Direct3D vs. revised OpenGL renderer - by ralentor
ralentor on 3/1/2006 at 20:41
I just started playing Deus EX (GOTY edition) on my aging Athlon XP 2000+ with 512MB PC2700 and a GeForce 4600 128MB. I'm currently using the built-in D3D renderer which seems to be working just fine, but I recently discovered a (
http://cwdohnal.home.mindspring.com/utglr) new Open GL renderer for Deus Ex, updated on June 12th, 2005. Have any GeForce owners compared the visual quality of this recently-updated OpenGL renderer with that of the D3D renderer provided with Deus Ex GOTY?
ZylonBane on 3/1/2006 at 21:05
I've never been able to get this OpenGL renderer running correctly on my system (Win98SE, GeForce4 ti4200). It always reverts to software mode, then crashes after a little while.
Marecki on 3/1/2006 at 23:56
I like that OpenGL renderer. It doesn't help much (if at all) with the architecture, but when it comes to light cast on 3D models - from JC's own weapons to the AI - it does a great if subtle job.
Radeon X700 Pro / XP x64, in case you're wondering.
Tulsidas on 4/1/2006 at 05:52
If it is eye-candy you're interested in, Direct3d wins hands down. Even the latest OpenGL renderer can't match that, though it can really improve your fps dramatically (but with an engine as old as Unreal, you're probably not really needing any more improvement in fps). Keep in mind that Deus Ex doesn't come with those high-res S3TC compressed textures that OpenGL in UT-GOTY can take advantage of. So, unlike Deus Ex in Direct3d and UT in either renderer, textures take a blurred look even at close range.
Direct3d in Deus Ex. OpenGL in UT. :thumb:
ZylonBane on 4/1/2006 at 05:56
I just wish Deus Ex's engine did vertex lighting as well as the Dark Engine. In Deus Ex it's really quite awful.
Tulsidas on 4/1/2006 at 06:20
Yeah, seeing as Deux Ex was a primarily single player affair, they should have improved on the UT renderer; something that was done so impressively in Rune.
ZylonBane on 4/1/2006 at 14:56
On the other hand, we've seen what happens when Ion Storm tries that sort of thing, so perhaps it was for the best.
AxTng1 on 4/1/2006 at 15:29
I was quite impressed by Ion Storm's ability to make the famously versatile Unreal Engine feel like you had 10 pairs of gloves on while playing :D
ralentor on 4/1/2006 at 21:15
Quote Posted by Tulsidas
If it is eye-candy you're interested in, Direct3d wins hands down.
Performance doesn't seem to be an issue (so far, but I've only just started), so I'm only interested in the visual quality between the two renderers. Thanks for the reply.
ZylonBane, could you explain to a layman what you mean when you say that the vertex lighting in Deus Ex isn't up to par, and maybe give some examples?
ZylonBane on 4/1/2006 at 21:24
Well, for example, when an object is strongly lit from one side, the triangles comprising it become very apparent, especially if the object is moving or rotating in relation to the light source. This shouldn't happen with gouraud-shaded models. It's especially noticeable on the security cameras.
Also, it seems like models don't receive as much ambient lighting as they should, causing extreme light-to-dark transitions across a model.
