Custom graphics driver for FF7/FF8 [v.1-.7.6]

[MrHetfield]

Hi guys! I play FF8 and I should say you made a great thing and so sad that it doesn't work for me. I can't even launch my FF8 with Aali's driver.
But I'm able to play without any custom driver now! When I played under WinXP x32 long ago, I used magixts's driver because I had those black things because of lack 8-bit formats. but now I play under Win7 x64 and I have no one of problems! I was just impressed! I don't know what guys from AMD do with their drivers but it works! So now I can play FF8 under Win7 x64 & Radeon 4850 & Catalyst 10.2 with FSAA 8x + edge detect + 16x Aniso!!!!    of course I still have 640x480 plus some lines next to fonts because of anisotropy but that's not too bad yet. I just write it because it can be useful to someone.

[sithlord48]

damn i wish i knew where my copy of 8 for the pc was......

[secondadvent]

hey Aali, could you possibly post a link to an alternate download location, as I cannot seem to be able to connect there for whatever reason (it could just be down at the moment, but I think I had trouble before entering that site )?

[Immortal Damyn]

Still having some annoying problems with the driver... At first I didn't look like it was gonna affect anything. But now, a couple of my spells and summons aren't working. Also, since I started using the .7.3b driver, I couldn't use grimmy's Diamond Weapon re-texture... Idk whats wrong, but it's kinda annoying..

[InuRa]

I don't think that the MOD content can't exactly be considered when you're checking if the custom driver is working or not, especially if it's something other then video or texture replacing. From my experience, it's been working perfectly fine.

[Kranmer]

Aali's link does seem to be down right now, until its back up i have posted it here
EDIT- Aali's link is back up now

[Rigel]

Hi,
   your driver is fabulous. Thanks for your works
I upgrade to new version only yesterday and I have a little performace problem that there isn't in version 0.7.3b.
I use median postprocessing filter by Kauto http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=8306.msg125508#msg125508
but, because of my PC, I modified some things to improve performance limiting filter range:

• Ver 1 - I deleted:
  
  • //#define mnmx6(a, b, c, d, e, f) s2(a, d); s2(b, e); s2(c, f); mn3(a, b, c); mx3(d, e, f); // 7 exchanges
  •    //mnmx6(v[0], v[1], v[2], v[3], v[4], v[5]);
• Ver 2 I deleted also
  • //#define mnmx5(a, b, c, d, e)   s2(a, b); s2(c, d); mn3(a, c, e); mx3(b, d, e);  // 6 exchanges
  • //mnmx5(v[1], v[2], v[3], v[4], v[6]);

With previous driver ver (0.7.3b) median v1 works great but with the last version I must use median v2 because of slow down but v2 is not so good. I don't understand the difference from previous to actual version, there is a solution for my postprocessing problem?
Thanks,
    Rigel
   

[NightElf]

INFO: FF7/FF8 OpenGL driver version 0.7.6b
INFO: Auto-detected version: FF8 1.2 US English (Nvidia)
INFO: NVIDIA Corporation GeForce 7300 GT/PCI/SSE2 2.1.2
INFO: OpenGL 2.0 support detected
INFO: Found swap_control extension
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x1024, output resolution 1280x960, internal resolution 1280x960
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZING SOUND...
  initializing direct sound
  EAXDirectSoundCreate
  creating primary buffer
  creating 3D listener interface
  EAX: creating bogus sound buffer
  EAX: creating bogus 3D buffer
  EAX: Establishing listener property set interface
  EAX: Checking for EAX support
  EAX support initialized
  EAX: set global reverb
  initializing audio data
  OK
  initializing streaming
SOUND INITIALIZED
DIRECT MUSIC - Enumerating Ports...
PORT 0: Microsoft MIDI
GUID={0xe7b179b3,0xcbe1,0x44e9,0xa8,0x92,0xa7,0xfd,0x81,0xd,0x5b,0x9f}
PORT 1: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [枾퐓A蚓l
GUID={0x7b095e9f,0x803a,0x4a68,0xa5,0xa2,0x6f,0x5a,0xba,0xb8,0x13,0x17}
PORT 2: Microsoft Synthesizer
GUID={0x58c2b4d0,0x46e7,0x11d1,0x89,0xac,0x0,0xa0,0xc9,0x5,0x41,0x29}
Creating Port1...
    Microsoft Synthesizer
  Port1 supports XG data
Cannot open Movie File: C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Publish.pak
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=79, volume=0)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Loading DLS...
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
MIDI stop
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=74, volume=100)
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\te\testbl6\testbl6.sfx
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=4, volume=127)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\gw\gwenter1\gwenter1.sfx
ERROR: unhandled exception

[NightElf]

INFO: FF7/FF8 OpenGL driver version 0.7.6b
INFO: Auto-detected version: FF8 1.2 US English (Nvidia)
INFO: NVIDIA Corporation GeForce 7300 GT/PCI/SSE2 2.1.2
INFO: OpenGL 2.0 support detected
INFO: Found swap_control extension
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x1024, output resolution 1280x960, internal resolution 1280x960
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZING SOUND...
  initializing direct sound
  EAXDirectSoundCreate
  creating primary buffer
  creating 3D listener interface
  EAX: creating bogus sound buffer
  EAX: creating bogus 3D buffer
  EAX: Establishing listener property set interface
  EAX: Checking for EAX support
  EAX support initialized
  EAX: set global reverb
  initializing audio data
  OK
  initializing streaming
SOUND INITIALIZED
DIRECT MUSIC - Enumerating Ports...
PORT 0: Microsoft MIDI
GUID={0xe7b179b3,0xcbe1,0x44e9,0xa8,0x92,0xa7,0xfd,0x81,0xd,0x5b,0x9f}
PORT 1: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [枾퐓A蚓l
GUID={0x7b095e9f,0x803a,0x4a68,0xa5,0xa2,0x6f,0x5a,0xba,0xb8,0x13,0x17}
PORT 2: Microsoft Synthesizer
GUID={0x58c2b4d0,0x46e7,0x11d1,0x89,0xac,0x0,0xa0,0xc9,0x5,0x41,0x29}
Creating Port1...
    Microsoft Synthesizer
  Port1 supports XG data
Cannot open Movie File: C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Publish.pak
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=79, volume=0)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Loading DLS...
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
MIDI stop
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=74, volume=100)
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\te\testbl6\testbl6.sfx
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=4, volume=127)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\gw\gwenter1\gwenter1.sfx
ERROR: unhandled exception

[NightElf]

INFO: FF7/FF8 OpenGL driver version 0.7.6b
INFO: Auto-detected version: FF8 1.2 US English (Nvidia)
INFO: NVIDIA Corporation GeForce 7300 GT/PCI/SSE2 2.1.2
INFO: OpenGL 2.0 support detected
INFO: Found swap_control extension
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x1024, output resolution 1280x960, internal resolution 1280x960
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZING SOUND...
  initializing direct sound
  EAXDirectSoundCreate
  creating primary buffer
  creating 3D listener interface
  EAX: creating bogus sound buffer
  EAX: creating bogus 3D buffer
  EAX: Establishing listener property set interface
  EAX: Checking for EAX support
  EAX support initialized
  EAX: set global reverb
  initializing audio data
  OK
  initializing streaming
SOUND INITIALIZED
DIRECT MUSIC - Enumerating Ports...
PORT 0: Microsoft MIDI
GUID={0xe7b179b3,0xcbe1,0x44e9,0xa8,0x92,0xa7,0xfd,0x81,0xd,0x5b,0x9f}
PORT 1: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [枾퐓A蚓l
GUID={0x7b095e9f,0x803a,0x4a68,0xa5,0xa2,0x6f,0x5a,0xba,0xb8,0x13,0x17}
PORT 2: Microsoft Synthesizer
GUID={0x58c2b4d0,0x46e7,0x11d1,0x89,0xac,0x0,0xa0,0xc9,0x5,0x41,0x29}
Creating Port1...
    Microsoft Synthesizer
  Port1 supports XG data
Cannot open Movie File: C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Publish.pak
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=79, volume=0)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Loading DLS...
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
MIDI stop
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=74, volume=100)
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\te\testbl6\testbl6.sfx
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=4, volume=127)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\gw\gwenter1\gwenter1.sfx
ERROR: unhandled exception

[NightElf]

INFO: FF7/FF8 OpenGL driver version 0.7.6b
INFO: Auto-detected version: FF8 1.2 US English (Nvidia)
INFO: NVIDIA Corporation GeForce 7300 GT/PCI/SSE2 2.1.2
INFO: OpenGL 2.0 support detected
INFO: Found swap_control extension
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x1024, output resolution 1280x960, internal resolution 1280x960
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZING SOUND...
  initializing direct sound
  EAXDirectSoundCreate
  creating primary buffer
  creating 3D listener interface
  EAX: creating bogus sound buffer
  EAX: creating bogus 3D buffer
  EAX: Establishing listener property set interface
  EAX: Checking for EAX support
  EAX support initialized
  EAX: set global reverb
  initializing audio data
  OK
  initializing streaming
SOUND INITIALIZED
DIRECT MUSIC - Enumerating Ports...
PORT 0: Microsoft MIDI
GUID={0xe7b179b3,0xcbe1,0x44e9,0xa8,0x92,0xa7,0xfd,0x81,0xd,0x5b,0x9f}
PORT 1: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [枾퐓A蚓l
GUID={0x7b095e9f,0x803a,0x4a68,0xa5,0xa2,0x6f,0x5a,0xba,0xb8,0x13,0x17}
PORT 2: Microsoft Synthesizer
GUID={0x58c2b4d0,0x46e7,0x11d1,0x89,0xac,0x0,0xa0,0xc9,0x5,0x41,0x29}
Creating Port1...
    Microsoft Synthesizer
  Port1 supports XG data
Cannot open Movie File: C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Publish.pak
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=79, volume=0)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Loading DLS...
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
MIDI stop
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=74, volume=100)
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\te\testbl6\testbl6.sfx
SdMusicPlay ()
sd_music_play (number=0, song_id=4, volume=127)
midi_play...
Stopping Performance
Playing Segment
midi_play successful
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\gw\gwenter1\gwenter1.sfx
ERROR: unhandled exception

[Aali]

...
Cannot open Movie File: C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc\FINAL FANTASY VIII\Publish.pak
...
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\te\testbl6\testbl6.sfx
...
Can't open file: \ff8\data\eng\field\mapdata\gw\gwenter1\gwenter1.sfx
...

That's not supposed to happen, sure you have FF8 installed correctly?

[Timber]

Awesome, thanks Aali!

[Rigel]

Hi,
   now postprocessing is slower than 0.7.5b ver and more slowest than 0.7.3a. With postproccesing active and set on median ver 1 (my previous post) with this version videos remain a black screen with sound. With median ver2 it's still playable. What can I do return on 0.7.3b performance? Made I some error?
Bye,
    Rigel

[InuRa]

Hi,
   now postprocessing is slower than 0.7.5b ver and more slowest than 0.7.3a. With postproccesing active and set on median ver 1 (my previous post) with this version videos remain a black screen with sound. With median ver2 it's still playable. What can I do return on 0.7.3b performance? Made I some error?
Bye,
    Rigel

I've noticed this too since I usually play on my laptop, the performance really took a huge hit.

[Aali]

Postprocessing really didn't change at all since 0.7.3b, play around with the new(er) config options to see if you can get good performance. fancy_transparency would be my first bet, it can be a quite demanding feature sometimes.

[Immortal Damyn]

Quad post for the win?

[d33eniz]

@kranmer:
Thank ya, I tried it out now and it seems to work great- well, except of this big error message fuckin' my eyes in yellow color xD"



Anyways, works great looks great and yaay

[Rigel]

Hi,
With the last version I can't see the movies with outputDebug: lag between 7 and 11, skipped between 64 and 500+ , 15 fps. The screen remain black for all the test below with and without postprocessing.

Tests:

post-processing shader:
FPS
60 | enable_postprocessing = no
60 | post_source = shaders/bloom2.post
15 | post_source = shaders/median.post     6 pass (with 0.7.3b 25 fps)
20 | post_source = shaders/median2.post   5 pass (with 0.7.3 30-40 fps)
30 | post_source = shaders/median3.post   4 pass

From now all the test is with median2.post   5 pass

fps
60 | use_shaders = no (with no 40 fps better)
28 | enable_vsync = no  (8 better)

no difference between on/off and yes/no :
prevent_rounding_errors
minigame_framelimiter
battleswirl_framelimiter
use_new_timer
use_stable_timer
linear_filter
transparent_dialogs
new_battle_interface
fancy_transparency
compress_textures

I hope to be helpful.

[Timber]

Actually I just noticed that I am having performance problems too, when flying around on the highwind the world maps seems jumpy.
Is anyone experiencing this too or is it my imagination? (I'm on a modern PC, and turning off options like fancy transparency didnt seem to make a difference)

Also I have white dots around my materia in materia menu, previous version did not. (using team avalanche mod)

[idl12]

I think the link for the new version is down

[Mako]

Hi,
With the last version I can't see the movies with outputDebug: lag between 7 and 11, skipped between 64 and 500+ , 15 fps. The screen remain black for all the test below with and without postprocessing.

Tests:

post-processing shader:
FPS
60 | enable_postprocessing = no
60 | post_source = shaders/bloom2.post
15 | post_source = shaders/median.post     6 pass (with 0.7.3b 25 fps)
20 | post_source = shaders/median2.post   5 pass (with 0.7.3 30-40 fps)
30 | post_source = shaders/median3.post   4 pass

From now all the test is with median2.post   5 pass

fps
60 | use_shaders = no (with no 40 fps better)
28 | enable_vsync = no  (8 better)

no difference between on/off and yes/no :
prevent_rounding_errors
minigame_framelimiter
battleswirl_framelimiter
use_new_timer
use_stable_timer
linear_filter
transparent_dialogs
new_battle_interface
fancy_transparency
compress_textures

I hope to be helpful.

O_o Try Installing previous GFX Card drivers I know that helped for me horrible framerate issue.

EDIT: DO NOT change Aali's driver just GFX Card...

[Rigel]

O_o Try Installing previous GFX Card drivers I know that helped for me horrible framerate issue.

EDIT: DO NOT change Aali's driver just GFX Card...

Yes, I could but I don't complain for my pc's performance but for the slow down between 0.7.3b and 0.7.5b. Now I play happily with minor postprocessing but if there are reasons for the slow down and the greate Aali solve the problem I will be much happier with highest postprocessing filter and also people with poor performance pc will be happier
Furthermore, I think, if a little problem was discovered between nearest versions it's more simple to reveal and correct it instead of wait and the check all the code with a big history change.
I'm a programmer and I think so but if I hurt someone, I ask excuse.
Bye,
    Rigel

p.s.  A little question? Is it possible to reduce battle gui? It could be wonderful if I can set in option file screen coord x,y and width/high dimensioning also without maintain gui's aspect ratio 

[Deviant Ov HELL]

ah Aali, none of your ninjaloot links are working... can u upload to a different site instead? or email your patch to me? [email protected] thanks man.

[Tekkie.X]

Give it a little while, could just be some host downtime for maintenance.