How to use Polymost

[hercooles]

I just want to know, how do I use polymost in Duke3D? The only resolution I can choose are "classis", "16bit" and "32bit".
I´m using a nvidia GTX295 with the latest drivers.

[Jblade]

16bit and 32bit are polymost.

[hercooles]

I meant 8bit polymost.

[Mr. Pink]

doesn't exist

[Plagman]

It did at some point, but you can't access it from EDuke32 anymore. You can always use JfDuke3D if you really need to use it.

[MusicallyInspired]

8-bit polymost? Is that like 320x240 res with 256 colours using models and high-res textures? That's awesome! I've gotta try this.

[TerminX]

No, it was just a test of the algorithms used in Polymost. 8-bit color, no high res textures or models, no proper shading, et cetera. It was removed from the EDuke32 menus because the new algorithms our version of the engine uses to sort the scene for drawing and various other changes break it. No sense in keeping a broken old software rendered test version of Polymost around!

[gambini]

Is there a reliable way to make it back? not the same software mode, i mean the current polymost but using just 8bit colors. No models or hires of course, but with the Z-buffering* like with 32bits.

*i dont know actually if it´s what i mean, but what im talking about would be a mode that allows to have z axis perspective and correct spritework vision.

[CraigFatman]

I tried 8-bit polymost sometime and it was buggy as hell, just suitable only for testing... I see no reason for keeping this mode anymore.

[MusicallyInspired]

Ah, I see. An 8-bit mode with proper z axis perspective and models would look pretty cool, though.

[gambini]

Originally Posted by CraigFatman

I tried 8-bit polymost sometime and it was buggy as hell, just suitable only for testing... I see no reason for keeping this mode anymore.

The reason is to keep the original game looking but with a z axis perspective and correct spritework vision. There are a lot of players that dislike polymost because it doesn´t look like 8bit (original art).
Maybe you already noticed it, but in polymost the visibility is quite different, much more sensitive to long distances (only with a value of 251-256 you´re having similar results as with the default 8bits one) and for more shaded a thing is, more its visibility goes down, when this, in 8bits, never happened. The results usually are that maps designed using 8bits look brighter when they´re played in polymost and viceversa.

[Radar1013]

plagam once told me a while ago that you can still access 8-bit polymost by typing in setrendermode 2 in the console. It doesn't work anymore though. I remember it working with the older snapshots though. It was as buggy as heck.

[Dopefish7590]

Originally Posted by MusicallyInspired

Ah, I see. An 8-bit mode with proper z axis perspective and models would look pretty cool, though.

You can still see what it looked like by playing in 32-bit without the HRP. The enemies looked like they were made of paper.

[Radar1013]

actually there is still a difference i think. Even when turning off the texture filtering and playing without the HRP, 32-bit mode still makes the textures look smeared and ugly. You can notice smears of purple on the shotgun and on other gray objects and it looks very wierd.

[Dopefish7590]

Well... It's the closest you're gonna get today unless you use an ancient port.

[JonoF]

Originally Posted by Radar1013

actually there is still a difference i think. Even when turning off the texture filtering and playing without the HRP, 32-bit mode still makes the textures look smeared and ugly. You can notice smears of purple on the shotgun and on other gray objects and it looks very wierd.

I'd like to see a screenshot of that actually. I personally play JFDuke3D or EDuke32 in 32bit Polymost mode but with nearest filtering mode enabled, and I have never seen purple smearing.

Jonathon

[hightreason]

I've seen this, it's like the transparent color leaking.
I stopped it by turning texture filter to None or Nearest (depends on port) and Anisotropic as far down as possible.
I normally use these settings anyway, as they make images look sharper than they would with these turned on.

[Dopefish7590]

Originally Posted by JonoF

I'd like to see a screenshot of that actually. I personally play JFDuke3D or EDuke32 in 32bit Polymost mode but with nearest filtering mode enabled, and I have never seen purple smearing.

Jonathon

It happens sometimes when looking at a transparent section of a sprite through another transparent section...

If you've ever played the Red maps, in Red 3 in the factory just before you go outside there is a room to your left with a window, go into there and look through the window at the fans on the other side of the room...

[Radar1013]

I was meaing like the smearing on the red HUD numers compared from 8-bit to 32-bit and other wierd smearings. I'll try and port a screen tommarow.

[Dopefish7590]

Oh, oops.

[gambini]

Those things could be minmal errors, but im talking about the game looking:

Maybe you already noticed it, but in polymost the visibility is quite different, much more sensitive to long distances (only with a value of 251-256 you´re having similar results as with the default 8bits one) and for more shaded a thing is, more its visibility goes down, when this, in 8bits, never happened. The results usually are that maps designed using 8bits look brighter when they´re played in polymost and viceversa.

I use near_mm_near, anisotropic filter tap 16 and NOT the HRP, and levels look brighter, shades dont look smooth (because the visibility). That´s what im talking about.