Hacking Lemmings Revolution

[jclampy]

Hey GuyPerfect could this help or be of interest at all?

DirectDrawWrapper v0.1 sources from here: http://sol.gfxile.net/code.html" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://sol.gfxile.net/code.html
or also DirectDrawHack binary/source: http://sol.gfxile.net/ddhack/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://sol.gfxile.net/ddhack/ or here: https://code.google.com/p/ddhack/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">https://code.google.com/p/ddhack/
Might give some insight or ideas?  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/huh.gif" alt="???" title="Huh?" class="smiley" />

He also has some interesting tutorials etc: http://sol.gfxile.net/dxtut/index.html" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://sol.gfxile.net/dxtut/index.html
May or may not be useful.

[GuyPerfect]

DirectX in all its forms uses Microsoft's typical COM interface, and I have http://source.winehq.org/source/include/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">a collection of header files for reference courtesy of the Wine project. Even in its current state, the patch.dll is manipulating DirectX even though it's written in C (rather than C++), which is practically unheard of. (-:

[jclampy]

I think his DirectDrawHack might have been transfering the DirectDraw data through to OpenGL. Was wondering if doing something like that might be beneficial with your patch.dll?

I think the 'DDraw Emulate' option under the 'Window Mode' tab of D3DWindower also transfers the DirectDraw data out to OpenGL.

From what I gathered, bonuses would be OpenGL is faster and also may allow some form of filtering to improve image quality.

Unfortunately neither of those work for me because my ATI cards drivers are very troublesome with OpenGL. If the OpenGL program is not made how the ATI drivers like then it results in a BSOD. Annoyed the hell out of me for a couple of years but ATI have got the drivers atleast half way fixed now so I can play most OpenGL games.

[jclampy]

Is it possible to improve the number font beside the lemmings type selectors; floater, climber, etc...
I notice it looks quite bad using the official Lemmings Revolution version as well. Any ideas?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit1:
I see you had the number font looking real nice back here;
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/index.php?topic=615.msg13694#msg13694" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://www.lemmingsforums.com/index.php?topic=615.msg13694#msg13694

How come the font doesn't look that crisp on my machine? Did you change the 'number' font .bmp files or something?

See on my end the number font on the lefthand side of the screen looks bad.
Screenshot taken playing with the Custom Hack Patch in normal fullscreen 640x480.
(The same problem with the 'number' font occurs playing in windowed mode as well)
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z399/jclampy/D3DWindower/Font.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />
Edit2:
Also, notice my 'speedup' double arrow button icon doesn't look as sharp either.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/huh.gif" alt="???" title="Huh?" class="smiley" />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I will see if I can get Lemmings Revolution running on an old PC to see what it originally looked like back in the day and report back.

Edit2:
The number font looks really crisp on my old PC: PIII 600MHZ + Voodoo3 + W98SE

Maybe the problem is just with ATI graphic cards, GuyPerfect are you using a NVIDIA graphic card by chance?

[mobius]

Again, I apologize if I go over anything already mentioned.

I took a screen shot (using both PrintScreen and a program called screen hunter) and both times the "full screen" picture ends up looking no larger than this (see attachment).

I don't know if this has anything to do with Lemmings Revolution or it's just the way this works but in any case; my game doesn't look like this or yours (played normally with Guy's patch). The numbers are smooth and good. I'm using NVIDIA graphics (I think, I can't find the documentation  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/angry.gif" alt=">" title="Angry" class="smiley" />)
Mine looks basically like Guy's from the link you posted. Idk why it doesn't come out that way when I take screen shots. Are you saying yours looks like that picture at full screen?

[jclampy]

First I will just check that I have understood you right.

You say that when you play the game it looks like GuyPefrect screenshot. But when you take a screenshot it looks like picture you posted (obviously) which looks like my screenshot (the number '1' looks terrible for example).

A) GuyPerfect = plays good and screenshots good. [Fullscreen?] (Unknown graphic card at this stage)
B) ThickMolasses = plays good and screenshots bad. [Fullscreen] (ATI HD4350 and Win7)
C) JClampy = plays bad and screenshots bad. [Fullscreen or Window] (ATI HD4660 using latest DX9 and WinXP)
D) JClampy = plays good and haven't taken screenshot yet. [Fullscreen] (3DFX Voodoo3 2000 AGP using latest DX9 and Win98SE)

So, still not enough information to know what problem is. Could guess that maybe it is an issue with ATI graphic cards, but without trialing with different cards or getting more info we are only speculating.

I will test on another computer with an ATI HD4650 later today if I can.

Thick Molasses are you sure you can't find what graphic card you are using:
from windows 'start button', 'settings', 'control panel', 'system', 'hardware', 'device manager', then 'display adapters'.
or from from windows 'start button', 'settings', 'control panel', 'display', 'settings', 'advanced', then 'adapter'.

Also, what directx version and operating system are you using?

DirectX version = windows 'start button', 'run', type dxdiag

Operating System = windows 'start button', 'settings', 'control panel', 'system'

Edit:
Updated ThickMolasses graphic card and operating system information

[mobius]

edit: yes your right about all that.
Idk if this screen shot problem really has anything to do with Revolution but.... What I should try is taking a screen shot of another full screen program! That's what I'll do and get back to you.
Btw, "screen hunter plus" is a very good program, only thing is it costs money and the trail doesn't last real long.

EDIT:
I just took a screenshot using PrintScreen of another fullscreen but much different program and it was a lot different! It still wasn't full size though  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/huh.gif" alt="???" title="Huh?" class="smiley" /> (compared to the real game) see attached.
At least now we know that this does have something to do with the game (or game mechanics).
--
In another note, once I tried using CamStudio to record my playing of Revolution and some really odd happened: The video turned out totally distorted; the colors were way off and the whole screen appeared to be displaced up and to the left so far only a small portion of the game screen was visible in the video. the rest of the video was black.

----------
thanx for the help. I have Windows 7 home edition so locating this stuff if is pain because you have to first work around all the 'dumb people protection bullcrap' to prevent non-computer savvy people from accidentally ruining their computer.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/angry.gif" alt=">" title="Angry" class="smiley" /> (not that I'm extremely computer savvy but apparently I'm better than the people they designed this for).

Mine is a HP, 64 bit, AMD Phenom™ II 925 Processor 2.80 GHz, (6.1, build 7601)

Apparently I was wrong—I don't have Nvidia (I must have been thinking of my old computer) I have ATI Radeon HD 4350

DirectX 11

--------
If you ever wanna discuss stuff at length or quickly visit this chat room for this site here:
http://webchat.quakenet.org/?channels=lix" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://webchat.quakenet.org/?channels=lix

[jclampy]

Ok, just to clarify a few things.

Although you have DirectX11 installed there should also be a DirectX9 in there somewhere. It maybe called DirectX9L or simlar from memory as I don't have Vista or Win7 myself.

Basically unless a game is made to use DirectX10 or DirectX11 it will instead be using DirectX9 or in Vista & Win7 case, DirectX9L. Unfortuantely I wouldn't know whether DirectX9L would cause a visual difference when compared to DirecX9 or not.

Secondly, if the 64bit is just refering to your CPU or if you are using a 64bit operating system may or may not cause differences, especially when running 32bit software.

Although, it could also be a difference between WinXP and WinVista or Win7 as maybe I am only one running WinXP?  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/scared.gif" alt=":scared:" title="Scared" class="smiley" />

Lastly, it is interesting you have a similar graphic card to mine being same chipset maker but of a different family.
Still, it is conceivable that they could display the images the same on a hardware level, although drivers could throw a spanner in the works.

I am using ATI driver CAT 12.3 which is a few months old now. It appears they are on 12.6 or 12.7 now.

[mobius]

I should point out a few things; I may not be the best person to be testing things out considering for one; my monitor is larger than normal it's 1680x1050 resolution. Secondly in the past I did a lot of messing around with DirectX and other video codecs which I downloaded in an attempt to try and get this other program working called Virtual Dub. Consequently I think I may have changed things to the point where I'd need somebody else to get my computer to it's original state, (or how it *should* be)
Besides that when checking my PC's stats it tells me "Windows has a problem detecting all of your information" ... so something is wrong, but no idea what. In any case I don't see DirectX9 or any other version listed anywhere so far.

I have a 64bit operating system. (not CPU) and yes that can cause major problems, one major one that I know is that you can not run anything smaller than 32 bit programs at all. But beyond that I don't know.
My computer is about 2 years old now I think. Windows update also recently stopped working for me for yet unknown reasons so.... yeah. (I'll stop complaining now http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />)

Anyway... I've just been testing out D3Dwindower and I can't it to work at all. No matter what changes I make to the options the game just plays normally (full screen). I tried moving different files around as well.
Now, for some reason my game has reverted to the 'bad' look; the numbers aren't as defined. (it looks like your picture here *see below) I don't know what I did to change that though.
--Also I've only been using Guy's patched version to do all this, maybe I'll try using the old version but I don't really want to. Guy went to a lot of work to get the colors back and I can't stand playing it the bad way anymore. (unless you need me to test it for testing purposes)

A question; when using D3Dwindoer are you able to have Revolution run in the background fine while having another program open like a music player?

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z399/jclampy/D3DWindower/Font.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Just out of curiosity I might try screen capping afew other programs. Half life (and most Steam games actually) have most of their files stored on the Steam server so stuff isn't even on your PC. I'll try something closer to Revolution.

EDIT-- I tested three other games with all different results. My theory is that (I believe Guy might have mentioned this somewhere) the game 'screen' has a certain size then gets stretched to your screen during game play. What I don't know understand is why you're not able to screen-capture that properly. It's capturing the screen as it's created initially. (I don't know how to put it)

here are two separate screen caps (both using screen hunter as you can see) and you can clearly see the difference. (the latter is a screen cap of my desktop and I just cut it down to make it smaller but the 'size' (resolution size) was correct. It was the size of my desktop.
I wish I had something more useful to bring to this.

[jclampy]

Ok, I will wittle down your message a bit so we don't get caught up talking about Micro$hit operating systems and hardware or we will probably be here till xmas and banging our heads against brick walls.

Anyway... I've just been testing out D3Dwindower and I can't it to work at all. No matter what changes I make to the options the game just plays normally (full screen). I tried moving different files around as well.

Answer1:
If it was me I would try this; in D3DWindower settings try ticking 'background resize' see if that works. If not, then maybe try unticking 'use foreground control' and/or unticking 'use direct input'. Although, now I think about it, if you already tried running D3DWindower with Lemmings Revolution before actually modifying any D3DWindower settings and it didn't work then things do not bode well.

Answer2:
Just did a google search on D3DWindower and Windows 7 or 64bit. One website mentions that although the game was running fullscreen, it was now running at their computers native resolution. For example, if your native resolution was 1280x960 then Lemmings Revolution would be running at 1280x960.
Can you please check this by pressing a button on your monitor if possible. There should be a menu display you can bring up and hopefully an information section where your monitor can tell you what resolution and refresh rate it is currently using. That way, while you are playing Lemmings Revolution your monitor can tell you what resolution you are in. If it says 640x480 or similar then you know D3DWindower is not working.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=45099" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=45099

Honestly, don't know if what is on that website really works. I think his widescreen monitor is automatically filling the screen as I will explain at the end of this post.
The problem is more likely D3DWindower is not Windows 7 compatible, especially if it originally was released in 2004. If you still have no luck, then we may have to research on google some more. I will try and have a look later but I am in the process of backing up a couple of large HDDs, of which one is supposedly failing, but I'll try and do a factory format to rescue it. This will keep me busy for a little while.

Now, for some reason my game has reverted to the 'bad' look; the numbers aren't as defined. (it looks like your picture here *see below) I don't know what I did to change that though.

This is interesting. This would propose that the font problem is correctable. Did you change graphic card driver? Did you change any of your graphic card settings? Did you change your desktop resolution or colorspace 16bit/24bit/32bit? Did you re-install Lemmings Revolution? (I wonder if difference between typical or compact install could cause this?) Would be good if we could get to the bottom of this problem.

--Also I've only been using Guy's patched version to do all this, maybe I'll try using the old version but I don't really want to. Guy went to a lot of work to get the colors back and I can't stand playing it the bad way anymore. (unless you need me to test it for testing purposes)

No, keep using Guy's patched version.

A question; when using D3Dwindoer are you able to have Revolution run in the background fine while having another program open like a music player?

Yes, just tried a level with mission impossible music playing in the background.

EDIT-- I tested three other games with all different results. My theory is that (I believe Guy might have mentioned this somewhere) the game 'screen' has a certain size then gets stretched to your screen during game play. What I don't know understand is why you're not able to screen-capture that properly. It's capturing the screen as it's created initially. (I don't know how to put it)

here are two separate screen caps (both using screen hunter as you can see) and you can clearly see the difference. (the latter is a screen cap of my desktop and I just cut it down to make it smaller but the 'size' (resolution size) was correct. It was the size of my desktop.
I wish I had something more useful to bring to this.

Hmm, no I'm pretty sure the original game is 640x480 as that is how it displays both on my old computer with Voodoo3 and this computer with ATI HD4660. The thing you might not realise is that both my computers are displayed on a 4:3 ratio monitor, which is exactly the ratio that this game was made to be displayed at.

I assume you are using a widescreen display. If so you may want to investigate how your widescreen displays resolutions that it is not made for. For example most widescreen displays have an option where you can choose whether the monitor should automatically make whatever size resolution it receives fill the screen. This has the effect of distorting the picture if it is the wrong resolution. IE; if video footage; make people look short/fat or tall/skinny, etc...

If you can access your monitors setup menu as discussed earlier. Look for something like 'manual image adjust', then 'aspect ratio', now what you want to do is choose 1:1 if it is available. What this will do is display all resolution's as they are suppose to be seen. If a picture is suppose to be square then you will see black borders etc...

With 1:1 selected you will definately see the truth about what Lemmings Revolution is doing.

[mobius]

First: D3DWindower;
By the looks of it (without much research) I'm getting the feeling that (as you said might be the case) D3DWindower is not compatible with Windows 7. There's just no change what-so-ever, and the same with that other program, if it had any kind of impact, I'd think it would at least do something or crash. But it's like it's not doing anything at all. Today it just stopped responding for no apparent reason. And I checked my monitor's resolution while it was active and there was no change to what it normally would do. (see below for what it normally would do.) I'll try to tinker around some more.
In the end; if I can't get it to play in a window I won't be real upset. I'd rather spend time on making an editor for the game. But that's another story.
---------------------
Now; I didn't have time yet to try all those things out but I can tell you some things;
---I may have confused 'Definition' for 'Resolution' in previous posts. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/embarrassed.gif" alt=":-[" title="Embarrassed" class="smiley" />
first of all; Idk whether it's important but I forgot to mention my computer is an HP but I'm using an older Gateway monitor which originally came with Nvidia. But now I have a different adapter (ATI Radeon)

I assume you are using a widescreen display. If so you may want to investigate how your widescreen displays resolutions that it is not made for. For example most widescreen displays have an option where you can choose whether the monitor should automatically make whatever size resolution it receives fill the screen. This has the effect of distorting the picture if it is the wrong resolution. IE; if video footage; make people look short/fat or tall/skinny, etc...

Yeah, that's what I meant earlier. My monitor is 8 inches by 11 ½ inches and it's default desktop resolution is 1680x1050. Most older full screen games I play either looked stretched or they're "boxed" because of this. However, now that you mentioned it Revolution must be looking different; I just never realized it. 1680x1050 aren't divisible by 640x480 but they are fairly close; both by 2.XXX which means my picture is much larger but only stretched lengthwise so little it's hardly noticeable.
Also I checked a picture of the game using Photoshop. It's exactly 640x480 pixels. (man is that how small screens used to be? I'm spoiled) I just can't figure out why I can't get a screen-cap of the stretched version which is what I (the user) see.
I can confirm my monitor does revert to 640x480 while Revolution is active. So no higher definition for me right now. 
I'll try your recommendations later. Don't have time now.

Now, for some reason my game has reverted to the 'bad' look; the numbers aren't as defined. (it looks like your picture here *see below) I don't know what I did to change that though.

This is interesting. This would propose that the font problem is correctable. Did you change graphic card driver? Did you change any of your graphic card settings? Did you change your desktop resolution or colorspace 16bit/24bit/32bit? Did you re-install Lemmings Revolution? (I wonder if difference between typical or compact install could cause this?) Would be good if we could get to the bottom of this problem.

I'll look into this sometime this week but I've been very busy. As of now, the only thing I can think of is I hit the "auto-processing" button on my monitor which does... something. I haven't pressed that button in years. It kinda burns me up because my game was looking good now all of a sudden it doesn't look right.

Guy has a Linux (similar to Ubuntu) and I used to use Ubuntu and I specifically remember the graphics being really nice and smooth on that. It may have to do with the OS. (I've never played Revolution on it though but I know Guy has).

[jclampy]

Ok, try this;

First go to Microsoft website and download DirectX9 for your operating system (know that what you may download is a 'downloader' and then you use that 'downloader' to do an 'online download installation' of the DirectX9 package. If it only takes a few seconds then you know you have not installed DirectX9, you have only downloaded the 'downloader'. This will not overwrite your DirectX11 so don't worry about that. This will install DirectX9 beside DirectX11 so you will have both and your windows operating should automatically choose which one to use depending on game you are running.

After you have done that go to D3DWindower settings where it says 'DLL' and click [browse] button and select the D3DHook.dll file and press [open] button. Then click [ok] button to close out of settings window.

Now run the game and see if that works.


Edit:
Also, If after the above it still doesn't work. Then does your Operating System have a 'Windows XP mode' or similar? There is a chance that may work.

[Lomax]

Works well for me, but I also have a problem with the font.

 http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" />

[mobius]

what kind of computer are you using? Your screencap looks really nice. I mean the graphics (aside from the font) look higher definition. also the top and bottom of the column is flat. It's supposed to come out at an angle.  http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/huh.gif" alt="???" title="Huh?" class="smiley" />

----
I'm currently fixing a Gateway\Windows 98 computer so I'll be able to run Revolution on the machine I originally did!

[Lomax]

I have a Dell XPS running Windows XP SP 3. My graphics card is an ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series.