]

HUGE FPS increase for me when I play the game on max - get about double. On max with levels with Water/Slime/Lava I drop to about 7 -> new build I'm getting 15-23. On high I'm getting 10-20 more FPS.
So this update is great for the "Max Players"

@Seven, must be something in your config as I too am not getting any blacking on the weapons.

[Seven]

Hello,

thank you all for your replies and confirmation that LH did an excelllent job.
FPS is now finally in the range where it should be


But regarding my mentioned issue with builds from 13th february till today:
I am sorry. I maybe should have been more specific.
It is a Parallax Mapping issue.
The engine tries to apply an offset to entities, that does not have a _norm or _bump file.

Screens tell more than words, so I made some:
I do not have any offset files for my weapons, but when I enable parallax mapping, they are affected:

r_glsl_offsetmapping 0 / r_glsl_offsetmapping 1






I always play with Parallax Mapping enabled, so I noticed it.
This behaviour has been introduced with autobuild 20110214.

If you use a offset file for the entity, the engine calculates the model correctly !
I tested it by adding a _norm file to one of my weapon.
So its clearly a new issue/bug.

Of course, if you dont use parallax mapping at all, you will not notice it.
Anyhow, thats why I recommend build 20110203.



Yes, I created a new config OoPpEe. That brought no difference.
You can maybe simulate it by temporary deleting your offset file (for a weapon for example).
Thank you for your feedback/confirmation on this OoPpEe.
Maybe the fault is on my side (as usual).

Kind regards,
Seven

[My-Key]

Hello,

I recieved a note today, that there is a new DP beta build.
- from 20110224
- from 20110225

Unfortunately both beta builds (as well as autobuilds between 13th - 25th february)
have a graphical issue (weapon edges are black).


The DarkPlaces build (that I highly recommended) from 3rd february 2011 is no longer available (because it was an autobuild; and autobuilds are always overwritten).

So I uploaded it to Quaketastic for your convenience. (it is the multi-OS version)

Kind regards,
Seven

I supose that newest builds have bug with parallax mapping and if texture doesn't have normalmap engine probably creates flat bumpmap. The easiest fix is to make "flat" normalmap without alpha channel.

[MaraST78]

I was quite busy lately, but I just grabbed the latest beta (from 25.2.) to give it a shot.

Two things I noticed.

- RTworld is now definitely faster. No benchmarks, I just noticed it when playing, so the increase must be quite big. Cool.

- I'm almost sure DP wasn't able do use .lit files in combination with RTworld before, it can do it now. I noticed it by accident when having MH's lits installed and enabling RTworld after. Looks great. But I don't know since when this is possible, if I have time, I mostly play with QuakeSpasm, so it may be no news.

But this new RTworld speed (w/o rtlights) in combo with MH's lits and something like r_glsl_saturation 0.2, r_glsl_saturation_redcompensate 1, r_bloom 1 and somewhat higher contrast, it has nice psychedelic kicks. And reasonably fast kicks on top of that.

Btw, sgodrune1 and 2 look totally awesome with RTworld, give it a shot if you like these sick 2 maps. And QdQr, what a show for my eyes with the above settings.

[MaraST78]

Well, good news don't stop here.

This new beta (20110225beta2) also COMPLETELY fixes all the stuttering problems DP had in various maps. Like Colony, Day of the Lords, Damaul6, Insomnia, Savage Sanguine, Temple of Anubis and others. Simply, every map I have which had these problems now works smooth as silk!

Beta release of the year, LH rocks and I'm back on DP full time.

[QuakeMarine]

where do you get the Darkplaces beta 2010? and does anyone got info on JoeQuake 16?

[Spinvis]

I must say after testing the latest beta2 last night, i am impressed with the performance improvements, only thing that still really gets my fps down is pretty water + r_water "1". Other then that it runs smooth with all the bells and whistles (still not as smooth as other graphic intense games, but its getting there).

@ QuakeMarine, links are already posted on page 2, but here it is again: Index of /twilight/darkplaces/files

[RangerC]

where do you get the Darkplaces beta 2010? and does anyone got info on JoeQuake 16?

btw its already 2011
dunno how long you slept dear princess

[MaraST78]

I must say after testing the latest beta2 last night, i am impressed with the performance improvements, only thing that still really gets my fps down is pretty water + r_water "1".

I played with r_water 1 and it's reflection and refraction settings too few days back. No drastic slowdowns most of the time, but it's sometimes noticable (Q6600, GTX260 core216), e.g. in the underground section of Day of the Lords. But as before, depending on the angle, r_water 1 produces those thin bright borders around water edges if fog is enabled. I almost always keep it enabled, with exception of levels that provide fog themselves or levels that plain don't like fog and exhibit random white dots.

[Seven]

Hello,

if you start talking about "DP pretty water" and its influence here, be sure to read and understand
what LordHavoc himself said about the mod.
Start reading from here, till the end of that thread.

The essence is that different effects in DP (and its FPS influence) have different origins/reasons.

I recently changed some of my computer parts:
- GPU update from GTX260 to GTX470
- CPU update from Q6600 to Q9550
Interesting thing about it, that the newer GPU delivered worse FPS in most maps.
The newer CPU delivered better FPS in almost every map. Still, some maps didnt change.

So it is a quite complicated thing to discuss here.

One thing is clear:
If you put your focus on "DP pretty water"�s FPS influence, you can change your GPU to whatever you want, the resulting FPS rate will almost not be effected.
While changing your CPU frequence alone, will raise it.

Kind regards,
Seven


PS: If you want, you can try this tool, that was kindly linked by grave_digger and see if it helps you in any way.

[jakub1]

i've tested several latest dp betas and i have to admit that the fps increase is impressive. the downside is that lights are seriously fucked-up in some levels. i deleted my config and tried a new q1 installation, but the problem remains - in some levels i can see weird shadows on otherwise bright surfaces and vice versa. i can post some pictures tomorrow. does anyone of you encountered same problem or it's just me an my antique gpu?
-
jakub

[MH]

I recently changed some of my computer parts:
- GPU update from GTX260 to GTX470
...

Interesting thing about it, that the newer GPU delivered worse FPS in most maps.

There's a known problem with texel transfer speeds on this generation of NVIDIAs which might be causing that.

[Seven]

@ jakub

please post a screen with that light issue.
I didnt see such an issue yet.
Thank you


@ MH

Thank you for your feedback.
Yes, this is most probably the reason.
Fortunately I have in all other games much better FPS with it.
I guess its an OpenGL related thing then.

Kind regards,
Seven

[jakub1]

there are some samples of my broken shadows




first two pictures are from level rubicondom (sm82).
strange shadows on the floor disappear with realtime lighting ON, but my pc can't handle RTL on.... so it's not an option for me :-)

other engines - directq/qrack/telejano are fine





these two are from rubicon2 (rub2m2). on the left one (RTL OFF) you can see that the flag is completely black and the wall behind it is covered with dark spots. on he right picture (with RTL ON) everything is o.k.



this last picture shows strange bug. inside the bulding with the flag from the pictures above, there is a room with two turrets. the source of a shooting is strangely shifted aside. other turrets in this level work fine.

jakub

[Seven]

Hello jakub,

thank you for these screens.

May I ask you:
Did you test the betas from november 2010 in that maps ?
And the one from 31.august 2010 ?

I am curious if the issue did also occur in those builds.

Regards,
Seven