DescentBB

Descent 2 is bugging me. I have a generally dim monitor, which is okay when I'm playing the normal version. But with a Voodoo, the normal version doesn't get a very good framerate. So I try out D2 3DFX, which has real nice framerate, but is so dim I can hardly see anything. I am completely unable to turn the gamma settings up for DOS programs with my Voodoo 3. It has a tweaking program, but that just lets me turn up gamma settings for Windows programs. It doesn't seem to affect DOS. So I was wondering... Does anyone know how I can turn up the brightness? Seems like I could use a custom .bat file, but I don't know what lines of text to use for Voodoo 3.

It's impossible with a Voodoo3. Gamma in D2_3dfx only works with the Voodoo1 (and possibly Voodoo2), but not the Voodoo3.

Increase the brightness of the monitor. If possible.

What about D2X?

I'm not sure how I can increase the brightness of the monitor, besides just cranking up the things on the front. They're already as high as they can go. Mr. Perfect, I've tried D2X, and the last time I did, it seemed quite buggy for my system anyway, and didn't really give me much better performance than original Descent 2. It's been awhile since I've looked at D2X, but I don't know where in the web I can find it. Could you give me the link?

I think I got the gamma correction to work on D2_3Dfx when I had a voodoo3, not sure tho.

http://www.kieferskunk.net/ still has the D2_3Dfx FAQ, the gamma adjustments for the voodoo2 might actually still work for the voodoo3, but I'm not sure there.

I seem to recall a special D2 3DFX build for the V3 line being released around the time that the V3 came out.

edit:

http://www.descent2.com/patches/d2%5F3dfx/

If you have a Voodoo 2, Voodoo 3, Voodoo Rush or a Voodoo Banshee card, V1.05b and higher will run.

MD-2389, I've tried the build you're talking about. And I've tried Kieferskunk's lines of text for the .bat files. Kieferskunk doesn't say anything about the gamma corrections for Voodoo 3, and says the program doesn't work at all for it.

launch Descent2.exe(without using D2_3dfx.exe) adjust brightness up..(usually one notch from the highest and also set detail level to high) then launch D2_3dfx.exe brightness should be alot different

D2_3dfx06b.exe is the one you want to use (just do not attempt to use automap)

01000001011100110111001101010111011010010111000001100101010000110110111101101101011000100110000101110100

Sounds like it is time for a new monitor too

did you try any batchfile commands like 'SSTV3_GAMMA=1.30'?

it's been awhile since i've used d2_3dfx so you'll have to excuse me if the command isn't exactly right...

Well, yeah, a new monitor would probably fix that. It's pretty old... I've tried turning the brightness all the way up in the normal descent2.exe, but it's still too dim. Yeah, Ferno, a batchfile command is what I'm looking for. It's just that, I don't know what batchfile command to use for Voodoo 3. I can't seem to find documentation for that kind of thing. It would've been logical if the command was SET SSTV3_GAMMMA=x.xx, but it doesn't work. Looks like I'm absolutely stuck.

Open a text editor and insert this text save as D2_3dfx.bat and drop it into your root Descent 2 directory

NOTE : I am only putting the value for the default Clock speed as a reference
I you OVERCLOCK you now have a fall back point

------------------------------------------

@echo off

//Voodoo3500/3000

//If you have a voodoo3 replace [ SSTH3 ] with [ SSTV3 ]

//Refresh Rate 60, 75, 85 and 120
//set to 60 for mouse
SET SSTH3_SCREENREFRESH=100

//you can change this value (default 183 for 3500 / 166 for 3000)
SET SSTH3_GRXCLK=183

//0 for no cap 1 for vsync and 2 for mouse
SET FX_GLIDE_SWAPINTERVAL=0

SET SSTH3_FASTMEM=1
SET SSTH3_FASTPCIRD=1

// Valid settings are 0.25 to 1.95
SET SSTH3_GAMMA=1.01

// Wait for Vertical Sync 0 off / 1 on (for Mouse)
SET SSTH3_SWAP_EN_WAIT_ON_VSYNC=0

//This next line must be typed all on one line.
d2_3dfx.exe -shortpackets -packets 5 -playermessages -joypolled %1 %2 %3 %4 %5

You rock, Bubbalou. I'll have to test it out, though. Thanks for the help...

Gah!! Well, that didn't work either. For all the commands, it gives me the message, "out of environment space". Of course, I do have a Voodoo 3 2000, if that makes anything different...

Holy crap. Most of those are old Voodoo 1 variables. Which is related to the problem. You're running out of space to store them. Since the only thing you're trying to get working is the gamma, just use the gamma line and delete the rest. There's no reason to set the graphics card to its default clock, especially even if the line did anything.

Or, if you really insist on having a bigger batch file than everyone else, experiment with running command.com /e:512 and try different values like 1024 and such. Plus, there is I believe a way of doing this in Win9x just by right clicking the properties of the shortcut. Somewhere under memory management.

OnetoomanyDumplings wrote:Gah!! Well, that didn't work either. For all the commands, it gives me the message, "out of environment space". Of course, I do have a Voodoo 3 2000, if that makes anything different...

open your config.sys file and add this:

shell=c:\command.com /e:2048 /p

save and reboot

Or ... See the following ...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... bContent=1

After adding the line to my config.sys file, I'm no longer getting the error about environment space. But the problem remains. I think I've gotten quite enough responses, and if I haven't really got anything that works for my system, I think I can pretty much give up and live with dimness...