32-bit mode hook

[Bman]

Great. Looks a lot better.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE
Hello,
I've updated the 32bit hook.

I've fixed an incorrect detection of transparent textures. This fix requires an updated textures tag hook.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

I've fixed the default illum value.

[Darksaber]

Thank you

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

I've fixed a bug related to the dat images mipmaps.

[CupcakeFS]

This hook enables 32-bit mode.
8-bit OPTs are converted to 32 bits and the game can load 32-bit OPTs.
The game can load 32-bit DAT images. Existing DAT images are converted to 32 bits.

(...)

Installing this hook would generally make the game look better, right? I don't completely understand how letting the game load (larger than 8-bit?) 32-bit DAT images makes the game look better, but I don't need to know the technical details, and I could read more about it on my own if I was really interested in the topic. So, without getting too technical ...

Could this hook cause lower frame rates? I know that the real answer is for me to make a temporary back-up, and then test it.

I assume there's some description of minimum system requirements--at least hypothetically--so is that something to keep in mind before using the hook? I have an 8th-gen i7 based laptop. It's far from a "gaming PC," but mostly because of the lack of a powerful GPU. I've read that XWA wasn't coded to take advantage of modern GPUs, so maybe the lack of a GPU might not be the bottleneck in my current set-up.

[blue_max]

Could this hook cause lower frame rates? I know that the real answer is for me to make a temporary back-up, and then test it.

No: hook_32bpp.dll is unlikely to cause lower frame rates. Even before this hook, all textures were converted to a 32-bit format inside ddraw anyway. The difference is that before this hook, we could only load 7-bit indexed formats (i.e. lower-quality images) and now we can load full 32-bit formats (higher-quality images). But either way, the images that are used by DirectX are 32-bit.

I assume there's some description of minimum system requirements--at least hypothetically--so is that something to keep in mind before using the hook? I have an 8th-gen i7 based laptop. It's far from a "gaming PC," but mostly because of the lack of a powerful GPU. I've read that XWA wasn't coded to take advantage of modern GPUs, so maybe the lack of a GPU might not be the bottleneck in my current set-up.

I've got a Surface Book 2 from... 3 years ago more or less. It's got an i7 with an nVidia 1060 and the game runs fine. I can even run it in VR. Your processor is fine, but you'll need a reasonably-good GPU to run it with the effects on.

It's true that XWA wasn't originally coded to take full advantage of the GPUs, but the modern effects we've added do place a significant load on the GPU now. If you don't have a proper GPU you can always disable a few of the effects or disable all of them using the Babu Frik configurator to get better performance.

[CupcakeFS]

That makes sense, thanks.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

I've added support for compressed images in dat files.

[Bman]

Hi @JeremyaFr, I sent you a PM for details but I'll post summary here. For the "xwa_hook_weapon_color" package could the statement code "WeaponColor_fgFG_ = color marking value" and WeaponColor_fgFG_XXX = color marking value" etc, be removed and placed into optional mission.ini files in the mission directory, so it could dynamically override the static default values assigned in any FlightModels/Craft.ini file based on the FG index number in the mission.tie file ? Also, could a particular wingman within a FG of 6 ships have a different color than rest of the squadron ? i.e. WeaponColor_fgFG_wingman#_XXX = color marking value

[JeremyaFr]

WIP

Hello @Bman ,
Here is a WIP of the weapon color hook.

You can now define settings on a per mission basis.

Suppose that the mission is "[MissionDir]\[Mission].tie".
To define settings on a per mission basis, create a file named "[MissionDir]\[Mission]_WeaponColor.txt" or create a section named "[WeaponColor]" in "[MissionDir]\[Mission].ini".
All the settings defined in a [Model] file can be replaced in a [Mission] file. The key of the setting in the mission file must be prefixed with "[Model]_".
For example, "WeaponColor" in "[Model].ini" become "[Model]_WeaponColor" in "[Mission].ini".

Download:
EDIT: link removed

[Bman]

Awesome. Thanks!

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the weapon color hook.

I've merged the changes from the WIP version into the stable version.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

I've added support for profiles and skins in hangars.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

CraftOptName = SkinNameA, SkinNameB
CraftOptName_fgc_# = SkinName1, SkinName2, SkinName3
# in CraftOptName_fgc_# is an integer for the opt color marking index, starting at 0.
The default SkinName is "Default" or "Default_#" where # is the markings index.

You can now define default skins for flightgroup colors without setting the skins in the mission ini file.

[Master Qui-Gon]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

CraftOptName = SkinNameA, SkinNameB
CraftOptName_fgc_# = SkinName1, SkinName2, SkinName3
# in CraftOptName_fgc_# is an integer for the opt color marking index, starting at 0.
The default SkinName is "Default" or "Default_#" where # is the markings index.

You can now define default skins for flightgroup colors without setting the skins in the mission ini file.

Is it possible to enable the ability to set default skins for object profiles?

[Bman]

Yes, but probably better to bake-in one default level of skins on a model to keep the file size smaller. (Can be 32-bit A-RGB textures too). Other secondary and tertiary etc. skins can go into---for example-- the XWA\ FlightModels\Skins\Xwing\Default\Tex00033.png or ....Xwing\Rogue\Tex00033.png. They can be referenced on a per mission.ini file basis, down to the FG's too.

Hello @JeremyaFr, in the newest "xwa_hook_32bpp.zip" package, there are 12 *.dll files. Do all of those go into the main XWA folder or just the specific files listed in the Readme.txt file ? Thanks.

[JeremyaFr]

Hello @JeremyaFr, in the newest "xwa_hook_32bpp.zip" package, there are 12 *.dll files. Do all of those go into the main XWA folder or just the specific files listed in the Readme.txt file ?

All the DLLs go in the XWA directory.

[Bman]

Done. Thanks.

[JeremyaFr]

UPDATE

Hello,
I've updated the 32bpp hook.

I've improved the opt loading time.

[Master Qui-Gon]

@JeremyaFr Ok I found a bug...when I add a skins folder to an opt it replaces the textures no problem but it is wiping out the normal maps from the dat file.

[JeremyaFr]

Hello,
The normal maps are related to the Effects DDraw.

@blue_max Can you take a look?

[blue_max]

@JeremyaFr Ok I found a bug...when I add a skins folder to an opt it replaces the textures no problem but it is wiping out the normal maps from the dat file.

Hello, please send me your files and I'll take a look

[Master Qui-Gon]

@JeremyaFr Ok I found a bug...when I add a skins folder to an opt it replaces the textures no problem but it is wiping out the normal maps from the dat file.

Hello, please send me your files and I'll take a look

Sent to your PM

[JeremyaFr]

When a skin is applied to a texture, the hook appends "_fg_" to the texture name, followed by the color index.
If the Effects DDraw doesn't support that then it may explain why normal maps don't work with skins.