UPLOADED: Ankor's Shaders Update 22 October 2019!

Get it while it's hot! Ankor has put a ton of work into some really impressive updates to His shaders. There are several new graphical improvements, including improved cloud rendering, and live reflections inside the cockpit, meaning you will now see the real world, including parts of your own aircraft and cockpit, and scenery items outside, reflected in cockpit glass and other reflective parts.

Some of the biggest changes though are support for some really big new features for developers to incorporate into their aircraft. These include pilot controllable landing lights, and additional controls for the gunsight reticle. There is now a way to make any existing aircraft's cockpit clickable. As part of this feature, external scripts can be written to create new custom player commands which will now be recognized by CFS3 and enable much more realistic and detailed modeling of aircraft systems. The upcoming Spitfire Mk.II release will showcase what can be done with these new features and has been developed with a great deal of support by Ankor. It is therefor strongly recommended that you install this update before installing the Spitfire, once it is released, in order to take full advantage of these features.

Get the new update here once the admins see to it:
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...2_oct_2019.zip

Many thanks to Ankor for yet another incredible update to his already incredible work!:applause:

Many thanks!!

I am curious to see how to implement all these new goodies!

So, a fair number of our legacy aircraft used an additional semi-transparent object layered inside the cockpit glass to simulate reflections. These are static (rather than dynamic with lighting and head position changes) and are typically pretty obvious. In the past I've had to remove the reference to those textures in in order to activate dynamic reflectivity on the glass. How does AnKor's new code deal with that? Does it automatically recognize them and delete the legacy effect, or will there potentially be a clash between them? Where the extra texture represents a layer of dirt, oil, scratches, blood, etc. it probably still makes sense, so I would guess he left the static interior cockpit reflections intact.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MajorMagee

So, a fair number of our legacy aircraft used an additional semi-transparent object layered inside the cockpit glass to simulate reflections. ... I would guess he left the static interior cockpit reflections intact.

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Correct, my code does NOT remove them.

For the new dynamic reflection to be visible an object must be quite reflective. It was originally implemented to prevent gauges with shiny glass from reflecting terrain that shouldn't be visible through the cockpit. The reflection is not 100% accurate, but good enough unless you are specifically looking for inconsistencies.
Unfortunately any aircrafts behind you are not reflected and this feature cannot be used for useful mirrors.

There's also a subtle but very useful side effect of these reflections. Even if a surface is not shiny it still reflects at certain angles (Fresnel effect). Previously it could cause bright outlines around objects deep inside the cockpit as they were reflecting the environment. Now it should look more natural (but again, not perfect) because reflections are based on the cockpit interior instead.

@ MajorMagee

Are the suggested cfg settings the same as you have used before as I use your previous in my cfg file?

Thanks again!
Copy #36 :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Frosty

Many thanks!!

I am curious to see how to implement all these new goodies!

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Prepare to enter a very deep rabbit hole!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mongoose

@ MajorMagee

Are the suggested cfg settings the same as you have used before as I use your previous in my cfg file?

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I don't know, as I was not part of putting the package together this time. I would assume that most things have remained as they were in the past. As always, AnKor has provided us with a huge amount of control over the game's display parameters so there are a lot of individual customizations possible.

I seem to have a lot more dds files in my TextureMagic.ini in the Shaders 30. I may have added a lot myself but below are some but not all I have but don't see here.

[PropDisk]
prop_german.dds
prop_us_brit.dds
prop_dr1.dds
prop_german.dds
prop_hp0400.dds
prop_pfalz.dds
prop_us_han.dds
prop_us_hann.dds
propspad.dds
Ger_prop_EarlyAxial.dds
Ger_prop.dds
Brit_prop.dds
Brit_propB.dds
Biff-prop.dds
off_prop.dds
Se5a_prop.dds
spit_prop.dds

[HighAltSprite]
tr_condenstrail_basis1.dds=7500|500
tr_condenstrail_basis2.dds=7500|500
tr_condenstrail_basis3.dds= 2500|-1500

[ShipWake]
dr_wake_5.dds
dr_wake_6.dds
dr_wake_6_add.dds
tr_smoke_5.dds
tr_smoke_6.dds
tr_smoke_6_add.dds

[ReticleStatic]
reticle_ru.dds
eto_reticle_spit5.dds
reticlepru.dds
reticle_sea1.dds
reticle_sea2.dds
acc_reticle_br.dds
acc_reticle_br1.dds
reticle_50.dds
la5_reticle.dds
ret.dds
a6m2_sight.dds
f6fsight.dds
gunsight.dds
f7f-3_mk.8_gunsight_reticle.dds
gc_revi12_c2.dds
dr_br693_vichy_reticule.dds
dr_d520_fafl1_reticule.dds
dr_d520_ii-3a_reticule.dds
dr_d520_vichy_reticule.dds
dr_d520__late_reticule.dds
dr_ms406_ax675_reticule.dds
dr_ms406_syria_reticule.dds
dr_ms406_vichy_reticule.dds
dr_po630_ryaf1_reticule,dds
dr_po631_mg_vichy_reticule.dds
dr_po631_vichy_reticule.dds
sitz_po630_no9_reticule.dds
f86_gunsight.dds
gunsites.dds
110gunsight.dds
GyroReticule.dds
reticle_cr42.dds
reticle_b2.dds
sj_revi12_c1.dds
gr_reticle.dds
bf_reticle.dds
br_reticles.dds

[FullbrightSprite]
exhaust_jet.dds
piston_exhaust.dds
piston_exhaust_n.dds
piston_exhaust_blank.dds
piston_exhaust_blank_n.dds
RP-3_flame.dds
RP-3_flame_end.dds
tracerend5blue.dds
tracerside5blue.dds
tracerend5green.dds
tracerside5green.dds
tracerend5purple.dds
tracerside5purple.dds
tracerend5red.dds
tracerside5red.dds
tracerend5white.dds
tracerside5white.dds
tracerend5yellow.dds
tracerside5yellow.dds
tracerend5yellow_geko.dds
tracerside5yellow_geko.dds
tracerend7.dds
tracerend8.dds
tracerend9.dds
photostar_head.dds
photosmokeball.dds
photodebrisadd.dds
photofireball.dds
buoy_flare_surface_light.dds
flare_corona1.dds
flare_surface_light_green.dds
flare_surface_light_green_high.dds
flare_surface_light_pink.dds
flare_surface_light_pink_high.dds
flare_surface_light_red.dds
flare_surface_light_red_high.dds
flare_surface_light_white.dds
flare_surface_light_white_high.dds
green_foam.dds
green_surface_light.dds
na3_surface_light_white.dds
red_foam.dds
red_surface_light.dds
shock1cs.dds
shock1cs1.dds
small_flare.dds
tow_shock1cs_charlie.dds
tow_white_light_fox.dds
us3poflare_ETO_t.dds
white_flare.dds
white_flare_qs.dds
white_surface_light.dds
bombs_flarem8.dds
flare_br.dds
R_flare_t.dds
E_flare_t.dds
G_flare_t.dds
B_flare_t.dds
parachute.dds
na3poflare_ETO_t.dds

[NightSprite] ; Sprites which are drawn (fullbright) only when the world light is below the certain threshold set in d3d8.ini
nav_glow_blue.dds
nav_glow_white.dds
nav_green_light.dds
nav_red_light.dds
nav_blue_light.dds
nav_glow_green.dds
nav_glow_red.dds
nav_glow_white.dds
nav_red_light.dds
nav_green_light.dds
nav_red_light_small.dds
o2_blinker_OFF1.dds
o2_blinker_OFF2.dds
dr_green_light.dds
dr_red_light.dds
dr_white_light.dds
light_yellow.dds
red_light.dds
red_light_sm.dds
red_surface_light.dds
photoflare_light.dds
photospike_head.dds
photoflare.dds

So you're saying those you just listed were in a previous texturemagic.ini but not found in the latest one? You can always copy over anything from your old one that isn't present in the new one.

As I mentioned, I know I added a lot myself a while back and these may be part of those. I also have a TOW TextureMagic.ini for night time which I swap through the ETO .bat files which has more, so many or most or all might be dds files I added.:wiggle: However I just posted for information sake, not as a criticism.

I can't get this version to run on my system. It produces an immediate dialog box stating that it can't find the Direct3DCreate9Ex procedure entry point in the d3d8.dll. This happens even before it starts to create a boot log so there are no diagnostics to look at. I tried changing the UseD3D9Ex=0 entry to UseD3D9Ex=1 but it didn't make any difference. When I tried running cfs3config.exe I get the same error before it starts if these shaders are installed.

Sad to hear that. What OS are you running and I assume the previous version is still working? I'm using Win 10 Pro with latest updates and so far so good.

Win 10 1803 and the previous version (Jan 2018) is still working fine. Fortunately I did the install with JSGME so going back and forth between the two versions is a quick and easy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MajorMagee

I can't get this version to run on my system. It produces an immediate dialog box stating that it can't find the Direct3DCreate9Ex procedure entry point in the d3d8.dll.

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This is most likely caused by some other software. It can be something intended for screen recording or displaying an overlay with FPS, % CPU/GPU usage or temps. GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner or something like this. I've seen reports of these errors, but I can't reproduce them.


The error happens while Windows is loading the executable, even before the game (or cfs3config) has a chance to do anything.
It is especially odd if prior versions work for you, I have no idea what change has caused this.

Thanks for the feedback. I don't have anything like you describe running. I did have SweetFX installed, and deleting that let me get past the Direct3DCreate9Ex warning dialog.

The new problem is that it now immediately tells me that the ConfigOverrides file is missing (even when one is there), but trying to run cf3config.exe crashes immediately after starting without creating a new one.

This is the shader boot log:
0.00: LoadSettings - Start.
1.46: D3DWrapper::GetAdapterDisplayMode - 3440, 1440, 100, 22
1.46: D3DWrapper::GetAdapterDisplayMode - 3440, 1440, 100, 22

dxdiag had:


---------------
Diagnostics
---------------


Windows Error Reporting:
+++ WER0 +++:
Fault bucket 2103023501068071411, type 5
Event Name: RADAR_PRE_LEAK_WOW64
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0


Problem signature:
P1: cfs3.exe
P2: 3.1.0.30203
P3: 10.0.17134.2.0.0
P4:
P5:
P6:
P7:
P8:
P9:
P10:




+++ WER1 +++:
Fault bucket 1736417590949748544, type 1
Event Name: APPCRASH
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0


Problem signature:
P1: cfs3.exe
P2: 3.1.0.30203
P3: 3e3ebe85
P4: d3d8.dll
P5: 0.0.0.0
P6: 5a5e6a2f
P7: c0000005
P8: 0003d910
P9:
P10:




+++ WER2 +++:
Fault bucket 2151256777558603865, type 4
Event Name: APPCRASH
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0


Problem signature:
P1: NVDisplay.Container.exe
P2: 1.19.2693.9990
P3: 5d440082
P4: AppXDeploymentClient.dll
P5: 10.0.17134.1006
P6: fcecf4f3
P7: c0000005
P8: 0000000000013594
P9:
P10:

Small progress. It seems to work with Reshade, just not the original SweetFX (I was only able to ever get Reshade to work successfully with my MAW 1943 install).

It still produced the out of date ConfigOverrides error, but running the game a second time loads it with the default settings.

It seems the error is triggered because it uses a different set of values for:

<VersionNumberLowPart val="921155"/>
<VersionNumberHighPart val="1703957"/>

than what the previous version of the shaders were happy with:

<VersionNumberLowPart val="0"/>
<VersionNumberHighPart val="589824"/>

From what I can see so far the water does not look nearly as good as it used to. I'll have to play with the settings to see if I can get it back to what it was.

Something odd going on here too. Instead of the old faked driver number I get the actual driver version - that's not an actual problem but it raises suspicions. However, what feels like a real issue is the Glossiness and EnvReflection values in the d3d8.ini doing nothing, the defaults are 5/5 and nothing in the looks of the sim changes even with 1/1.

Rolling back to the previous version. This doesn't feel right.

MajorMagee, so it is SweetFX, I haven't tried it in a while. Will try to find out what's wrong with it when I get some time.

Not sure about the water, I recall you were making some tweaks for previous versions, maybe those got lost here. Or do you think something is broken with the rendering? Can you post a screenshot?

I see that
FakeDriverVersion=1
is missing from d3d8.ini. I didn't notice it at first at that's why it asks to run cfs3config.
Not sure why config tool crashes though, it seems to do that occasionally.

As for Glossiness/Reflection settings - I will look into it tomorrow, I think these worked correctly last time I checked.

Numpad0Switch=1 doesn't work anymore either.

I figured out why the water looks different. The values in SeaWater.fx for stock CFS3 were changed from what I had in the package previously. This is what they used to be:

#else // default (i.e. stock CFS3)
#define BaseOpacity 0.99
#define WaveBump 5.0
#define WaveScale 5.0
#define FoamAmount 0.32
//#define AddFoam

Ok, looks like most issues come from d3d8.ini or shader tweaks.
You can just use your existing d3d8.ini from prior versions, but we'll get back with a fixed version soon :)

greycap.raf, the issue with Glossiness value is that it appears twice in d3d8.ini: one near the end of the file and one (incorrectly) under "Terrain Lighting and Bump Mapping". Not sure which one is picked up, but obviously there should be just one.
EnvReflection has no problems, though.

MajorMagee, I see, indeed the settings in the water shader are different.
By the way, are you getting emails from me and Daniel?
I mentioned in one of recent ones that Numpad0Switch no longer works in this version. It was breaking many new features and I thought no one needed it anymore.

Okay, that makes sense.

Also, it actually needs to be:


#else // default (i.e. stock CFS3)
#define BaseOpacity 0.99
#define WaveBump 5.0
#define WaveScale 5.0
#define FoamAmount 0.32
#define AddFoam

to still see the whitecaps that go with my seawater effects files...

BTW, I'm getting about a 10 FPS decrease in performance with these versus the January 2018 version. That probably makes sense with all the new functionality going on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AnKor

I see that
FakeDriverVersion=1
is missing from d3d8.ini. I didn't notice it at first at that's why it asks to run cfs3config.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by AnKor

greycap.raf, the issue with Glossiness value is that it appears twice in d3d8.ini: one near the end of the file and one (incorrectly) under "Terrain Lighting and Bump Mapping". Not sure which one is picked up, but obviously there should be just one.
EnvReflection has no problems, though.

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Both confirmed to work after applying those fixes. :encouragement:

Just so I understand, the dynamic gunsight adjustments no longer function with a simple Ctrl+[ and Ctri+], and I have to remap my key commands with new entries that are not available with the default game key bindings?