Neverwinter Nights in DirectX 9.0c?

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

hello people, as probably many already know Neverwinter Nights uses the DirectX 8.1 instead of DirectX 9.0c, and that may cause some problems in many Windows versions (except Windows 98), like problems when you try to minimize the game in fullscreen using the same Windows screen resolution/bit depth/hz or freezes when horses are loaded, changing the PC (player character) visual equipment using some graphic cards (many ATI HD most probably), problems with shiny water and so on.

 

probably someone knows about some old games using DirectX wrappers created by the community, like in the game Operation Flashpoint, when you can put wrappers (D3D8.dll and D3D9.dll)

in the game folder to force the game run in a newer DirectX version.

 

so, there is any way to do something like that in Neverwinter Nights, i mean, force the game running in DirectX 9.0c?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ehye_khandee]

               

Actually, NWN _requires_ DirectX 9c, there is NO MENTION of 8.1 in any of the documentation I have at hand, if you have a reference to 8.1 in NWN material, please post a citation.

 

NWN has some issues with ATI graphic cards/chips, and I recommend you go with Nvidia if at all possible.

 

You can download the SDK for DirectX 9.0c from microsoft.com, I recommend you get it and install it. You CAN have more than one version of DirectX on your computer without causing issues.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

you can check in the \(NWN Directory)\docs\ the files "Readme.txt", "SoUreadme.txt" and "HotUreadme.txt"

 

look at the minimum/recommended system requirements, it says DirectX 8.1.

 

 

 

be the way, no matter if you have installed DirectX 9, 10 or 11, NWN will run with DirectX 8.1 libraries.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_AndrueD]

               

Not know if this help, but in NWN2 forum they say how to put DirectX versions on one machine at same time. Donna think it matter NWN or NWN2 for putting versions on.

 

Post is http://forum.bioware...ts-2/?p=6565020

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

the problem here isn't having different versions of DirectX installed, the problem is when you execute the game, the executable loads libraries from DirectX 8.1 instead of loading libraries of newer versions of DirectX.

 

example : if you try to run the Tomb Raider 2 ( a game ), it will need the DirectX 5.0 libraries installed in your OS to run, if you have DirectX 6, 7, 8 or 9, the game executable stills load the same DirectX 5.0 libraries, but if you make a wrapper you can run the executable using libraries of a different DirectX version, here is an example, but for the game Operation Flashpoint ( DirectX 8.1 to 9.0c or newer ).

 

if we can make something like that for NWN, the game will run better in many ways.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               NWN is an open GL game, not sure why any of you think it's dx8. There is a 3dvision (nvidia) wrapper, that brings it to dx9, doesn't help with performance a but though.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

NWN is an open GL game, not sure why any of you think it's dx8. There is a 3dvision (nvidia) wrapper, that brings it to dx9, doesn't help with performance a but though.

 

well, the NWN system requirements says DirectX 8.1, but it seems to be true, the game actually uses OpenGL 1.2 to run, because if you disable DirectDraw the game runs anyways.

 

thanks for the info !

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ehye_khandee]

               

According to my tech

 

 

Game was distributed with the version of Direct X that was current at the time the game was released ... iirc there is a dx version difference between the big AIO pack and the HoU, SoU, etc disks.


All versions of Direct X carry the previous version libraries until DX10.. ( aka Windows Vista/7 )


At that point the microsucks preinstalled 'Lite' version of DX is insufficient, and the full direct X update needs to be downloaded... usually, the exceptions are some OEM groups preinstall the full DX setup... but that is just splitting hairs


If look at the DX Package (Full installs) they have things like dx7....dll, dx8....dll, and so on.


Reason is when Direct X is linked to a game via Link compiler it links to the version specific dll, and the dlls are often function wrappers for the system's version. This in theory keeps Direct X able to run games as the O/S evolves...


Not so sure about in practice, well that remains to be seen...


If anyone crazy enough to continue with microsucks

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               NWN runs on any freshly installed windows without the need to install any old dx versions. Not sure what you tested there.


(on a side note , MS sems to have improved dx downwards compatibility with win 10. On win 7 and 8 i had to install the full version of dx 9 to run Skyrim with ENB, on win 10 the two run out of the box.)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

NWN runs on any freshly installed windows without the need to install any old dx versions. Not sure what you tested there.


(on a side note , MS sems to have improved dx downwards compatibility with win 10. On win 7 and 8 i had to install the full version of dx 9 to run Skyrim with ENB, on win 10 the two run out of the box.)

 

as you said previously, the game doens't run in DirectX, it uses OpenGL 1.2.

 

this is easy to test, simply run "dxdiag.exe" and disable DirectDraw, and the game will still run without any problems.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_KMdS!]

               

In my self education of game programming, I have found that both openGl and dx are incorporated in many instances, but there is a default check for use. NWN most likely will use either and has been coded for both but has been coded to search for opengl first. I do not presume to say which would be better suited in any single instance as the specific hardware used by a player to run NWN has something to do with the performance of either opengl or dx.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Newbie]

               

In my self education of game programming, I have found that both openGl and dx are incorporated in many instances, but there is a default check for use. NWN most likely will use either and has been coded for both but has been coded to search for opengl first. I do not presume to say which would be better suited in any single instance as the specific hardware used by a player to run NWN has something to do with the performance of either opengl or dx.

 

is there any way to test this ? i try to temporary delete the opengl32.dll from \Windows\System32\ and when you try to launch the game it says the application failed to start because nwmain.exe can't find the opengl32.dll, instead of running un DirectX.

 

not sure if deleting any reference in regedit of OpenGL will make the game running in DirectX, but isn't something safe to test in my case.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_KMdS!]

               

It may be that NWN is a dedicated opengl game.....it may also be that it depends on hardware and drivers installed, it may check the hardware/drivers and determine that opengl is how it must operate.....difficult to know w/o a lot of testing.